Page 96 of Finding Lexie
Lexie put her phone back in her pocket and contemplated what to do. There was really no reason to leave at her usual time because all she’d do was sit around her apartment being grumpy. Maybe she could go shopping on her way home and pick up some groceries to make Midas a nice dinner. But then again, she had no idea what time he’d get off work, and he might eat before he left the base.
Her musings were cut short by a shout from the kitchen. She rushed toward the back room and grimaced when she saw Jack lying on his back under the sink. It had obviously sprung another leak because water was spraying everywhere. This wasn’t exactly the best impression for Magnus, but at least Lexie knew what she’d be doing the rest of the afternoon.
She ran toward the water shut-off valve. When she’d cut it off, she looked around and wrinkled her nose. There was water everywhere. It would definitely take all afternoon to clean up the mess. Rolling up her sleeves, Lexie got to work.
* * *
Magnus knew he should be tired, but he was running on pure adrenaline. The second he saw Lexie Greene, a red mist descended across his vision. He pictured himself reaching out right then and there and wrapping his hands around her throat, choking the life out of her.
She looked so damn healthy. And happy. And it wasn’t fair! She should be feeling guilty. Shouldn’t be able to eat, to sleep. But instead, she glowed with vitality.
Bitch.
He’d sat in the director’s office for an hour or two pretending to look at files on her computer, but he didn’t give a shit about any of it. The organization could run itself into the ground. In fact, he’d do everything in his power to make sure it did.
When he couldn’t stand not knowing what she was doing any longer, he left the office and lurked in the main room, watching Lexie as she flitted from one person to the next. Always smiling, always positive. He wanted to smack that damn smile off her face, and he would. Soon.
Magnus had already noted that the Food For All building seemed to be in a somewhat rough neighborhood. And he also knew that Lexie had been given an apartment in a building nearby. She’d told him she walked home sometimes, when her boyfriend wasn’t able to pick her up. He didn’t know the asshole’s schedule, but he was counting on the fact that at least once in the next three days, he wouldn’t be able to come get her.
When a water pipe broke in the kitchen, it gave Magnus a convenient distraction. He slipped out the front door. His eyes scanned the area as he walked, until he saw what he needed.
As he looked down a dark, narrow alleyway between two buildings, he saw a large man sitting against the wall with a shopping cart parked next to him. He stared at the opposite wall as he drank from a bottle wrapped in a paper bag.
Glancing around and seeing no one, Magnus slipped into the alley.
He could smell the homeless man’s body odor as he approached. It was offensive, but that didn’t matter. His face was covered in a scruffy beard, with what looked like pieces of food stuck in the coarse strands. He had on a pair of torn and dirty tan pants and a T-shirt with holes of varying sizes. He had no shoes on his feet, but a pair of worn-out flip-flops were on the ground next to him.
“What d’ya want?” the man growled as Magnus approached.
“A moment of your time,” Magnus said.
“Damn foreigners,” the man said. “How about some money? You look like you got plenty.”
“I do,” Magnus said, ignoring the deepening of the man’s frown. Clearly, his answer wasn’t what the man expected to hear. “And I’d be happy to give you some. But I need a favor first.”
The homeless man looked disgusted. “I ain’t no homo,” he said belligerently.
Magnus sneered. “I do not want sex.” Then he went on to explain what he wanted from the man.
The skeptical look hadn’t faded from the guy’s face. “That’s it?”
“That’s it,” Magnus told him. “And to show you how serious I am, I’ll give you twenty bucks right now, and the other four hundred and eighty after you do what I want.” He pulled a wad of cash out of his pocket and peeled a twenty dollar bill off the top, holding it toward the man.
“Half. I want half now,” the man bargained.
Magnus shrugged and put the money back in his pocket and turned to walk away.
“Wait!”
Magnus smirked and waited.
“Fine. Gimmie the money.”
Magnus took the bill back out of his pocket and turned to face him. The homeless man snatched it out of his hand and crumpled it up in his fist.
Leaning down, Magnus did his best not to inhale as he spoke. “If you fuck me over, you’re a dead man. I know twenty ways to kill you and make it look like suicide.”
“Whatever,” the man said, not impressed. “How’ll I get the rest of my money?” he asked.
