Ready? Portia was about to say goodbye to her father, probably forever. How was she supposed to be ready for that?
“I am,” Dizzie said. “Portia?”
Portia blinked and looked at the two women with her. Both of them were studying her like she was fragile. Like she was going to break. Portia Tremaine didn’t break. Well, except for that once.
She blew out a long breath. “I’m ready.”
Taryn led them down the poorly lit hallway. “I never knew you had cells down here,” Dizzie said. She’d been keeping up a commentary from the moment Taryn had led them into the back halls of Razor Jack’s. Portia could have lived without knowing some of Taryn’s secrets, but she couldn’t avoid this meeting. Dizzie, on the other hand, found everything interesting. Yet another difference between them.
Finally, Taryn stopped in front of the farthest door. “We’ve kept him as comfortable as possible. Except for letting him go,” she said with a laugh. “I’ve never been offered such riches before.”
Portia tilted her head and looked at the other woman. “Why didn’t you take his offer?”
“Are you fucking kidding me, Portia?” Taryn asked.
“What? I was just curious.” Why was the other woman so offended?
“Why didn’t you take the money, Taryn?” Taryn mimicked Portia in a high, obnoxious voice.
Dizzie snickered and looked away.
“Why didn’t I? Let me count all the ways. Because your father is a fucking piece of shit who deserves to pay for his crimes.” She ticked off a finger. “Because I’m not a piece of shit.” She ticked another finger. “Oh yeah, and because I thought we were friends, Portia.” Taryn glared at her.
“Oh,” Portia said, her mind reeling.
“‘Oh?’ That’s all you’ve got?” Taryn threw up her hands in disgust.
“I’m sorry,” Portia said. “I’m... not very good with friends. Killian and Tommy were my only ones. But I’m trying to get better.”
Dizzie sniffled.
Taryn exhaled in exasperation. “Sure, play the poor little lonely rich girl card, why don’t you.” She poked Portia in the chest with her cyberarm. Hard. “Don’t question our friendship again.”
Portia rubbed her throbbing sternum. “Got it,” she said.
Dizzie clasped her hands together. “Aw, our little Portia is growing up.”
Portia turned to her and glared. “I swear, life as an only child was so much better.”
“Naw. I’m growing on you. Admit it.”
“Like fungus,” Portia responded.
“I’ll take it,” Dizzie said with a laugh.
Taryn rolled her eyes. “If you two are done acting like children?” When they both nodded, she continued. “He’s been fed. Bathed. He didnotlike that,” she added as an aside. “We haven’t told him anything. Now, are you ready?”
“Ready,” Portia and Dizzie said in unison.
Taryn unlocked the door, then stepped back. She kept a watchful eye out, while Portia gripped the door handle and opened it.
What she saw took her by surprise.
“It’s nicer than the holding cells in the Tremaine basement,” Dizzie whispered over her shoulder.
It was. There was a bed, a chair, a small table, and even a wall-mounted tablet. A half-eaten lunch sat on the table. Pretty fancy for a cell, but her father surely hated it. Only the best was good enough for Phillip Tremaine.
“Well, well, look who finally decided to show up,” he said, when she stepped into the room. His lips curled up in distaste when Dizzie followed her in. “What’s she doing here?”
