Gabe’s brow furrowed. “You don’t want to see Jenna?”
More than anything.
“I do, but you’ve known her a hell of a lot longer than I have. And, like you said before, she’s your family. Besides”—he rubbed the tight muscles at the back of his neck—“I’m sure Elle’s on pins and needles waiting for a detailed update from you, so...it’s better if you go in there first.”
“Okay.” Gabe’s gray eyes assessed him a little too closely. “If you’re sure.”
“I’m sure.”
With a nod, he said, “I’ll come get you to switch out when I’m done.”
Adrian forced a smile. “Thanks.”
He watched Bravo’s leader leave with the surgeon. The others took turns shaking his hand and expressing how happy they were to hear Jenna was going to be okay.
When the conversation died down a bit, Adrian excused himself to go to the restroom. Picking up on his mood, Nate stopped him just before he made his escape.
“Seriously, man. You doing okay?”
“Yeah.” At least he would be if they’d leave him the fuck alone and let him leave. “Why?”
“I don’t know. You just seem…different.”
“Just tired,” he told the other man.
It was the truth. Hewastired.
Tired of innocent people getting caught up in the crossfire he always seemed to be a part of.
“I know our situations are different, and lord knows I never thought I’d offer this to you, but”—Nate shrugged—“you ever want to talk. I can be a pretty good listener.”
One corner of Adrian’s lips curled slightly. “Thanks, Carter. Appreciate it.”
“No problem. Hey, when you get back from the bathroom, you wanna hit the cafeteria for some mediocre coffee?”
“Sure,” he lied smoothly.
And then he walked away.
Chapter 18
The smell of bleach was the first thing Jenna noticed when she regained consciousness. There were muffled voices in the background from a TV show she didn’t recognize, and every so often, someone would turn the page of what she assumed was a book.
Her head pounded, and there was a pain in her right side. Not sharp and burning like before. More of a dull, tight ache like she’d pulled every single muscle there.
But she hadn’t simply pulled a muscle. She’d been shot.
This wasn’t like the last time she’d woken up in the hospital. This time, Jenna remembered every single minute of what had happened. Right up to the point where she’d blacked out.
She’d been kidnapped and held in a dark and musty basement. Was nearly starved and had been given the bare minimum of the water her body had desperately craved.
Adrian had come for her, and she’d been shot.
Even in her medically altered state, Jenna could remember the inferno ripping through her body as the bullet from Matais Ortiz’s gun tore through her flesh. And she remembered the rage and fear in eyes belonging to a man who feared nothing.
Adrian hadbeggedher to keep her eyes open. To stay with him.And she’d tried so damn hard to hold on.
Everything after that was a blur, but if she was in a hospital, that meant he’d gotten them out. She was finally away from that monster, and she was safe.