Chapter 52
RPOV
I watched as Ash and Steph went to the elevator and then I headed down to the garage. I had a few things I wanted to do this morning without raising suspicions. I switched off my phone and the car's tracker wanting my journey to be off the grid and then headed toward the Burg. As I approached the house I needed to be at, I was pleased to see the taxi in the drive and once parked headed up the drive hearing noises coming from inside the garage. I didn't want to startle Mr Plum so knocked on the door frame as I entered.
"Mr Plum"
He looked up at me from the work he was doing on the bench in front of him, surprise showing in his eyes.
"Ranger, isn't it?"
"Yes sir, but perhaps Mr Manoso or even Carlos might be more appropriate"
"More appropriate, eh?"
"Sir I came here to speak with you about my intentions"
At last he stopped looking into the box on the work bench and turned to look at me again.
"Go on"
"I've asked Stephanie to marry me but am here to ask for your blessing"
"Has she said yes?"
"Yes, she has"
"About time you got your shit together"
Okay, not the response I was expecting. I'd never really spoken with Mr Plum before and to be honest he had rarely involved himself in any conversation that I'd been part of.
"I know you've kept her safe, provided her with cars, that's the action of a man who has some feelings for her"
"I suppose it is"
"Look Carlos, can I call you Carlos?"
"Of course"
"You make her happy and I can see how she feels about you. The only thing I want for her is for her to be happy and safe. You hurt her and you answer to me"
"I would never intentionally hurt her and if I do then you'd probably have to join the queue"
Yeah, I would suspect half my men would be in line to beat the shit out of me if I ever hurt Steph.
"Where are you with the missions you do?"
That surprised me, how the hell did he know about that, who the hell had dared talk about my work with the government? I'm sure my expression showed my feelings.
"Hey, don't take offence, I have my contacts from my days, and I made sure of who you were when Stephanie first started to mention you. I've never divulged anything to anyone and never would. I got concerned when the wife started referring to you as a thug so needed to do some asking around and then when Steph mentioned you disappearing into the wind, well that gave me an idea"
"Sir"
"Frank"
"Frank the work that I do is highly classified"
"I know, you're secret's safe with me but I don't want her to be a widow within the year"
That was always one of the biggest reasons I had never got involved in a relationship before, another being some of the men I went after. The threat from these enemies was slowly diminishing as they died or retired but that was the reason why I was paranoid over safety.
"My contract finishes soon, and I have every intention of coming home"
"Good answer"
If I was nervous before I think I was even more nervous now. That Frank Plum knew so much about me was concerning. I'd never run a search on Steph's family deciding they couldn't possibly have anything to hide. Maybe my curiosity had been piqued now.
"You want me to tell Ellen?"
"Not really, I think I'd rather that happen when Steph was here"
"I don't blame you. Do me a favor?"
"If I can"
"Elope or take her somewhere pretty, don't let her mother be allowed to take control. Steph would hate that"
"When the time comes, I'll take your advice"
"Good. I don't suppose she knows you're here?"
"No she doesn't"
"There's something else, keep that bastard Morelli away from her"
"You can count on that"
We shook hands and Frank walked with me back to my car. As I got in my car, he gave it a look over before giving me his departing comment. "Should drive an American car"
My next visit wasn't that far away, and I was aware of where the surveillance was. I didn't want to be seen by anybody so parked on a different street and made my way across gardens to the house I needed to be at. As I climbed the fence into the garden a large scruffy dog came up to greet me, his tail wagging as though greeting an old friend rather than an intruder. The back door was open, so I walked through and into the lounge. I'd been stood there a while before the man slouched on the couch noticed me.
"What the hell are you doing here Manoso?"
"To have a conversation with you Morelli"
"You want me to take her off your hands?"
"Not a chance Morelli, she's mine now and I expect you stay away from her"
"Why the hell should I, you're one to talk. All the poaching you've done"
"I've asked her to marry me and she said yes. I will not have you anywhere near my wife or upsetting her"
My wife, I was surprised I'd used that term, but hearing it out loud, I liked the sound of it. Obviously, Morelli didn't. His face showed his anger and his hands clenched into fists. Before he had a chance to move, I was holding him by his throat against the back of the couch.
"I only give one warning"
As I released him, he stayed laid back, his gaze never leaving my face. As I watched his face it was obvious he was trying to understand exactly what I was implying.
"Are you threatening me Manoso?"
"No, warning you. Stay away from Steph or things will get very ugly for you"
I'd delivered my message so now needed to leave, I'd been off the grid for too long as it was, and Tank would be getting anxious as to where I was and what I was up to. I left Morelli's house the same way as I entered it and made my way back to my car. Once back to the main road I made a call to Ella and then sent a message to Steph "I'll pick you up you at 7pm from apartment" Hopefully that was enough to get her interest and pique her curiosity. No doubt once she'd read it, I'd be inundated with questions. My next call was to a small restaurant between Trenton and Newark, where I went inside to talk with Nita. With promises from her and probably sighs from me we came to an understanding of what I expected from her. She was all too happy to help me and knew that whatever happened tonight was a secret she had to keep. I knew she would, I was letting her into a part of my life, and I could tell how pleased she was with that. Now five minutes from Rangeman I switched the tracker back online and waited for the inevitable call from Tank.
"Where you been?"
"Details Tank"
"Yeah well I don't like it when you disappear for hours"
"I had some personal business to see to"
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah. Any updates?"
"No, all quiet"
I finished the call as I drove into the garage, then spent the next few minutes reading the message Steph had sent me. I considered my response and then replied that everything she would need was up in the apartment. I decided a workout was needed first, for some reason the day I'd had so far had been more stressful than I thought it would have been.
By 18.58hrs I was stood in front of my apartment door trying to work out why I felt so nervous. I quietly opened the door, trying to work out where Steph would be. As I walked into the lounge I came to a stop. Steph looked absolutely beautiful. I scanned her body from the tip of her dark blue heeled shoes, up her bare legs and then the deep blue figure-hugging dress that followed her every curve to the top of her head where she'd skillfully piled her hair.
"You look beautiful Babe, you take my breath away"
I watched as she approached me and felt as she traced her finger from my cheek and across my jaw.
"You Mr Manoso look delicious in this suit, I love the color of the shirt and I love the man inside of it"
I felt myself respond to how close to me she was, the sound of her voice drove straight through me.
"Babe if we don't leave now all my plans will be ruined"
"Plans. Plans for me?"
"Yes"
I had to adjust my crotch as the way I was reacting to her was causing a hard erection. Hell, she still had no idea of the power she had over me. I held my arm for her to link hers through mine and led us to the elevator and then down to the garage. I was taking the Turbo tonight because I knew she loved it, plus it gave an air of intimacy that I wanted. I knew Ash and Zeph were shadowing us. Santos was still on monitor duty along with Ram whilst their injuries healed and Tank needed staff to maintain our normal schedule of patrols. The two men had returned to the other offices and Tank was on a well-deserved night off. Bobby was in charge in case of an emergency and he could always call on Santos for advice. It was quiet as we drove through the streets of Trenton. I had hold of Steph's hand across the console trying to focus on my surroundings without making her worry. As we pulled into the car park of the restaurant, I felt her looking over at me.
"Is this where we came before?"
"Yes, but it's totally different at night"
"Okay, it's your sister's, Nita, right?"
"Yes. You ready to go in?"
"Yeah, I feel stupid for that day and how I behaved"
"No, you were anxious and I didn't help"
I got out of the car and handed my keys to the valet then walked around to help Steph out. I'd seen the Rangeman SUV pull into the car park so knew they'd keep an eye on the car. Once inside, Steph stopped and looked around, similar to how she had when I first brought her here. This time I kissed the back of her neck to bring her attention back. Nita greeted us warmly, kissing my cheek and hugging Steph to her.
"It's so nice to see you back here again. Follow me, I have a special table just for you"
Nita had certainly outdone herself. Using plants and lights she'd cordoned off a corner of the garden next to a small fountain. The table and surrounding surfaces were covered in candles, highlighting the colors from the flowers. I pulled a chair out for Steph and sat on the seat next to her. I appreciated where Nita had seated us, I had a view of the garden from where I was and that helped to relax me. As agreed, when I met with Nita there was a bottle of red wine set out on the table ready to pour out.
"It's beautiful here, so totally different to during the day"
"She has a good business head on her and our parents agree she's made a success of it"
"They didn't think she would?"
"No, they wanted her to follow a more conventional career choice. In the end once she'd talked through her business plans, they supported her"
"That must have helped her, having that support"
I could hear some melancholy to her voice and knew she was referring to her parents.
"Babe I'm sure your parents support you more than you think"
I was thinking back to the conversation I'd had with her father but couldn't let her know just how much she had the support of her father.
"Maybe you're right. A message this morning from my Mum was unusual, she just said she was glad I was okay"
Good, because I'd contacted her father after the incident with Morelli to let them know that Steph was unhurt and safe at home. Not that I'd let on where home was. Obviously, her father had spoken to her mother, maybe he was showing his true colors at last. Nita brought out a selection of appetizers, probably because I'd said Steph would love anything she presented. As I forked a sample into her mouth, I explained what they were.
"Bolitas de Platanos. Ripe, sweet plantains mashed into a masa then shaped into balls, stuffed with savory beef and lightly fried. Pasta de Queso Crema, Cream Cheese & Olive. Pasta de Jamon, Ham. Pasta de Pollo y Esparragos, Chicken & Asparagus. Camarones al Ajillo, Garlic Shrimp. Camarones y Fruta Bomba ala Parilla, Jumbo shrimp and sweet papaya then marinated in mojo, and grilled on a skewer with a dipping sauce. Chorizo Bites. Skewers of roasted, guava glazed chorizo (spicy Spanish sausage) with guava mustard"
With every mouthful she took I could hear her sounding her delight at the flavors and it was killing me. No way was I going to last if I repeated the same for the main course. I was hard as nails against my zipper and moved slightly to ease the friction.
"Are all Cuban recipes this delicious?"
"Mainly, we tend to use a lot of spices and prefer quality over quantity"
"Maybe Ella could show me how to make some"
"I'm sure she'd love to, but she'd be just as happy making them for you"
"Yeah, that might be a better idea"
We were interrupted as the plates were cleared away, so I took that as an opportunity to pull Steph to her feet and move inside to the dance floor. There were a few other couples already there but to be honest once she was in my arms, I forgot all about them. As we moved to a slow beat, I pulled her body to mine, relishing in the feel of her against me. Her body fit against me perfectly and as we took a step, I moved my thigh between her legs. Steph wasn't slow to react, our hips grinding against each other and her mouth lightly kissing down the side of my neck.
"Babe, if we carry on like this, I might just have to find an empty room or even a table"
"Yeah, I feel just the same"
I moved back from her and with her in front of me guided her back to the table. As soon as we were sat down plates arrived for the main course.
"We've got Arroz con Pollo, chicken thighs. Picadillo which is beef with potatoes, raisins and olives. Then Lechon Asado which is marinated roasted pork. You can have rice or salad with any of them"
I watched as she took some of the salad and a small spoonful of each dish. This time when she ate, she was quiet, I was surprised I would have thought she would love the tastes they had.
"Babe, don't you like them?"
"I absolutely love them, but I don't want you any more worked up than you already are, so I'm being quiet"
"I love to hear the sounds you make, but maybe you're right, keep them for later when you're underneath me and I can taste you"
"Carlos you talking dirty is turning me on"
"Good, you'll be so ready for me when we get home"
I saw the blush spread across her face as she realized what she'd said, hell her innocence amazed me when I knew she could be a wildcat in bed. As soon as the plates were cleared again, I knew my time was here. I had a ring in my pocket that I'd retrieved from the safe in my office. Why I bought it I could never really figure out, I always said it was something to think about later. Well later was here, so I went down on one knee in front of her and held her face in my hands. The look she gave me was so beautiful, part surprise and part understanding at what I was doing.
"Babe, you are the center of my world. I never understood how love felt, how much I needed you near. Marry me, be my wife, my universe"
I watched as tears came to her eyes and a bright smile lit up her face. At first she just nodded her head and then she began to speak.
"I love you Carlos, you mean the world to me, you give me a reason to breathe, my air, my light, my life. Yes, I would love to marry you"
I slipped the ring onto her finger and keeping hold of her face kissed her deeply. It was a kiss filled with promises and love, a kiss so special, one that I thought I would never forget.
"How about we get out of here and celebrate back home?"
"Definitely"
I slipped a shawl over her shoulders as she stood and then with my arm around her waist we headed to the front of the restaurant. I saw Nita as we passed the main entrance, her smile so encouraging. We stepped down the steps toward the car that was waiting and that was when all hell broke loose.
A large Hummer rammed into the Porsche, pushing it out of the way, doors opened, and two men sprang out. My gun was already in my hand as one came closer. I had Steph behind me and thought stupidly that a gun in someone's face would stop them. It didn't, so I fired into his chest, only to see him step back with the force of the bullet hitting him. The sound of a second shot took me by surprise, the pain in my shoulder causing me to drop the gun. I heard the skidding of cars braking hard and voices as I felt something hard hit my head. As I began to fall, I was reaching for Steph, but she wasn't there and then all that I saw was the blackness as it took over.
