IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE
CHAPTER 19
When Rikki woke the next morning, she wondered out of her room and down a long hallway. Valenta seemed to be nowhere in site.
She found the door to a large room opened and wondered inside. It was a library with wall-to-wall, ceiling to floor books.
She looked around in amazement. She had never seen so many books. "Wow." She thought. "Mom would love this room." She ran her little fingers along the spines of the highest shelf she could reach.
"So…you're Manoso's brat?" Rikki turned to see a man leaning in the doorway of the library.
"Who are you?" She asked.
"No one of your concern." He snapped.
"I know you. You're the asshole that shot Lester." Rikki tried to push pass him.
"Look, I'm not going to put up with some snot-nosed brat calling me names. You watch your mouth and respect your elders." He grabbed her arm, shaking her.
"You don't scare me. I'll thank you to take your hands off me…Sir." She sneered.
"Or what, little girl?" He laughed at her.
"Or this." Rikki smiled.
Rikki pulled out of his clutches, stomped his foot and kicked him in the stomach, knocking the breath out of his lungs. When he bent from the force of her blow, he was at the right height for her foot to connect with his jaw.
The man fell to the floor; Rikki took this opportunity to kick him in the ribs…a few times.
"I'm not going to put up with some overgrown jackass bullying me. It'll pay you to remember that fact, Sir." She smiled sarcastically at him; just she broke into a full run.
"I'm going to get you, you little brat." He screamed chasing after her…once he could breathe again.
Rikki ran from the library screaming for Valenta. The most important thing she'd learned from her kick boxing lessons is that it is one thing to catch someone off guard, but it is another to be able to take someone four times you size on in head-to-head battle.
She knew to pick her battles wisely. She probably couldn't win this one. So…she did the next best thing and ran.
Valenta met her at the top of the steps. "Rikki, what's the matter?"
"He's after me." She said pointing at Valenta's right-hand man.
Valenta looked at his employee. He was holding his ribs and his jaw was already starting to bruise.
"Why are you chasing our guest?" Valenta demanded. "What happened to your face?"
"He's pissed 'cause he got beat up by a girl…a little girl." Rikki smiled.
"She caught me off guard." The man was quick to add.
A booming laugh erupted from Valenta. He hugged Rikki to him. "Oh, it is going to be so much fun having you around, Ms. Rikki. I'm only regretful it won't be for very long."
"He grabbed me. It was reflex." Rikki explained.
"Opposition is true friendship." Valenta laughed. "Maybe you and Ms. Rikki will become the best of friends or she'll kick your butt again."
"I doubt. Fucking brat. I hate kids." The man mumbled under his breath. "I'll get you."
"You will watch your language around the girl, Zander. Do you understand me?" Valenta asked. "You will not touch her. That is an order."
"Yes, Sir." Zander huffed.
"Come, Ms. Rikki, let us have some breakfast. Niles made us a very nice breakfast." Valenta said.
Zander followed Valenta and Rikki down the stairs, muttering to himself. "Odio cabritos. El pequeño palo de golf de mierda mejor la mira detrás." (I hate kids. Fucking little brat better watch her back.)
She allowed Valenta to get a few steps a head of her before she turned to Zander.
"Didn' ¿t él le dice mirar su boca?" She smiled. (Didn't he say to watch your mouth?)
The shocked look on Zander's face made her smile even bigger.
Rikki and Valenta sat at one end of a very large table. Big enough to seat at least twenty people.
Niles was buzzing around the room, placing all sorts of dishes on the table.
"Wow! This sure is a big table. Why do you have such a big table if there's no one here to eat with you?" Rikki curiously asked.
"I have a very big family. We love to all be together for the holidays. It takes a lot of room for us all to sit together. Your father has joined us for many holidays. Maybe when this is all over, you'll come with your dad and Camary sometimes."
"You talk like my dad is going to get back with Camary. That's so not going to happen. He wants to marry my mom. He told me so." Rikki matter-of-factly said.
"Oh, I think you dad will come to his senses and realize that my daughter is the one he wants." Valenta said.
"Dream on…sucka." Rikki said.
"If that'll be all, Sir." Niles said after he placed the last dish on the table.
"That'll be all." Valenta replied.
"Aren't you going to have breakfast, Niles? After all you cooked all this…aren't you going to have some?" Rikki asked.
"Oh, no ma'am, Ms. Rikki. I'll have something later." Niles answered.
"Come on…sit with us." Rikki insisted.
"I'm sorry. I eat in the kitchen." Niles informed her.
"Alone?"
"Niles always eats in the kitchen, Rikki." Valenta said.
"You're his boss. Make him eat with us. I'm not eating if he doesn't." Rikki insisted.
Valenta motioned for Niles to sit. He hesitated for a moment before he took the seat next to Rikki. Niles never ate at the table. He always ate in the kitchen…alone.
"Whata you like?" She asked passing Niles the bowl of eggs.
"I'm not picky. Anything is fine." Niles stated.
Valenta took spoonfuls from each dish, passing them to Rikki; passing the dish to Niles after taking what she wanted.
"Isn't this nice?" Rikki asked.
Ranger, Steph, Tank and Marco arrived in Trenton in the middle of the night. A metallic blue sedan waited at the airport for them.
Ranger wanted to take no chances. He wanted to sneak into town…unnoticed. A black SUV traveling on the thru the streets at three AM would be a little more than noticeable.
Forty-five minutes later the unknown car pulled in the underground garage at the Rangeman building. No one questioned the entrance of the strange car as soon as the familiar pass code was entered.
There were cheers all around the monitor room when Steph's familiar face appeared on the monitor.
Tank and Marco got out of the elevator on the fifth floor. Ranger and Steph went straight to the seventh floor.
"We'll be back down in a few minutes. We're going to put our stuff in the apartment. I want everyone not on duty in the conference room in twenty minutes." Ranger ordered.
Tears immediately filled Steph's eyes when she stepped off the elevator. It had been ten long years since she stepped into Ranger's apartment. She never thought she'd be returning there. All the memories flooded back as if it was yesterday.
Ranger took Steph's hand and led her to the sofa. He sat, pulling her onto his lap. "It's ok, Babe." He whispered. He held her, stroking her head and back. "You're back…where you belong. You're not leaving again."
"I'm sorry, Ric. I didn't think it would be this emotional returning here. It's just so overwhelming. All the memories we shared came flooding back. How much we were in love. All the times we made love, all the special dinners, all the showers. Everything looks the same. It shocked me…that's all."
"I didn't…couldn't change anything. Every single thing in this apartment is exactly the same as the day you left. Just in case…" His words trailed off.
"I can't believe. It seems so unreal to be back here." Steph smiled up at Ranger.
"Come on; we should probably be getting down stairs before they send a search party for us. I can imagine there's a few of my men dying to see you."
Just as they were entering the elevator, Ranger's cell phone rang.
"Report." He barked.
"Boss, Lester just came out of surgery. He's in critical but stable condition. The next twenty four hours will tell the tale." Bobby reported.
"Let me know if there's any change." Ranger instructed. He paused a moment before he spoke again. "Bobby, tell him we'd be there if we could."
"Ranger, Lester would expect you to do just what you're doing. You know she had him wrapped already. If you want to help Lester, bring Rikki home. That's the best thing you can do for him." Bobby confessed.
"I will." He said and then closed his cell phone.
"How is he?" Steph asked.
"He made it thru the surgery. He's still in critical condition, but he's stable. Bobby says the next twenty four hours will tell."
"God…I hope he's ok." Steph sighed.
"He'll make it; he's tough." Ranger tried to reassure her.
There was a welcoming party assembled at the elevator when Steph and Ranger stepped thru the door.
Every old employee that knew and loved Steph and even some of the new ones who were dying to meet the infamous "Bombshell Bounty Hunter" were there to welcome her home.
Tears were streaming down her face, once again, as she was passed from man to man. She hadn't been hugged so much in years.
Upon Ranger's request, Cal went to retrieve Raymond from the holding cells. He wanted to talk to him but wasn't ready for Camary to know he was back on Rangeman turf.
If she had any influence on Raymond…he wouldn't spill his guts and then Ranger would have to kill him. He really didn't have time to clean up the mess, much less hide the body…so killing him was more of a nuisance at the present time. Maybe later.
"Where are you taking him?" Camary screamed at Cal when he walked Raymond past her cell. "I said…where the fuck are you taking him, Asshole?"
"This doesn't concern you, Ms. Valenta." Cal hissed.
"It's Mrs. Manoso and I want to know where you're taking him." She yelled.
"I'm just following orders. I was told to move him and that's what I'm doing. Not that I have to answer to you."
"Fuck you, Cal." Camary sneered.
"No thank you. I might not be the pickiest man, but I draw the line with trash." Cal smiled.
Camary grabbed the bars, shaking them as she growled at Cal.
"Where are you taking me?" Raymond asked when they were out of Camary's site.
"I'm just doing what I was told. I was told to move you to our conference room." Cal offered no other information.
Cal and Raymond rode the elevator to the fifth floor. When the doors dinged open, Cal pushed him out of the elevator toward the smaller of the three conference rooms.
Cal knocked on the door. "Enter." Ranger barked.
Ranger, Steph and Tank all sat at one end of the table, waiting for him. When Raymond walked thru the door, Steph stood and lunged toward him.
"Babe." Ranger called her name.
She turned to look at Ranger. With the slightest movement, he gave her a barely noticeable shake, telling her now was not the time.
She stood in front of him, staring…not saying a word. Without warning, she slapped his face.
"You son of a bitch. I gave you a job. I lent you money until you could get on your feet. I befriended you and this is how you show your gratitude? I should let Ranger kill you right where you stand. But, he seems to think we need you for some reason. You're a lucky man." She sneered at him.
She looked at Ranger. Her eyes told him she was sorry for her outburst. He smiled that 1000-watt smile and shook his head. Yep, the Bombshell was back…boy did it feel good.
She turned and waltzed out the door. Once the door shut behind her, she leaned against the wall, taking a shaky breath to calm herself; she headed to Ranger's office.
"So what the fuck was so important that you could only tell me face to face?" Ranger asked.
"This is between me and you." He said looking up at Tank.
"I have some paper work I need to do anyway." Tank said.
"No, he stays." Ranger said grabbing Tank's arm.
"We talk in private of the deal is over." Raymond said.
"It would be to your benefit for him to say. It's for your protection…not mine." Ranger stated.
"Ok." Raymond nervously agreed.
"Start talking before I change my mind and kill you." Ranger ordered.
"I have some information you might find interesting. I need your promise to protect me, though." Raymond said.
"Let me hear what you have to say first…then I'll decide if your sorry ass if worth saving." Ranger counter offered.
"Oh…this is good." Raymond offered.
"What's to say you're not feeding the same information to Valenta? How do I know you're not playing both sides?" Ranger asked.
"The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them." Raymond flatly stated.
"Sarcasm is not going to get you anywhere with me. Cut the shit and spill before I lose my patience." Ranger barked.
"Valenta wants to have me killed for what I know." He said.
"Is that why you disappeared?" Tank asked.
"When Valenta told me he had a job for me, I had no idea what it was. He called me to his house one day and told me he had gotten me a job with a financial adviser.
I could imagine why he wanted me to get a legit job." Raymond started to explain.
"I don't see where this is of any importance to me. We already know you were in Canadian to keep an eye on Steph. You're wasting my time." Ranger hissed.
"I'm getting to it, give me a chance. He told me he wanted me to keep an eye on the owner. Make sure she stayed in Canadian.
I got the job. It wasn't hard. Shelly had no intention of leaving her job…much less Canadian." Raymond continued.
"Will you please get to the fucking point? I don't have all day. Valenta has my daughter."
"He took Rikki?" Raymond asked.
"Yeah…what's it to you? You act like you care." Tank sneered.
"I don't care what you think of me, but…I care about that little girl. She's the innocent in all this fucked up shit."
"Touching." Tank said.
"Get on with your fucking story. If you're lucky there's an end to it…and soon. And, it better be good." Ranger warned.
"Ok, I went to work for Shelly. I got hooked up with some really high rollers. I got into some trouble. I owe the wrong people a lot of money.
I went to Valenta and told him I knew something that could turn his daughter's world upside down. I wanted to know how much it was worth to him for me to keep my mouth shut. I told him if he didn't want to pay me to keep quiet, I was sure you'd be more than happy to pay me to talk.
The plan backfired. Valenta put a hit out on me. That's when I disappeared." Raymond took a deep breath.
"So?" Ranger asked. "What's this big secret? If you're going to tell me that Camary and I are not married, I already know."
The look on Raymond's face was nothing but shock. Apparently, he didn't know.
"You're not married?" Raymond stuttered. "That lying bitch."
"Let me guess, she didn't tell you." Tank asked.
"I can't believe what I did. She lied to me…she lied to me." Raymond kept repeating.
"What did you do?" Ranger demanded.
"I got her pregnant." Raymond muttered, hanging his head.
"What did you say?" Ranger stood, throwing his chair backwards.
"The baby Camary is carrying is mine…not yours. You didn't sleep with her that night. She tried but…the mighty Manoso couldn't perform.
She came to me, crying hysterically. Said you rejected her. She needed to feel like a woman. I loved her. I would've done anything for her. I just wanted her to be happy…even if it was with you." He whimpered. "All this time, I thought it was my idea. She came to me knowing I'd play right into her little plan.
When we were through, she got, got dressed…huh I guess I should say finished getting dress. She didn't even take off all her clothes. She walked out my apartment without even saying one fucking word to me.
I had no idea until later that I got her pregnant. It didn't take much to figure out that the baby was mine. I confronted her, she denied it at first, but when I put pressure on her, she finally caved."
"Fucking bitch." Ranger seethed.
"What are you going to do to her?" Raymond asked.
"For the moment, I'm going to use her to get my daughter back, and then I'll decide what happens to her.
"I had no idea Valenta would take Rikki. I didn't even know she was your daughter. Shelly never talked about her life before Canadian. I had no idea why it was so important that she stay out of the way. You have to believe me."
"I don't know why, but I believe you. Camary has a way of getting what she wants. Does she know how you feel about her?" Ranger asked.
"Yes, I begged her not to marry you. I confessed my undying love to her a few days before she married you." Raymond admitted.
"Your information was sufficient enough to keep me from killing you." Ranger said. "Cal will escort you to your new home. You'll be staying in a room on the third floor. I think you'll find it more comfortable than where you were before."
"What about Camary?" Raymond asked.
"What about her?" Tank asked.
"I can't go to a better place knowing she's still in that cell." He answered.
"Dude, she used you. She played on your feelings for her. How can you be worried about her?" Tank was confused.
"She's carrying my baby." Raymond said.
Ranger buzzed Cal. When he entered the conference room, Ranger instructed him where to take Raymond.
Cal and Raymond were barely out the door when Tank burst into laughter. "The mighty Manoso couldn't get it up…that's a first."
"If you tell a fucking sole about this, I will have to kill you and whom ever you tell…you understand that, right? Especially Santos. I swear, Tank if he or anyone else finds out about this, you're a dead man."
"Oh, this is priceless." Tank teased his best friend.
"Yeah, well you may think its funny, but for once I'm glad my soldier stood down." Ranger shook his head.
Never in a million year would he ever have thought that not being able to "get it up" would be a happy occasion.
Ranger couldn't wait to see Steph and tell her the good news. When he didn't find her in his office, he called the monitor room to find out where she was.
Ren reported he saw her entering the elevator. The elevator stopped on seven.
He found her standing in the bedroom staring at the bed, crying.
Steph wasn't sure if she was going to be able to be with Ranger…not here in this bed. Maybe it was a little childish, but this was the bed they shared. They bought it together…for them. It wasn't theirs anymore. Ranger had shared this very bed with another woman.
"I didn't sleep with her…not here…not that night." Ranger said.
Steph turned with a startle. "Ranger."
"That was Raymond's secret. He's the father of Camary's baby."
"I don't understand." She said.
"Seems that my soldier couldn't stand at attention. I never slept with her that night. When I couldn't, she went to Raymond. She knew he would do anything for her. She convinced him to sleep with her." Ranger cringed.
Steph couldn't help the giggle that erupted from her. The thought of Ranger not getting hard was beyond her comprehension.
"It's not funny." Ranger raised his brow at her. "You know I don't have problems in that department."
To prove his point, Ranger walked over and pulled Steph into his arms. He started at the shell of her ear, kissed down her neck, to her jaw line, and then up to her lips.
With a low growl, he grinded his already partially hard dick in her side. It never took much to excite him where Steph was concerned. Most of the time, just thinking about her did it for him.
"See…no problems." He whispered in her ear.
"I'm sorry. I wasn't laughing at you. I just couldn't imagine your…umm…soldier not standing at attention." She smiled innocently at him.
"I have to admit as big a blow to my ego as it may be; I'm kind of glad it wouldn't…you know." Ranger couldn't ever say the words. He'd always prided himself in his sexual capabilities.
"Awe…is you ego crushed?" Steph teased. "Maybe I can make it all better…later."
"As much as I'd like later to be now, we have work to do. Let's get our daughter back then we'll make up for lost time." Ranger gave her sheepish grin.
"What do we do next?" Steph asked.
"All we can do is wait for Valenta to call us."
"I just keep thinking about how scared she must be, Ranger. She's not used to this sort of thing."
"She's tough, just like her mom. She's probably running his mansion already."
"Ranger, I want to go see Camary." Steph announced.
"We will, soon." He answered.
"No, I want to go alone."
"Babe, not so sure that's a good idea."
"Ranger, I need to talk to her woman to woman…mother to mother." Steph pulled out of his arms and walked over to the window. "I need to appeal to her motherly instinct.
"Steph…" Ranger started before Steph cut him off.
"Just let me talk to her." She pleaded.
Against his better judgment, Ranger allowed Steph to go down to the cells, alone.
"Well, well, let what the cat finally drug in." Camary sneered as soon as she saw Steph coming around the corner. "I wondered how long it would take Ranger to come back to Trenton.
Where is he, anyway?"
"Ranger is upstairs in 'our' apartment." Steph stated.
"You know it's only a matter of time before he comes to his senses. He never got the chance to get you out of his system, that's all." Camary retorted.
"Camary, I didn't come here to argue with you. I came to ask for your help."
"You need my help? It'll be a cold day in hell."
"Your father took my daughter. I'm asking you as a mother, to help me get her back, please." Steph pleaded.
"Oh, this is so funny. A few days ago, you were calling names and threatening me…now you want my help." Camary snickered. "Ok, here's the deal. I'll help you."
"But?" Steph questioned.
"You and your little brat disappear, again. Get out of mine and Carlos's life. For good this time. Leave us alone and let us raise our family."
"Here's a news flash for you Camary. You and Ric don't have a family. How long do you honestly believe you could hide your little lie? For God's sake, Woman. Do you honestly think he wouldn't have known when you had a pale skinned baby?"
"I don't know what you're talking about, Shelly. Of course this is Carlos's baby."
"Wrong answer. And, my name is Steph." Steph snapped. "You trusted the wrong person. Raymond sold you out, Camary."
"You meddling bitch. Why can't you just stay out of our lives? Leave us alone. I love him." She screamed at Steph. "Why do you have to take everything from me?"
"You love him? You love him? I'm taking everything away from you? What about what you took from me?" Steph asked. "Do you love him enough to walk away from him? I did. He was my world, Camary. I loved him so much it consumed me. I loved him enough to be miserable for the rest of my life to ensure his safety. I loved him enough to be alone for the rest of my life because there was no other that could take his place."
"So you say. I still don't believe you could love him as much as you say and still walk away."
"You're not listening to me." Steph screamed. "I left because I loved him. I won't make that mistake again. Now, I will get my daughter back…with or without your help."
"You know my conditions. You pay my price and I'll help you." Camary smiled.
"No deal." Steph hissed.
"Are you sure? Are you prepared to look over your shoulder for the rest of your life, wondering if someone is behind you? Are you prepared for your daughter to live the life Carlos lives?"
"It won't happen that way, Camary." Ranger came around the corner.
"How long have you been standing there?" Steph asked.
"Long enough." He replied. "Babe, come on, we don't need her help."
Ranger held his hand out to Steph. When she took his hand, he pulled her to him. The turned to walk away wrapped in each other's arms.
"Carlos, wait." Camary pleaded.
"We have nothing left to say to one another. I don't have time for your lies. I have to find my real child."
"My father will kill you and your little bastard child, Stephanie." Camary yelled.
Ranger turned and walked back to Camary's cell. He grabbed her shirt thru the bars.
"DO NOT ever threaten her or my daughter again. I will kill you and hide the body so well no one will ever find you. Do you understand me?" Ranger sneered at her.
Camary said nothing. She gave him a dejected look and nodded. She finally realized she had not only lost the battle but she lost the war also.