Again, thanks to JE for your characters we love to manipulate to our will!

Whoa! Lots of great reviews and points of view. We have a lot of new readers and some who have been around, but are wanting to join in now and talk. Excellent! Looks like you're tightening your seat belts for the rest of the ride.

Ybanormlmom, made a really interesting comparison. She said that Ranger's evolution into a ruthless business man and husband reminded her of Michael Corleone, in the Godfather. Very cool thought.

First Generation Scot just got back from a cruise (we're all jealous) and is catching up. She has dubbed me the Queen of angst now. Excuse me? That would be the Dark Plum Queen of Angst, lady. LOL

That enterovirus I was talking about on the blog has taken a child's life in Trenton, Stephanie's home town. As a mother of a child with a weak immune system and asthma, my heart goes out to that family.

Creeping up to the the creepy end. Not many more chapters now. More icky naughty in this chapter.

I planned to make up for this angst with a humorous Halloween tale. Hoping I can get it done before I have to have the surgery. Ball gets rolling this Friday with first appointment. Yuck!

Alix33 depending on you to come up behind me and clean up my punctuation. Thanks girl!

Chapter 26

Stephanie went to bed early that night taking her ever-growing burdens and thoughts with her. She was surprised when Ranger left her alone when finally coming to bed. The next morning she woke early and he was already up and gone from the house. Angel was still sleeping, so Stephanie showered quickly to tame her wild hair. So deep were her thoughts as she prepared for the day. She went back in the nursery to find a smiling Angel waiting for her with a little board book in her hand, and some of the burden she was feeling melted away. She picked her up, hugged her, then diapered her, and carried her down for breakfast. By then, Betina was there and was preparing some cheese omelets and fruit salad for them.

When they had just finished and cleaned Angel up, Ranger came in the door. He said, "Come outside, Babe."

Stephanie cleaned Angel's face and hands, and Ranger picked her up. Stephanie followed them out through the garage and outside. There was a sparkling new vehicle sitting in the drive. She looked at him. "I remember that you used to like the Lexus cars. This is the top of the line SUV, an LX. It has everything, even a DVD player in the back for Angel. I bought a special car seat for it already as well."

She looked at the car again. It was a beautiful ride, that was for sure. It was a pearl white color, and looking inside, she saw that the seats were tan, and the inside had brown and wood looking accents. "It's a really beautiful SUV, Ranger. Thank You."

"You're welcome. Let's take a ride to the cemetery in it. The bench is there and it's time to place Precious, and Celia in their final resting place."

Tears came to Stephanie's eyes. It had to be done, but her heart didn't want to let that little box go after all this time. Having Precious near her had given her as much strength as finding Angel had during those months in Newark. She shook her head. "I'm not ready yet. Can we wait a few more days please, Ranger?"

He sighed. "A few more days won't matter. We need to go see Dr. Ortiz today. We'll take your new car for the visit."

"Okay."

Angel said, "Cah."

Rangel smiled at her and pointed to the SUV. "Yes, Angel. This is a car."

She made a big O with her mouth. "O...tay."

They both chuckled at that. Stephanie had remembered Julie that morning while in the shower. The girl needed to be told about the marriage by them personally, and it was just pleasant to have Jules around. She said, "I'd like to invite Julie for a sleepover this weekend to tell her we got married. I've missed her and Angel would like to see her. Can we do that? We need to."

He said simply, "We'll see."

That's all he said. Stephanie didn't comment on that, but she felt relief that they were going to see Dr. Ortiz. On every visit she made clear to Stephanie that everything she told her was confidential. She needed to talk about her new problems and thoughts badly.

A few minutes after they arrived later that morning, Dr. Ortiz opened the door to them and smiled. "Ranger and Stephanie, I'm ready for you. Please come in."

Stephanie looked over at him, confused. He smiled at her. "We're going to start sessions together beginning today."

Her heart dropped out of her chest and fell to the floor. Her primary hope for help, even if it was just emotional support, had just been taken away from her. She didn't expect now that she would have many choices of her own again, if ever. This situation was now worse than she ever dreamed the 'burg life to be. Joe had been good to her up until the miscarriage, and they had always had a comfortable sex life. It had never been as explosive as the one she'd first shared with Ranger, but she'd now been painfully reminded the hard way that fireworks are fun, brief, but fleeting.

Dr. Ortiz congratulated them on their marriage and asked them if they'd had a honeymoon and Ranger explained about his sister's death. She spent some time talking to him about that. He told the doctor about Stephanie's reluctance to want to go to the cemetery. Stephanie just told the truth, that having Precious with her during her trials after leaving Trenton had given her comfort. She just wanted to keep her with her for a few more days until she was emotionally ready to let her go, and place her in the cemetery. It was final, after all.

Dr. Ortiz was not surprised and agreed that she should go when she was ready. She said that it was important to make big changes in your life when you're prepared and emotionally ready. That was the healthy way to handle life. Stephanie looked down at the floor. What she wanted to do was cry. She felt Ranger take her hand and without thinking, she almost pulled it away. She looked up and Dr. Ortiz was staring at her. She asked, "Stephanie is there anything that you want to talk about that's happened in the past week?"

Stephanie shook her head, no. Dr. Ortiz said, "Well, how about the return of your memories. That must have been difficult for you at first. Do you want to talk about it?"

"No. They're back. I can't do anything to change the past or ..."

"Or what…?" The doctor asked.

Or to change the present. She shrugged. "I just can't dwell on it for the rest of my life or I'll never be happy, right?"

The doctor nodded. "That's right. Yes, accepting that it happened and it all hurt, then looking ahead to the future is healthy. Stephanie, doing what is within your power, and taking tiny steps to change a difficult situation or way of thinking is good, and it's the healthy way to deal with life. Even when you think you don't, every person has the power within them for change. It just takes positive thinking, a little bit of courage, and the will."

Ranger looked at his watch. "Anything else you want to talk about today, Babe?"

Stephanie said, "No," then she thanked Dr. Ortiz.

Dr. Ortiz watched them as they called the elevator to the floor. She paid particular attention to their body language. Ranger, an assertive, dominant male, stood erect as always. He was holding Stephanie's hand, but it wasn't like newlyweds in love. He looked to be squeezing her hand like he was leading her away, or exercising his authority over her. Stephanie was looking at the floor with her shoulders slightly slumped. When the elevator doors opened, Stephanie turned back to glance at her, and gave her a weak smile. She waved at her and smiled back. Dr. Ortiz was worried about the woman. Something was very off with them.

She was surprised when Ranger had called to say that they would be discontinuing Stephanie's sessions alone, and wanted to do future sessions as a couple only. She was shocked when he'd told her that they had married. She explained to him that discontinuing one-on-one therapy was usually decided between the patient and herself. After today, and Stephanie's lack of participation, she had many questions. For a new bride, Stephanie didn't seem very happy, and as newlyweds, they seemed awkward together. She hadn't missed Stephanie's flinch, and almost pulling her hand back when Ranger had touched her.

There was no way that Stephanie had been ready for a leap into marriage, and if Ranger didn't watch her closely, she could repeat her last attempt to take her life, and this time she could succeed. Then there was the fact that she had mentioned to Ranger that she'd not had the opportunity to get Stephanie started on medication, and he had said that if he thought she needed it, that he would let Dr. Ortiz know. She had reminded him that it wasn't up to him to make that determination. His response was that they were newlyweds and that Stephanie had read that the medication could interfere with her libido, and that she didn't want to take it at this time.

Dr. Ortiz had tried to explain to Ranger that the symptoms listed did not occur with every patient, and that most side effects didn't last past the first few weeks as the individual got used to the medication, but her words worked to no avail. She just hoped that Stephanie trusted her enough to call her if she needed her.

In the elevator on the way down, Stephanie thought about Dr. Ortiz's words. The one thing that she knew now was that she wasn't really a bad person and she didn't deserve to die because she'd made some bad choices in her life. She'd been depressed, tired, sickly, hurt, and overwhelmed when she took that leap from the bridge. Bobby hadn't come to haunt her. She thought now that he'd come to tell her and Lester that he was okay. So they could let him go.

She had made a big mistake with Joe, wanting something that wasn't real. He had been right about Ranger all along. She regretted hurting him and would always love him. When she'd woke from the seizure in Newark, she had been angrier with Ranger than she'd even been when she'd found Dickie screwing Joyce in their home so long ago. The marriage was just his way of taking complete control of her and Angel. Talk about ironic, and she called the 'burg life bad. Ranger thought he could have his wedding cake and eat it too. Her, Angel, and his mistress. All one happy family.

The power she had now was in Angel, and the will was to keep her safe. She would never have attempted to leave her baby if she had known then, what she knows about the man now. He was not and would never be the right father for Angel. Even for all his faults and anger, Lester had been right about this, he'd known his cousin. She was nothing now, but a possession.

When they got in the car, Stephanie turned to Ranger. "Why did you do that?"

He started the SUV. "Do what, Babe?"

"Take away my sessions with Dr. Ortiz."

"You're still seeing her. With me," he said and put the vehicle in reverse.

"You just removed another choice for me. You're taking away my freedom is what you're doing. What is your eventual goal here, Ranger?"

He had just pulled out of the parking spot and stopped to look at her. "I've already told you what I expect of you. You have a function and a place in this marriage. You haven't accepted or learned that yet. In a marriage with me, I need to be able to trust you will do what I expect. You are not going to talk to anyone about our married life or me or my business with Dr. Ortiz, my sister, Sara, nor anyone else. Our life together and relationship is private. Wasn't a relationship with me what you wanted?" He grinned at her. "Well, now you have me. You have Angel, money, and anything else you desire, but you had to make a sacrifice to get it. Some of your freedoms and some of your choices."

She shook her head. "I did not ask for this, and I just can't accept it. Is this what you meant by loving me in your own way? Because if it is, I don't know if I want you to love me at all."

He reached his hand out and grabbed her jaw pulling her toward his lips and kissed her hard. "You just need some convincing, Babe."

A smile spread across Ranger's face and it was one that made her shiver. He put the car in gear and drove out of the lot. He passed the exit to his house on the beach, and took the next one. In a few minutes he was pulling into a nice apartment complex, and pulled into a spot and parked. He got out, walked around and opened her door. Then he grabbed her hand and pulled her roughly out and into the building.

He stopped at a door and stuck a key in which was unusual for him, opened it, and dragged her inside. Right before it dawned her where they were, he gave her that wicked smile again, and took her hand. They stopped at a doorway down the hall, and Stephanie was mortified to find that there were two naked people in the bed sleeping, a man and that woman. Ranger walked in and shook the man. "Get your clothes on and get out. Now."

When the man began to argue, Ranger pulled his gun and stuck the barrel between his eyes. "I said, get out."

The man didn't argue further. He got up, and grabbed his clothing, leaving the room quickly. The woman that Stephanie recognized as Aleida, rolled to her side and raised up on her elbow, then grinned at she and Ranger. He nodded to the bathroom. "Go clean yourself up, Aleida."

She got up and sashayed to the bathroom naked and Stephanie turned her head. She hissed at Ranger, "What the hell are we doing here? It better be to give that slut her walking papers!"

His eyes turned cold, and he said, "We're here to teach you to obey, wife. It's not just a word."

So many emotions immediately gripped her at one time, she was on emotional overload. It was Lester's words in that restroom that resounded in her head. She swallowed hard. A naked Aleida returned and wrapped an arm around Ranger, pulling his head down to her, and kissing him with tongue. Bile rose in Stephanie's throat. He stepped away and opened a bedside table, pulling out a ball-type gag and placed it on her face, then he told Aleida to get on her hands and knees on the bed. He pulled out a device that restrained her wrists and attached to her ankles as well. Stephanie was a mixture of embarrassed, angry, and scared shitless at that moment.

Last, he pulled out a flogger and a tube of lube, and dropped them on the bed. He turned to Stephanie and slowly removed his clothing, everything. Picking up the flogger, he said, "I'm going to give you an example of what will happen if you continue to talk back to me, Stephanie. The next time I do this, you'll be a participant."

He struck Aleida and she moaned and Stephanie jumped. Then he struck her again harder. He kept doing it until she was crying and clawing at the sheets. Stephanie had to turn away, then she heard him stop. The next sound she heard was the sound of the woman's scream against the gag, and him grunting like a pig. He growled out, "Look at me, Stephanie."

She slowly turned her head to him. He watched Stephanie's face as he grabbed Aleida's hair, and pulled her head back yelling out his release like an animal, and then it was over. Even though she was sickened, and her heart was beating fast in her chest, she stood slowly without breaking eye contact. She said as calmly as she could, "This is not unlike what you did to me, except for the props..."

Stephanie turned and walked out of the room. He had no intention of giving that woman up, and Stephanie could see her future in that position on her knees, and maybe even forced to do it in that very room. Lester had been speaking simple truth when he talked about her bleak future. No woman with a shred of self-respect or self-preservation would ever dream of a married life like this. She would be no man's chattel to use or abuse as he pleased, not even a big, rich, handsome, dark man, like Ranger Manoso.

She walked all the way outside and stood next to the car and waited. She closed her eyes and moved her hand to touch the knife secured to her hip with its homemade sheath. She would be nice and play his game now until it was time not to be nice, anymore.

When he finally arrived back at the car, she turned to him and sniffed. "At least you had the decency to wash the stink off you before going home to your innocent daughter. You just cheated on me with that skank, the very first week of our marriage. Do you honestly think that using tactics like this will do anything other than make me start to hate you?"

He narrowed his eyes at her. "This was a lesson. If you stop fighting me and do what I expect of you, then you will get what you want in return. Everything you want and more, Babe."

Stephanie stared straight ahead on the way back to his house. Not her home, she would never consider it hers. She was determined that her life wouldn't end here in Miami this way. She still had more than half a life left, and she wanted to live it on her own terms and with no man's rules. Her experience on the street in Newark wasn't all in vain, and could help her here. She would become his perfect idea of a wife beginning that night. Just like a Stepford wife from the old movie. She would let him believe that he had gained control by leaving her with no guidance, no help, and no one to talk to. She would play the game to his satisfaction. For now.

Ranger's expectations in the bedroom were normal at first and then grew over a week. She dropped her walls, her inhibitions, even her dignity, and let him have everything that he wanted, plus more. She grit her teeth, concentrated, and forced out that orgasm even when he took her from behind. The hardest part became kissing him at night, and telling him that she loved him.

At the end of that week, he presented her with a gorgeous diamond ring to go with her band at dinner as part of a dessert. He made her find it on his person by licking him. She'd been disgusted and had soaked it overnight in alcohol before she put it on her finger.

Stephanie had come in one day frustrated. She had needed to buy something and they wouldn't take his credit card because her identification still had her maiden name on it. When she got home, she'd told him and he'd said, "No problem, Babe. I'll get you some checks with both our names until you get that changed."

When he had presented her with the book of checks, an idea had formed in her head. That was the day that she thought she could actually see a different future ahead for herself.

TBC -

Yeah, I know. I did punch up the ick and the next chapter will have some too. It will prepare you for the ending.

You know how I like movies and a similar line to this, comes from a movie. "She would be nice and play his game now until it was time not to be nice, anymore."

What movie was it? Ring a bell. The lead actor died of pancreatic cancer.