Chapter 36: Stephanie's POV

I drove home, but I don't remember it. Once minute Ranger was kissing me and the next minute I was in front of my parents' house. I sat outside in the dark replaying the events of the last few days.

Oh shit, I forgot about Lester! I needed to let him know that I was still alive. I dug out my cell phone and called him.

"Thank God, you're still alive!"

"Hey, Lester. Yeah, I'm okay. You?"

"Fine. Still at the restaurant in case you came back here."

"Oh no, you should go. I'm back at my parents' house now. And Ranger was walking back and I don't know how long that will take!"

"You left him somewhere?" There was awe in Lester's voice.

"Yeah. I offered but he said that he needed the exercise."

"Shit."

"What?"

"That usually means he's trying to work off the anger and frustration. Is he still planning to kill me?" Lester's voice was a little bit panicked now.

"I don't think so. He asked me to call him when I got home so I'll call now and see if I can get a promise that he won't kill you. Then I'll call you back." Lester swore under his breath.

I hung up and was trying to collect my thoughts when my phone rang. I was caught completely off guard and so I shrieked a like a teen girl spotting Justin Beiber and threw the phone across the front of the car. I sat there clutching my heart for a moment, and then the roar in my ears subsided enough for me to hear that someone was talking to me.

"Babe? Stephanie? What's wrong!" It was Ranger.

I fumbled for the phone, it had gotten wedged between the passenger side door and seat.

"Sorry! Hello?"

"Are you okay? I heard you screaming! Where are you? I'm on my way." I'd blown up cars before and hadn't heard this level of anxiety in Ranger's voice.

"No, no, I'm fine. I had just picked up the phone and when it rang, it startled me."

"Oh."

"It was only a minor heart attack, I'm sure I'll survive."

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yep. Might need a new phone since I chucked this one across the car but it seems okay for the moment." Silence. "What's up?"

Ranger sighed. "I really hate to do this, but we could use your help taking down a skip tonight."

"Oh." I hadn't done a distraction in a year.

"If it's too much for you, we can try to figure out something else, Babe."

"No, it's just a surprise. I haven't done a distraction in a long time. I don't really have many slutty clothes with me."

"The skip we're going after likes the more corporate girls. Less Stark Street, more Wall Street. But he's hard to get out of the bar and we don't want to risk collateral damage if we can help it."

"I think I could do that. Probably. When?"

"As soon as you can get ready. I'll swing by and pick you up."

"No, I can meet you there. I'm in front of my parents' house now so it won't take me long to get ready. Where am I going?"

"Babe." What does he mean by Babe now? He really needs to learn better English. The man speaks a bazillion languages but all he seems to say to me in English is Babe. Argh.

"Where at, Ranger?"

Sigh. "Bloody Mary's."

"I'll do it on one condition."

"What's that?"

"You have to promise to be nice to Lester. No killing him, extra monitor duty, anything like that." Long period of silence. Oh no! Was I too late and he'd already offed his cousin?

"Babe."

"Don't 'Babe' me, Ranger. I need actual words. Yes, you agree to my condition or no, you don't and you have to put on the dress to lure out the skip instead." The idea of Ranger in a flirty dress was actually pretty hilarious.

"Fine," he sighed, "I'll be nice to Santos." He sounded a little disgusted.

"See you in thirty minutes then."