"Good, to see you again Everest." Dr. Cromwell smiled. "It's been four weeks, so I need to test you again because your test returned negative due to testing you too early, but I just want to be sure. Elio didn't want to listen to me when I told him it was too soon to detect anything. But geez, Italian men have tempers."
I had no choice but to come here alone this time, since Elio had some business to attend to. Dr. Cromwell asked me a series of questions and I had to give urine.
"You don't work at a clinic or anything?" I asked, watching Dr. Cromwell as he rolled over to me on his rolling chair.
"No, I don't," he said. "So which arm would you like me to draw blood from?" He put his latex gloves on.
I put out my right arm. "How long you been a Doctor?"
Dr. Cromwell checked my arm for a vein. "Long enough... Illegally..."
"What?" I snatched my arm away from him.
He laughed a deep belly laugh before retaking my arm. "I got enough medical knowledge before dropping out of med school."
And Elio really trusted this fucking guy?
While Dr.Cromwell takes my blood. I get a text from Elio.
Elio: I have a job for you with Jess. Come to my office when you're done.
Dr. Cromwell finished taking my blood and placed a band-aid on my arm.
I drive over to Elio's office in River Oaks. As I approach her desk, Paris, his receptionist, flashes a friendly smile in my direction.
"You can head right in Mr. Jensen." She gestures toward the double wooden doors.
Elio was on the phone when I walked into his office. I sat on the leather couch waiting for him to finish. Jess strolls in, casually twirling a toothpick between his lips. Under the bright lights, his bald head gleamed like polished marble.
He nods, taking a seat beside me.
"There's an auction tonight and I have some girls that need to be picked up and delivered to Mrs. Dolly," Elio said.
Fucking, Great.
"How many?" Jess asked.
"Four."
Jess knocks on my arm throwing his head toward the door for us to leave. I get up from the couch to follow behind him. But Elio wants to talk to me. His attire today was more formal, as he wore a pristine white button-down shirt. Three buttons were undone, and a glimpse of his chest showed.
"You'll behave, right? Nothing like the first time?" Elio asked.
"I just don't feel comfortable moving children like I don't want that shit on my self-consciousness."
Elio shrugs. "Well, you better get comfortable with it."
"These are people, kids. Someone's sisters. And you're moving them like some merchandise."
I didn't sign up for this shit. I thought I'd be doing petty things like transporting drugs and weapons. Not transporting fucking kids. I don't even watch the News anymore because all they talked about was how hot Houston became with human trafficking. Every day there were always girls missing, and parents pleading for their daughters back and the only person I could blame for that was Elio.
"Just do your job." Elio smiles at me. He comes from around his desk placing his hand on my waist and pulling me to his body. He smells like a Black Orchid. "I'll be out of the country again for two weeks. But before I leave, I wanted to spend some time with you."
