The Colt & The Cobra - THE SPECTER SERIES [book six]

Chapter ELEVEN

Colt Knox

"How long until she wakes up, Doc?" I stand guard at the foot of the bed where Mikki lays, unconscious.. After she had fainted in Lacey's living room, we'd brought her upstairs to try and figure out just what the hell is going on with her..

She looks like the sleeping princess that she is.. Fragile.. And so damn fine..

Flawless really..

A tight constricting empathy chokes me everytime I look at her, so instead I avoid it, keeping my eyes on the tiny doctor as she assesses Mikki carefully..

Lacey looks up from her seat beside Mikki on the bed where she holds her wrist, timing her pulse.. "Her vitals are stable for now.. But, I really can't say, I'm not even sure what exactly happened.. It may be a preexisting condition, or a reaction to something.. I just don't know enough to diagnose her here, Col.. We should take her to SPC Medical.."

I shake my head.. Moving Mikki into Specter's patient care facility has to be a last resort, the city is teaming with Angelo's eyes and ears, and that may very well include SPC staffers for all I know..

Still, I doubt my decision.. Maybe I am too suspicious?.. Maybe I should take her?..

Fuck.. I've never second guessed myself like this..

"I took her, Lace.. Every mobster in the city will be on the look out.. If we're spotted uptown, she's as good as found.. I only came here because people downtown know how to keep their mouths shut.."

Lost in thought I begin to pace, cracking my knuckles, one hand after the other..

"Uhh, Knox.. What exactly do you mean when you say 'you took her'? Cus the mission brief was to infiltrate.. Not abduct.." Lacey's husband, Ace Greyson pipes up from the doorway where he cradles his sleeping daughter..

To say he'd taken it well when he arrived home to discover the mess I'd made wouldn't be generous enough.. Over the many years we've known each other, Ace has become the more solid and dependable of us Delta dickheads.. A Marine I am proud to have served beside and call my brother in arms to this day..

Even if he is a smart-mouthed son-of-a-bitch..

"Yeah well.. Shit happens.. I made a last minute call.. One that saved her ass since she-- there was a situation.. " I snap my mouth shut, deciding not to mention Dax and his untimely demise.. Even though I am still convinced she killed the guy, I don't have the details yet, and for ressons that are beyond my comprehension, I don't want my friends thinking badly of Mikki before I have had a chance to figure out how I feel about her..

I scrub a hand down my face, huffing in frustration. If my job was to infiltrate Mikki's life.. Id definitely done that.. If my job were to protect her, and keep her safe.. Then I have already failed..

Still, something in Lacey's words triggers a memory.. "Wait-- you said 'preexisting condition'?" I snatch up Mikki's bag, digging around to find the pills I'd seen her taking earlier at the gas station.. She was on some kind of medication.. Possibly a goddamn antipsychotic, given how crazy she'd been acting..

"Yes.. Do you know of any?"

In the process of searching Mikki's bag, I come across the cold, sleek steel of a special, small Smith and Wesson, but I ignore it.. For now.. I'll for sure be coming back to why the fuck she is carrying..

I mean.. What exactly had she been planning to do with a pistol?
It would makes sense to for her to carry for her own protection I guess..
Not that it had done her much good..