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Even with her own pain and fear she was trying to make him feel better. Amazing.
“Thanks.”
“No thanks necessary.” She leaned up and kissed his cheek.
* * *
Mamba enteredMandy’s room and like the last two days, he hoped she’d be sitting up in bed, but no. He shook off his disappointment as he gazed down at her, eyes closed far away from this world. Maybe not such a bad thing considering all the bullshit she’d been through. Maybe like the doctor said, she needed this rest before she came back to face what lied ahead.
He laid his broad palm on her arm hoping his touch would somehow filter through her fog. “It should be me in this bed, babe, not you.”
No indication she heard him or knew he was there. Nothing.
He’d wanted to give Mandy everything and he ended up doing the complete opposite.
“Tonight we’re going to pay Marita and her crew a visit, and let them know what a bad fuckin’ idea it was to mess with the Serpents or to take underage girls hostage. But don’t worry I’ll be back here tomorrow and every day after—no matter how long it takes.”
He leaned over the bed and gently kissed her forehead, then brushed some stray hair away from her face. He gazed down at her for another minute and when emotion welled up in him, he turned away.
He stopped at the nursery and held his baby girl in his arms. Looking into her sweet face ripped at his soul. A single tear leaked down his cheek and he quickly swiped at it.
This was no time for tenderness, this was time for revenge.
* * *
Drivingdown to Searchlight Mamba wrestled with all different emotions. Anxiety over Mandy’s recovery, the responsibility of a newborn, and this upcoming job. Cobra planned this job with his usual attention to detail and he never doubted his brothers, but with Mandy’s condition their new baby would only have him to rely on which put a whole new spin on going balls-out at a job.
There would be no negotiation or deals to be made. The reason for going to Searchlight hinged on storming the rundown bar and burning that shit to the ground. Hit fast, hit hard. Take no prisoners.
The mood in the SUV was somber. Mamba suspected it resembled the attitude of men preparing for battle. Rattler and Python were the two biggest wise asses in the club, but there was no trash talk tonight just quiet speculation. Joker sat in the passenger seat with his usual grim expression. Mamba respected his VP, but the guy barely broke a grin when shit was funny. Obviously the name was given to him with the same sarcastic irony as calling a big guy Tiny.
A second SUV followed behind them with Cobra, and Boa. The plan was to silently enter the desert town without Harley pipes blasting, then surround the enemy when they least expected it.
They pulled behind an abandoned building parked side by side, then gathered between the two vehicles.
“We ready to do this?” Cobra looked to each man. When he locked eyes with Mamba, he began to say something but Mamba cut him off.
“I’m not staying here doin’ nothing. Sure, this shit is personal but I’m not gonna sit this one out.”
“Are you done?” Cobra deadpanned.
Mamba jerked his head in a nod.
“You were right, I want you with us. You know the layout and where Marita’s office is located.”
Mamba banged on the hood of the SUV. “Let’s get this shit done.”
They split up in different directions so as not to raise suspicion, but in this sleepy town most of the people clustered around the only bar half a mile away. Nobody had any interest in the vacant land surrounding The Frontier, a seemingly abandoned building on the outskirts of town. Still, better safe than sorry.
Joker, Cobra, and Boa stayed at the front of the building while Mamba, Python and Rattler circled around the back. They edged along the side of the windowless building and when they got to the end Mamba peered around the corner. He expected to see Miguel in his usual spot standing guard but instead there was a smaller guy with his back to Mamba engrossed in his phone.
Mamba slipped around the back and got two feet behind the guy before he realized he wasn’t alone. Mamba cold cocked him, then dragged him to the side of the building where Rattler slapped duct tape over his mouth as Python zip tied his wrists and ankles.
The three men headed for the back door, and Mamba took the lead. He nodded to the other two to cover him then shouldered through the door with his gun drawn. The same single light shone from the ceiling, but the eerie quiet unnerved Mamba. He pushed through the closed door of Marita’s office into an empty room. No desk, no furniture, nothing.
Rattler unlocked the front door and Joker and Boa entered the vacant space along with Cobra carrying two containers of gasoline. Mamba nodded to the rooms off to the side for Joker and Boa to investigate.
Two minutes later, Joker corralled four girls into the main area. “This is un-fuckin-believable.” He assured the girls they were safe, but they stayed silent, eyes wide, clearly not sure of their fate. Mamba couldn’t blame them since they all looked damn scary.
