Page 109 of Mortify

"Here's the deal," he continues, trying to regain any sense of control. "I want safe passage out of state. Fifty grand to start over. And a guarantee that none of you come after me."

"Fifty grand?" Dag laughs. "That's it? That's your price?"

"It's fair. You get to keep operating. I disappear. Everyone wins."

"Except for all the people you killed with your fentanyl," Rio says quietly from behind me.

I hadn't heard him get closer, but his presence makes Dylan step back further.

"That wasn't—I was just following orders. The Patriot?—"

"Is dead," Rio finishes. "Which makes you the last loose end."

Dylan's Adam's apple bobs as he swallows hard. "If anything happens to me, everything gets released. I've got it set up. Automated. Dead man's switch."

"Bullshit," Tor says, studying him. "You don't have the technical knowledge for that kind of setup."

"I paid someone who does." But the uncertainty in his voice gives him away. "Some kid from the college. Computer science major. Set the whole thing up."

"What's his name?" Tor presses.

"Like I'd tell you that."

"Because he doesn't exist," Tor concludes. "You're lying."

"Look, I'm trying to be reasonable here. I could have gone straight to the feds?—"

"But you didn't," Runes observes. "Because you know they'd arrest you too. Distribution. Conspiracy. Murder. You're looking at life, Mitchell."

"Only if they catch me." Some of his cockiness returns. "Which is why I need that money. That guarantee."

"You know what your problem is?" I finally speak, unable to stay quiet any longer. "You're negotiating like you have leverage."

"I do have?—"

"You have shit," I cut him off. "You have some photos that prove nothing. Some recordings that implicate you as much as us. And a half-assed threat about a dead man's switch you probably set up on fucking Google Drive."

His face flushes. "You don't know?—"

"I know you're desperate. I know the Patriot's death cut off your protection and your income. I know you're standing herebegging for your life from the people whose families you helped destroy."

"I never meant?—"

"You targeted Everly specifically." My voice drops, dangerous. "Spent over a year gathering intel through her. Used her. Hurt her."

"That's not—she came onto me!"

The lie is so blatant, so pathetic, that several brothers actually laugh.

"Right," Emil says. "Kraken's daughter just threw herself at a piece of shit drug dealer. That's believable."

"It's true! She was all over me at that party. Practically begged?—"

I'm moving before I realize it, but Fenrir's hand on my chest stops me.

"He's trying to provoke you," he murmurs. "Don't give him what he wants."

Dylan mistakes the intervention for weakness. "See? Even your boys know I'm telling the truth. Everly's nothing but a?—"

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