All Over Again- Sequel to I'm Not Fine At All

Chapter 48

Louis sped down the highway toward Harry's apartment building, his hands tight on the wheel, his foot never lifting from the gas pedal. His eyes narrowed as he merged onto Harry's street, his jaw getting tenser as he got closer to Harry's building. He parked in front of the building and stared up at it, his fists clenching at his sides.

"This asshole's gonna fucking pay," Louis grunted as he stormed into the building and up to the front desk. "Hello," He said, putting on a more civil face. "Could I please speak with the landlord?"

"One moment, sir." The woman smiled and picked up her phone. "Hi, Mr. Danvers, this is Trina at the front desk. I have a gentleman up here who's asking to speak with you. Can I send him down?" Louis listened to the muffled response from the other end of the phone and then the woman set the phone back in its cradle. "He says you can go on down. Just take the stairs on the right, down to the basement, and he's the first door on your left."

"Thank you." Louis nodded at the woman and then went out to the stairwell at the other end of the lobby. He walked down a flight of stairs and found himself at the end of a dimly lit, musty hallway. The smell of mildew clouded his senses and he wrinkled his nose. The door to the landlord's office was open and Louis knocked on the doorframe. "Hello?" A grunt came from inside and he walked in.

The landlord sat at a crowded desk, leaning back in his chair with his boots up. He had a cigarette dangling from his mouth and a bottle of bourbon in his hand, and a large bloodhound sat in the corner with its head tucked into its paws.

"What do you want?" The man grunted, cocking his head at Louis.

"I need to speak with you," Louis said, voice strong.

"'Bout what?"

"The way you treat the people who live in this building." The landlord barked out a laugh and stubbed his cigarette out on the table.

"Oh yeah? And how do I treat the people who live here?"

"You threaten them. And assault them. And scare the shit out of them." The landlord smirked and brought his boots off of the desk, then leaned forward.

"Landlords are s'pposed to make sure that their renters pay their rent on time. Some of my renters, including that fruity bitch of yours, don't pay on time." Louis gasped And the landlord chuckled. "Don't look so surprised. I've seen you with that bitch. Not so anonymous anymore, are you?" Louis practically growled and leaned forward, close enough that he could smell the man's acrid breath.

"Don't you ever insult my baby. Ever." Louis grabbed the man's collar and tugged him close. "I swear to god, if you ever touch him, or talk to him, or even look at him again, I will slit your throat. I'm not fucking around with you. I know a lot of people who can clear my name for me. Hear me?" The man nodded and gulped, a drop of sweat running down his cheek. "Good. Now, what are you going to do?"

"I'm...I'm going to give the Styles boy an extension on his rent." Louis tightened his grip on the man's collar.

"And?" The landlord stuttered.

"A-And I'm going to lower the rent back to what it used to be." Louis bit his lip.

"Better. Now, don't you have some letters to send out to your renters?" The man nodded and plopped back down in his chair to start his computer up. "If I ever hear about you scaring my baby again, you best hope that I don't find you, because if I do, you'll be dead." Louis dropped his hand and stormed back out of the office, then dashed up the stairs to the lobby.

"Have a good day, sir," The woman from the front desk called to Louis. Louis smiled at her and walked out of the building to his car. He brushed a bit of the freshly fallen snow off of his windshield and got in, then started the car and then pulled out of the space.