Family Life: Chapter 1

She felt frustrated, "Why can't I go to the party again? And don't use the safety excuse because we both know I can defend myself" She was talking to her very stubborn father, Carlos Manoso aka Ranger. She was sure if her mother the bombshell bounty hunter was here and not visiting her dad's mum in Newark she would let me go.

"Anna do you even know what goes on at those parties?" Ranger sighed. "People get raped, drugs are done" To his eyes his daughter was being totally unreasonable. Why couldn't she just stay home and be safe. He swore she was a mini-Steph; testing his boundaries and living life dangerously; although she did have his long straight hair and abilities to fight, shoot and mask her emotions.

"Dad!" She sighed stubbornly. "Do you really think I would get raped because I've got news for you! One, I can fight them off and two, no one would touch me because you're my father and don't want to end up dead" She paused for effect. "Please?"

He hated it when she pleaded with him, he could nearly she her puppy dog eyes over the phone, "The answers no, querida"

"Huh!" She complained and hung up not before Ranger could hear her prattle off in French. It was amazing Anna could speak English, French and Spanish and she was only sixteen. He sighed again at her and pulled over to the side of the road to call Steph.

"Yo" Her sweet voice answered.

"Babe" Ranger let the word linger.

"Does this phone call have to do with a party and more particularly Billy Connor's party?"

"How'd you know?" He sighed at her understanding.

"Other than the fact that Anna has been ringing every half hour to try and get me to talk to you but it's been written on the calendar with circles around it for months. I think she has a crush on him." My hands tightened as she mentioned the word crush. There was no way I was letting her go now, she was too innocent for Billy's crazy antics. "Ranger breath" Lucky he was talking to Steph otherwise he probably wouldn't have started breathing again. He took a deep breath.

"Why can't she just stay home like her brother Carlos did?" He asked a rhetorical question. Carlos was named after Ranger and was a more conserved boy that was now studying law and IR at Harvard.

"Carlos, honey just go easy on her ask one of the Rangeman people to take her out or something?" She said soothingly. "Honey, I have to go; good luck" And she hung up. It wasn't common that she got to hang up first now. It gave him an idea, and idea that could make sure she was safe all the time and I would know where she was all the time but most importantly she'd be safe. With that idea he turned the engine and speed off to the Rangeman office.

Xoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Anna's POV

I slammed the door of my new black SUV and stomped to the elevator. Stupid, arrogant Father! I jumped angrily up and down in the elevator and punched the side.

"Hum" Someone cleared their throat. I gulped and turned around. I was met with a very handsome looking guy with intense brown eyes and short wavy brown hair. He had the most amazing smile that made me smile.

"Yeah, um sorry" I just flattened my hair and turned back around glowing red. The hottie just laughed and that made me go back into my rage. "Are you laughing at me?" I turned back around glaring at him.

He put his hands up in surrender, which I saw in the mirror, "No, absolutely not. I'm definitely not laughing at the girl who happened to step into the elevator and start having a hissy fit though your hair does look hot when it was all fluffed up like that" He smiled cheekily.

"Excuse me?" I demanded glaring even harder if that was possible. He just smiled as the doors opened and Lester walked in.

"Whoa tense" He smiled his happy smile, "I see you've met our new guy Riley" Lester was one of my favourite uncles, not that I was supposed to have favourites. He was always doing fun things and was the easiest going out of all my uncles, which probably isn't very hard to achieve.

I turned to Lester and smiled, "Oh you mean jack ass over there." My face turned hard, "Of course I've met him you can't miss his big head" The doors opened at just the right moment on the fifth floor and I walked out with my pride still intact, thankfully. Although I think I might have left some down in the garage. I felt everyone's eyes follow me as I walked into my small office and slam the door. I sighed into my chair and rubbed my temples muttering to myself as I heard the door open. Immediately I knew it was Tank.

"Tough day?" He asked picking me up and placing me on his lap.

"Don't even make me tell you about it" I opened my eyes and relaxed into him staring at a mark on the wall.

"Saw the little commotion in the elevator; do you want to tell me about it?" He asked looking down at me.

"Well it would be all fine if it wasn't for jack ass Riley. Who the hell is he anyway?" I asked sighing.

"He's a new recruit" Tank said searching for more of a reaction as I slipped into my blank face.

"Look, I'm going to go get ready for the distraction tonight" I hopped off his lap and walked to the door.

"You sure Ranger will let you go he never has before?" Tank questioned and I smiled.

"I have my ways" I strode out to the elevator and wet up to the seventh floor.

Xoxoxoxooxoxxoxooxoxoxxoox

I stood in front of my full length mirror examining the dresses to which one looked sluttier. The gold sequined dress or the exposing black shirt and small silver skirt. I went with the shirt and skirt combo. I carefully dolled my hair up, applied make up and strapped my high heels on and made my way to the garage where everyone was waiting. I heard several gasps as I made my way to the car.

"What do you think you're doing Anna?" Dad asked emotionless as he walked up to me attempting to shield me from the guys.

"I'm doing the distraction" I smiled and was about to climb into the car but he abruptly stood in front of me.

"No" He said bluntly.

"Why not you used to let Carlos do them?" I pouted my lips. "Look, mum's getting a bit old for that stuff and from what I've heard the new girl only has a 50% success rate."

"I said no"

"Why?"

"Because"

"Because why?"

He didn't answer but just glared.

"I promise if you let me do the distraction, I won't go to the party" I did my puppy dog eyes and subtly lied. I had ever intention on going to the party next week. I saw the contradictions in his eyes and finally he stepped aside. I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and climbed into the car's passenger seat. I smiled at my genius plan. I would sneak out for the party and do the distraction. I was awesome!

"Hi ya gorgeous" I sighed to see ass-face Riley turning the SUV's engine.

"My name's Anna and why isn't Ranger driving?" I answered bluntly as my smile faded away.

"I think its best he cools off" He smiled and I nearly fainted. He made me so furious but, but I couldn't explain it he made me go mushy inside. I turned away. "Look I'm sorry for this afternoon. I just didn't realise girls actually have temper tantrums." He smiled again.

"It wasn't a temper tantrum" I said embarrassed. "It was a temporary anger management outlet problem"

He laughed, "Look let me make it up to you. Let me take you out to the movies or something"

"Or something?" I asked "Great" I said sarcastically. "That's what I really want to do"

"You never know you might even get to throw another temper tantrum." He smiled and we sped out of the garage.

I gave him a glare, "It wasn't a temper tantrum"

"Just keep telling yourself that gorgeous" He smiled but didn't look at me.

"My name is Anna" I corrected him immediately. How could someone be so hot but yet so irritating and annoying at the same time?

"You don't like being called gorgeous?" He pretended to be hurt.

"Not by you" I turned to look out my window.

"Beautiful?"

I shook my head. Ew, that's what Uncle Les called mum. Yuck!

"Love?"

I turned around and stared. I was too stunned for words. No, definitely not!

"Fine, Baby?"

"NO!" I glared furiously. "My name is Anna. Not gorgeous, love or baby! Okay?" I finally took a breath. "Jeez" I faced forward and folded my arms on my chest.

We finally stopped in the Biker bar's car park. "You know I think you secretly like being called gorgeous" He smiled and undid my seat belt as I was too stunned to move.

"I have a boyfriend"

"Never said you didn't" He smiled again.

"You're insufferable!" I told him in my no-nonsense voice and got out of the car slamming the door and stormed up to my dad. "He's insufferable!"

And I couldn't believe it he smiled! The nerve!

"Don't you dare smile! I swear.... I swear I'll..." I couldn't come up with anything.

"What Anna?" Dad widened his smile.

"I don't know throw a teenage rebellion!" Everyone laughed as I huffed. "Just give me the mic" I held my hand out waiting. He carefully put it in my palm and I grasped it turning around and putting it in place.

"Done" I glared. "You're lucky I'm not like Carlos and just be so annoyed I drive away right now…" I huffed Turning back around to talk to dad about the perp. "Okay what does he look like?"

"Okay, Anna this guy David Rogers" Dad showed me a picture. "I'll be waiting inside, Tank and Bobby are acting as bouncers and Riley as bar tender."

"Fan-fucking-tastic!" I mumbled under my breath.

"What was that?" Dad asked. Dad's a natzi on swearing, especially with me. Once I said 'bullocks' and he put me on the monitors for a month! Seriously, I think sometimes he just wants to keep me as innocent and naive as possible, not that, that would happen. I walked in on Carlos having sex seven years ago. Luckily, I can keep secrets and Carlos is seven years older than me. Which is a little weird, I still don't know why mum and dad waited so long. I think I was an accident, not that they'd ever admit it.

"What was that?" My dad asked again, breaking my concentration.

"Nothing. Watch and learn" I smiled and strode into the bar. I smiled brightly when I entered feeling several pairs of eyes on me as I sat down at the bar. Bunch of slime-balls.

He wasn't hard to find, the guy David. Almost immediately he sat next to me.

"Hi ya Chicka" He smiled. Gross, I tried not to grimace at his buck and rotting teeth. Could this get worse?

"Hey." I put on my best fake smile and hailed the bar tender, which was an even more depressing, Riley. "Something strong please" I threw down a twenty dollar bill that I had hidden in my bra. I could tell David's eyes nearly coming out of their sockets.

"Sure" Riley grumbled. What the hell?

I turned to Rogers again, "so, what are you into?"

He leaned in, it was disgusting, I could smell his cigarettes and awful cologne. "Anything that involves you chicka" Gross! I felt bile in my throat.

"Is that an offer?" I smiled leaning in more to whisper it into his ear. "Cos, you know, I have a condo around here" I shrugged and took a sip of what looked like a martini, which happened to be just water. Damn.

I glared at Riley and he just smiled.

"Then follow me handsome" I smiled taking his hand and leading him out. As soon as we were a bit away from the door I let go of his hand and the guys swarmed in. I smiled at my success and ran over to my dad.

"See nothing to worry about" I kissed him on the cheek. The adrenaline was consuming, taking me on a high. I was practically climbing on the SUV.

"Yeah sure" He grumbled. Which was unusual, he never grumbled.

"I'll wait in the car" I smiled again, mainly because I couldn't get rid of it.