As you know, Janet Evanovich owns her characters, I do not. I absolutely love her Plum Series and decided to play with her characters on my own. This story is told by someone I've made up; Rachel Manoso. I hope you enjoy it, it's my first FanFic. ~ Maia

Chapter One ~ Going Home

My name is Rachel Manoso. I've been away from Jersey for approximately ten years. Well, other than short visits here and there anyway. Jersey is home, where all my roots are laid, but not 'Home Sweet Home', if you know what I mean.

When I left it'd felt like I'd never want to return to the busy, dirty, little state. But, here I am. Cruising through the old streets, smiling at old haunts and enjoying all the things I'd forgotten about Jersey life.

I guess the old saying is true, you can take the girl out of Jersey, but you can't take the Jersey out of the girl. Go figure.

Truth be told, I wasn't here because I wanted to be. I'd returned home because it finally felt like it was time to turn the page and move on. Ten years had to heal some wounds, right? A girl couldn't hide from her home forever. There would always come a time when you had to face the music. It was inevitable.

Hitting the play button on my CD player, and checking my reflection in the rearview mirror, I drove down Hamilton Street in my silver Porsche Carrera GT and tried to feel confident about what I was about to do. Disturbed screamed back at me as I maneuvered the sleek sports car through traffic, keeping a watchful eye out for just about anyone I'd know - or remember - from my past. People always found you when you went home. They seemed to pop up whether I wanted them to or not. You just couldn't hide in Jersey.

I checked the GPS on my dashboard quickly then pulled up next to a beat up, rundown strip mall. Gazing over the tops of my Gucci sunglasses at the building before me I paused a moment, checked the GPS again then exhaled quietly. "You've got to be kidding me." I said to myself then with a shake of my head pulled my car in behind a black SUV with tinted windows.

Turning the Carrera's motor off I stared at the black SUV and nibbled on my lower lip briefly before climbing out of the car. In front of the black SUV was a beat up burgundy Jeep Wrangler. I eyed the car curiously, wondering what the owner had hit to make it look the way it did then dismissed it.

Plum Bail Bonds was my destination. I was a bounty hunter, or a BEA, Bond Enforcement Agent, to be more precise. I wasn't looking for a job, but a person. I had a business in Texas that kept me busy, my bank account booming. I was good at what I did, probably because I'd been trained well, and by the best.

This trip wasn't about a bond, but a man. My estranged husband to be more specific. His name is Ricardo Carlos Manoso. Most knew him as Ranger on the street.

Glancing back one more time at the black SUV parked curbside I felt my insides flutter a moment. The SUV belonged to Ranger. I knew it did just like I knew the man wouldn't be happy to see me.

Ranger was never happy to see me.

As luck would have it I wouldn't have to wait long to bump into Ranger. The God's must've been shining down on me because Ranger wandered out of the building just as I started towards the door. He was with a woman, about my height, shoulder-length curly brown hair and blue eyes. They were engrossed in conversation so I didn't do or say anything for a moment. It wouldn't take long for Ranger to notice me though, it never did.

He'd looked relaxed, for Ranger, until he saw me. His hand had been at the small of the woman's back as he'd guided her down the short walkway. Upon seeing me though, Ranger stopped and stared, his hand falling away.

"What?" The woman said to him, then turned towards me, curiosity covering her features.

At any given time a person could look at Ranger and never know what he was thinking or feeling. He had eyes that could bore right into you, make you feel like he could see into your soul. It was unnerving and tended to jostle some a bit. I wasn't one of those people though. Ranger didn't faze me. Not in the way he did others. He frightened most just by being himself, the mercenary, heart-throb slash killer he'd reputed himself to be. I knew Ranger better. I knew he had weaknesses, and one of those weaknesses happened to be me.

He closed the distance between us slowly, his eyes shaded by the reflective sunglasses covering his face. The woman lingered behind him, confusion covering her features as they both approached.

Neither one of us said a word as we sized each other up. It'd been a long time, a very long time since I'd seen Ranger last, and in our last meeting things hadn't gone well. Things never went well when we were together. That's why we spent all of our time apart.

Finally, he spoke. "What are you doing here?" There was no emotion behind the words, just a direct question...