Page 52 of Demon On Deck

Mel’s face morphs back into wrathful fury. “Yes. Motherfucker said she already had the grocery store contracts in place before the divorce was finalized.”

“Cockless fuck.” I seethe right along with Mel.

I huff out a breath and continue on. “What she needs is a forensic accountant. Someone to deep dive into her finances.”

The waitress, looking skittish from Mel’s earlier outburst, stops by the table to ask if we want anything to drink. I order a water while Mel passes. When the waitress leaves, Mel leans on the table, hands clasped.

“That’s what her lawyer is suggesting. The problem is the cost. Kallie is supposed to drop off all her finances on Tuesday, which she’s going to do, but she’s freaking out about how she’s going to afford it on top of the lawyer.”

The ache in my chest throbs knowing my mate is distressed. I push the feeling aside and focus.

“I think I have a solution to that, which is why I called.”

“Lay it on me.”

”You may not like it.”

Mel lays her hands flat on the table and levels me with a stare intense enough to blow up concrete. “Listen, Evren, Kallie is my sister, my best friend, and the only family I have. If there is even the remotest possibility that you have a way to help her, I wanna hear it. Bonus if it doesn’t end with me going to prison. I was not meant for orange.”

A chuckle slips past my lips despite the serious nature of what I’m about to pitch.

“Alright. So we both know Kallie doesn’t want to burden anyone by asking for help. She was very clear that she didn’t want to involve me in this. The thing is, I have a way to help her indirectly. My dad was a forensic accountant before he decided to become a CPA. If we can get him her financials, he could do the work and then represent her in court with her lawyer.”

Mel leans back in her seat and crosses her arms, silently studying me. I sip my water, and the sweat that began on my brow now drips down my back. Just as I’m about to tell her to forget the whole thing, she speaks.

“To be clear…your dad is a former forensic accountant?”

I nod.

“And if I can somehow get hold of all Kallie’s financials, he can do the deep dive to prove she never hid any money from the dickless worm?”

“Yes.”

“So you’re suggesting I lie to my sister? Because there is no way in all the hells that she will ever give me her financials willingly, in order to have your dad, a forensic accountant, prove that she is innocent and owes fuckass zero money? Free of charge? Well, free minus the cost of the lie, because you pay a price for every lie.”

I swallow hard and nod. “I am. And I am not one to endorse or encourage lying. I’m only suggesting it because I want to help her. Not being there for her to lean on, to support her when she needs it the most…it’s killing me.”

She regards me in silence again. “You do look like shit,” she says matter-of-factly.

“Feel like it too,” I mumble as I await her decision and judgment. Because if this blows up in my face and Mel tells Kallie what I suggested, I’ll never get Kallie back.

She cracks her neck and sits up straight. I mirror her, awaiting my fate.

“Action now, forgiveness later. I’ve got an idea, but it’s going to take some planning.”

I release the breath I was holding as my shoulders slump.

“I’ve got all the time you need.”

“Good. We need to find that waitress. I’m gonna need planning fuel.”

“Evren? Do I need to get the door?”

“I’ve got it, Mom.”

That should be Mel, gods willing, with everything we need.

My palms turn clammy as sweat breaks out along my brow. My nerves are kicking into high gear. Part of me feels overwhelming guilt over what Mel and I are doing. I just keep telling myself that we’re doing this because we love Kallie and are doing what we can to help her. If she finds out before we can pull this off, I’ll lose her forever.