Slowly Dr. Gillis sat back down onto her chair and placed her Coach bag in the desk drawer. “Start from the beginning, Mr. Santos. You were allegedly attacked in your hospital bed by your lover’s husband, a Trae Macklin?” She picked up her legal notepad and pen.

“I don’t know who attacked me, for the record. Let’s get that shit straight right outta the gate.” He pointed at her. “Also, for the record, I didn’t have a lover. Shorty was just something to do. She wanted to get some get-back, and I damn sure didn’t mind being used by her to get that get-back. She was on the get-back trip, and I was on the good pussy trip. It was a win-win for us both. And me, I couldn’t help but win. As far as that little move niggas tried to pull on me, bitch please. I got beef with a lot of muthafuckas out there. It could have been anybody. Even if I did know, that would be the one thing you wouldn’t get on a recording. I’d never tell y’all muthafuckas.”

“What does that mean ‘shorty was just something to do?’” Her right brow furrowed.

“Wait a minute. Where are these questions coming from? You, or someone else?”

“Please answer the question, Mr. Santos.”

“Me and shorty’s relationship don’t got shit to do with nothing. I said what I meant. Something to do. But yo, Dr. Gillis, I’m still trying to figure out what shorty was to me, or how much we fucked…what does that have to do with you treating me? This sounds and feels more like an interrogation.”

“Mr. Santos, I haven’t even begun treating you. How can I? I haven’t even gotten a diagnosis. Now, does your ‘just something to do’ have a name?”

Bitch, you know her name. I’m sure Mari’s ass told you everything, down to Tasha’s panty size. “Of course, she does. It’s Tasha.”

“How did you meet Tasha, Mr. Santos? Is she someone you met while in prison? I see from your jacket that you had quite a few inappropriate relationships with several of the prison staff.”

“Nah. She’s not on that list. And for the record . . . is the recorder on?” Kyron glanced over at it.

Dr. Gillis nodded yes.

“I didn’t manipulate anyone. Those women knew my situation. I was the one being manipulated. That is why the state is going to pay me for my mental anguish.”

Although that statement shocked her, Dr. Gillis didn’t flinch. She probably wondered why Mari hadn’t mentioned that he had a lawsuit. “Save the bullshit for those state doctors, Mr. Santos. Contrary to what you heard, or what you were told, I am not one of them. How did you meet Tasha?”

“The state writes your paycheck, correct?”