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Chapter Six: "Hot Six"
The Message
(Stephanie)
Stephanie lay on the couch, trying to ignore her grandmother’s snoring from the bedroom as she attempted to force the events of the day from her mind. She knew it was going to be another one of those weeks. She’d had several already. The type of week that made her feel like, not only was she not in control of her life, but whoever was in control of it was some sort of action/adventure movie junkie. Lord knew no sane person would elect to live her life on weeks like this.
That thought stopped her for a moment as she contemplated her own words. “Huh,” she said aloud. “Guess that makes me crazy.”
A smile slipped on her face as she remembered a particular day playing with Caleb. She could still hear his voice as he laughed, “Mommy, you’re crazy!”
The memory was so clear, so real that her heart ached when she realized she was in her apartment with Grandma Mazur.
But even that brought a slight smile to her face. After Joe left for the evening, Grandma had woken up and insisted that Stephanie tell her all about her great-grandson. Since he was Stephanie’s favorite topic of conversation, she had gladly filled Grandma Mazur in on his life, his adventures and anything else she could think of to share.
Though it hadn’t entirely made up for her lack of Joe-induced orgasm, it had helped raise her spirits. The one thing she hadn’t counted on was Grandma insisting that, at some point, Stephanie would bring her to Newark to meet the lad. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Grandma Mazur to keep her secret, she obviously had for years. It was the thought of having to share her time with her son that made her hesitate. She had shaken that off as being selfish, though, and agreed. The next opportunity they had, Stephanie would bring Grandma Mazur with her. Grandma would just need to come up with some excuse and Stephanie would then ‘chauffeur’ her to whatever she invented.
Then Grandma Mazur had gone to bed and left Stephanie alone with her thoughts – not a place Stephanie wanted to be.
She was worried about Ranger. It wasn’t that she expected to hear from him, but she couldn’t help but want to make sure he was all right.
And that thought fed a small seed of guilt. She had been contemplating doing the deed with Joe while her heart was worrying itself about Carlos. What exactly did that say about her?
Her worry about Carlos – Ranger – was just one more reason she refused to take him as a skip. She was honest in what she had used as her excuse; she would never be able to catch him. However, what she had neglected to say was that she knew if she asked in the right way, had a good reason, he would turn himself in for her. She also knew in her heart that the charge was bogus, just as she knew that he hadn’t killed Homer Ramos. The fact that, if she brought Ranger in and put him behind bars, she’d never again be able to face Caleb was the most forceful of all the arguments against taking him in, though she would never share that with anyone.
The one reason she refused that she would only share with herself in the dark night when even she couldn’t avoid her heart was that, in some way, she loved him and believed with all her heart that he deserved to be free, not locked up like an animal.
“I sound like a sappy movie,” she muttered to herself, shifting on the couch, trying to get comfortable. “Next thing you know I’ll be saying we’re destined to be together or are soul mates or something stupid,” she grumbled.
Forcing those thoughts from her mind, she found she was less than successful. Images of Carlos, of Ranger refused to leave.
With a sigh of frustration, she decided if she couldn’t stop thinking about him, then maybe she could at least stop thinking about him in that way.
What could she do to help? She knew some of the story from Joe. He wasn’t lead on the case, which wasn’t surprising since he was a vice cop and this was a homicide, but he was always in the loop. She knew she couldn’t go up to Alexander Ramos and start asking questions, but there had to be something she could do, right?
If he would just call her, she could offer her assistance, offer him whatever help she could. He had done so much for her since she started Bounty Hunting that she wanted to give him something back.
That was it. That was the reason. She felt she owed him. It had nothing to do with messy, terrifying emotions.
The flicker of headlights across the wall brought to her tired mind the memory of her car. She should have known better than to believe she would be able to keep a car, but she had hopes. Tomorrow she would get a car.
She grimaced at the thought. She had some money from the skips she’d brought in today and hadn’t had a chance to turn in the body receipts for a check yet. Having to get a new car meant she wouldn’t be able to put anything aside for Caleb this time around, and that just seemed wrong to her. She should be able to put something away for him.
Lifting her hands she pressed them against her eyes and tried to forget about the money for a while. There was certainly enough other chaos in her life to keep her on her toes, like Mitchell and Habib.
She knew they were serious about following her and about her leading them to Ranger, but they were wrong. Ranger wasn’t stupid and wouldn’t allow himself to follow her, especially if she ever got the chance to warn him about them. Besides, they didn’t seem too clever, so she should be able to get rid of them if the situation called for it.
“Where are you, Carlos?” she whispered to the night as sleep crept over her. “Please be all right.”
(Ranger)
No one but Tank knew about this house, he’d made sure of it. The records of ownership had it belonging to his grandmother’s neighbor from Florida. Even Mrs. Eddleson didn’t know about it, though.
Tonight, Lester, Bobby, Woody and Cal would find out about it. They were the men he trusted the most. They were the ones who had been with him since the army. He knew they wouldn’t turn him in and that they would do anything to help him. Oh, there would be a few more men he would involve as time passed, as assignments were created, but he would start with these five and branch out from there.
As he moved to the living room, Tank and Woody were already there. He knew Cal and Bobby would be arriving next and then Lester later.
It was important that they arrive at staggered intervals so that no one suspected they were meeting. After all, one of more of them might be under surveillance.
Nodding a greeting to the men, he asked, “Did you bring me other clothes?”
Tank nodded toward the duffle bag on the floor by the door. “Shopped the Gap,” Tank said, unable to stop a smug smirk from appearing on his face. He chuckled softly when he saw Ranger grimace. Ranger hated the Gap.
Moving to the doorway, Ranger snagged the bag and brought it upstairs to one of the back bedrooms. He would stay here for a few days before moving on to another location. Safe house or not, it wouldn’t pay for him to stay in one place too long.
As he opened the bag, he couldn’t stop the look of disgust that covered his face. Growing up he had resented the kids who dressed in Gap clothes. Part of that resentment, he knew, came from not being able to afford such things. A larger part came from the attitude that those kids projected. He couldn’t stand such pretentious airs, but that was long ago. For now, no one who knew him would be looking for someone in these clothes. He idly wondered what Stephanie would think if she saw him dressed in these clothes, but pushed that thought away. Stephanie wouldn’t see him in these. She knew Ranger the bounty hunter and, he was fairly certain, didn’t want to look too far beyond that. Mostly he was disappointed by that fact, but another part kept nagging at him, wondering why someone who could see so much was deliberately turning a blind eye to what he was showing her. The only answer he could come up with was that she was scared. But of what?
“Ready when you are for the haircut,” Woody called up.
Ranger shook off his thoughts and tossed the empty bag on the floor of the closet. He was never a fan of short hair, but, again, Ranger had long hair. Short hair was reserved for Reckless and Mr. Manoso.
A short bark of laughter escaped him. “I’m thinking of myself as different people now,” he muttered as he headed down the hall.
Walking into the kitchen, he noted a chair set on top of a drop cloth and took a seat there. It was within reach of the table. Not wanting to sit still, he pulled out his cell phone, turned on the speaker feature and dialed his home number. When the machine answered, he punched in his code and set the phone on the table to listen to the messages.
The first message was short and terse. It came from one of his government contacts. “You better not have screwed the pooch on this one, Manoso. I don’t plan on losing years of work because you got sloppy. Don’t expect me to bail you out of this one. Call me.”
Ranger glanced at the doorway and saw Tank standing there. He knew the anger in his face mirrored what he was seeing in Tank’s. Neither of them had ever liked the arrogant prick and that sort of call did nothing to endear him.
The second message beeped. “Manoso!” Vinnie’s voice exclaimed. “Why did you skip? You won’t get away with this. I’m setting Stephanie after you. She brought in Morelli, she’ll bring in you too!”
The next message was from Connie. “Hi. It’s Connie. I’d offer to help, but I have to stay out of it,” she said. “Don’t worry about Vinnie. Stephanie flat out refused the case.” At that statement, Ranger’s eyes met Tank’s again. He noted his friend’s raised eyebrow. Tank had been subtly hinting that Ranger needed to get involved with Stephanie. This would just add more weight to his argument. They both knew that Stephanie could get him to go in if she wanted. Obviously, she didn’t want to do that. Connie’s next statement caused both Tank’s and Ranger’s faces to scrunch up in disgust. “He gave the file to Joyce Barnhardt.”
“Now that’s just downright disturbing,” Woody protested, disgust evident in his voice as he continued to work on Ranger’s hair.
The next few calls were from various contacts around the city from all levels of society. Some were asking if he did it. Some were gloating that he had ‘fallen’. Some were asking him to go to the police and give a statement.
They were already on the fifteenth call and Ranger was about to stop it. The beep signaling the start of the message sounded. There was a brief pause before Stephanie’s voice came through loud and clear. “Are you okay?”
All movement in the kitchen stopped. That was the end of the tape and the end of the message.
A curse slipped through Ranger’s lips. This was not what he expected, not what he wanted and, most definitely, not what he needed right now.
“You’re going to have to bring her in on it,” Woody eventually said, his voice soft.
Ranger took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “No,” he denied. He did not want Stephanie involved in this in any way, shape or form. It was not only too dangerous, but if she got caught trying to help him, it wouldn’t go well for her.
“You’ve watched her, Ranger. You’ve trained her. Do you honestly think she won’t try to help on her own if you don’t let her?” Tank argued back. “And even if we kept her out of it, on the streets she’s known as your woman. Do you really think others would let her stay out of it?”
Ranger cursed again, knowing Tank was right. There was no way Stephanie would let something like this go, not if she thought she could help him. Blowing out a breath he could only agree. “Fine, but we find the safest job we possibly can for her and keep her out of the way,” he insisted. Even as he said it, he somehow knew that, no matter how safe, how out of the way the job that they gave Stephanie would be; she would somehow manage to end up in the center of everything. “We also put a tracker on her at all times.”
Woody and Tank exchanged an amused look over Ranger’s head. Ranger caught part of it and knew they were amused at the time and expense he spent on the little Burg girl. He would never be able to explain why he bothered. Because you belong togethe, his heart whispered. Ignoring the whispered words, Ranger asked, “Are you done?”
“Yes,” Woody replied, removing the apron he had used to cover Ranger.
Before any more could be said, the door opened, letting Bobby and Cal enter the house. It was time to start the meeting.
Ranger slipped in the back door of the safe house.
Goodnight Kiss
(Stephanie)
Why did he have to kiss her like that? Why couldn’t it have been friendly? Why did it have to be sexy? Things were beginning to move along with Joe. They were getting closer, right? Well, they were getting closer to bed and some nice orgasms for her.
As disturbing as she sometimes found it to lust after two very different men, being kissed by both on the same day and both kisses suggesting more than just friendly feelings was almost too much for Stephanie. Maybe, just maybe, if it had happened on two consecutive nights or, better, when Joe and she weren’t trying to start things again, then she might have welcomed it.
Oh, whom was she kidding? She lusted after Joe. He was known. He was comfortable. Stephanie was comfortable with him. There was no danger to that relationship.
Ranger, on the other hand, was hiding behind all sorts of masks. He was showing her more and more of himself, of Carlos, but Stephanie didn’t let on that she was falling for the man behind the mask. Part of the reason was just the raw power he exuded. Part of the reason was the fact he seemed so far beyond her and what she was that she would never be able to interest him for long. The largest part, though, was that she was terrified he’d find out about Caleb.
Stephanie knew that she needed to tell him about their son, but she still feared it. She couldn’t tell what she feared more, though, that he might try to take Caleb away or that he would show no interest whatsoever and she would lose Carlos from her life forever.
The fact that she was scared of losing Ranger scared her even more. Yes, she had worried about his safety when she found out about the mess in which he was involved. Yes, she wanted him to be all right. But to admit that what was driving those feelings was more than just friendship was a step she most definitely wasn’t ready to take just yet, maybe not ever.
“But when will you tell him about Caleb?” Grandma Plum’s voice taunted from memory. Stephanie knew Grandma Plum disagreed with her withholding the information, but Stephanie couldn’t chance it. If she told Carlos and he abandoned them, she wouldn’t be able to continue her job and Caleb might lose any chance he ever had of meeting his father.
Grandma Mazur hadn’t said anything one way or the other. She had actually met Ranger, though. Stephanie knew her grandmother well enough to know that if Grandma Mazur thought Ranger should know, he would know.
Maybe Stephanie should ask Grandma Mazur what she thought about it. If nothing else, it would be good to talk about it with someone who had at least met the man in question.
With a sigh, she settled back on the couch and tried to get comfortable so she could sleep again. It had been an eventful night and she would need her wits about her to achieve anything tomorrow.
(Ranger)
He paused at the top of the stairs and closed his eyes, taking deep breaths in an effort to quell the rising panic her last words had triggered. The thought of her being shot or dying triggered an emotional response with which he just wasn’t ready to deal.
In all truth, he hadn’t planned on kissing her before leaving, but after seeing her looking so amazing as she just woke up from sleep. That was something he wanted to see more than once. His mind immediately began sorting through all of the different ways he could wake her up and trying to imagine all of the potential expressions she would wear as he woke her up.
Disgusted by his distraction at such a time, Ranger shook his head to try and dislodge those thoughts. He knew it was a futile effort once they got started. It had been impossible not to image and wonder about ever since that night in Newark before he had a clue who she was.
It bothered him that she still didn’t seem to remember who he was. He knew for a fact she wasn’t the type of person to sleep around. Yes, she’d been with Morelli off and on, but she’d only been with Morelli.
To him, given what he knew of women, that meant she probably hadn’t had that many lovers.
As he checked the outside area before slipping out the door, he remembered that night in Newark that she had been drinking as much as he had.
He paused before pushing the door open, a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. Was it possible she was so drunk she didn’t remember? If that was true, then she’d not been in a state where she could have made a conscious choice, where she could have denied him. He had never, never, had to coerce a woman to be with him. He had never wanted to get one drunk because he wanted them to be fully cognizant of to what they were agreeing. And most of all, he wanted them to remember him, to remember receiving pleasure from him.
That last motivation had started after his first mission as a Ranger. It was then that he realized he really could die. Coming face to face with your own mortality was a very sobering thing. It was when he returned that he wanted, no, he needed to make sure he was remembered for something positive. That he was remembered as a man and not just as a serial number or a name. It was why he spent so much time ensuring whomever he was with found as much or more pleasure than he did.
That he could have been with Stephanie and she couldn’t remember was unsettling.
Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and released it. Now was most definitely not the time to think of this. He needed to get back to the safe house and gather all of the reports so he could figure out their next move
Ranger left Stephanie’s apartment and headed into the stairwell.
Another Hannibal Stakeout
(Stephanie)
Stephanie slipped behind the wheel of the Buick. Her heart was still beating quickly from the surprise of finding out that someone was living in Hannibal’s house even while he was away.
This was something she should report to Ranger. Pulling out her cell phone she started to dial, but stopped and cancelled the call. Last night, Ranger had come to see her. She was fairly certain he would do the same tonight. Besides, if she called him, he might be in the middle of something important or even hiding and her phone call could cause him to be discovered.
That would be horrible and she would feel guilty for a long time after that if it happened.
Yeah, right, her conscience taunted, and it has nothing to do with you wanting to see him again and maybe getting another kiss?
“Stupid conscience,” Stephanie muttered as she turned the car on and shifted it into gear, being very careful to ignore the fact she wasn’t calling Ranger.
As she drove home, she began to think about what Morelli had said, that Ranger only had a small handful of people he trusted and they were watching the Ramos family. Could Ranger really trust her? What would it mean if he did? Did she trust him? Did she trust him with her heart?
Rolling her eyes at the direction her thoughts were taking, she decided to ignore them and, instead, think about her call to Caleb that night.
She had told him it might be a while before she could come home, but that she would call as much as she cold. He had asked her if she was after a really bad guy. Her answer had been that she was helping a friend.
Caleb had thought that was very Wonder Woman like. His words had made Stephanie feel like Wonder Woman. It was a feeling that kept her going.
It didn’t hurt that she knew she was teaching her son the value of loyalty and of being willing to help. Hopefully, when he grew up, Caleb would remember this and be the kind of loyal friend she hoped he would.
She had also mentioned that her Grandma Mazur wanted to come and meet him. When her statement was met with silence, she began to get worried.
“Caleb?” she asked after several seconds. She heard a sniff and her heart clenched.
“She really wants to meet me?” he asked, his voice small.
It was only when he asked that Stephanie realized how much not meeting any of the rest of her family had hurt him. She had thought she was doing the right thing, but now she began to wonder. “Of course she does, kiddo. She’s been hearing about you since you were born. She’s the one Grandma Plum always talks to on the phone.”
“Oh,” Caleb answered. “I’d like to meet her. I like the stories Grandma tells me about her.”
Stephanie’s heart clenched as she realized she had never told him much at all about his family in Trenton. It was something she would have to change as soon as possible. “I’m sure you do. Next time I come down, I’ll bring her with me.”
“Promise?” he asked in a small voice.
“Promise,” Stephanie assured.
Hear heart still ached at the unintentional pain she had caused her son. She vowed she would make it up to him and that someday all of the Plum family would accept and love him. But right now wasn’t the right time.
Blowing out a breath, she let her mind go blank as she pulled into the parking lot of her apartment. It was time to get back to reality.
(Ranger)
Right now he was FTA, making him a wanted felon, and wanted for questioning in the murder of Homer Ramos, had police, crime figures and an inept bounty hunter after him and he was walking out of a meeting with ranking members of several government law enforcement agencies in Washington D. C.
“Only in America,” he mumbled.
He wondered if maybe Stephanie was rubbing off on him. This was definitely the type of situation he could imagine her getting into, only she wouldn’t have a clue as to what was going on around her or what the big picture really was.
He knew exactly what was going on and, depending on the outcome, exactly what it would mean to his current job. It meant a delay. Best-case scenario was that things would mellow out, he would find a way to be exonerated of the charges of killing Homer Ramos and things would return to normal. Should that happen, he could be done with the job by October. That would fulfill his contractual obligation to the government and he would be free to pursue his various business ventures and, maybe, making a life for himself. Worst case was that he was arrested, tried and convicted of Homer’s murder and the whole investigation went down the tubes along with his business and everything else for which he’d worked so hard.
The most likely scenario was somewhere in between and meant waiting until things settled down and a new structure was formed. Then, if they were lucky, they might be able to reinsert themselves and be done with the case in another eighteen months o
Of course, his pipe dream for the case was that Homer Ramos was alive and well, living in Trenton and the money for Stolle would be found and returned.
He didn’t have that kind of luck, though. Only Stephanie Plum had that kind of luck.
Only in his wildest dreams does that luck rub off on him.
Of course, given how frequently he’d been dreaming and daydreaming of her recently, her luck wasn’t the only thing he wanted rubbing on him.
Frowning, he forced those thoughts from his mind. He needed her like he needed to be free. It was an essential part of him. That, more than anything else, scared him to death. But, no matter how hard he resisted the temptation, he found himself being drawn closer and closer to her, revealing more and more of himself. Like last night. He had never told anyone, not Caution, not Tank that his family used to smack each other all the time. He never revealed personal information like that, but something inside him wanted and needed her to know.
He seriously needed to be with her and get her out of his system. The fact that she didn’t wake up when he broke in wasn’t helping, though. It spoke of a level of trust he wasn’t used to giving or receiving.
Somehow, he knew that wasn’t the full truth of the matter. He didn’t just want her once, she was the one he wanted for his future plans.
He was so screwed. Too bad it wasn’t literally.
Sometimes the irony of life left him nearly overwhelmed.
Searching For Control
(Stephanie)
Stephanie sat at the table sipping her hot chocolate and staring at nothing in particular.
Grandma Mazur had gone back to bed, but she just couldn’t seem to focus on sleep. Too much had happened in too short a time and she just needed to process it.
The day was already fading into memory. There were two parts she’d really enjoyed. The first was seeing her mom threaten Mitchell and Habib. It wasn’t often Stephanie got to see the protective side of her mother. It was so infrequent that she sometimes forgot it was there at all. But she couldn’t remember the last time she felt so loved by her mother.
The second daytime highlight had, oddly enough, come from Vinnie and his suggested distraction. Her second cousin might be a worm of the first – or last – magnitude, but the distraction he suggested had been a sight to behold.
Much of the rest of the day she could gladly forget.
Then there was the night.
Munson had been terrifying. The problem with taking the mid-range skips now was that more of them were likely to be complete nut cases than the low bond skip. That Munson had broken in and threatened her didn’t sit well.
Of course, the visit from Ranger hadn’t been all bad.
She had surprised both of them with her tackle, but she’d been so strung out on adrenaline, so scared, it was the only natural response she could have.
Then again, being pinned by Ranger was enough to fuel her fantasies for a long time.
She shook her head at that thought. She shouldn’t be fantasizing about Ranger, especially when she kept entertaining thoughts of marriage to Joe. Of course, she wasn’t entirely convinced that marriage to Joe was the best option. As much as she wanted to believe her heart was in love, her head kept refusing to acknowledge it. And her body kept coming back to Carlos, as did her subconscious.
Stephanie sighed. She knew she wanted Ranger, but the feelings associate with him terrified her. It wasn’t just the uncontrollable lust. There were many other feelings that ran too deep for her to examine.
But it had felt so good, so right to have his hands on her, to have him pressed against her and he hadn’t seemed to object too strenuously either. What had he said? Saved by your grandma? Maybe she had been. She really wasn’t the type of woman who could juggle two lovers and she was pretty sure, when it came to Ranger, even one of him would be too much, even if he were Caleb’s father.
That left Alexander Ramos. Stephanie wasn’t thrilled with the idea of spending time with him and Ranger had warned her off, but he was a resource that she could hardly overlook. If the man would speak to her, why shouldn’t she take advantage of it? Why shouldn’t she grill him?
Resting her head in her hands for a few minutes, she let the weariness that had been building overtake her. There was just too much for her to worry about right now. Maybe everything would look better in the morning.
(Ranger)
Too much was spiraling out of his control and he needed to reign it back in. The worst part, though, was his need for Stephanie.
As everything else was falling apart, his need for her was becoming overwhelming. Each risk she took, each new danger she was in, each time she took one step closer to him, he felt his longing for her, his need to protect her, grow. Tonight had been a prime example.
She had tackled him, which was impressive enough. He had reacted on instinct, though and quickly had her pinned.
Her body relaxed and then she recognized him.
That thought stopped him. Her body relaxed first. Somehow, she remembered him from that night. It was the only explanation. He had easily read her interest in him, but held back, wanting to remove that little bit of fear from her first, before moving things along, but after six years of dreaming of her, having her pinned underneath him, their bodies pressed together proved too much of a temptation. He was kissing her before he made a conscious decision to do so.
That she returned it with equal passion had only served to increase his ardor, his desire, his need.
When her grandmother came out of the bedroom…
A soft chuckle escaped him now. God must be watching over him on this one. Mrs. Mazur was more effective than a bucket of ice water and her timing was impeccable. A few seconds more and things would have gone much too far. The last thing either of them needed right now was the complication of a physical relationship. When he finally took Stephanie Plum to bed, he wanted to be able to give her all of himself, or at least all of his attention. He wasn’t sure he would ever trust a woman enough to give himself to her, not even his fantasy woman made flesh.
His eyes slid to the paper sketch she had made for him. He was impressed with the detail she’d included. It was good to see. She was so much more than he ever expected, so much more than she knew. He just wished he understood the fear he saw in her eyes, fear of him.
He couldn’t think of anything he had done to scare her and it seemed like she genuinely cared for him. Take her phone call from the other day:
“Feeling cranky today?” Stephanie asked.
“Cranky doesn’t come close,” Ranger replied.
No, cranky didn’t cover it then and it didn’t cover it now. There wasn’t a word to cover the number of strong emotions he was feeling right now. He hadn’t felt so out of control since he was a teen. Ever since had straightened out, graduated high school and headed into college, he had been in control of his life, he had been aware of his actions and their consequences. It was what made him so good at what he did.
This current situation was beyond his control, something he couldn’t have predicted and was struggling to handle. Stephanie Plum was another wildcard, another complication. Normally, he didn’t mind the small amount of chaos she seemed to inject into his life.
In the current circumstances, it was too much. Having so little control or even concept of what was gong on was causing him to lose focus. He needed a break soon. He was missing the big picture and he needed that intelligence.
Of course, even realizing that came back to Stephanie, in a way.
He had felt something was very off with the whole exchange that was supposed to be taking place that night. When the body turned up, he had been too focused, first, on making sure he wouldn’t be caught, and second that his tracks were covered enough that the job could continue on without him, if it became necessary.
It was Stephanie who had asked Morelli how the body was identified. That was enough to start Ranger wondering if maybe Homer was still alive. It was a very slim chance and he wasn’t about to hang his hopes on it, but it was there.
That thin thread of hope became a little thicker when Stephanie mentioned she’d heard a toilet flush.
It could be anyone living in Hannibal’s house, but Ranger would bet it was Homer. Stephanie was correct in assuming that something was off with the greeting at the compound in Deal, but she had been looking at the wrong thing. Then again, she didn’t have all the pieces.
He needed more information. Morelli had cut a deal with him. It was why he had paged. The case Morelli was researching for Treasury crossed over into some areas that would require Ranger’s contacts. In return for sharing what information he gathered, Morelli would keep Ranger in the loop about the case.
Pulling off to the side of the road, Ranger pulled out his phone. It was time to call Morelli again.
The problem he had about relying on Morelli, especially now that Morelli knew without a doubt Ranger was one of the good guys, all had to do with Stephanie. The thought of the cop touching his Babe was enough to stir the anger that dwelt within him. Taking several deep breaths, he forced all thoughts of Stephanie from his mind and dialed the number.
Ranger slipped into the car and pulled out of the lot, heading away from his new safe house. He would eventually get there, but first, he needed to get himself under control
The Deal With Deal
(Stephanie)
As she was driving home, her mind began playing the what-if game. What if Alexander had decided she was too nosy? What if he sought her out? What if Hannibal or one of the others sought her out? What if he hadn’t been happy with her, would she even be driving now?
Why, oh, why didn’t she listen to Ranger?
Because your curiosity got the better of you, came the reply.
In truth, she hadn’t found out too much more and, from the sound of things, probably didn’t find out anything that Ranger didn’t already know, though he had listened to her and what she had to say. Maybe she did find out something, though. Alexander Ramos was not a soft man. Any father who could speak about his son like that was one she didn’t, and didn’t want to, understand.
Maybe she could ask Morelli about him later. From the little bit she knew, her thought that Alexander had the ability to hire someone to remove Homer, but, then, why set up Ranger. And what exactly was the whole Stolle angle? Why would those two groups be so desperate to frame Ranger?
“Distraction,” she murmured to herself. Could this whole thing have been one huge distraction to focus attention away from something else? And, exactly how important was Ranger to the underbelly of society that his being framed would distract them.
If that was what was going on, then there was no way she wanted him anywhere near Caleb.
Stephanie gasped as that thought raced through her head.
While it was true that she had toyed with the idea of someday introducing Ranger to Caleb, she was surprised that her mind was taking it as an absolute. It was true that Ranger was revealing more of himself, showing her more of Carlos, but he was still a mystery to her, still someone she couldn’t figure out. It was one of the many things that had kept her from admitting she knew him.
Of course, if their worlds continued on the collision course they were currently following, it would only be a matter of time before things progressed beyond a few kisses.
Only Morelli had ever affected her in a similar manner. And, with Ranger, things seemed to his a whole different level. She could only wonder if she affected him as much as he affected her. She also couldn’t help but wonder if their progressing physical relationship was coming from his realizing that they had been together before.
What, exactly would that mean to her if he did realize it? It wasn’t like she had to sleep with him again, even if she wanted. And just because he might recognize her certainly didn’t mean he would have a clue that they had a son.
What would she say to him, though, if he asked why she hadn’t mentioned it? The problem there was that she couldn’t lie to Ranger. Well, she could, but he always knew, unlike Joe. She would need to come up with something close to the truth, but what?
What did she remember from that night before she found out she was pregnant?
Not much. She remembered the name Carlos and the skin color. She had dreams of amazing sex and burning desire and lust. She had an impression of an amazing body that still couldn’t compare to the beauty of the face, but she didn’t remember the face exactly.
That was the truth from that point in time and that is what she would have to tell Ranger. If he asked about when she saw him, she would have to evade a little. Maybe something along the lines of she couldn’t believe someone as hot as him would give her a second look, let alone a tumble.
What a mess this was. She needed to get this resolved and start looking outside Bounty Hunting for a job. Maybe it was time to look in Newark again.
(Ranger)
To say he was less than thrilled when he spotted Stephanie drive by in her Buick would have been an understatement. Of course, if he hadn’t already had a tracker on the car and known she was heading toward Deal beforehand, he might have betrayed his surprise. That was something he couldn’t afford right then since two of Alexander’s guards has settled at the table next to his.
If it wasn’t bad enough that she stopped to pick up Alexander even after he told her not to, she then proceeded to sit and wait.
A smile twitched on his lips as he listened to Alexander trying to get out of the house. The man was having trouble. Allowing his eyes to drift toward the Buick, he could see Stephanie was starting to fidget. She never could sit still for very long.
Pulling one of the buds from his ear, he had flicked open his phone to let her know Alexander would be late.
Even now, he couldn’t help but shake his head at the face she hadn’t even bothered to take in her surroundings. She had been parked in the perfect spot to see him and never once turned his way. He would really need to work on her awareness.
The smile faded at that thought.
When they first started out he had claimed he would be her Professor Higgins. He had showed her enough to keep her alive and a few tricks of the trade. The ones that were legally right, for the most part since that is what she appeared to favor. But the truth was, he hadn’t really taught her much of anything. Part of that was because he just didn’t have the time, but a larger part was his reluctance to be close to her. Not that he didn’t want to be close to her, but as the previous night’s tackle proved, getting close-in together led to a quick loss of control for both of them and that would lead them straight to where neither of them was ready to go.
So, he did what he could for her, tracked her, was there when she called, helped he when he knew she needed it. In return, she helped him when he was in need of a woman to chaperone, lure or distract.
The odd thing was, somehow, as she slowly broke through the mask of Ranger that he wore and began to know Carlos, a friendship was starting to develop. For all his experience with women, he had never had a female friend before; his looks and sex drive usually prevented it. But, as with may other things, Stephanie Plum was proving the exception rather than the rule.
Of course, she was still deluded into thinking she wanted Morelli, he thought, surprising himself by the bitterness in the words.
Was he really that jealous of Morelli? Stephanie and Morelli certainly seemed to circle each other frequently enough, but they hadn’t stuck yet despite their nights together. Ranger assumed it was just comfort for them. Joe was familiar. He was what she knew. He was safe. Neither of them seemed like the type to settle down, but, then again, he’d seen Morelli staring at families with that longing look in his eye.
To Ranger, that meant Morelli was getting ready to settle down. Could he really be thinking of settling down with Stephanie?
Taking a sip of his drink, he pushed such thoughts out of his head. It didn’t matter what they were thinking. Despite his innate need to do plan long-term, right now, Ranger had to be concerned with the present. He was currently in the middle of someone else’s game and he didn’t like it one bit.
Ranger slowly spun his glass between his hands as his eyes scanned the area. He was currently in a small café near the Ramos house. It was his turn to stake it out and he had chosen to do so while blending in with the general populous. He had headphones on and was listening to the feed from the bugs he’d planted in the house as well as the check-ins from his men.
Girl Power
(Stephanie)
As she drove to Morelli’s house, Stephanie couldn’t get away from the information she was gathering about Ranger’s situation. There was an awful lot going on leaving her an awful lot to process and it was making her cranky. Well, that, the lack of sleep and the lack of information.
She knew she had been unfair to Ranger on the phone. It sounded like she was accusing him. Was it any wonder that he wouldn’t share information with her? He probably thought her judgmental and loose-lipped.
As much as she didn’t want that opinion to be true, she couldn’t help but feel that there was some truth to it.
On the other hand, she had been helping him, gathering information for him, so, on some level, he must trust her.
And if he’s keeping secrets from you, doesn’t that make it easier for you to keep a secret from him? A little voice whispered.
Reaching up, she ran a hand through her hair and then smirked. It was such a Joe move. Oddly appropriate, too, since she was headed to Joe’s house, to Joe.
Joe. He didn’t inspire the same depth of emotions or passion that Ranger did, but he also didn’t scare her to death or hide important parts of himself from her. Oh, he had his secrets, but they were all work related. She trusted him in that. Of course, she had one very large personal secret that she couldn’t be sure he would understand. But, in a way, she thought he would.
Joe made her heart feel light, made her feel desired. Ranger plumbed the depth of her soul and made her question everything.
So which do you want? Comfort or passion? Neither road’s easy, but which payoff will be worth it?
Blowing out a breath, Stephanie couldn’t help but think she needed to get a new little voice. The one she had was irritating as all get out.
“Bottom line is Ranger doesn’t trust me, Morelli does – sort of,” Stephanie said aloud. She knew Morelli hiding things from her had nothing to do with him not trusting her and everything to do with his jobs and the demands of his job, but it still sometimes felt like he didn’t trust her.
Of course, she hadn’t really meant to sound accusing. In truth, she didn’t believe that Ranger had anything to do with the murder of the man at Hannibal’s house, with the disappearance of the money or with Homer Ramos’ death – not that she thought he was dead any longer. She had just been emotional and drawing conclusions without having all the information.
“Well, maybe if someone told me what was going on, I’d have the information I needed,” she grumbled to no one in particular. Shaking her head she continued, “Look, he’s got me talking to myself down. Jerk.”
Taking a deep breath, she slowly released it, trying to get her emotions under control, trying to get her balance back.
What did she know? She knew Homer was involved with Stolle. She knew that Home had taken a “million dollar carpet” from Stolle and that the money disappeared. Stephanie was positive that whatever bag Ranger had been carrying out was either delivered or wasn’t the one they were looking for. She had since seen evidence of a family that wasn’t grieving and signs of life in Hannibal’s house. Mitchell and Habib worked for Stolle and Stolle really wanted Ranger, to the point where they were following her to get to him.
Stephanie couldn’t help the snort of disbelief at that. Yes, he had come to see her, but no one saw Ranger if he didn’t want to be seen. “Besides,” she muttered, self-disgust rising, “after today he won’t want anything to do with me.”
Liar, the little voice, she assumed was her conscience, said.
“Oh, shut up,” Stephanie griped. The last thing she needed was more soul searching.
What she needed, now, was to come up with a good reason why she and Lula were at Hannibal Ramos’ house looking around. And why was it that the women involved seemed to be the only ones sharing? “Because women use words,” she grumbled in response. “We don’t have a quota.”
With that thought, she pulled up in front of Morelli’s house.
(Ranger)
He had actually been hurt when she suggested that he might be responsible for the dead body in the garage. Yes, he had killed people, but so had she. He didn’t kill indiscriminately and he always thought that she understood that. Apparently he’d been deluding himself.
The evidence pointed to it, his conscience pricked. It was a logical conclusion, one you would have drawn if the tables had been turned.
A curse slipped through his lips because he knew his conscience was right. He would have drawn the same conclusion. That didn’t make it feel any less like a betrayal.
And how do you think she felt when you wouldn’t trust her with information? His conscience taunted.
He was really getting tired of that little voice.
Things were too involved at too delicate a point for him to slip up, for him to be distracted. If Stephanie had done what he asked, then it wouldn’t be a problem. The fact that she kept going above and beyond…
Shows how much she cares for you, his conscience interjected.
“She’s going to get hurt,” Ranger muttered to himself as he turned and paced the length of the room once more.
He didn’t need his conscience to tell him that she was in just as much danger not knowing what was going on with regard to the investigation as she would be if she did know.
The truth was, when it came to her, his instincts were warring with his training and he was deliberately allowing his training to win. He knew the situation he was in and knew how to deal with it. He was a planner, an organizer, a strategist and he wasn’t about to fail or falter on his resolve. Stephanie was too unpredictable, too emotional, tonight had proved that.
And last night when you couldn’t see her, but still knew exactly where she had to be hiding? His conscience queried.
Ranger took a deep breath and closed his eyes, letting his mind return to that moment.
He spotted the movement more than the figure. It was out of place. Despite having all his senses on high alert, he didn’t felt threatened, though. He felt a warmth in his gut that he only felt when Stephanie was near. The sound her feet made as she ran into the shadows helped him track her movements. He knew it wasn’t the right time to speak to her, especially since he hadn’t found what he needed. He couldn’t be seen out and about or, especially, with her. Turning away to the woman he wanted desperately to see, he slipped into the shadows and made his way to his SUV.
He had known it was her, just as she had known it was him the previous night when she tackled him – instinctively and on a level he didn’t want to understand.
Taking a deep breath, he opened his eyes and released it. He couldn’t waste time worrying about her. Things were beginning to fall into place. The truth was beginning to come to light and the lies and deceptions were unraveling quickly. He needed to focus his attention on the situation, not on the distraction.
As he tried to gather his thoughts, a knock sounded on the doorframe of the room.
Turning, he was unsurprised to see Tank standing there, a serious look on his face. “You need to bring her in on this or cut her out completely,” he instructed, keeping his eyes locked on Ranger’s.
Ranger ignored the advice. He didn’t want to deal with it right now. Bringing Stephanie in on it would allow her to see too much. She was smart and quick at putting things together, she would be able to get a pretty good read on their job with just a few stray hits. He knew that. Unfortunately, he also knew that he couldn’t cut her out entirely, though, after their conversation tonight, it was a much more tempting option than it had been in the past.
Holding his hand out toward the manila folder in Tank’s hand, he indicated he wanted it.
Tank shook his head and gave Ranger the file. “The latest from Ketchings,” Tank informed before turning and leaving the room.
Ranger took a seat and flipped open the folder.
Ranger paced through the room. It was very unlike him to do so, but Stephanie Plum affected him in a way no other woman, no other person, ever had.
Terminated
(Stephanie)
Stephanie headed back to her apartment. “Terminated,” she grumbled. She couldn’t really blame him, but the fact that he and Morelli had discussed it was insulting.
The fact that his answering machine had been full of cops and others telling him about her stupidity was humiliating. She was, once again, the laughing stock of Trenton. Was it any wonder he didn’t trust her with anything?
As for staying out of it, that fit in with her promise to herself the previous night to leave him on his own.
Right now, before she got back to the apartment, she needed to speak with Caleb. She missed her son
(Ranger)
But, he’d kept up his end of the bargain. He’d fired her, making her even more of a wildcard than she was before. Now there was no control on her.
He only hoped they all lived through it.
She wasn’t going to stay out of it. He knew this not only because of the expression of her face and the look in her eye, but also because his instincts were screaming that, somehow, it was all going to end with Stephanie. He knew it as surely as he knew he had to bring in Home alive if things were going to stand even the slightest chance of resolving themselves for the best.
No, Thank You
(Stephanie)
She couldn’t believe it. He was going to lock her away because he had too much on his plate. That’s all she was to him, an inconvenience, a distraction. There was no way she was going to go along with that, not willingly, Tank or no Tank. She wasn’t a skip, she wasn’t a pet, she wasn’t an animal, she wouldn’t be caged. It was wrong. He had no right to dictate her life. She wasn’t even working for him anymore
Stephanie harrumphed and kept driving.
Her mind wandered to the money that had been dropped in her purse. She really shouldn’t accept it, but a thousand dollars was a good chunk of change. It could help her toward a car, at least. Well, some of it could. Most of it would end up in Caleb’s account, as it should.
She took a breath and let it out slowly. That was the solution she needed right now.
Pulling out her cell phone, she dialed home and smiled when Caleb answered.
(Ranger)
Stephanie Plum was going to be the death of him.
No one spoke to him the way she just did. No one questioned him. Didn’t she realize that he needed her safe? That her safety was more important than his own? Was she so stupid she didn’t understand that her life was in danger?
Fisting his hands at his side, Ranger closed his eyes. That last statement was unfair and he knew it. In the past year and some months, Stephanie had come a long, long way. There were few trained men he knew who had instincts like hers. But right now, she was letting her emotions get the better of her and that was no good for anyone, especially him, especially if he wanted to remain focused on what he needed to do.
Taking a deep breath, he slowly let it out. He would deal with her calmly and rationally. And, if that didn’t work, he’d just have Tank kidnap her.
Ranger flipped his phone closed and threw it against the back of the chair, knowing it would be soft enough to keep the device from breaking.
Forget Sticks And Stones, Think Dry Wall And Glass…
(Stephanie)
Stephanie sat on the couch staring blankly at the television. “I Dream Of Jeannie” had never been one of her favorites, but it wasn’t all that bad either.
She could remember as a child thinking how wonderful it was that Jeannie got to have so much fun. She never understood why Major Nelson seemed irritated with her.
Now, watching it as an adult, she could see exactly why. Worse, she had far too easy a time substituting herself for Jeannie and either Ranger or Joe for Major Nelson. There they were, going along fine in life, their careers were on track, they were well respected, and then Stephanie Plum shows up and sucks them into her sitcom of a life.
She let out a sigh. Neither Mooner nor Dougie reacted. That was fine. She had too much to think about right now.
First, she was going to have to set up a meeting with Ranger. That wouldn’t be too hard. The hard part would be taking him by surprise and stunning him. She really, really didn’t want to do that.
Pushing aside the unpleasant thoughts, she flexed her hand, wincing when the cuts pulled. She hated pain.
And, through some bizarre, motherly instinct only she seemed to have, the thought of pain reminded her of Caleb’s birth.
Now, there was a topic she could use to sit back and mellow out. A smile curved her lips as she thought of the money she’d made last night with Lula. Ten thousand split between them meant a new car was in her future and Caleb’s next year of schooling was much closer to being paid.
Despite the extreme chaos of the week, it had been profitable for her, and that wasn’t a bad thing. It was much better than the previous October when she was essentially living hand to mouth. Oh, who was she trying to kid? Hand to mouth would have been a step up last October. Thank goodness things had picked up again.
Glancing at the clock, she figured she would wait another hour and then call Caleb. Speaking to her son should give her the courage to call his father – she hoped.
Ranger was not going to be pleased.
In a way, she could see his point. She was a distraction he didn’t need. She was being threatened and he couldn’t watch over her or spare anyone else to do so. Both of them were completely stressed out. But running and hiding was not something she could do. She knew herself too well to know that if she gave in and hid, if she didn’t face this head-on, she would end up hiding forever. No, she wouldn’t hide. Not now.
If Ranger and Morelli didn’t like it, well, they would have to deal. Besides it wasn’t Joe who was going all caveman on her and trying to drag her off to jail or the safe house equivalent just because she was irritating or not doing what was expected of her like a good little girl.
There had been some truth in the words she shouted at Ranger last night. She was a grown woman and if she wanted to put herself in danger, she would.
Not that she wanted to put herself in danger. She couldn’t afford to change it with Caleb at home. But still, it was the principle of the thing. If she chose to face the danger head-on, then that was her choice and it should be respected.
Decided that she was right, she began devising a plan to turn Ranger over to Joyce and then get him back.
(Ranger)
“Report,” he commanded.
“Mitchell and Habib took Stephanie today. She escaped,” Tank replied, giving the short version.
Ranger’s jaw and fists clenched tightly as he tried to contain his anger. Stolle must be getting desperate to take his woman. The man had to know there would be severe consequences for touching what belonged to Ranger. The need for revenge, he knew, wouldn’t sit well with the others on his case, but Stolle was more or less out of it now anyway. His disappearance wouldn’t hurt the job one way or the other anymore.
“Details,” Ranger barked.
Tank stood staring at him.
After a few minutes, Ranger realized that Tank was going to wait until Ranger had himself under control. They were getting too close to getting things on track again for him to lose it now. Really, the only piece of the puzzle left was finding Homer Ramos, they’d already figured out everything else, thanks, in a large part, to Stephanie.
Closing his eyes, Ranger practiced several breathing exercises before he felt himself in control enough to hear what Tank had to say.
Indicating the chairs nearby, he moved to sit in one and waited for Tank to sit in the other. “I’m ready,” he assured.
“As you know, Stolle’s had Mitchell and Habib following Stephanie in the expectation that she would lead him to you. It seems he ran out of patience and instructed his men to take Stephanie and send you a present,” Tank informed.
Ranger’s jaw clenched with rage. He was beyond anger. This was headed into unforgivable territory. “What?” he demanded, unable to get any other word through the inferno of emotion that was slowly consuming him.
“Word is a finger,” Tank replied before rushing onward with his explanation. “But she somehow got them to leave her and then escaped. She managed to call Lula.”
Rising from his chair, he paced a few times before stopping and demanding, “Damage?”
“Cuts, scrapes, bruises, nothing serious.”
Ranger took several deep breaths as he nodded to Tank. “Stolle dies,” Ranger said simply.
If he was surprised by the statement, it didn’t register on Tank’s face. It was more likely he wasn’t surprised. Tank understood the world they worked in, understood why such an insult couldn’t stand. Rising from his seat, he simply replied, “Done.” He then turned and headed for the door.
“Tank,” Ranger called, causing the large man to stop and turn. “I’ll do it personally. As soon as the other is done.”
“Understood.”
“And I’m going to find Stephanie, handcuff her and drag her off to a safe house if it kills us both.”
The corner of Tank’s mouth raised in a smirk before he turned and left.
Ranger could see it in Tank’s face before he even began the report. As if this day hadn’t been bad enough, something else had happened. He had learned that the only time Tank had that particular look of trepidation on his face was when something had happened to Stephanie. And that had only started since they realized who she was.
Off To See Lula, Off To See Tank
(Stephanie)
Stephanie slipped behind the wheel of her car, and sighed in frustration when her hands started shaking. Confrontations with Ranger were not on her top ten list of favorite things to do. In fact, they weren’t even on her top ten list of things to do with Ranger. Not that she thought of the list – much – or reevaluated it from time to time – or a couple times a day.
OK, so the man was hot!
Only, he wasn’t so hot when he was trying to shuffle her off to a safe house against her will.
She sent up a silent prayer of thanks for delivering her from such a fate.
Stephanie made a mental note not to resent Carol the next time she had to talk the woman off a bridge. If it weren’t for the woman’s penchant for over-reacting, she would even now be in the process of being hauled off kicking and screaming to a place she didn’t want to be.
Though she would hate to think it, she knew it would ruin her friendship with Ranger if that happened. There was no way she could allow him to see her so weak, to allow him to make her that weak. If she didn’t stand up to him now, than, if he ever found out about Caleb, he would think he could walk all over her and maybe take her son away.
Don’t you mean when? her conscience prodded.
“I meant if,” Stephanie mumbled, wincing at the lack of conviction in her voice.
Resting her head against the steering wheel for a moment she allowed the tears to form. What she really wanted was a ‘Happily Ever After”, Disney ending to all of this and especially to revealing Caleb’s existence to his father. But she knew that sort of thing never happened in real life. People had emotions that fairy tales never shared; they had prejudices, memories and fears.
Still, the idea of being one happy family, of being able to share not only in the joy of raising a son, but also in the responsibility of it was tempting.
And then there was Joe. Joe filled a particular spot in her life and she greatly appreciated it, but was it a spot that would include Caleb?
Somehow, she didn’t think so. She loved the idea of being married and settled and Joe was easy to slip into the role of husband because he was familiar. But he wasn’t who she dreamt of at night.
Taking a deep breath, she huffed it out and sat up. “Enough of this reflection and deep thought stuff,” she murmured as she turned the ignition and headed off to Lula’s place. “There’s a real world that needs a little attention.”
She didn’t need Ranger’s ultimatums or caveman attitude. She was a self-sufficient woman who could resolve her own issues. The only one she trusted right now to help her, rather than try to force her to live according to their agenda was Lula.
Yes, Lula may be as hopeless an action figure as Stephanie was, but, together, they had brought in a man on a $100,000 bond last night. That was big-time money. And they’d done it without breaking down a door or firing a shot. Could a man say the same? Could Ranger?
OK, maybe. But the point was, she was capable. She had escaped earlier. She had brought in a high-bond skip. She had begun putting puzzle pieces together. She had contributed useful information to the investigation, even if the smug, selfish, clam-mouthed Ranger Manoso refused to share information with her.
“No childish emotions there at all,” she scolded herself. “But none of that’s going to matter when it’s all said and done and I walk away unscathed,” she tried to encourage herself, but her eyes drifted to the bandages on her hands and arms where the glass had cut.
Maybe not so unscathed after all, her conscience taunted.
(Ranger)
“She’s not coming,” Tank observed as he took in Ranger’s appearance.
The only outward sign of Rangers perturbation was a slight tightening of his lips. He was not pleased and was absolutely not in the mood for Tank’s quips. “It’s complicated,” Ranger stated. “Suffice it to say that by not bringing her with me, I’m saving a life.”
The puzzled look on Tank’s face was the only reward he was going to get this evening.
Rather than bringing Stephanie to a safe house where he could make sure she was unharmed, where he could spend time with her and care for her, she was off doing God only knew what and all in the name of housewives everywhere.
Ranger ran a hand through his hair. It was an unconscious action he had seen men do time and again. He saw Morelli do it frequently. He had never understood it until he started getting closer to Stephanie Plum.
“Her part in this is done, right?” Tank asked.
An almost imperceptible shake of his head was the only response Ranger gave. “She’s the target, now.”
“Hunter becomes the hunted,” Tank agreed with a nod to show he understood. “Should I stay on her?”
Looking off into the distance, Ranger contemplated the request. “No,” he said. “She wants to stand on her own tow feet, maybe it’s time we let her. We have other things on which to focus.” A glance at Tank’s face showed that his friend had not missed the fact the Ranger hadn’t referred to the ‘other things’ as more important. He cursed himself for giving away so much, not only to Tank, but to himself.
Now really, really wasn’t the time for revelations, relationships or anything else.
“I’m off,” Ranger informed before he turned away from Tank’s SUV and headed toward his own.
The time he had allotted to this mission had been reached. It was time to refocus and move on with the rest of it.
As he slid behind the wheel of his vehicle, he had to be honest with himself and admit that having Tank available rather than babysitting Stephanie was going to help things move along more smoothly. He’d never let her know that, though.
Ranger headed toward Tank’s SUV. All he could think of was that it shouldn’t be this hard to cuff and cart one little white girl.
Bullets And Band Aids
(Stephanie)
Stephanie allowed herself the comfort of his arms for a few minutes. She felt so safe, so sheltered there. It was as if nothing could touch her as long as he held her.
Unfortunately, she knew that was nothing more than an illusion. Ranger didn’t cherish her as an equal partner, he saw her as a responsibility not too dissimilar to the way she saw Bob. An amusing diversion that needed his protection and care.
Then why do you feel loved when he touches you? Why do you feel safe? Why do you finally feel that you can fly?
She was really beginning to hate the sound of her conscience.
Deciding it was time for her to stand on her own again; she tried to pull away from Ranger’s embrace, only to find that impossible to do. He, obviously, wasn’t going to let her go until he was good and ready.
“Do you know how much you worried me?” he asked his voice soft.
Stephanie bristled slightly as she remembered all the times he tried to send her to a safe house because it was inconvenient for him to have her free. She was no one’s bird to cage, no one’s pet to control and train. Besides, she had Caleb to worry about.
She must have been thinking too long and remained silent for too long because Ranger spoke again.
“I would never suggest a safe house to you if I didn’t think it was necessary for your safety, my safety or the safety of my men,” he informed his voice still soft.
Her eyebrows rose at that declaration, not sure what to make of it.
Ranger slowly pushed her away, keeping one hand on each arm. “Next time I tell you to go to a safe house, do me a favor and do it,” he commanded his voice firm and his eyes betraying the seriousness of the request.
A part of Stephanie wanted to go into rhino mode over this, and another part wanted to promise him exactly that, but it was her conscience that pricked her to tell him the truth. “I’ll think about it.”
(Ranger)
He had come much too close to losing her too many times in the past week and she wasn’t even really his. There was no room in his life for her to be his woman in the true sense of the words. Maybe someday there would be, but right now there wasn’t.
“Do you know how much you worried me?” he finally asked, unsurprised by the emotion in his voice. Despite not being his in every sense, she was still the most precious thing in his life. She was precious not because she needed him, not because he found her amusing, but because she was the first woman he had ever met who he felt could be his equal, his partner, his ezer(1).
He felt her stiffen and try to draw away, but he held on a little tighter. She might not need a few more minutes but he did. He knew she had resented his trying to get her into a safe house, but he needed to make sure she understood it wasn’t a spur of the moment thing, that he would only suggest it if it was absolutely necessary.
When she remained silent, he was thankful. It gave him the opportunity to gather the words together to say what he wanted without promising too much to her. Despite his desire to promise her everything, to reveal everything to her, he knew now was not the time. Not when so much of his work was in question.
Removing what emotion he could from his voice, he was firm when he told her, “I would never suggest a safe house to you if I didn’t think it was necessary for your safety, my safety or the safety of my men.”
Needing to see her face, to read her eyes for the next part, Ranger slowly slid his hands until they rested on her upper arms. He then pushed her away from him slightly. “Next time I tell you to go to a safe house, do me a favor and do it.”
He waited for her answer and almost sighed in resignation when he saw fire in her blue eyes. He’d seen that fire before and seen it far too much recently. He knew she wasn’t going to promise. Thus he wasn’t surprised by her answer.
“I’ll think about it.”
Ranger reveled in the feel of having Stephanie in his arms. This was really all he could have with her – a few stolen moments here and there and fewer still where he could let his defenses down and let his love show.
(1) Ezer is a Hebrew word which I’ve always heard translated as: to protect or aid, to help or succor (succor – n. the one who give assistance in times of great difficulty); a help meet. ** if I have this translation wrong, PLEASE feel free to correct it. Thanks! – TT**
Continued in Right Turn From Reality - Chapter Seven: "Seven Up"
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