Chapter 7 Klaus #2
“Klaus. Please. I-I don’t want it.” She grabbed my arm to stop me, and it made my heart lurch. I rounded on her quickly. Her green eyes widened, and her pretty mouth opened in surprise.
“You talk too much,” I said.
She blinked back at me. “You’re… annoying.”
I let out a soft chuckle at that. It was cute.
“Come on, little hummingbird. Let’s go see this apartment.
” I gestured for her to follow, and a moment later, Frank pulled up along the curb.
He got out and opened the door for us. I shot him a look not to say a damn word about her because I’d throw his ass into traffic.
He rolled his eyes at me but remained quiet.
“Where to?” Frank asked as he got behind the wheel.
I looked at Rosalie for direction. I had no idea where she needed to go.
I smirked as she said the address in her sweet voice. I could tell she was nervous by the tremor in her voice and the shake in her hands. I wanted to wrap my hand around hers and kiss away her jitters.
Stop, Klaus. Get it together. This isn’t you.
“That is not a good neighborhood,” I said conversationally as we rode.
“It’s within my budget,” she answered, looking out the window as we drove through the city.
I laughed again, but I didn’t push it. The apartment she was going to see belonged to me. I’d humor her, though, and show it. It was too small for her. She needed room to spread her wings. The tiny place wouldn’t be it.
We rode in silence, so many thoughts swirling through my head. I inhaled deeply, breathing in how she smelled. God, I could get lost in that sweet scent for the rest of my life and beg for more.
When we arrived, I got out, followed her, and went straight into the building.
“Which apartment?” I asked.
“Twelve.”
Children cried in the distance as we went up the stairs. Once we arrived at apartment twelve, Renaldo was waiting for us. His eyes widened, and his face paled when he noticed me. I knew I scared him. He’d seen me kill men tens of times.
This wasn’t a safe neighborhood.
“Mr. Seeley, sir. I-I didn’t know you were coming today.”
“Funny that, isn’t it?” I commented.
“I-I have the money. L-Let me grab it.” He dashed off to a room at the end of the hall while we stared after him.
“What’s going on?” Rosalie asked, her voice trembling. She was a smart girl. She was putting the pieces together.
“This is my building,” I said, smiling at her.
“What? Yours?” Her voice came out in an adorable squeak.
I nodded. “It’s really not in a good neighborhood.”
“You’d be my landlord?” She seemed saddened by that, but I tried not to take offense.
“Technically,” I replied with a nod.
Her frown deepened, and all I wanted to do was turn the damn thing upside down. I’d never given a damn if a woman was sad or upset before, but her? I cared deeply.
I reached into my jacket, grabbed the ring of keys I kept there, and inserted the master key, which only I possessed, into the lock.
The door swung open, and I gestured for her to go inside.
“After you,” I said.
She sighed and stepped inside, her pretty eyes drinking it all in. The place was terribly small, but I made sure everything inside was updated. I wasn’t a slum lord, but I could only do so much in that amount of space.
“Good to see you’re not a slum lord,” she muttered, echoing my thoughts, and looking at the built-in bookcase in the tiny living room.
I laughed at her comment and left her to wander the area. I stepped out into the hall to get the cash from Renaldo.
“I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t realize you were the one who set up the new tenant—”
“She’s not going to be a tenant here.” I stuffed the cash into my jacket.
“Oh.” He seemed confused by that, but it didn’t matter. His confusion wasn’t my problem.
I returned to Rosalie to find her in the tiny bedroom.
“Do you like it?” I asked, leaning against the doorjamb and taking in how small and delicate she was.
And that damn uniform hugging all the dangerous curves from her full breasts to her hips. It made my heart beat faster.
She was undoubtedly a gorgeous woman.
I had to duck my head to stand here because I was a tall man, and this place wasn’t great in that respect. She was just a tiny little thing, and fit perfectly inside, but I didn’t like the way she looked here. She deserved luxury and leather. Marble. Silks. Diamonds.
The thoughts raced through my head as I continued to stare at her. All the things I could give her. All the pain I’d take away, or die trying to…
“It’s… cute,” she said, nodding.
“Yeah?” I smiled at her words, proud of myself for making this place to her standards. I almost told her I’d picked out the tiles in the bathroom and the color of the room, but she spoke again.
“There isn’t a lot of space for my music stuff, but then again, I don’t really think I’ll be using it anyway.”
“The space or the music stuff?” I asked.
“Music stuff. I was thinking about donating to the music center for students who can’t afford the equipment.” A look of sadness swept over her face.
“You are quitting music?” I frowned at this information, not liking it. In fact, it angered me.
“Yeah.” She sighed. “I’m not even in school anymore.”
I blinked in surprise at that information. She was on a very prestigious music scholarship at Mayfair. They weren’t handed out lightly.
“What are your plans? Waitressing?” I frowned deeper at that. There was no way I’d let her waste her talent working in a dirty spoon.
She shrugged, the sadness still on her face. I didn’t like it.
“It’s OK. I don’t know. I have an interview at a bookstore tomorrow. Part-time. It’s hard to find full-time. But together, I can probably make enough. This is within my budget, so it could work for me. I-I have a cat. Is that going to be a problem?”
Before I could answer her, gunshots rang out from the hallway. Rosalie’s face paled, and her lips parted. Her body shook with fear. She’d survived the attack at her engagement party only months ago. The party where Evan was taken from her. The party that caused this entire mess in her life.
The party where she was shot, and when I’d heard the news, I had drunk myself to sleep, praying she’d be OK and had even driven to the hospital to sit outside in the parking lot, like there was anything I could fucking do. So I’d left and started killing any Russian prick I could find.
Many men died that night.
Matteo had joined me. Alessio did many hours later.
“Do not move!” I shouted at Rosalie as I drew my piece and closed her into the room.
I rushed from the apartment and found two Russian pricks in the hallway, shooting at Renaldo, who was hiding behind the corner.
This area was shit, and I was a target whenever I came here. I was used to it, though. The fact that these Russian dirtbags hadn’t learned their lesson yet astounded me, but killing them helped me deal with my anger issues.
There were screams in the distance, tenants scared of the gunfire, but this was a monthly occurrence lately. I’d think they’d be used to it by now.
I dropped both men dead in the hallway and did a quick search of the area to see it was clear before rushing back to Rosalie.
I found her curled into a tight ball on the floor of the bedroom, her red curls tangled around her, and her body violently shaking as she tried to keep her head covered.
It broke my heart.
A soul like Rosalie’s should never have had to deal with this shit. Had John and Cali told me I’d someday have these confusing feelings for their daughter, I’d have laughed in their faces.
But here I was, rushing to hold her, to calm her, to promise her everything would be OK.
I went in and scooped her tiny, trembling body into my arms and held her against my chest. She dug her nails into my exposed skin at my chest and throat, making me wince, but I only held her tighter as she sobbed.
“It’s OK,” I murmured as I carried her from the room. She buried her face in my neck, her fingers twisting into my black shirt as I walked us down the stairs and outside to Frank.
I couldn’t lie. I liked the way it felt to be needed. To matter. I felt like I was her hero when I knew I damn well wasn’t. In this instance, I’d play the part, though, because I wanted whatever tiny moment I could have with her.
“I can’t rent you the apartment, hummingbird,” I said as we stepped outside the apartment. “I have a no pets policy. Sorry.”
She only held me tighter, filling my heart with some emotion I didn’t recognize.
“Frank, call Joey. I need a cleanup,” I said gruffly, trying to keep my head straight. “Tell Matteo it’s the Russians again.”
“On it,” Frank said, pulling his phone out as I got into the back with Rosalie. She refused to let go of me, and I was damn well fine with that.
“Easy. It’s OK. Nothing is wrong. All is well,” I murmured to her as the SUV pulled onto the street. “Shh, stop your tears. You’re OK. Breathe. Slowly. Match my breathing. Feel my chest beneath your fingers, sweet one. Everything is going to be OK.”
She clung to me, her sobs eventually softening and her body relaxing against mine. I continued to hold her and whisper that she was safe and that I’d keep her that way.
Eventually, she calmed enough to release my shirt. Her touch was light as she traced the scratches she put on my chest, making my breath catch.
I couldn’t stop the shiver beneath her soft, warm fingers.
“Sorry,” she whispered, her voice still holding that slight shake to it.
“It’s OK,” I said thickly, knowing she was going to apologize to me. “I hope you’re not upset about the pet policy.”
“No.” She shook her head, her curls bouncing. I took the opportunity to gently wipe away her tears. “I-I hope you’re not upset that I think you might be running a drug house.”
I laughed loudly at her words. They were surprising, but funny. I really liked that. She gave me a shy, sweet smile.
Lorenzo De Luca was a fool for throwing her away on some cheap piece of pussy. But if I got to be a part of her life because of it, I’d shake his hand for being such a fool.
“You are a funny little thing. Tell you what. Let me show you a really nice apartment. I’ll make up for the drug house.”
“I’d like that. I-I have fifty thousand dollars for rent.”
I laughed again, tightening my hold on her. She didn’t try to escape me either. She let me hold her against my chest as we rode through the city.
Frank caught my eye in the rearview mirror and gave me a disapproving look. I ignored him. What did he know? He had eight kids scattered across the city. He wasn’t exactly a good judge of deeds.
“Where to?” he asked. I knew the ass was wondering if I’d take her to my place and fuck her, but I wasn’t like that.
Not really, anyway.
“Anson’s?” I asked her, raking my fingers through her soft curls to move them away from her face.
“Please,” she whispered.
I swallowed and told Frank to take us to Anson’s. He was likely with Bianca, so it worked.
When we arrived, I got out with her and noted she was still trembling. I guided her inside the building and to Anson’s apartment.
She turned to me and offered me another of her endearing, bashful smiles.
“Thank you. For today. For… saving me.”
“I would do that any day or night,” I said gently, taking in just how small and fragile she was.
I had the sudden thought she needed me. Anson was too busy with Bianca and Matteo. Fox was gone. The horsemen pushed her away.
I was it. I was all she had.
I stepped closer, and she didn’t step away from me.
“Call me if you decide you want a place to stay. My home is open to you.”
“You’d let me live with you?” She seemed confused by my offer.
“It’s the least I can do since I took you to a drug house today.” I did my best to bite back my smile.
The corners of her lips twitched at my words. “You do owe me.”
“I pay my debts, hummingbird.”
We stared at one another for a moment.
“May I text you?” I asked, my voice soft. I’d never asked a woman if I could text her. In fact, I’d never met a woman I wanted to waste the time doing that stuff with.
She nodded, her eyes widening. “Um, yes. Yeah. I-If you want.”
“I do,” I said immediately, pulling out my phone. “I want to make sure you’re safe.”
She rattled her number off to me as I put the digits into my phone.
“Thank you. Again,” she said. “Even though it was weird.”
I laughed at that. “You only made it weirder.”
Her eyes brightened, and she gave me the most beautiful smile.
“I’m only getting started.” She opened the door and stepped inside, giving me a coy smile before she closed it.
I stood staring at the door, unable to keep the smile off my damn face. It took me a moment, but I eventually went back to the SUV and slid into the backseat.
“You’re asking for trouble,” Frank commented.
“It’s the only thing I know how to deal with,” I muttered as I pulled my phone out and sent a message to Rosalie, feeling braver than I’d ever felt with a woman.
Klaus: Do you miss me yet?
Rosalie: How can I miss you if you won’t go away?
I grinned at her response.
Klaus: I’m your new sickness, hummingbird. Call me Klaus-itis.
Rosalie: You’re an inflammation? That explains some lingering pain in my butt…
I laughed loudly, earning another disapproving stare from Frank.
Klaus: You would be a pain in my ass if I let you stay in that apartment. Come stay with me.
Rosalie: Mm, I’ll think about it.
Klaus: And I’ll keep asking.
She sent me a winky face, and I smiled wider before darkening my screen and looking out the window at the passing city.
If shit went south with this, I’d blame Sylar.
It was his fault I walked into that damn diner in the first place. In fact, I could trace all our current problems back to him.
I glanced at Frank. If Sylar were anything like his father, he could take a hit and know it was coming. That made me smile. I really wanted to punch them both in the face to check how good they really were at making predictions.
If that made me an asshole, so be it.