Chapter 14
Stephanie's POV
After that part of the meeting Ranger told me go to his apartment on 7 and sit by myself for a few minutes. He could tell I needed space, although the guys wanted nothing more than to be there for me. Hell they all tried to crowd around me, giving me hugs and telling me it wasn't my fault. I appreciated their efforts, and their sweet words, but they weren't enough to pull me from my despair, plus I was starting to feel claustrophobic. I did this. This is my fault. I remember the way Anthony's eyes looked at me after his son was re arrested, and then again when it had been made known he was killed. I had been at the precinct when he was brought in and notified, I guess they did that because of his reputation and connections. Joe. I need Joe.
I picked up my phone to call my best friend when it suddenly buzzed in my hand, causing me to jump. "Hello?"
The voice on the other line only spoke two words before hanging up, but they were enough to make me tremble. "You'll pay." I dropped my phone on the ground and pulled my knees to my chest , petrified for a moment that the man on the other end of the phone would reach through and grab me. I didn't hear the apartment door open, or see anyone that had come in until I felt a hand on my knee causing me to jump. Shit I need to be more aware of my surroundings!
"Babe? What happened?" Ranger was there in a flash, sitting next to me on the couch, pulling me close to him. I looked up into the eyes of his three partners, and something in me broke.
I started sobbing uncontrollably. The guys were out of their depth I could tell, apparently they had never dealt with a crying female before. I saw through my tears Bobby move to my other side, and Lester kneel in front of me his hands on my legs. Tank stood silently to the side, observing. They let me cry, waiting patiently for my sobs to die down before trying again.
I pointed to the phone that had landed on the floor. "Sizemore." Was all I got out before Lester jumped up, grabbing my phone and taking off out the door with it. I didn't ask, I figured he knew what he was taking it to someone who wasn't a basket case at the moment. Looking at the remaining men I saw anger written all over their faces. I took a deep breath in and the scent of his body wash tickled my nose, calming me. I leaned into Ranger, sniffing. His face softened and he even smiled at me as I said "You smell good."
Tank and Bobby chuckled to themselves as he replied "Babe." I moved away from Ranger and went to stand so I could splash some cold water on my face when I saw black spots and my head started swimming.
Next thing I remember I felt silk, or satin… something smooth against my skin. I opened my eyes and saw three pairs of eyes staring down at me. "What the hell happened?" I looked over to my left and saw Bobby sitting on the bed next to me. He had his hand on my wrist, and I saw an IV sticking out of my arm. "Bobby?"
"When did you eat last sweetheart?" Shit. I'm gonna guess a donut this morning with Manny doesn't count. "Good guess." He responded , sighing. "You fainted. You're dehydrated and your blood sugar is low. Your blood pressure isn't great either. You need to rest and let us take care of Sizemore." He kissed my cheek and stood, sharing a glance with the other three.
"I can't just lay here and do nothing, I won't do that. I won't be a burden." I remembered my conversation with Manny in the hospital and started getting agitated when I saw Bobby with a syringe in his hand coming back toward me. "Don't you dare Robert Brown! Do NOT SEDATE ME!"
"Babe, you've got to calm down. Please, let him help you rest, you need it."
I shook my head at Ranger "I'll lay here, but give me a laptop. I need to do some work." I shot a glare at Bobby "I mean it, don't stick me with that thing."
He held his hands up in surrender. "If you promise to stay here and get some rest and finish this bag of fluids, then I won't." I gave them my best 'Burg glare and a growl, but agreed.
Tank reappeared again, didn't even notice he had left! I gotta work on that with a laptop in his hands. "You can use mine Little Girl. What are you working on?"
I propped myself up against the headboard, took the laptop from him and started my searches. I needed to find Anthony, and anyone he had in his organization who could have been responsible for my apartment explosion. I needed to get in contact with a friend of mine that could help me with that, because now that I had a minute to sit and think, I wasn't sad or scared, I was pissed. And pissed Stephanie doesn't play. I didn't want to lie to these guys who had done nothing but supported me since we met, but I couldn't tell them everything. They wouldn't understand, and they would most definitely not be okay with me contacting who I needed to. "I need Manny." Ranger's and Lester's faces tightened when I made mention of him, but I ignored them. " If I promise to sit still and let the bag of fluid run can I please go to his apartment? I'll seriously go crazy if I'm sitting here alone."
Ranger pulled out his phone, sending a message to Manny I assumed because within 2 minutes he was in bed with me. The other four men left, but not before dropping kisses on my forehead and reminding me to rest.
"So Wifey, not that I'm complaining about the request for my company but I heard you needed to rest? What the hell happened?" Manny turned to me with a confused look on his face. "And explain why are we in Rangers bed?"
Sighing I showed him the laptop, skipping his last question. Something I had worked on in my spare time was an encrypted computer program that let me get in contact with people that aren't easily contacted. "I'm calling a friend. I have an acquaintance that runs in the same circles as Sizemore, so I'm going to set up a meeting. I don't suppose you have your phone do you?" he gave a sideways glance and handed it to me. "Thanks. I need to call Joe and get him up to speed."
"Again I ask, what happened? Why are you hooked up to that?" He pointed at the IV bag attached to my arm. "Ranger didn't say much, just that I was needed up here."
"Long story short, I fainted. I promised them I would let these fluids run, but I need your help. After I do I've got to get out of here."
"Steph, you need to stay here." Manny's face got tight, his nose scrunched. "These guys, we, will protect you."
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "I know they want to Manny, I get it. And I'm sure they're really great at security, but my friend… he can help me more than they can. And me being here is putting you all in danger." I dialed Joe's number and put him on speaker phone before Manny had a chance to ask any further questions.
"Morelli"
"Joe it's me. Listen I don't have long, I needed to update you."
"Cupcake ! Thank God, I was worried when I didn't hear from you after you got to Manoso's place. You figure out who is behind this?"
"Yeah, Sizemore." I heard him suck in a deep breath and hiss as he let it out. I was pulling up the software program off the dark web while I talked. "Joey I need to meet him."
"No fucking way Stephanie. The guy thinks you got his son killed. He blames you, he's blown up your apartment-"
"He called my cell. I'm using a different phone... by the way say hi to Manny you're on speaker." I nudge Manny with my knee and he grins.
"Hello Detective, nice to meet you… sorta."
"Hey man, sorry about your injury."
"Thanks, I'll be good as new in no time. Your BFF is a force to be reckoned with you know?"
"Tell me about it. Listen Steph, I know you think this will be good, you'll get Sizemore to understand, say he's sorry… you may be charming Cupcake but this guy is the bottom of the barrel. He's a mobster for crying out loud!!"
"Yeah and? Harry the horse owns the bail bonds place, and he's been nothing but kind to me since I started there. He's treated me nicer than my cousin has! I have to do this Joe. I'm calling A, and arranging a sit down. I need one thing from you."
I could hear him groaning and what sounded like muffled curses. "What."
"When Ranger calls you, don't tell him where I am okay? Or any of his men except Manny. He's the only one you give an update to. I'll be in contact soon. Love you Joey."
"Love you Cupcake." I could hear the tension in his voice as he said the words. I closed my eyes, take a deep breath and hang up.
"Okay a few questions." Manny said, sitting up straighter and turning towards me, watching my fingers fly across the keyboard of the laptop. "One. Who is A? And two. Why me? Why am I the contact person? Again, not mad or complaining or anything but…"
I stopped, cocking my head to one side and looking at him. "Because , I can trust you to think with your brain, not your dick. You won't be rushing out of here headfirst into a mob war trying to find me or rescue me. I don't need to be rescued, I've got this."
Manny threw his head back and laughed "And why do you think that I wouldn't be thinking with that head when it came to you?"
"You said you didn't have a wife or girlfriend, you never told me you weren't seeing someone. I saw the photos in your apartment…" I could see his eyes get wide as saucers. "Please don't worry, your secret is safe with me Manny. I'm just curious, do the guys not know? Because when I mentioned I wanted you to stay with me, Ranger and Lester both looked like they swallowed a bug or something." I laid my head on his shoulder and continued to type, waiting for him to respond.
After a few minutes of silence he did. "I can't believe you caught it. I… I never…" I let him work through what he was going to say to me about the photo I had seen, only moving to check the IV bag and then repositioning myself snuggled against him.
I saved him from his embarrassment. "What's his name?"
A/N: Wwwhhhhaaaaaaat?!? Okay so some revelations there! I've been agonizing over this chapter for 3 days trying to get it right. Did I do ok?