“Father Mancini,” a teary-eyed woman clutches Rafe’s shoulder. “Can you pray with us?”
Rafe nods, his gaze soft, heavy with sympathy. He rolls down the sleeves of his black clerical shirt, hiding his tattoos. “I’ll be right there.”
As I step toward Surgical Suite 5, Rafe’s voice stops me in my tracks.
“Elias,” he murmurs.
I pause, meeting his eyes.
“Remember rule three. Promise me.” His jaw tics.
No innocents.
I’m once again wondering why someone from the church is helping me commit a mortal sin.
“Forgiveness will set you free,” he says, guilt darkening his eyes.
“If it’s that simple,” I whisper, “why don’t you do it yourself?”
“Who says I haven’t tried?”
The second stretches. I take in his tensed shoulders, the flush crawling up his neck above his clerical collar.
“Something tells me you haven’t succeeded.” A bitter laugh lodges in my throat. “And it’s too late for me…but I promise you. No innocents.”
I clasp his shoulder. “Thank you, Rafe, for everything. If anything happens, take care of Lana for me.”
The priest’s nostrils flare. He dips his head in a curt nod and pivots to the grieving woman.
I slip away. Keeping my head down, I pull on a doctor’s white coat Sebastian’s contact left for me behind the now-empty nurse’s station. My footsteps are brisk but silent as I move toward the room.
Sofia, disguised in nurse scrubs, nods at the door.
We enter the room.
The hiss of oxygen pumping through machines fills the air. The EKG beeps steadily and hypnotic.
“Labs back?”
“Yep, H&H stable.”
Low conversation from next door hums from the hallway.
Sofia closes the door behind us.
Edon lies on the narrow gurney, dressed in a pale-blue surgical cap and gown, IV line taped to his arm.
The asshole is scrolling on his phone, oblivious death is at his door.
“Well, well, well, Edon. The blue doesn’t become you.”
I pull on surgical gloves. The elastic snapping punctures the sterile quiet.
Berisha jerks, his gaze swinging in our direction, eyes wide.
“K-Kent, what are you doing here?” He scrambles back, clearly sensing danger.
Sofia pulls his gurney away from the wall and the emergency buttons.
