Page 34 of Salvation/Mamba

“You need anything?” Python asked.

“Just need my girl to wake the fuck up.” Mamba rubbed at the scruff on his jaw.

13

Two days later, Mamba sat in the back room of the Gold Mine half listening to Cobra’s plan to take down Marita and the rest of her crew. He’d listen to a sentence or two, then his mind would drift to Mandy, still lying unconscious in her hospital bed at University Medical. He’d refused to leave the hospital the first thirty-six hours, but when the staff and other visitors starting giving him the side-eye, he figured it was time to go home to shower and change his clothes.

He’d spoken to Mandy’s doctor earlier today and he said the good news was she was breathing on her own, and her vitals were normal. He explained between the trauma of the home invasion—that was the story they stuck with—the fear of delivering the baby by herself, and the loss of blood from the rupture, her body was recuperating at its own pace.

The doctor made it all sound completely logical, but the bottom line was his beautiful Mandy hadn’t even met her daughter yet. Hadn’t held their perfect little girl who had Mandy’s chestnut-colored hair, and Mamba’s dark brown eyes.

“Mamba?” Cobra called from the head of the table.

“Yeah.” He shook himself out of his thoughts and forced himself to concentrate.

Cobra drew in a deep breath and exhaled. “I think you oughta sit this one out.”

“What?”

“You got too much goin’ on right now.”

“What are you sayin’?”

“We can’t have you goin’ off and making it personal.”

Mamba pushed away from the table so fast his chair up ended behind him. “Making it personal? Of course, it’s fuckin’ personal. Because of those bastards my woman is knocked out in a hospital bed.”

“Exactly what I’m sayin’.” Cobra’s even tone was fuckin’ pissing him off.

“No, fuckin’ way.” Mamba charged around the table and Python cut him off before he got close to Cobra. “Get the hell outta my way.”

Python grabbed him by the shoulders. “Chill the fuck out.”

Mamba’s chest heaved, then he shook Python off and threw up his hands. “I’m all right.”

“I’m not sayin’ you can’t be there,” Cobra added. “I just don’t want you directly involved. You wanna be the driver, fine. Anything else is a hard fuck no. You’re too wired and I’m not putting anybody else in danger.”

Cobra and Mamba stared at each other for a few long seconds with Python off to the side. Mamba twisted his lips then turned, righted his chair, and sat down without a word.

* * *

The next dayMamba dragged himself out of bed and headed for the kitchen. The worst part of his morning was having to face Mandy’s mother. She’d been supportive, without any sign of blame. They’d take turns sitting with Mandy so both of them could take breaks throughout the day, but he couldn’t shake the guilt whenever he looked at the woman.

She turned when he entered the kitchen. “You look like you didn’t sleep at all.”

Perceptive woman. He’d slept maybe two hours tops.

“I’m all right.” He shuffled to the coffeemaker and poured himself a cup hoping the boost of caffeine would give him a jumpstart.

She came around the island and faced him. “Mandy’s told me how you still harbor guilt over Achilles even though we’ve both forgiven you and know it wasn’t your fault. Now, I can see you’re blaming yourself again for Mandy.”

“Who the fuck else is to blame if not me.”

“It doesn’t work that way. Mandy wanted to be with you and you’ve made her so happy. Since she’s been with you, she’s developed confidence, and I know because you believed in her she was able to open her nail salon. You’ve supported her ideas and she couldn’t have done it without you.”

“Maybe.”

“No maybe, that’s truth, so stop moping around feeling sorry for yourself. Our girl is going to come around. I know it because she’s a fighter.”

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