“How should I know where he lives?”
I tightened my grip on his throat. “Don’t lie, Porter. From what Lex tells me, you were at his place Sunday morning to ambush her.”
“Ambush? I didn’t do anything like that.”
“Pick your poison. Cops or Brantley?”
His thin lips spread into a smile that made him look like a weasel. “Third option, I leave. You can’t stop me, you’re naked for God’s sake.”
I stepped closer to him and punched him in the stomach. “There’s no fuckin’ shame in my game. You leave, I’ll come after you. So which is it? Cops or Brantley?”
“Brantley,” he wheezed. I let go of his throat, and he took in a big gulp of air. “He’s across campus from here at the complex behind Vicious Vinyl. Unit one-oh-two.”
That helped, but I figured I had to have Porter with me. Without him there, Brantley would ignore me outright. Not to mention, Porter could just as easily be blowing smoke about the address.
“You’re going with me. You gonna try to run while I get dressed, or do I need to knock your ass out first?”
Anger glittered in his blue eyes. “I could charge you with assault.”
“You broke in while I was in the shower, moron. I’m standing my ground.”
He went silent for a beat. “Whatever. I’ll stay.”
I kept the bathroom door open in case Porter went back on his word, turned off the shower, and put my clothes on. When I came out of the bathroom, I saw Porter hadn’t moved from the wall. Maybe I had scared him after all.
I darted into Alexandra’s room, grabbed my boots, went to the living room, and sat on the arm of the couch to tug them on.
Porter raised a brow. “You don’t waste time.”
“This needs to be taken care of.”
His expression shifted. “I meant with Lexi. Your boots are in her room, you obviously didn’t sleep on the couch.”
I straightened from the couch. “Last night, someone ransacked the whole place, dipshit. Not a chance I was going to leave her side after that.”
“So now you care.”
I should have let it go because we didn’t have time for this, but I couldn’t help myself. “What are you talking about?”
“You broke her heart. Tossed her away without a second thought. Strange that you suddenly care now.”
Part of me thought he was lying, and yet… That would explain her distance over the past five years. It was water under the bridge now. A little voice in the back of my head said I had to talk to her about it anyway.
There was a gleam in Porter’s eyes that gave me a hint he was goading me - wanting to know what was going on with me and Lex. I wouldn’t give into his bait.
“Let’s get this done.”
I followed Porter along the sidewalk to a first-floor corner unit at a small apartment complex that looked like it was built over thirty years ago. Surprisingly, there wasn’t a peephole on the door, so I didn’t bother to hide when Porter knocked.
The door opened and Brantley took a look at Porter, only to ask, “What the fuck do you want? It’s not even ten yet.”
Brantley looked like he’d just woke up. I figured I had the element of surprise on my side and I went inside the unit. Luckily, Porter followed me.
“What the fuck? Who are—” He trailed off and glared at Porter. “Why the fuck did you bring this dickhead?”
Porter opened his mouth to answer, but I beat him to it. “He didn’t have a choice, since he broke into Alexandra’s apartment.”
“That was you?” Brantley asked.
