I don't own them. I'm just holding them hostage.
Chapter 54
Steph's POV
I woke up warm and snug in my bed. For a moment, I had a wonderful thought that it was all just a bad dream. But when I looked over and saw Mariela sitting in a chair beside me, I knew that my nightmare had really happened.
She leaned forward and stroked my hair gently and I think I actually purred.
"How are you feeling, querida?"
"I feel pretty good considering," I murmured, turning my head into her hand. "Are they in jail?"
Mariela paused. "Yes, they've both been arrested. You're safe now."
I nodded in relief. "Where's Carlos?"
"In his office. He had a few things to take care of."
I sighed and closed my eyes. "I'm sorry I ruined our celebration. It was going so well."
"You didn't ruin anything, Stephanie." Mariela's voice was firm. "It's not your fault that those people were so cruel and selfish. You're the victim here."
"I'm sick of being the victim." I said, my voice weary. "It's not fair to Carlos that he always has to rescue me. I need to be able to protect myself."
"You're protecting your baby. Because of you, that little boy inside of you is safe and strong." Mariela took my hand and began to stroke it. "Just concentrate on your son. My Carlos can protect you."
"He always has." I stretched and burrowed back under the covers. "Was Dr. Marshall here?"
"Yes. She left a few hours ago."
I groaned. "Am I confined to the bed again?"
"Just for a few days," Mariela smiled down at me. "I know it's hard to stay in for so long, but it will be worth it."
"Last time, Carlos stayed in bed with me and we watched TV and ate junk food." I chuckled at the memory. "I even got him to eat a Chicken McNugget."
Mariela laughed. "You are good for my son. Before, he was always working. He gets to enjoy life when you're around." She leaned forward and resumed with the hair stroking. "I think Carlos is good for you, too. He believes in you with his entire heart and you need people like that in your life."
"I'm blessed to have him with me," I murmured, feeling myself fall back to sleep. "I'm blessed to have you as my mother."
I didn't hear her reply. I fell asleep.
Ranger's POV
I was on edge the entire time that Dr. Marshall examined Steph. My poor unborn son could only take so much stress. Would he be made to suffer because of other's actions? I prayed that he wouldn't.
I expected Dr. Marshall to lecture me on my inability to keep my wife calm and happy. Last time this happened, I took Steph away from the problem. Maybe it would be best if I took her away for good. I was all up for buying that hut in Bora Bora.
I was surprised when the doctor pulled me aside and praised me. That was the last thing I had expected.
"Your business associate told me what happened tonight," she said, looking me in the eye. "Stephanie is truly lucky to have you around. You've saved her and your son's lives more than once."
I shook my head. "I should have taken better care of them. I knew that she could be targeted, but I wasn't aware of my surroundings. My wife and child could have been killed because of my failure."
"You prevented a far worse situation, Mr. Manoso," Dr. Marshall said. "Stephanie and your son will be fine after a few days of bed rest. They are both strong. You've done everything possible to keep them safe. I don't know any other man who would drop everything to take his wife out of the country just to get her out of a stressful situation." She smiled. "Don't be so hard on yourself. You're the best medicine for Stephanie."
I was speechless as I rode the elevator with her down to the garage. It didn't feel like I had done all that much to help. I would do so much more if I had to.
Once Dr. Marshall left, I headed up to my office. My first call was to the police station. Mrs. Plum and Morelli had been charged with aggravated attempted kidnapping and would be in court the following morning. After a long discussion with the police chief, Morelli had been relieved of his badge.
My next call was to Frank Plum. His voice was weary when he answered.
"Frank, it's Carlos."
"How's Stephanie? Is she okay?" He sounded like he hadn't slept in days.
"She's been put on bed rest for the next few days. Luckily, she and the baby should be fine."
Frank released a relieved sigh. "Thank God." He was silent for a moment. "Carlos, I'm so sorry. I had no idea that Ellen was planning something like this. She called me a little bit ago to bail her out, but I told her that I wouldn't be lifting a finger to help her."
"Thank you for that." I truly felt sorry for the man. His world was crumbling around him and he was powerless to stop it. Frank Plum was an honorable man, and he didn't deserve the hell he was living in. "I'm going to have my attorney ask the judge to force your wife into a psychiatric hospital for evaluation. After tonight, there is no doubt in my mind that she's suffering from a mental problem. I'm hoping the judge will force Morelli into an alcohol treatment facility. He's already been relieved of his police badge."
"I'll make sure Ellen goes," Frank promised. "I'll threaten to divorce her if she doesn't."
"I'm sorry that it has come to that, Frank. I wish I had a better solution, but I can't risk my wife and son."
"Son." I could hear a hint of joy in the other man's voice. "It's a boy?"
I smiled in spite of myself. "We just found out this afternoon. We were at Rossini's celebrating. You're finally getting that grandson you've been wanting."
"My grandson," he breathed. "Thank you, Carlos. Please tell Stephanie that I love her and I'm truly sorry."
"There's nothing for you to be sorry about. You've been there for her through this whole mess."
We said our goodbyes and I called my attorney. He said he would be in court the next morning and would make sure the restraining orders were ready. He also agreed to my idea of the psychiatric evaluation and the alcohol treatment facility. The judge would likely be more in favor of that than the death penalty I was itching to push. One thing at a time.
It was after midnight when I got back upstairs. I walked into the bedroom to find Mama stretched out on the bed and Steph fast asleep in her arms, curled up like a baby. It warmed my heart to witness such a moment.
"Has she been asleep this entire time?" I whispered.
"She woke up for a few minutes, but fell right back to sleep," Mama whispered back, slowly getting out of the bed. There were tear tracks on her face. We were back in the living room before I asked her why she had been crying.
"Stephanie thought she had ruined the evening," she said, her eyes sad. "I told her she did no such thing, that she was the victim in all of this. She said she was tired of being the victim and that it wasn't fair to you that you had to rescue her all the time."
Wasn't fair to me? Steph should know by now that I would give my life to protect her. If something happened to her, my life would be worthless.
"I told her that it was her job to protect my grandson and your job to protect her. I think she got the message after that."
I nodded. Steph was doing a wonderful job protecting our son. She gave up a lot to ensure his safety, without complaints. She was amazing.
"I know what you were thinking earlier, Carlos," Mama's voice broke into my thoughts. "Don't you ever think that you've failed Stephanie. You're her hero and nobody deserves that title more than you do."
"I don't feel like a hero." I sighed, running my fingers through my hair. "This is the third time that those two have caused trouble enough to spike her blood pressure. Steph should be worrying about swollen ankles and baby names, not being kidnapped."
"You're not God. You can't control everything." Mama said. "But you have done more than any other man would or could do. Stephanie is safe in that bed because you rescued her. There's no telling where she would be if that man had gotten her into the car."
I dropped down into a chair and leaned my head back. "But she wouldn't have been in that situation in the first place if I had never let her out of my sight."
Mama laughed. "What would you have done? Gone into the ladies' room with her?"
"Yes."
"Carlos, she's a woman, not a child." She sat on the coffee table in front of me and grasped my hands. "You can't prevent everything, no matter how much you try. All you can do is comfort her and try to prevent the worst from happening. And you've done that over and over again."
I sat up straighter and met her stare. "I'm thinking of selling the company and moving Steph out of the country."
"Have you discussed this with her?"
"I brought it up on our honeymoon."
Mama shook her head. "I'm guessing since you're still living here, that she was against it."
I sighed. "She didn't want me to give up RangeMan for her. I can't get her to understand that the business and the money aren't important to me anymore. She's the only thing that I care about."
"Your intentions are good, hijo, but you don't seem to realize that she fell in love with you for who you are, not who you could be. She married you knowing that your business takes up a lot of your time. Stephanie didn't marry you in hopes that you would drop everything and move her to some island. Did you marry her in hopes of changing her? Did you think that putting that ring on her finger meant she would quit her job and be a stay at home mother?"
"God no!" That was the last thing I wanted for Steph. Everybody else in her life had been trying to push that on her. I fell in love with her because she was different. She was so much more than that.
"So then wouldn't it be safe to assume that she didn't marry you to change you?"
"I wouldn't be changing, though. I'm still the same man."
"But it would change you, Carlos. Stephanie has only known you as the bounty hunter and the business man."
"I'm not just the job, Mama."
"No, not now. But you used to be. And that was the man that Stephanie met."
"She didn't fall in love with that man. I was just her mentor then." I had fallen in love with her the second she walked into that diner.
"Still, that's the man she befriended. That's the man she respected and put her trust in. If you dropped everything, especially now, she would blame herself if you changed your mind later."
She was right, of course. Neither one of us was cut out for the easy, quiet life. We both craved the adventure and adrenaline rush that currently took over our lives. Although, I could do without the stalkers and kidnapping attempts.
"Well maybe we could just leave until the baby is born." I offered.
"Her doctor is here, Carlos."
"I'll bring her doctor with us."
Mama shook her head. "This is Stephanie's home. Being pregnant for the first time is scary enough. She needs comfort and familiarity now."
"Will you ever let me win an argument, Mama?"
She smiled. "Probably not."
I threw up my hands in defeat. "Fine. We'll stay here. For now."
Mama nodded and stood up. "Good. Now get to bed. It's late."
I chuckled. The big bad Ranger Manoso was being sent to his room by his mommy.
Thank God no one was around to see it.
Steph's POV
I woke up wrapped in Ranger. If I could bottle that feeling, I would be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
He must have felt the change in my body, because he pulled me tighter against him.
"Good morning, Babe," he whispered in my ear. I shivered in delight.
"Mmmm, good morning to you."
He nuzzled my hair and pressed a kiss on my forehead. "How're you feeling?"
"Pretty good." I murmured, running my fingers across his perfect chest. "I'd feel even better if you'd give me some action."
His chest rumbled as he burst out laughing. "When you're off bed rest, I'll give you all the action you can handle."
I grinned. "You promise?"
"Absolutely."
I expected Ranger to start getting ready for work, but he didn't move. I sat up and looked at the clock. Ten-thirty in the morning!
"Won't you be late for a meeting or something?"
"We're on bed rest, Babe. Tank's taking over for the next few days."
"You don't have to do that, Carlos. Your business needs you."
"You're more fun than paperwork," He said, wrapping one of my curls around his fingers. "Besides, if there's a dire emergency, I'm only three floors away."
I settled back against him and relaxed. "So what'll we do all day if sex is out of the question?"
Ranger laughed again. "I'm beginning to feel like a piece of meat. Is sex all I'm good for?"
I playfully swatted him. "It's not my fault! Pregnancy hormones are much worse than jelly doughnut hormones."
"Is that right?" Ranger's voice went from playful to lustful in the blink of an eye. I groaned as my poor panties were destroyed.
"Great. Now I have to change my underwear."
Ranger laughed. "Don't worry. I have something that will take your mind out of the gutter."
"And what would that be?" I really liked it when my mind was in the gutter.
He reached over and picked a book up off the nightstand. It hadn't been there last night.
"1001 Baby Names for Boys," I read. Ranger grinned.
"We can't keep calling our son "him" and "it"," he teased.
I leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I won't be able to concentrate on such a life altering task with a full bladder and an empty stomach."
"Then you get cleaned up and take care of business and I'll get the food." Ranger decided. "We'll meet back in bed in twenty minutes."
"Deal."
Thank you everyone who left a review. I'm such a review slut now LOL. I hope you like this chapter. Please let me know what you think.
