Page 39 of The Bratva King

“Is this place legal?” I ask.

His face goes from smug to red. “That’s none of your business.”

“You evicted her. And her child. Put them out on the street like trash.”

I take another step. He takes another one back. We’ve moved maybe four feet from where we started, putting more distance between him and them.

“She’s behind on rent.” He’s trying to recover. “That’s legal cause. I followed the process.”

“Did you?”

“Who the hell are you?”

“I’m the man who’s about to make your life very painful.”

His mouth opens. Closes.

“You can’t threaten me!”

He’s still moving backward. I’d like to get him around the side of the building before I break his nose. It’ll be bloody, and I don’t want Luke to see it.

“No one is threatening you.” I calmly unbutton my cuff and begin rolling the sleeve to my elbow.

“I don’t have to listen to this.” He points at Gabby. “She’s out. That’s final. I already have someone lined up for the unit.”

“And let me guess, you’re going to charge them more.”

I roll up the other sleeve. We’re about ten feet away from the privacy I’m searching for. Not out of sight of the tenants watching from their windows. Even the drug dealers on the corner have stopped doing business to watch.

“Don’t do anything!” Gabby shouts from behind me.

I don’t turn around.

The landlord squints at me, trying to figure out who I am. Whether I’m worth taking seriously.

“She owes me a thousand dollars!”

“I owe you five hundred! The rest is whatever bullshit fees you’ve decided to tack on!” Gabby shouts.

“She doesn’t owe you a penny,” I say.

“Nikolai.” Her voice is strained. “Stop. Please.”

He looks at Gabby. Then back at me.

“Don’t look at her,” I say. We’re nearing the corner of his dilapidated building.

“Who the hell do you think you are?” He puffs out his chest. “You can’t tell me how to run my business.”

“I’m not telling you how to run your business. I’m telling you she doesn’t owe you money.”

“Take your rich ass out of here and leave me alone.”

I tilt my head, genuinely curious. “You rent to single mothers, elderly people, and anyone who might be vulnerable.”

“I give people that don’t have shit a place to call home.”

I look at the building, note the broken window, then look back at him. “You take advantage of people.”