A/N: Not my characters and they may seem to be OOC at times. They will be back to normal soon. Takes place after LMT. Don't know how many spoilers there'll be. This fic was inspired by a drama that took place on my husband's side of the family. And well Stace said I needed to write it. This story is 100 R rated. Due to language and sexual content.

Thanks to Haleigh for letting me bounce ideas off her and for getting my muse to cooperate.

Thanks to Stayce for editing

Confessions

Dad's eyes softened at my words for a second, and then faster than I could blink flashed to hard, angry. "I'd tell you about him, but I never met him. Nor do I have a desire to do so. All I know of him is he's the kind of man I'd never want you to be with. The kind of man that has no respect for boundaries. He couldn't find his own woman so he pursued mine."

His words stopped me cold and I felt the color drain from my face.

Chapter Nine: Part 3

I knew he was talking about Dante and my mom, but I couldn't help seeing the resemblance to Ranger and me. Something inside me needed to know if he was really telling me that he didn't approve of Ranger. I didn't know what I'd do if he didn't. I wanted my parents to approve of the man in my life. Or in this case the man I wanted in my life. Mom had already made it very clear that she knew I was in love with Ranger. That didn't really tell me she approved, but she hadn't said she didn't.

Now that I think about it, I think mom really told me about Dante because she also saw the resemblance to my relationships with Ranger and Morelli. By telling me she stopped what I was positive would've happened a year down the road. Married to Morelli but sleeping with Ranger.

Dad's eyes were still hard and angry and focused somewhere over my shoulder. I knew what it felt like to have your spouse cheat, but I think the pain and hurt in Dad's eyes were very different from what my eyes displayed for all to see after Dickie cheated. I was never in love with Dickie like Dad loved Mom. I was just pissed as hell when I found my husband boinking another woman.

"Dad, sometimes it's more than just the man pursing a taken woman. Women are very capable of pursuing a man when they are taken." Jesus what was I saying? There was no stopping me as I plunged on. "And sometimes it's about love not just lust."

Dad looked hard at me, his words pierced with anger. "There's never an excuse to cheat."

"I'm not saying it's acceptable. I'm just saying that sometimes, it may have started out innocently. A friendship and it turned into love. Once your heart loves another it makes logic a bit gray. The boundary lines get fuzzy. In your head you know it's wrong, but your heart just wants your head to shut up."

"Stephanie, you're the last person I'd ever expect to okay betrayal. No matter the circumstances," Dad said as he leaned back in his chair. "If a person is so unhappy that they seek out companionship with another person, they should end the marriage or relationship they are in. Cheating hurts. I thought you knew that."

I looked down at my hands, my eyes burning. I took a deep breath to control my emotions. No way did I want my dad to see how much this conversation hit too close to home. I'd spent years allowing Ranger to pursue me, to kiss and touch me while I dated and even lived with Morelli. Dad may know what it felt like to have somebody you love care for another person, but in no way did he know what it felt like to be so torn between two men.

"It's easy to say what's right and wrong, but it's not quite so easy when you find yourself in the situation first hand." I stood up and looked down at my father, knowing he'd never approve of my relationship with Ranger because of what my mom did to him. It pained me to know that and now I didn't know what to do about being in love with the kind of man he deeply loathed.

Dad looked up at me, disproval written all over his face at every word I'd uttered. I shook my head and walked out of the living room. Mom came out of the dining room just as I reached for my purse. She looked at me and whipped her head to my dad, who was still sitting in his chair in the living room watching my every move.

"What happened," she asked, her voice a bit squeaky.

I shook my head as I fought to keep hold of my traitorous tear ducts. I had to leave before I completely lost it.

"Stephanie," my dad said from the living room. I turned and looked at him, begging him to understand. He didn't.

"I get how you feel," I told him. "Really I do, but you don't understand. It's not always cut and dried, black and white. You're lucky that you've never had to experience your heart and head torn. So very lucky." I turned and walked out the door.

My mother was hot on my heels. "Tell me what happened, Stephanie. Maybe I can help. I can talk to him."

"There's nothing you can do. He doesn't understand. But I get why you told me about Dante, now. It was a little late, though."

Mom's mouth dropped open and I walked to my car, feeling like a twenty pound weight was added to my shoulders. I wasn't going to cry, though. No matter how bad I wanted to. I wasn't going to allow myself. No good could come of crying. It wouldn't fix anything. I was in a situation where I had to make a choice. Do I betray my dad and be with Ranger or do I betray myself and walk away from the man I loved to make my dad happy? Could I walk away from Ranger? After everything that happened, could I throw all my feelings away and go back to just being friends with him? Of course that really was all we were as of this moment. Maybe I was getting ahead of myself. I didn't even know if Ranger wanted me. Maybe I didn't even have to make the choice. Ranger might have already decided for us.

Jesus that hurt worse.

I got in my car and turned the engine over. The second I pulled away from the curb my tears turned on like a faucet, running down my face and blurring my vision. I couldn't stop them and strangely I didn't want to. I was sick of fighting my feelings. Sick of holding them back. What was wrong with letting myself cry? I was so confused and hurt. My chest was tight and my heart felt like it was exploding into a million tiny pieces.

I stopped at a light, silently staring straight ahead as tears cascaded down my cheeks. Suddenly a car behind me honked, startling me. I looked up seeing the green light. It still took me a second to register what that meant, and then pushed the gas peddle.

Before I knew it I as sitting in front of the RangeMan underground garage, watching the gate open for me and didn't even know how long I'd sat there staring into nothing. With a sharp shake of my head I pulled in and parked the car in my designated spot. I shifted my car into park, shut the engine off, and dropped my head back with my eyes closed. I needed to get myself under control before getting out. Ranger would be back at any moment if he wasn't back already. I didn't want him to see me like this.

I brought my hands to my face and realized for the first time that they were shaking. I clenched them into fists and took a few deep breaths, desperate to regain my control. After a few seconds I shook my hands and wiped my face off. I knew my eyes were probably red and puffy, but there was nothing I could do about that. For now I needed the tears gone and I needed to get out of my car.

With one last deep breath, I grabbed my purse and opened my car door. No sooner had I shut the door then the elevator doors slid open to reveal Ranger. My feet started moving even without being told and I met him half way. He reached out and stroked my cheek and then ran his thumb under one of my eyes. I knew right then and there that there was no way I could give him up. If he'd have me, I was his. Whether my dad approved or not.

"Babe," Ranger said on an exhale.

"Have you ever had a dream that felt so real, you had a hard time realizing it wasn't? Then once you realized it was just a dream, you wished with all your heart you could be back there? Back in the dream."

His hand slid down my cheek and curled around my head, his fingers tangled in my hair. "What happened in the hour since I talked to you," Ranger asked. "You told me you were fine. This doesn't look fine to me."

"There was a confession, and then a dream, but I woke up. Waking up meant more confessions. More talking. Earth shattering, heart breaking, talking." I knew I was babbling, but hell I was past the point of coherent talking.

Ranger wrapped his arm around me and steered me to the elevator. He pointed his fob at the control panel and off we went for the seventh floor.