Chapter 22

"Babe?"

It was Ranger. He was covered in sweat from his run and standing on the sand while I stared at him from the water, the evidence of my lie to him hidden beneath the surface. I realized with a jolt how close I was to being found out. Panicking, I started walking through the water away from him. Have you ever tried to move fast through water while pregnant? It's difficult at the best of times, but pregnancy makes it almost impossible.

Ranger was behind me in a heartbeat. He wrapped his arms around my neck to make it look to the outside world like a lover's embrace, but I could feel the tension in his muscles.

"Let me go," I said through clenched teeth.

"No," he said menacingly. "You are going to explain to me why you are in Miami and seem to be in good health."

"I am explaining nothing to you. You have been out of my life for months and I owe you nothing," I snapped back. He couldn't see my face and the panic there. I tried to take a deep breath and get back my balance. I definitely didn't want to have a water birth in the ocean.

"All of RangeMan is on high alert trying to find you and you think you owe me nothing? I haven't slept since the alarm went off saying you were kidnapped and you have the nerve to say that you have nothing to explain?" Ranger whispered angrily in my ear.

"It wasn't supposed to go this far," I said as a single tear crept down my cheek.

"What wasn't?" he asked in a slightly softer tone.

"My revenge." I finally tilted my head so I could see his face. His eyes widened slightly in shock, then narrowed. "Stop looking for me. I don't want you here. Leave me alone. You seem to be really good at that."

"Stephanie," he warned, his voice lowering once again to menacing.

I couldn't take it anymore. I bit his arm hard enough to break the skin. His grip loosened and I slid out of his embrace. I turned to face him, my hand coming up to slap him with everything I had. He grabbed my hand as he dodged and pulled me towards him. The only problem with his plan was my rather large stomach.

He froze. "What the fuck, Stephanie? Did you screw Morelli right after you miscarried my child or were you screwing him the entire time?"

The accusation hurt, and I reacted without thinking. Pulling back my fist, I punched him in the face. I heard the loud crunch of breaking nose cartilage and felt a flash of satisfaction. Then I even worse pain shot through my hand.

"Damn, crap, that f-ing hurt," I wailed as I shook out my hand to try to ease the pain.

Ranger grabbed me by the upper arm and pulled me out of the water onto the beach. His hand wrapped around my arm firmly enough that I couldn't get away, but still oddly gentle. Without a word, he led me to the nearby café where I'd met his family. A waiter hurried over as we came in and Ranger asked for ice and towels. The man shot a wide-eyed look at Ranger and went to get them straight away.

As Ranger sat me down in a chair at an empty table, I was careful to look anywhere but at him. He grasped my chin and forced me to look him in the eye. "Who's the father?"

I looked at him steadily. "I'm his mother and his father and I will be all he needs."

"He?" Ranger asked, surprised.

The waiter came back and Ranger released me to take the bag of ice and wrap it in the towel. He took my hand and gently placed the cold pack on my swollen knuckles. "It will stop the swelling and it won't hurt as much tomorrow," he explained.

"What about your nose?" I said, trying hard not to jerk my hand away from him. The pain was lessening, but that didn't make me feel any better.

"I'll be fine."

Ranger leaned in dangerously close, his eyes suddenly intent on my face. "What do you know about my brother calling me with an emergency lead in your kidnapping? Why did he want me here immediately?"

"That no good trouble making jerk!" I snarled. Now I understood why Ranger was in Miami.

I started thinking of creative ways to make Alex's life hell when Ranger slammed his closed hand onto the table. "I want answers!"

I glared at Ranger. "You have no right to demand answers from me. You were my friend and once even my lover but there was one little bump in the road and you left without a backward glance." I looked away from him, trying to hide how much he truly broke my heart. I'm not sure I was very successful.

"You're right. I don't." Remorse was a foreign tone in his voice. I glanced at him and saw the hurt and sadness in his eyes.

"You don't understand what you did," I said. "Do you know how much it hurt to love you with all my heart and have you throw it back in my face?" Tears streamed down my face as I pulled my hand away from him and walked out of the café. My heart had broken all over again, and I knew if I stayed that the entire thing would be shattered beyond repair.

I didn't look back as I headed towards the Martines' house. I didn't want to see Ranger sitting there, his face blank and uncaring.

Thank you so much for all your reviews! It inspired me to write a couple more chapters ;) Who knows what all your reviews will do this time. Of course they are all going to be calling me evil! I'd love to hear your ideas!

As usual thank you so much Shandiss for being a super editor!