Previous Chapter: "God punishes those have sinned," Palowski spoke up from the seat next to me.

I shoved my hand into my purse and pulled out what I was looking for and placed it against Palowski's neck and watched him go limp. What? If God was punishing me for my sins, then why not add another to the long list? At least this was satisfying and helped keep me sane.

CHAPTER 3

I rolled down the window and stuck my hand out trying to wave my key fob in front of the gate opener doo-hickey but thanks to my bird poop windshield, my field of vision was deeply skewed and I pulled in too far from the key reader. Snot was dripping down my nose and my face stung as I unbuckling my seatbelt and put the car into park, I leaned half of my body out the window and waved the key profusely at the reader.

I drove the entire way to the TPD with my head hanging out the window. I probably should've tried to clear my windshield off before heading to Rangeman but I didn't want to answer anyone's questions about what happened between me and Joe or face the humiliation of them finding out about my shitty car. Finally after what felt like eons, the light turned green on the key reader and made a satisfying beep before the gate raised.

I slowly pulled into the garage and maneuvered my POS car into a dark space in the corner as I attempted to squint through the foggy mess on my windshield. Suddenly my head flew forward and hit the rim of the steering wheel as I felt a hard impact followed by a distinct sound of metal crunching metal.

I stayed dazed for a few seconds with my head against the steering wheel when the door was ripped open and the cold air rushed in causing me to shiver involuntarily. I was pulled out of the car and immediately wrapped in a pair of strong arms around my waist and hoisted me in the air and carried me towards the entrance of the building.

"Les, put me down. I can walk," I weakly protested with my face in his chest.

"Beautiful, you just drove that hunk of junk you call a car into one of the Rangeman SUVs head on. I'm pretty sure you have some sort of concussion. I mean why else would you just drive into a parked car? Even you're not that bad of a driver," he asked pushing the button on the elevator.

"My head is fine. And what the hell is that supposed mean 'even I'm not that bad of a driver?' My windshield was covered in bird shit. I couldn't see anything," I said defensively. "God, I hit a Rangeman vehicle? Was it bad? Palowski was right. I'm being punished for my sins. I just replaced the freaking tires on that thing too!" I cried out loud right as the elevator dinged and the door slid open.

"Brown!" Les yelled out. "Why didn't you just clean off the windshield?"

"No more fluid," I replied sheepishly.

"That was incredibly dangerous, Beautiful. What if you had crashed into a moving vehicle? You could've hurt someone or worse gotten yourself killed."

"I drove really slowly with my hazards on. It wasn't that long of a distance. I figured when I got here, I could find something to clean it up with."

Les shook his head and continued clamoring down the hall. "Brown!" he shouted again.

"Quit yelling. I'm right here," he answered right next to. "What happened?" his voice went from slightly annoyed to deeply concerned.

"Nothing!" I snarled and pushed my head up. "Put me down, Les. I'm fine."

"You're getting quite the bump on your head though, Bomber," Binkie said with concern as he stepped up to us.

"Come on let me check it out in the exam room and then you can tell me what happened," Bobby said putting his arm around my waist and felt a tingle on the back of my neck.

I looked ahead and saw Ranger and a well-endowed exotic bronzed skinned woman laughing and touching his arm affectionately as she conversed with Ranger and Tank. The same gorgeous vixen that accompanied him to the New Year's gala in Princeton. My heart fell as my eyes diverted away from the scene that I wish I was a part of instead of the latest Latin spice that occupied the hall and followed Bobby into his exam room.

Bobby did the usual checks and balances typically performed after I've hit my head while I explained to him what had happened up from my capture of Palowski to the crash in the garage.

The door swung open and Les entered with his typical smug smile. "I have some good news and some bad news."

I scrunched my nose at him.

"Bad news is that you caused quite a bit of damage to the Rangeman vehicle."

I winced. Great, I'm a walking disaster and the last thing I wanted to do was bring disaster to Rangeman — especially after they did the favor of hiring me so that I wouldn't go hungry. And this is how I repay them — by destroying property.

Tears began to well up in my eyes.

"Beautiful, there's no need to cry. The cars are insured, and I haven't even told you the good news yet."

I sniffled and quickly swiped at my eyes.

"Are you ready for it?" he asked with a twinkle in his beautiful emerald green eyes.

I nodded my head.

"You no longer have to drive your piece of shit car anymore. It's totaled."

My jaw dropped open and I shouted, "How is that good news, Les?"

"That thing was a monstrosity! You just did yourself a favor and put it out of its misery."

I punched him in the arm. "I need to start my shift. Am I cleared for duty, doc?"

Bobby nodded his head and handed me an ice pack, "Yeah, you're fine. Just keep it iced. But are you sure you want to go to work. Maybe you should head back to our place and get some rest. I'm sure someone else will take your shift."

I shook my head, "I need to replace my car and pay for the damned damages now. Besides I feel fine."

"Beautiful, the Rangeman fleet is insured so there's no need to worry about it. As for your car, let's face it, you're just going to go pick up another piece of shit car that will cost you next to nothing."

He was right. At first I bought shitty cars because that was all I could afford. And as you can tell from my nickname, Bombshell Bounty Hunter, my luck with vehicles was next to nothing. But now, purchasing a nice car just didn't make any sense considering my car karma.

"Maybe I'll get something nice next time, Les. You can't predict what I'll do," I said pointedly, sliding my butt off of the exam table.

"Beautiful, you're anything but predictable," he grinned.

"Thanks, Bobby," I kissed him on the cheek.

"Dinner tonight?" he asked. "I'll make us a roasted chicken with some baby greens and potatoes."

"Sounds wonderful, but do you think you could hide the greens under the potatoes?"

He chuckled, "I'll see what I can do."

"My shift ends at seven. I need to swing by and pick up my stuff anyways," I wrapped my arms around Les' waist and inhaled his calming scent of ivory soap and spicy aftershave.

"You sure you don't want to just stay with us permanently, Beautiful?"

I nodded although I wanted to say no and live with him forever.

A familiar tingle on the back of my neck shivered down my spine as I pulled away from Les and heard a deep unhappy growl.

"I'm going to be late for my shift. I'll see you boys later tonight. Good to see you again, Ranger," I narrowed my eyes as I passed him through the door, keeping my head low.

I took my seat next to Manny in the Control Room and plopped the ice bag against my head. He was grinning from ear-to-ear and usually Manny's smiles would make me melt but not today because today he was sporting a shit-eating grin. Manny was a sexy Puerto Rican ex-marine. And like most Rangeman employees, he's got muscles all in the right places.

"Don't say anything," I muttered. "At least it didn't blow up this time."

"Bomber, you're one of a kind."

"Yeah, cause the world would be in a whole lot of trouble if there was more than one of me," I rolled my eyes and focused back on the monitors.

Monitor duty has to be one of the most boring things to do. All you do is sit in a room and stare at a bunch of screens looking to see if something out of the ordinary will happen. I'm ashamed to admit that most times when I'm assigned to monitor duty, I end up falling asleep.

"What are you doing tomorrow, Manny?"

"I'm off. What's up?"

"Want to go with me to buy a car?"

He raised an eyebrow, "You're not going to go get another piece of shit car are you? 'Cause I don't think I could stand to watch you get behind the wheel of another deathtrap."

I shook my head, "I think I'm going to treat myself to a slightly used car this time. I've got quite a bit of money saved up from when I was working at Cowbells and over the holidays. I'm just not very good with negotiating. Usually, I'd take Misty with me, but she's in Paris right now for some Fashion Show or something."

I worked at a bar called Cowbells for a short stint last month as a server. Ok it was so much a bar as it was a strip joint but I was not, and I repeat — NOT a stripper. I was a server. But Les and Cal followed me there one night and helped break up an altercation between me and one of the patrons. So that's how I came to work at Rangeman.

I needed the money desperately to pay off the debt after my apartment was firebombed by a local gang I pissed off and Ranger offered to hire me part-time. But in the end Ranger, the guys and my friends surprised me. Ranger pawned my old engagement ring and got me out of debt to the building management and everyone else pitched in to help me furnish my apartment. They all said that the money was practically mine and I helped myself get out of debt but I still feel that I will forever be in their debt.

"Sure, Bomber. How about I pick you up at your place at 0900 and we can grab some breakfast before heading over."

I scrunched my nose at him.

"That's nine," he smiled.

I scrunched my nose harder at him. Did he seriously think that I was getting up before nine on a Saturday? This man is fruit loops.

"Noon and lunch."

Ding! Ding! Ding! Give the man a round of applause.

"Thanks, Manny," I grinned and kissed him on the cheek, getting up from my chair ready to let Cal take over my shift.

"What are you thanking him for?" Cal asked pulling me into a bear hug.

"Manny's going car shopping with me tomorrow."

"Make sure you get something with power," Cal said grinning which offset the tone of his flaming skull tattoo covering his bald head.

"I'll keep that in mind. I've got to run. I have a dinner date!" I smiled and bounded down the hall in search for Bobby or Lester when I ran into her — the Latina seductress.

She was stepping out of the Break Room when she made eye contact with me. Her eyes crinkled as the corners of her lips turned up into a smile and that's when she did it — she started to make her way over to me.

"You must be Alyssa," she smiled warmly. God she was gorgeous and her friendly politeness made it hard to hate her. But we did right? Hate her that is.

I nodded my head in response unsure if I were to open my mouth that I would be able to control what flew out of it.

"I'm Carmen but most people call me Cami. It's so nice to finally meet you. I've heard so much about you."

"Funny. I've never heard anyone mention you to me before," I thought to myself — namely Ranger. "Nice to meet you," I smiled back politely and shook her hand.

She winced and touched her forehead, "Are you ok, what happened?"

Great, I probably look like a purple lumpasaurus standing in front of Ranger's gorgeous new girlfriend.

"Just a little bump. No biggie," I tried to wave her off.

Les came bobbing down the hall and approached Carmen from behind and kissed her on the cheek. "Cami, are you keeping yourself out of trouble?"

"You know I always do, Les," she giggled.

I couldn't help but start to feel my temper flare. I mean I couldn't really feel jealous right? I'm not usually a jealous person and I had no claim on Ranger or Lester for that matter. Why do I feel like I'm about to go ape shit on someone?

"It was nice to meet you, Carmen. I need to go look for Bobby."

"He's gone already, Beautiful. Said he wanted to get a head start on dinner," he walked over and swung his arm around my shoulder. "Let's roll. Wouldn't want the wife to slave over the stove and us arrive late."

"Babe?" Ranger called out behind us.

"Ranger," I stopped to turn and face the Batman.

"Can you step into my office for a few minutes?"

"Can't. I have dinner plans."

He quirked his eyebrow as if he's never been shut down before. Wait — this was Ranger — the Batman — the Cuban Sex God — of course he's never been told "no" or turned down before.

"Yeah, got a hot date. Can't keep him waiting," I attempted to wink at him but instead turned out to be a retarded squint.

I grabbed Les' arm and hauled ass out of there.