Page 85 of Smooth Moves
Rafi looked stunned.
“See, man? Your sister had it all under control.” He lost his smile when he noticed how much larger the new super was.
“You’ll regret this, you bitch,” the guy threatened in between panting. “Get out. And get ready for the police to drag your ass to jail for assault.”
Cash toed the guy in the ribs, not hard but enough to introduce himself. “Shut the fuck up, asshole.” The guy glanced up at him and paled. Cash smiled down at him. “Hey, Jordan. Why don’t you and Rafi grab some stuff and pack up your car? I’ll watch your new landlord for you.”
“Don’t hurt him,” she ordered. “I mean it.”
“Nah. I know he’s the type to sue first, ask questions later.” He glared down at the dead man walking. “Don’t worry. I know how to handle his type.”
She gave Cash a suspicious look. “Come on, Rafi. Help me pack some clothes.” They darted to her bedroom, leaving him alone with rapey Casanova.
Cash leaned down and released the belt. The landlord hurried to his feet and moved back from Cash then tried to run around him for the door.
Cash stepped in front of him, causing contact. The man bounced off him, but the brush was good enough for Cash. He clenched his hand into a fist. “Now you’re assaultingme?”
“What? No.”
Before the man could move, Cash slammed him against the wall so hard his teeth rattled. “Look, fuckhead, you did something to my girl I’m not happy about. So this is what you’re going to do. You’re going to wait until she packs up all her stuff and leaves. You’re going to wait until I tell you she’s done. Tomorrow, in a week, whatever she needs to get out of here. Understand?”
“What? No, this is my—”
Cash punched him in the gut, right where Jordan had socked him. He didn’t use too much force, not wanting to cause major damage, just enough to get the dick’s attention. And it had the loser gasping in pain.
“IsaidI’ll tell you when you can have the unit back. She’s out of her lease as of right now. And you’re going to leave her the fuck alone or you’ll deal with me.” He leaned closer. “I don’t give a shit about the law. In fact, I like dancing all over it. So you want to play, keep pushing.”
“Wh-what can you do?”
Cash smiled. “You’ve got balls, I’ll give you that. But guess what I have. An unregistered Beretta. Oh, and about a dozen ways to kill a man without leaving a mark. Us combat Marine types like to challenge ourselves. I bet I could make this look like a B&E. Wipe away all the prints and have the cops scratching their heads for leads. Or, hell, maybe we could make it look like you had a heart attack. I know a guy who has the drugs to make it happen. Then again, I could just beat you to death. More fun for me that way.”
The asshole looked white enough to pass out, his eyes wide with fear. “No, no. We’re good. It’s okay. She’s free to leave whenever.”
“That’s right. And I’m going to talk to every other tenant here. You try any sleazy shit with any of them, I’ll be back. Just me and my Ka-Bar.” He gave the guy his best mean smile.
The man looked about ready to piss himself and held up his hands in surrender. “No, no. I won’t. It’s all good. Everything’s good, buddy.”
“I ain’t your friend, dickhead.” He finished by grabbing the guy’s wallet and making a big production out of saying his name and address out loud. “Okay, Ricky Alvarez. You and me, we don’t want to meet again, do we?” Then, because he didn’t like the guy, he kneed him in the balls and watched him fall to the floor in tears. “Do we, Ricky?”
“No. God, no.” Ricky, the shithead, was crying. Cash wouldn’t have thought less of him for crying the pain away, but he had a feeling the tears came from fear. So pathetic and typical of a bully. Stand up to them, and they crumbled.
He glanced up and froze. Jordan and Rafi stared at him with wide eyes.
Shit.“What? He tripped into my knee.”
Rafi swallowed audibly, took a wide step around Cash, and darted outside with his duffel bag.
Jordan groaned. “This is going to come back on me. Thanks a lot.”
Cash squatted down and forced Alvarez to meet his gaze. “Is it, Ricky? Is this going to come back on my girlfriend?”
“N-no. Not at all.” He blubbered and moaned, cupping his crotch. “S-sorry you have to leave. I’ll pay your deposit back, no problem.”
Jordan frowned. “But I didn’t—”
“You do that,” Cash interrupted. “Or I’ll be back.” Then he dragged the fucker outside into the hallway and left him there. “Lock up, Jordan.”
“Don’t tell me what to do,” she snapped as she locked up, a full sea bag over her shoulder.
