Porter shook his head. “I didn’t break in; the door was unlocked this morning.”
Brantley’s hair was cropped close around the sides of his head, but he had enough hair on top of his head that he’d put it in a ponytail. He continued to hold the door open. “Get out.”
“Did the cops talk to you last night?” I asked.
“That’s none of your business. Get out.”
I had a theory that Brantley had bigger problems than being accused of breaking and entering. Bluffing wasn’t typically my strong suit, but neither of these dipshits knew that.
“The drugs you left at the apartment are gone.”
Porter’s head reared back and his eyes filled with surprise.
Except for the smallest jerk of his head, Brantley appeared unfazed. But he’d twitched just enough that I knew I’d caught him off-guard.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Did you come back for the drugs, or did your source break in for it?”
“I’m calling the cops,” Porter said.
“Do that,” Brantley said.
I hadn’t moved fully into the room, and only a foot and a half separated me from Porter. He had his phone in his right hand and his finger poised to dial with his left.
I swung a stiff arm down on his forearms. He dropped his phone.
Brantley charged toward me. I expected as much, and used a sweeping kick to knock his legs out from under him.
Porter lunged for his cell. I pulled him back by his shirt collar and shoved him to a nearby couch.
Quickly, I shut the front door and locked it. From behind me, Brantley swung an arm around my neck, attempting to put me in a headlock. Years of self defense came back to me. I bent forward, turned us around, and flipped him over my back and onto the floor.
Porter stared at me in wide-eyed confusion - like he didn’t know if he should be in awe of me or just couldn’t believe what he saw.
I rested my hands on my hips. “I’ll take on both of you if I have to, but I’m not leaving until I get answers.”
During Porter’s hesitancy, I picked up his cell and put it in my back pocket.
Brantley leaned up on his elbows, glaring at Porter. “Fuck, man. Get him!” he wheezed, trying to get his breath back.
Porter stepped forward and bounced side-to-side on his feet like a boxer.
What did Lex ever see in him?
He noticed I was distracted and sucker-punched me in the mouth.
“Shit! That hurt,” he hissed, waving his hand and stretching out his fingers.
“Idiot,” I muttered, landing a solid right hook at the side of his head.
He staggered and fell back on the couch.
“You killed him!” Brantley shouted.
I felt my lip swelling. I bent over, gripped Brantley’s small ponytail and yanked him up from the floor. He yelled, which made me wonder if his neighbors were going to call the cops.
I shoved him up against the wall. “What the fuck did you hide in the apartment?”
