Chapter 15 #2
I took a step closer, scrutinizing his terrified expression. “Right.”
Knox released a soft laugh behind me, clearly entertained by the unfolding drama.
I continued forward slowly, maintaining my focus on Salvatore’s quivering form.
“At no point during your little illegal science project did either of you think to consult the man whose bloodline you were playing with.”
Salvatore’s eyes widened as blood from his split lip dripped onto the front of his shirt.
“I had no idea it was your sperm!” he blurted. “I was paid to perform a service. I never ask who the clients are, why they’re doing it, or where the money comes from. That’s how this business operates.”
“Funny how morals, explanations, and company policy suddenly show up once fear enters the room. You didn’t ask questions because the money made you comfortable being professionally unethical.
Don’t sit here pretending you’re innocent now just because you found out the sperm belonged to somebody dangerous. ”
“I didn’t mean to create a problem,” he insisted.
“You helped create an entire child without the father’s knowledge. That ain’t a problem; that’s a lifetime commitment assembled in a back room. So, save that ‘I was only doing my job’ speech for God or the devil… whichever one accepts your appointment first.”
The full weight of his decisions finally appeared to settle over him. Unfortunately for Salvatore, realization had arrived several weeks too late.
“Licensed or not, once you start operating in the shadows for people willing to pay top dollar for secrecy, you need to learn how to ask better questions. Questions like, what kind of people can afford to move this quietly? Why are they paying extra to avoid records? And what type of consequences come attached to crossing them if something goes wrong? Discretion might keep your clients comfortable and your business running smoothly, but ignorance won’t keep yo’ ass alive. ”
“Mr. Belvior, please!”
“No need to beg. You performed a service, and I believe in paying people what they’re owed.”
The hope that briefly flashed across his face almost made me laugh.
“Don’t look so relieved. I didn’t say I was paying you in money.”
His face fell.
“You charged a premium for discretion, violated my bloodline, and helped manufacture the biggest secret of my life.” I smiled faintly. “So, no worries, Doctor. I’m about to return the favor and make your disappearance just as confidential as your business. Consider it a professional courtesy.”
Salvatore sniffled.
“See, Dr. Vane.” I paused. “My bad. I meant Dr. Surgeon.”
Knox chuckled under his breath.
“The crazy part is, the issue ain’t even the pregnancy no more. Lowkey, I appreciate what you did.”
Both doctors looked confused by that.
I shrugged. “I got a child out the deal, so mission accomplished… I guess.”
Then my expression darkened.
“But it’s the fuckin’ audacity for me, the entitlement, and the fact that y’all really sat down and organized this low-budget conspiracy involving my sperm like I wasn’t eventually gon’ find out.
Y’all let desperation, lust, and greed turn both of y’all into complete idiots, and now look…
one doctor is about to lose his career, and the other is about to lose his pulse.
” I paused. “Well, technically, both of y’all are losing both. I just haven’t decided what order yet.”
Dr. Fairchild began to weep quietly. “I swear, I was only trying to help her!”
I turned toward him, slowly. “Nigga, you wanted to fuck her. Let’s not start editing the story now that the ending ain’t looking favorable for you.”
His crying grew louder.
Knox, standing by with an aura of calm menace, cracked his knuckles deliberately as he began to approach Dr. Fairchild.
“You wanna handle this one?” I asked.
Knox’s grin was dark and knowing. “I thought you’d never ask, my brother.”
The second Dr. Fairchild recognized that I was moving away from him instead of toward him, his panic got worse.
“Wait! Please! Please, Mr. Belvior!”
“You were bold during the setup, but now you wanna audition for sympathy? Yeah… okay. You know, maybe, just maybe, I would’ve spared you, since technically, you didn’t perform the procedure.
” I pointed at Salvatore. “I’m more pissed at this nigga.
Not to be mistaken, I still would’ve beat yo’ ass real good, but you would’ve lived long enough to wake up every morning, touch your swollen face, and regret every decision that led you to me. ”
I tilted my head.
“So now I’m sure you’re wondering, if I got my child anyway, why do I still want you dead?”
Dr. Fairchild nodded repeatedly like he finally thought logic was entering the conversation.
I leaned forward slightly.
“Because you still won’t tell the damn truth. Simple. See, I hate liars; they’re worse than thieves to me. A thief might steal money, but a liar will steal yo’ peace, waste yo’ time, destroy yo’ trust, and have you looking stupid in front of company.”
I shook my head slowly in disappointment.
Dr. Fairchild’s face twisted in confusion.
“In simpler terms,” I continued. “you keep trimming pieces off the story instead of handing me the whole ugly truth at once. Every answer has to be dragged outta you like a confession at gunpoint or like yo’ honesty got an eviction notice, and that type of shit irritates me.
If you wanted to sample from the melanin menu, just say that.
We done held a whole investigation over something yo’ dick decided before yo’ brain even clocked in. ”
“Okay!” he suddenly shouted. “I did want to! But she seemed desperate, and I really was trying to help her too!”
I nodded slowly. “Mm-hmm. See? There it is. Horny with a side of community service.”
Knox snorted behind me.
“I already knew,” I continued. “I just wanted to hear yo’ dumb ass say it out loud.”
Dr. Fairchild blinked rapidly. “So... can I go?”
I stared at him for two seconds before bursting into laughter. Then I turned toward Knox.
“This nigga just asked if he could go.”
Knox rubbed his beard as if he was genuinely trying to understand the question.
“Go where?” he asked calmly. “Home?”
Dr. Fairchild looked between us, confused, like he still believed that was an unusually aggressive patient grievance meeting.
Knox glanced around the room. “You see a discharge desk somewhere?”
I sighed heavily before looking back at him.
“Doc, surely you didn’t think I was about to let you walk outta here. Come on now. You got a doctorate. I expected better reasoning skills. Then again, you traded professional ethics for pussy and helped arrange an illegal insemination, so clearly that degree was more decorative than educational.”
His face dropped instantly. “You lied to me.”
“So did you, muthafucka. Difference is, my lie only wasted thirty seconds. Yours created an entire human being. I guess that makes us even.”
Knox slowly pulled his gun from his waistband like he was reaching for car keys.
Dr. Fairchild immediately started shaking.
“But me?” I smirked. “I take shit personally, which means I like to make sure the lesson has time to settle in.”
“Please…”
“And enough with the fuckin’ begging!” I snapped.
“You keep saying please like courtesy still has jurisdiction in this room. You should’ve consulted yo’ conscience before you started fuckin’ patients and passing around rich folks’ DNA like free samples at Costco.
Maybe when you get to hell, you can start a support group for niggas who let lust ruin their careers.
Y’all can meet every Tuesday. Bring your own refreshments because I hear the hospitality down there is terrible. ”
I looked him over one last time.
“I hope the pussy was worth yo’ medical license, yo’ future, and whatever temperature hell keeps the thermostat on.”
I nodded toward Knox, signaling that I was done talking.
The chair screeched harshly across the concrete as Dr. Fairchild fought uselessly against the restraints.
Then…
Pow!
Pow!
Two shots rang out in rapid succession, shattering the heavy silence of the lower level.
Dr. Fairchild’s body jerked forcefully like a puppet severed from its strings, his lifeless form slumping into the chair as blood gushed from the gaping wounds in his eye sockets.
“Damn, nigga,” I muttered, looking over at Knox. “The eyes?”
Knox simply shrugged, his expression unapologetic as he surveyed the scene while smoke curled lazily from the barrel of his gun.
“Felt appropriate. Figured I’d take away the same eyes that looked at another man’s situation and saw a chance for profit. The nigga should’ve focused on lab results instead of trying to create babies and orgasms in the same business transaction.”
I chuckled, shaking my head slightly. “And you say I’m hell.”
“You are. Remember, I just kill… no delays. You would have psychologically tortured his ass. That nigga would’ve been blind, toothless, and confessing his sins alphabetically before you pulled the trigger.”
I shrugged nonchalantly. “Can’t rush quality work.”
My attention drifted back to Salvatore.
Before I could get a word out, “I can disappear!” tumbled out his mouth in a frantic rush. “You’ll never hear from me again!”
“Dr. Wish. Com Surgeon, that’s usually how being dead works,” I replied, my tone cold.
His eyes widened in fear, a glimmer of realization dawning on him.
I strolled toward the nearby surgical table, my fingers gliding over the organized tools laid out on the stainless-steel surface.
The irony of it all almost made me laugh.
That muthafucka had used those very tools to help create a child carrying my DNA without my knowledge… and now those same tools were about to become the instruments of his demise.
“You enjoy performing procedures without consent, right?” I asked quietly, lifting a scalpel from the tray and turning it between my fingers.
“No!” Salvatore shouted, panic sharpening his voice.
“Good. Then consider this continuing education.”
I returned the scalpel and selected one of the surgical drills instead, testing its weight in my hand.
The loud whir filled the room when I squeezed the trigger.