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Dominic muttered something similar under his breath as he dug through the apps, finding a hidden folder with a simple password of 0000.
“Christ, you can’t even be creative for that,” he mumbled.
“I have a bad memory.” Porter’s defense was weak.
“Then you’re in the wrong business.”
While Dominic dealt with that, I added the software Greyson had sent with us to the computer and watched Dominic while it loaded.
As he looked through Porter’s secret folder, I could see a couple of messaging apps, some extra banking ones, but nothing crazy. It was what we found when we delved deeper into them that was interesting. We expected conversations with Cash, obviously, but we hadn’t expected how much money Porter had gotten out of that gig.
“Your bank account shows you’re ten million dollars heavier than you should be. Care to explain?” Mari asked. I turned back to the computer, diving into his files as the sound of flesh on flesh echoed in the room. Porter’s groans were music to my ears.
“I sold a few extra pieces,” Porter said, trying and failing to make us believe it.
Except, the invoices said otherwise. Dominic came up behind me, reading the page and whistling between his teeth. “Christ, you may be too stupid to live, Porter. Your invoices aren’t even password-protected, let alone encrypted. At this point, you’re going to die because you’re a fucking liability.”
I rotated the screen to show Mari, but she waved me off. “I don’t even need to look. You want to know why, Porter? Because I pay attention.”
She hopped from her perch at my side and threw a solid right hook. “I know exactly who you sell to, how much your pieces cost, and what you should be making.”
Another punch and Porter spat a wad of blood onto the floor with a tooth included.
“You’re way above your threshold here. You should’ve stayed in your happy little hobbit cave. Instead, you get to deal with me, and I want answers.”
“I don’t have anything to say. I earned that money.”
“I’m sure you did, Porter. I want to know how. Why did you do it? How long you’ve been batting for the wrong team. Because make no mistake, any team that isn’t mine is going to lose.”
When he didn’t answer, she punched him in the nose, and the crack of cartilage told me she’d done some damage.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Porter screamed.
“You do, and you’re going to tell me, even if I have to use more creative methods.” She slipped a knife from her pocket, and I had to adjust myself. Who knew I had a knife kink?
Maybe it was just a Mari thing. That sounded more likely. I liked her for who she was, messy bits, weapons, and all.
I leaned into her, talking low. “Do you want me to do this for you?”
Dominic’s eyes met mine, and I thought I saw a glimmer of respect in them before he turned back to trolling Porter’s phone.
Mari pressed her cheek against mine. “No. I want you to watch.”
Fuck yes.
I wasn’t a sadist. I didn’t enjoy hurting people once it was no longer my job, but I had a feeling watching Mari interrogate Porter was going to be a different experience for me.
Mari’s knife cut away the front of his shirt, slipping through the fabric like butter. “I want to make this clear. For every lie you tell me, I cut you. Omit the truth, I cut you. Unless you give me perfect honesty, you’re going to bleed. Do you understand?”
Porter nodded and Mari began. “When did you meet Cash?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Slash. “Try again. The truth this time.”
Porter shook as she pressed the knife into his flesh. Not cutting, just holding it there. A promise and a warning that he didn’t heed.
“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
