Chapter 23
Ranger didn't stop me and I never turned around. I walked back to the Martines' with tears blinding me and my emotions all over the chart. I didn't know how I should feel, only that there was extreme pain from my breaking heart.
Everyone I trusted betrayed me—Ranger, my friends, and even Ranger's family. Yesterday I trusted them enough to tell them my story and the only thing I asked was for more time before I faced Ranger. The longer I walked, the angrier I grew. What made people think they could dictate my life? Why did they feel that I wasn't capable of making my own decisions?
The tears dried up the more I thought about the betrayals, but the ache in my chest didn't ease. I pressed my hand over my heart, hoping to make the pain go away, but it wasn't physical and it couldn't be rubbed away.
I was almost to Rachel's when I made a decision. I was going to confront Alex. He wasn't going to get away with screwing up my life!
I skirted the house to avoid Rachel and hopped in my car to drive straight to RangeMan Miami. Last time I came to visit, Julie pointed it out. It wasn't far from their house and I was able to easily remember the route.
By the time I reach the building, I'd made up my mind that I was driving into the garage even if I had to plow through the security gate. When the gate rose as I drove up, miffed was the mildest word for what I was feeling. I really had been looking forward to doing damage. Oh, well. Guess I'd just focus on a certain Cuban-American man instead.
The layout for RangeMan Miami was very similar to Haywood. When the elevator arrived at the garage, I decided the fifth floor would be the best place to start looking for that no-good, scum-sucking Manoso brother.
No one stopped me or even noticed me when I stepped off the elevator on the fifth floor. I was kind of surprised at that; I knew I had the look of a really pregnant woman on a mission, but if I had the choice between confronting me or getting pummeled in the gym, I'd choose me. A loud crash echoed from one of the offices, and that was when I figured out why no one was paying attention to me. The entire staff of RangeMan Miami was too busy staring awe-struck at the half-open door to the office in question.
When I edged close enough to hear the voices, I almost turned and ran. Ranger and Alex were arguing and I seemed to be the main topic of interest.
"What the hell were you thinking?" Ranger demanded, his voice harsh.
"I was thinking that you need to step up and take responsibility because the woman you love is pregnant," Alex answered in a calmer voice.
"I'm not even the father. Why should I take responsibility for someone else's bastard?" From my vantage point, I saw Alex move lightning fast and land a solid blow to Ranger's stomach. Ranger didn't even move to defend himself; he took it with only the smallest of flinches. "Are you done?" he asked in a low, menacing tone.
"You are a fucking jackass, Carlos. You don't deserve Stephanie or your baby. Yes, your baby. You pushed her away and Stephanie did the only thing she could to save her heart and protect her baby. She lied about the miscarriage," Alex said, his voice just as menacing as his brother's.
It was right then that I forgave Alex. He wasn't trying to hurt me, but he had more faith than I did that Ranger could be the man that my baby and I needed him to be.
Ranger turned away from Alex and moved out of my line of sight towards the windows. There was a long silence before he spoke, but when he did a feather could have knocked me down. "I don't know how to make this better. I'm afraid to have her in my life. What happens when she can't handle my schedule or my leaving with only a moment's notice?"
Alex walked over to stand beside Ranger as both brothers looked at the city below them. "You have to take a leap of faith. Believe in Stephanie and the love you have for one another."
"I don't know if I could survive her leaving me," Ranger said softly.
"So you would rather never love someone with all your heart and let her love you back? You are a coward, Carlos, and that is something I never thought you could be."
"I am," Ranger said simply. "I keep fucking up whenever I talk to my Babe. She thinks I have no emotional attachment to her and I'm so attached to her that I panic and push her away to preserve my sanity."
"Love is insanity. Once you give into it there is nothing better," Alex said.
They were silent then, and I suddenly looked around and realized that I hadn't been aware of my surroundings. Every one of the men from RangeMan Miami was crowded around me, and I was the sole focus of their very considerable attention.
So now you know why Ranger has been an ass, but do you think he deserves Steph's forgiveness? Would you have forgiven Alex? Thank you so much for all your reviews last chapter and even though it was short it seemed to cause quite a stir! This ones a little short too, but it seemed to have more of a natural flow! I'm such a tease ;)
Thank you Shandiss! *bows down to her abilities*