Chapter Seven
Ranger leaned against the driver's side door of his Porsche 911 Turbo and watched Stephanie Plum drive away. He hadn't walked her to her car. Knew himself better than that. This situation was hard enough without standing that close to temptation. Steph was off limits until the pregnancy question was settled. It was the only responsible course of action. There were too many risks involved. Too many variables. Keeping distance between them was the smart move.
Too bad being with Steph made him a little stupid.
Ranger shook his head and got in his car. Drove back to his building. He had client meetings from noon to five. Rangeman provided a variety of services to a select clientele. Most people knew them for their state of the art security systems and capable personnel, but Rangeman did so much more than that. Truth was, Rangeman would cover just about anything for the right price. They'd handled witness protection. Asset relocation. Asset recovery. Cleaned out crack dens, and driven armored trucks, and accompanied businessmen to third world countries. He'd even personally overseen ransom exchanges on three separate occasions. The meetings today would be routine. Mostly existing clients who needed upgrades or wanted invasive background checks. Hard to say how much of a diversion it would be.
He paused to get an update at the control desk when he reached the fifth floor. Proceeded to his office. Steph's GPS marker was at the mall. He held back his smile. His mind filling in the blanks on all the lovely things she could be buying for their date tonight. He knew the outing was part of the job. They were following a lead. Didn't mean it wasn't a date. If he was lucky, there'd be black lace involved. Or maybe something bold and slinky.
Shit. He pulled back from the thought.
Steph was off limits, he reminded himself. And given how the night needed to go, it was going to take a lot of determination to keep himself in check. With anybody else, it wouldn't be a problem. But Steph had that funny way of slipping under his guard. Making him forget that he wasn't normal. And that was something he couldn't afford to feel right now.
He couldn't afford to feel anything right now.
Ranger refocused. Put his mind into the client meetings. By half past five, his office was empty. He pushed 6 on the intercom. "Good afternoon," Ella said. "Did you want your dinner at the usual time or are you still on an adjusted schedule?"
"No dinner tonight. I have a meeting with my lawyer, and then I'm helping Stephanie with a lead. I need you to stock Stephanie's kitchen while we're out. Standard fair is acceptable."
"Are you staying with her again?" she asked, a touch of hopeful in her voice.
"No, but I'd like to have options."
"I'll stock a good selection of wines then."
"That's not necessary. No wine, no beer. And I'd like to switch to decaffeinated coffee, in both her apartment and mine."
He could hear the confusion in her pause, but she moved on pretty quickly. It wasn't the first time Ranger had taken the healthy living thing that far. "I'll see to it."
"Thank you," Ranger said and disconnected. Then he dialed Sanchez. The man he'd tasked with coordinating the perimeter and keeping tabs on the feds' search.
"There hasn't been so much as a blip," Sanchez answered. "Either this guy's dead or he was never in the grid to start with."
"Carson said they lost him outside of the Trenton safe house in center city. Set up roadblocks minutes after he vanished. He's here."
"Then he's not making his own moves. He's got to have someone helping him."
"Fed's covered his friends?"
"Yep. Friends. Neighbors. Acquaintances. Pretty much if this guy's ever looked at them for more than two seconds, they're covered. You'd think it would flush him out, but he's only digging in deeper. Must have made some new friends."
"Find out who. What do we know about Baller Thatch these days?"
"Same as always. Fat and happy and livin' it up down at his club."
"And his business?"
"Thriving, from what I hear. He's still clean. It's working in his favor as of late."
Good. That might give him an angle if his distraction plan with Stephanie wasn't effective. "Keep me updated. Alvarez is here somewhere. If someone so much as whispers his name, I want to hear about it."
"You got it, boss."
Ranger hung up. Went upstairs to put on gym clothes. He had a couple hours before he'd need to shower and shave for his dinner meeting. Hours he could use to burn off some of the excess energy he'd been storing up. Maybe if he could master his body in the gym, it would be easier later when he was out with Stephanie.
He just hoped Baller Thatch knew something useful. And that he could be persuaded to share. He was the closest thing to an ethical drug dealer Ranger had ever met. Carved out a niche for himself by only handling the best merchandise. High quality. Grown organic by local distributors. Most of his clientele were college students and young adults. In fact, Thatch kind of had a soapbox about it. Made sure his people didn't sell to minors. It was one of the reasons Ranger didn't give him grief. It also meant he'd take a negative view of someone tainting the market. There was no guarantee he'd help Steph find Mini, but Ranger figured there was a chance he'd know something about the drugs.
He felt good after the workout. Pushed hard. He liked to do that. Test the limits of his strength and endurance. The corner of his mouth quirked up. Damn his dirty mind. Now all he could think about was how satisfying Steph found that endurance. And how rewarding it was to test hers too. Ranger let himself have the moment on his way back to his penthouse apartment.
After the shower, he dressed in casual business attire. Black slacks, pressed black button up linen shirt, a black sports jacket to hide the Glock he always kept at his back. Didn't bother with a tie. It was just something for an opponent to hold onto if things went badly tonight.
Ranger drove the Turbo to the steakhouse and entered at precisely eight o'clock. Unsurprised to find his lawyer was early. He joined Parker at the far table, taking the seat in the corner left open for him so he could put his back to the wall. The waiter appeared seconds later. Parker asked for the prime rib and then looked mildly amused when Ranger ordered a salad. "I remember when you used to put away three dozen hot wings and a six pack of beer in one sitting," he said when the waiter left. "Now you're eating salad."
"Everyone did stupid shit in college."
Parker laughed. "Some of us keep doing stupid shit even after college. Of course, the consequences are different for you these days. If I tie one on the worst thing that'll happen is a hangover and a pissed off wife."
That was true. Worst case scenario for Ranger might involve not breathing. "So, where are we on acquiring the new property?"
"I had some difficulties finding suitable candidates, but there are a few that might fit your specific needs. Near enough to your building on Haywood that they would be easy to reach if you needed to evacuate, but far enough to be outside the perimeter, should anything unfortunate happen to your original sight." He handed Ranger the manila folder. "I've put the most attractive one on top. Three stories. Secure parking. Ten foot stone walls. Might even get away with making the rest of the upgrades without public records like permits."
"That would be nice. Even with purchasing it under the umbrella company, it's always best to avoid attention."
"Exactly. I figure with the low profile you keep, not even the neighbors will realize it's a safe house. This is a smart move, you know. Planning ahead for a satellite office. Especially given the number of government contracts you've been getting. Could make you a target."
"I've been a target for years. Even before the government contracts. This is just a safety net."
Parker nodded. "Turns out it was a good thing you had to cancel this meeting twice. This property wasn't on the market three weeks ago when you had to fly to Hawaii. Guess you got lucky in more ways than one that week."
Ranger brought his dark gaze up to Parker's. "That was a business trip."
"I know. I've seen the receipts. Private cottage on the beach. Dinners for two. Room service."
"Your point?"
Parker laughed. "That you should lock her down as soon as possible. Any woman who can put up with you is worth keeping."
"This is why they say you shouldn't hire friends."
"Yeah. They have a point. But given the shit we got in together when we were younger, would you really want somebody else watching after your interests? Face it. You're lucky I became a well respected lawyer."
"Not sure about the well respected part," Ranger said, looking over the property again while Parker laughed. "This looks promising. Make an offer."
Parker nodded and pulled out his phone.
o o o
Ranger hadn't expected her to be waiting for him in the lobby when he got to her apartment building. Steph wasn't known for her punctuality. And he knew better than most people what it took for her to get ready for a night out. If he was being honest, he'd kind of been hoping she would still be getting dressed when he let himself into her apartment. He would have had to hold himself back, but it would have been nice to see all of her, even for just a few moments.
The second she came into view, though, that thought hardly seemed necessary. He knew Steph's body well enough to imagine every inch of her under the stunning red dress she was almost wearing. The low neck showed off the creamy swells of her breasts where the dress hugged her figure. Showing him just the barest hint of nipple through her pushup bra to prove her excitement. The hem of her skirt only came down to mid thigh when she was standing. The second she slid in beside him, it rode up several inches. Leaving her smooth, silky thighs bare. And the shoes. Sexy red pumps with four inch stiletto heels. The kind that made her legs look two miles long. God, what he wouldn't do to have those shoes hook around the backs of his knees.
He watched her settle into her seat, crossing her ankles like a demure little princess while she twisted in her seat to reach the seatbelt. She was probably smart to meet him out here. There was a better than good chance he might have taken her right there in her living room if he'd made it up to her apartment. Hell. He wanted to take her here in the parking lot.
He caught her hand around the buckle and guided it home, leaning toward her in the effort until they were only an inch apart. "I see you took my directions very seriously."
"You said to wear something distracting."
"Babe. If every eye isn't on you the second we get there, they're either blind or stupid."
"Or gay," she offered, but he shook his head.
"Even the gay ones will be watching you in those shoes."
Her heat was pressed against his arm. The interior filled with the scent of her. Every breath she took was deliberate and deep, like she was trying to draw him inside her through her lungs. He knew it was the shower gel she liked so much. She turned half putty whenever she smelled it. He watched her chest rise and fall for a few seconds, fighting the urge to lean over a few more inches to kiss the swells. Fill his hands with her soft flesh until she was begging him for more. He held back. They had business tonight. He might be able to mix in a little pleasure while they entice the information out of their target. And then after, if he was still feeling stupid, he could walk her back upstairs and stay until morning.
The prospect had a predictable reaction on his anatomy and it took some concentration to keep his body in check. Oh yeah. He'd be feeling stupid later.
He straightened up in his seat and gripped the wheel, his other hand on the gear shift. "This is going to be fun."
