AN: Many Many thanks for all the thoughts and comments on this story. I read each and everyone and they make my day so please don't stop!
JE is the lucky lady with all the rights to Ranger. It's seems a bit unfair!
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"Marcus! Marcus Padillo! Why did you not tell me you were coming back to Rome?"
Oh shit. Sophia. I had completely forgotten about her. Most men would tell you that was impossible, as Sophia Braga is one of the most beautiful women in the world, but I had. She was stalking across the room on her lean dancer legs, smiling at me. Her shiny, long black hair was pulled back from her face in a severe ponytail making her high cheek bones even more prominent. Her emerald green eyes sparkled with joy as she approached my spot at the bar.
Unfortunately, she had not forgotten about me. Or Marcus, as I'm known to her. In Rome, I am Marcus Padillo – it's one of many aliases.
"Sophia." I set the scotch I'd been sipping down on the bar, slipped off the stool and stood to greet her. "You look lovely, as always."
"You can do better than that," she purred in that sexy Italian accent that made all able bodied men want drag her to the closest bed and fuck her brains out. Which I had done the last time I'd been in Rome, for the better part of two weeks, but I hadn't seen her since and had no plans to ever see her again.
She reached for me and I almost dodged out of her grasping hands but stopped myself at the last second. I had a cover to maintain, after all. She kissed both of my cheeks, and drew her head back to look at me. "I never thought I'd see you again."
It had been the plan, but of course I would never tell her that. "Are you working tonight?" I asked, ignoring her comment. She took a step back, thankfully putting some space between us but made sure to run her finger down the length of my chest. Sophia was not subtle.
"I just finished the last set," she said and I finally noticed the bag she'd dropped at her feet when she'd wrapped her arms around me. I knew it held at least one of many seductive outfits she donned during the night. Sophia was the featured dancer at the club attached to this hotel. She was very good.
"Sorry I missed it," I told her, not sorry at all.
"Are you staying in the hotel?" she asked.
"Yes, of course."
"Are you taking me to your room?" Not subtle at all.
I bent down and picked up her bag and then took her by the hand. I pulled her with me to the elevator and her hands were on my chest as soon as the door closed. "Did you know that I stop by that bar every night after work in the hopes you'll be there, waiting for me?"
I didn't answer, not quite sure what to say. Maybe I shouldn't have spent such a thorough time with my dick inside her the last time I was here. She kissed my neck and I saw myself frown in the mirror that ran the length of the elevator wall. Was I really going to do this? She'd unknowingly helped me establish my cover the last time I was here but I didn't need her this time. More importantly, I didn't want her.
The elevator door opened onto the penthouse foyer, temporarily suspending my musings. I used the key card and opened the door to my suite. I held it open for her, admiring the view as Sophia walked in and then before I could even get the door all the way closed, she was on me.
Her hands were everywhere, her lips hot on mine and when she tried to gain access to my mouth with her tongue, I nudged her away and stepped out of her reach. I realized in that moment that there was only one set of hands and lips I wanted anywhere near me and they were a half a world away. "Do you want a drink?" I asked, walking away and heading for the wet bar in the living area.
She was silent and I didn't turn around, not wanting to see the look I was sure was on her face. I pulled out two crystal tumblers and poured a finger of bourbon in each.
"Sure," she eventually said and I turned at the sound of her voice with the glasses in my hand. She settled herself on a barstool, took the one I offered and said quietly,"Salute," before knocking the entire thing back in one shot.
I followed suit and we set the glasses down simultaneously onto the counter. "Another?" I asked and she shook her head.
"What's her name?"
I gave her a lifted eyebrow of question.
"The woman you're in love with. What is her name?"
I narrowed my eyes. How could she possibly know that? I turned my back to her and poured myself another drink.
"Only one other man has spurned me like that and it was because he was in love with someone else. That is why I'm not naked and in your bed right now, no?"
When I faced her again, her lips held a ghost of a smile but the sparkle in her eyes was gone, replaced by disappointment and maybe a little bit of sadness. I took a sip of my drink.
"I call her Babe," I heard myself confess softly.
Sophia stood and moved back to the door. She gathered her bag and then turned to me. "What a lucky lady," she whispered and walked out of my suite without another word. I crawled into bed an hour later, alone.
I should probably feel bad about leading her on; I didn't mean to, not really but if I'm being honest with myself, I knew before we even got into the elevator that I wasn't going to sleep with her – I certainly shouldn't have brought her to my room – but now she'll know and if by chance we run into each other again, maybe she'll steer clear. Of course, I don't plan on coming back to Italy any time soon, and if I do – Stephanie will be with me.
I was just about to drift off to sleep when I heard my phone chime, indicating a new message. I grabbed it off the nightstand and saw it was from Tank. When I opened it, there was a link for a video. I pushed the play button and found myself smiling when I heard Stephanie's voice come through the speaker.
"Is it on? Okay good. We have to record this – Ranger will love it!"
The screen was blank and then suddenly filled with a blurry blue image. Tank did some adjusting and then Stephanie came into focus. She was standing a few feet from the camera with a smile on her face that made me want to catch the first plane home.
"Lester! Come over here."
I watched her gesture to someone off camera and then my dubious cousin came into the frame. Stephanie leaned into him, with her hand on his chest and I sat up in bed with a frown on my face. What was she doing? Tank zoomed in and caught her hands playing with the buttons on that hideous pink shirt. My frown deepened.
"You look so sexy in this outfit, Lester," Stephanie said and my cousin's face went from neutral to lustful in a single heartbeat. My hand clenched around the phone.
"Oh yeah?"
"Definitely. You're going to dance with me later, right?" Stephanie reached up and ran a hand through Lester's hair. Why she thought I would love this video was starting to be confusing. If she kept touching him, I was afraid I would break my phone.
"Nothing could stop me," he said and my hand was starting to ache from the death grip of my fingers.
"Great. But will you do me a favor first?" Lester nodded eagerly and I rolled my eyes. "Will you dance with my Grandma? I think she has a little crush on you after seeing you in this outfit and it would just mean the world to me if you would dance with her."
I couldn't help it. I laughed out loud. I heard Tanks deep rumble of laughter come through the speaker as well. Lester had never experienced Steph's Grandmother before and she was right, I was going to love this.
"Uh, sure," Lester said, not sounding sure at all. "You know I'd do anything for you, beautiful."
"Grandma!" Stephanie called and Edna Mazur stepped into view. "This is Lester and he would love nothing more than to dance with you."
"Hot damn!" Edna said. "What a sexy thing you are." She turned to Stephanie. "He has a nice package. Not quite in the same league as Ranger, but still pretty good."
The look on Lester's face was priceless. Somewhere between horrified indignation and stupefied panic. Awesome. If I wasn't already in love with Stephanie, this may have sealed the deal.
"C'mon hot stuff," she said to Lester. "I want to see you shake that caboose in these pants." Her hand shot out quick as lightning and grabbed a good portion of Lester's ass. She squeezed and Lester jumped a foot in the air. I laughed again. In fact, I was laughing so hard I had to rewind the video because I missed the next part.
Stephanie watched her Grandmother lead Lester out onto the dance floor and I could see her shoulders shaking with her own mirth. She turned and beamed at the camera and I almost missed Tank's quietly uttered, "Damn."
"Tank." Woody's voice sounded off camera and Tank must have lowered his arm as all I could see now was the tops of his shoes. He did not turn off the camera and I listened to the conversation.
"We just apprehended two individuals trying to get inside. Pretty sure they're Slayers. Hal has them cuffed and in the back of the Range Rover. What do you want to do with them?"
My whole body tensed. I knew it was a possibility, but I didn't think anyone would have the balls to go after her at that public of an event.
"Call the control room and have Vince and Zip pick them up and take them back to Rangeman. We'll keep them in a holding cell until this is over and then I'll decide a course of action."
I nodded my approval. It's exactly what I would have done. I'd call Tank in the morning and find out what became of the party crashers. They must have been dispatched before the events that took place at the warehouse later that night.
"Yes sir," Woody replied and then the camera came up and Tank began scanning it around the room.
It looked to me that most of the burg was there. I saw glimpses of people I vaguely recognized and then Tanked focused for a second on the band. "What the fuck is that?" He muttered as the camera lingered on the cross dressing Sally Sweet before once again moving around the room. It stopped again and I watched Stephanie dancing with her Father. They were smiling as they made slow circles around the dance floor. I had never before wanted to be Frank Plum, but would have given anything to have taken his place right then.
"You are one lucky bastard, Ranger," Tank muttered and I had to agree. The screen went black for a minute and then I was looking at Hal and Stephanie seated in an otherwise empty row of chairs. Stephanie had her shoes off and Hal's tie was loosened around his neck. She was leaning into him with her head resting on his shoulder. The time stamp in the bottom told me it was an hour later.
"You're not mad at me are you?" Stephanie asked and took Hal's hand in hers. "You know, for stunning you yesterday? I was a little on edge from being in that building for two weeks."
Hal laughed and squeezed her hand. "No. It was a little embarrassing, but I'm not mad. I'm just glad Zero was able to get to you before you got out. It's not safe for you to be out there alone."
She let out a long sigh and closed her eyes briefly. "I know. I hope it's over soon."
"It will be," Hal pronounced. "Ranger will make it sure of it."
Stephanie looked up and him and smiled. "Yeah," she said. "He will." She stood up and slipped into her impossibly high heels. Tugging Hal up by their joined hands, she said, "Dance with me."
The camera followed them to the crowd of people already dancing and Hal spun her around a couple of times before passing her off to Woody. He had her for a few minutes and then she was in Lester's arms. He encircled her waist with one arm, drawing her entirely too close to the bulge I could see in the front of those awful pants. He used his other hand to hold hers close to his heart as they began moving together. Tank crept in closer until I could hear their quiet conversation.
"So, your Grandma…"
"You deserved it, Lester. And this outfit."
"I know. But I was only messing with you, you know that right?"
"Yeah, I know. I guess it hit a little too close to home. I wanted to punish you for making me feel that way."
Lester spun her around and I saw his hand was so low on the small of her back he was touching the top of her ass. I heard a low, predatory growl and it took me a second to realize it had come from my throat.
"I'm sorry," he said and it actually sounded sincere. "But are you ever going to tell him that you're in love with him?" I inhaled a sharp breath. Could she really..
Stephanie blushed three different shades of red and buried her face in Lester's shoulder. "This topic is off limits, unless you want to be subjected to my Grandma again," she muttered into his shirt.
"Sweet Jesus, No. I'll never talk again if you'll keep her away from me. She tried to unzip my pants to see if I was wearing underwear."
Stephanie turned her face up to his. "Are you?"
Lester cocked an eyebrow. "I'll let you unzip and take a look."
Stephanie must have introduced her knee to Lester's crotch as he suddenly released her and doubled over with a gasp.
God, I love her.
The screen went blank again and then Tank's enormous face appeared before me. He'd turned the camera on himself and all I could see were his giant nostrils flaring slightly. He addressed me directly.
"Ranger. If you don't make that girl yours the second you get back here, you're a fucking idiot."
The screened turned to snow and the video ended a second later.