Chapter 11
The next morning at the meeting, Tank stopped the meeting and opened the conference room door. Several Rangeman guys filed in and remained standing and then the core team stood up.
Tank said, "Stephanie Plum, you have proved yourself worthy of our trust. We refer to ourselves here as brothers but you are truly our little sister and our friend. We accept you into Rangeman and we have your back." All the men began clapping. I was embarrassed and overwhelmed and totally honored by his words.
They were all looking at me. I stood up. "Well I'm really surprised and honored you guys accept me like you do and I guess you guys don't cry at stuff like this so If I do that would make me a puss, huh? Well I a…shit…you guys...crap..I mean…can you guys excuse me?"
I headed to the elevator and punched the button. I got in and rode up to level seven and key fobbed the door open and stepped in. I sat on the couch. The apartment was so empty without Ranger. Tears started flowing down my face.
What kind of situation was he in? Was he tired and hungry? Was he cold or burning up? Was he fighting for his life? Was he thinking about me too?
I heard the door open and a presence in the room. "Bombshell, you okay?"
"Yeah, just got a little overwhelmed. Wondering if Ranger is alright."
Tank sat down next to me. "This is the first time for you, but I can tell you that the man is the best. At the top of his game. He will come home."
I looked at him. "Okay, I'm going to believe you because I have to."
"About your friend Lula?"
"Twitterpated, are you?"
"What?"
"I saw you making goo goo eyes at her. Call her and ask her out. She's a good woman and deserves a good guy."
"I think I am going to do that. And tough guys do not make goo goo eyes."
"They do from where I was sitting big guy. This puss is going to dry up and go back to work now. Thanks for checking on me."
As soon as I got off the elevator, I ran into Santos. "You're a formidable opponent Stephanie Plum." He smirked at me.
"Thank You."
"I shall plan my retort very carefully." I giggled.
"You really are a geek. Is your favorite show Star Trek and did you wear plastic glasses and highwaters and shirts with pencil pockets when you were a kid?"
He got his back up. "So what if I did?"
"Well you're the cutest geek I know." I kissed him on the cheek and walked away shaking my head. When I looked back he was all puffed up and grinning like an idiot.
The next morning Bobby came to get me from the lounge and I groaned. "Come on Bombshell Bounty Hunter, we're going to have you looking fine for your next photo feature exclusive."
"Oh very funny, fuck off Brown! I'm not blowing up any more cars. It wasn't my fault anyway."
In the gym, he pointed to the treadmill. The thing that I hated the most. I mumbled, "The most boring fucking machine in the universe." After five minutes I was going crazy. I started striking poses and riding to the end of the treadmill and running back to the front of the machine. A couple guys were in the gym and were chuckling. When Bobby turned a smirk to me, I turned up my routine to dances. Running man, robot, moonwalk, cabbage patch. The guys were joining me on the floor, whooping and cheering.
Bobby grinned and put his hands on his hips. "Ranger warned me about your attention span. I can see we're going to have to get more creative with your exercise routine. Would you like company when you exercise?"
"Hell yes!" The next morning every guy that wasn't on duty was doing line dances in the gym. Tank came in shaking his head. "Ranger is not going to fucking believe this." Then to my surprise he got in line and danced with us.
At the end of the week I raised my hand to speak at the morning meeting. Tank said, "Floor is yours Bombshell."
"Um…I just wanted to say thanks to you guys and all the Merry Men for making this time without Ranger really fun and thanks for accepting me into your group." Tank raised an eyebrow.
"Merry Men?"
"Yeah. You know like Robin Hood and the Merry Men. You guys are heroes, save the world. Men with good hearts. Steal from the rich, give to the poor, help people, and wear black clothes. You're my guys, my Merry Men."
Looks of amazement, then warm slow smiles spread across the faces of the men sitting around the room.
Another week passed and I was still doing searches with Hector even though I was already trained. We just liked our fun time together. After lunch, I was walking out of the lounge and heading back to the cubicle when I saw a this strikingly beautiful blonde woman dressed in leather leaving Ranger's office. I instantly got a sense that something wasn't right about her.
I started to ask her what she was doing in there when she locked eyes with me. "By his description, you must be Carlos's latest conquest?"
"Excuse me?"
"I'm his sub, his partner and we've been together several years. I guess you're attractive enough and I did ask for a brunette this time. He likes to earn the trust of other attractive women so that we can all play. Here's my number. I don't mind playing with you until he gets back. We'll all have fun together at Mistress Elvira's." Then she walked away.
I was breathing hard and my heart was in my throat. I held on to the wall to kept from falling. The words 'I'm his sub and conquest' kept ringing in my ears. I felt awful pain and was choking back sobs. I needed to hold it together at least long enough to get out of this damn building. I ran upstairs and packed my things as quick as I could and grabbed Rex. I ran down to the garage and got in my jeep and key fobbed the gate. Then the tears started falling. I drove to my apartment and carried my clothes and Rex upstairs.
My phone rang. I swiped my eyes and sniffed. "Hello?"
"Bombshell, you left Rangeman without letting us know. You don't have a partner."
"Tank I'm sorry, but I'll be leaving Rangeman and I won't need a partner from your company any longer. I appreciate every thing you guys have done for me."
"What brought this on? Ranger won't be happy."
"We don't have a defined relationship. He's not responsible for me. I'm kind of interested in dating someone else. Take care and tell the guys goodbye." I disconnected.
I crawled in my bed and cried great big sobs for all I had just lost.
The next day I willed myself to leave my bed and try to go on with my life. I showered and tried my best to make the red around my eyes fade. Nothing was helping. I finally said screw it and fed Rex and headed to the bonds office. When I walked in the door both Connie and Lula looked up. "Hey girl. Where you been?" Lula asked.
"Rangeman. Been avoiding a stalker. I got tired of waiting for the jerk to make a move so I decided to come out and start doing normal stuff. I'm not going to be scared and hide. You got a skip for me Connie?"
She looked at my face. "Everything alright girl? You look like you've been crying."
"I'm fine." I couldn't tell them because I was so humiliated. I went after Ranger like a fool, knowing what he was.
"I have one here for you. Should be easy. No show in court for shoplifting."
When I walked out of the bonds office there was Morelli. "What now Joe?"
"Peace. Just checking to see if you've had any other messages from the stalker."
"Nope. Nothing." I clicked my key fob to unlock my car door. There was a sizzle sound and then as we both looked at the car… KABOOM! Joe and I both were impacted and thrown backward in the air about twenty feet. Before I passed out, I turned looking through the black for Joe. Make that a yes on that stalker question was my last thought.
I heard people talking. I couldn't open my eyes. Geez, my head hurt. I tried again to open my eyes. Wait I think they are open. "Hello," I croaked.
"Stephanie, you're awake. It's your mother. I'll get the nurse."
"Ms. Plum this is your nurse Lynette. I have called your doctor. He's on his way."
"Lynette, I don't think I can see." I felt a pat on my hand.
"Ms. Plum, I'm Dr. Nolan. I'm going to examine your eyes. Do you see my light?
"I don't see anything. I see black."
"I'm ordering some tests. As soon as the orders go through someone will come for you."
"Okay. Thank you."
"Stephanie if you were married and not doing that dangerous work you wouldn't be in this predicament. Now look at you."
"Mom please don't, I'm begging you."
"Mrs. Plum may I have a word with Stephanie?" I heard her huff and leave the room.
A big warm hand took mine. I choked back tears. "Stephanie, it's Tank. I wish you hadn't left little girl."
"I had to big guy."
"You can't see at all."
"No."
"Why did you leave?"
"Tank, tell the guys that I care about them and I'm sorry I didn't say goodbye." I squeezed his big warm hand.
I heard the tears in the big man's voice. "Bombshell, I'm sorry this happened to you. I don't want to leave you."
"Lots of people learn to live with loss I guess. I bet you know a lot of guys who suffered loss in the military. If it's the worst-case scenario then I'll just learn what I need to. Life will go on."
I heard a big masculine groan and then a sob. "Tank, give me a hug and then let me go." He put his big arms around me and squeezed me. Then he was gone.
Some time went by and I was moved for the tests and then taken back to my room.
I slept and woke up again. A hand touched mine. "Who's there?"
"Hector, mi amiga."
"How are you Hector?"
"I'm fine, but you are not. Why did you leave? Why put yourself in danger? You could have talked to me."
"I got my heart handed to me Hec. Do you know the blonde woman that came to the building a few days ago?"
"What blonde woman?"
"A woman came out of Ranger's office and told me that she was Ranger's sub as in BDSM. She said that he was training me for them."
"Jodienda puta (fucking bitch). I don't think I believe her."
"I do Hector, because he does practice that lifestyle. He told me he was a Dom. I knew it before I got involved in a relationship with him. I feel so stupid. It was all about gaining my trust. Please don't tell anyone. I'm so humiliated."
"Chica, I have a hard time seeing Ranger as a man that would hurt you in this way."
"Doesn't matter any more Hector. I have a new life now. I don't have to look at either of them. I don't have to see that. Now give me a hug. Love you." He hugged me.
"I'll come back."
"Okay." I sobbed in the dark.
TBC
In the beginning of this chap, there is a scene here that is similar to another story on this site. In that story, Steph was led into a big room and the whole company welcomed her and said those words. This similiar scene was appropriate for my story after what happened the night before and I tried my best to come up with different words than 'we got your back' but, I couldn't because they are perfect. So I kind of stole the words. If you remember the writer or story please let me know. I want to give her credit here.
