Page 199 of Chandelier Sin
We made our way toward the plaza level, soon entering the chapel.
The small room was empty, the chamber where relatives and friends of patients came to bargain with God.
I wanted to go home, take a hot shower and lick my wounds. But we’d agreed to meet Greyson here.
We suspected there was a chance A.J. might need medical assistance, and this hospital would best accommodate those needs.
After all, none of us wanted to sleep knowing the rescue of A.J. was imminent. With our friends’ involvement there was too much at stake. We may not be there but we sure as hell could support them from afar.
Apparently, they weren’t sharing the details of the rescue with Stella. Didn’t want to get her hopes up.
Shay and his team were trackingThe Hades.Lance had been spooked by Dean’s appearance and had launched the yacht out to sea.
Maybe all was not lost.
The Percocet was numbing my pain, leaving a dull ache andbringing a low level of euphoria, though it also dulled my senses. Exhaustion was settling in, but it was nothing that coffee couldn’t fix. A half-gallon of the stuff.
I finished the rest of the water Cole had given me. The rest of the pills were in my jacket pocket.
Cameron’s focus still hadn’t left me. I’d declined an MRI to check for internal bleeding. My injuries were bad, but honestly, not that serious. Cole was clearly monitoring me in case I showed signs of worsening.
Not exactly reassuring.
Greyson walked in. The guy normally missed nothing but was seemingly oblivious to my ordeal. The bruises hadn’t appeared yet, but they would.
“How you guys doing?” he asked brightly.
“Never better,” I said.
“Please tell me you don’t usually wait for patients to come out of recovery in here,” Greyson said sarcastically.
Laughing wasn’t wise for someone with bruised ribs.
Greyson studied me, concerned. “You look pale.”
“I’m fine.”
Cameron took a seat at the front of the chapel and began texting—to Shay, was my guess.
We weren’t sure of the condition we’d find A.J. in, but there would probably be some element of shock involved.
We sat quietly, each of us checking our phones, the evening dragging on. Now and again, we’d spark up a mundane conversation.
After several hours of pacing, an update came in.
Cameron held up his phone. “Lance’s men are moving A.J. offThe Hades.”
“Will we lose him?”
“They’re meeting our guys,” said Cameron, “so no.”
I exhaled for the first time in forever.
“It’s a go, then?” asked Greyson.
“It’s happening.”At last.
Thoughts turned toward Shay Gardner and his team of retired SEALs.
