Page 112 of Joey

“Your friend is out of surgery and he’s stable. He’s in recovery.”

Thank whatever god or devil is responsible for saving that lucky fucker’s life.

“When can we talk to him, Doctor?”

She frowns. “He’s had major surgery. He needs his rest.”

“I understand that, but I need to speak with him. I assume you’ve been informed of our particular circumstances?”

She winces. “I have.”

The Morettis pay for this hospital’s discretion and cooperation in the form of millions of dollars in donations each year. This nurse knows she’s unlikely to work in another hospital in the entire tri-state area if she refuses to comply.

He lifts his eyebrows. “So when can I speak with him?”

“You can wait in his room and speak with him when he wakes,” she says reluctantly.

“Which room is he in?” I ask.

“Follow me.”

Ash is hooked up to a dozen machines, but he looks pretty good for a guy who was shot earlier today and almost died.

“Please don’t wake him. You won’t get any sense out of him if you do. He should start coming around in about half an hour when the anesthesia wears off.”

Dante thanks the nurse and she leaves us alone to stare at Ash, lying motionless in the hospital bed.

I cough, breaking the long silence. “What now?”

Dante takes a seat in one of the bedside chairs. “We wait until he wakes up.”

With a deep sigh, I sit next to him and stare at Ash, willing him to wake the fuck up and hand us the key to finding Joey.

“Why the fuck would Monique drug her?”

“Money,” he answers without hesitation. “You know her mom has all but burned through what her dad left them?”

“I figured as much.”

“I knew though. I should have seen it, Max. It should have been a huge fucking red flag. I know people like her. They will do anything for money.”

“So, she what? Delivered Joey to Viktor Pushkin? Why?”

“Because Monique is his girlfriend,” Ash croaks.

I jump out of my seat. I could fucking kiss him. “Ash, you tough-as-nails son of a bitch!”

Nodding, he winces.

“What else did you hear?”

“Not much. I was in and out… wherever he’s been hiding… they’ve taken her there.”

“If she’s his girlfriend, why did she help him take Joey?” Dante asks with a frown.

“Revenge,” Ash answers, coughing.

“No.” I shake my head. “The guys who took me said their boss was furious with me for touching his girl. They very much implied she belonged to him. He took Joey because he wants the Italian Mafia princess he was promised. He wants her to be his wife.”