Chapter 5

I was feeling a bit overwhelmed. First I was surrounded by a herd of attractive, muscular and sexily hot ex-military men. Followed by meeting 3 more platonic soulmates in quick succession. Now Ranger is about to tell me something which will inevitably affect my life. Not to mention how hungry I am. My stomach rumbled again. Bobby used his phone to send a text.

Ranger lifted my chin to look into my eyes. "I have many enemies. At any time, one of them could learn about you and use you to get to me. I need you to be safe," he explained. "It would kill me if anything ever happened to you." He leaned over to capture my bottom lip between his teeth. I was barely keeping my Hungarian hormones in check. My hormones quickly took over the kiss. It was a few minutes later when we heard the other men clearing their throats.

"Ranger, let the Little girl breathe," Tank ground out. My face turned beet red when I felt Ranger's hands on my breasts and my shirt had mysteriously disappeared.

Crap! I forgot the guys were still in the room. Looking over my shoulder, I noticed they had their backs facing us. I guess they didn't want to face the wrath of Ranger catching them watching us.

"Are you changing SOP?" Lester asked. Ranger quickly pulled my shirt back over my head as someone knocked on the door.

"Yes," he answered. What's with the one word response and what does SOP mean? I wondered. Bobby opened the door to grab the item being passed through the opening.

He answered, "SOP means standard operating procedure." Bobby gently led me to the chocolate brown couch along the side wall. When I took a seat, he passed me the bag containing a chicken salad sandwich.

"Since you're Ranger's romantic soulmate and our platonic, we must protect you at all costs," Tank added. He shifted as I ate my sandwich, moaning with every bite.

"I would like you to work at Rangeman," Ranger said once I finished eating. "You will receive all the training you require and a partner to assist."

I wasn't sure if I wanted to work around all these gorgeous, sexy men. However, training for capturing skips was appealing... as long as I didn't have to run a 3 minute mile.

"You don't have to run," Bobby said. "I can create an exercise program you'll be comfortable with. We can discuss this later."

"I can teach you how to pick locks," Lester volunteered.

"Do you have a college degree?" Tank asked. I had a strong suspicion he already knew about my MBA. He confirmed my suspicion when he glanced at Ranger.

"I'm 99 percent positive you already know the answer. I have a masters degree in business administration. Why do you want to know?" My curiosity always gets the best of me.

"We could use help with paperwork like payroll, scheduling and accounts receivable. Some of our clients are afraid of us, so we could use you for a gentler, more feminine touch," Tank replied.

It was certainly worth considering, but I really didn't want to get stuck behind a desk all day. The possibility of having full time employment was definitely appealing and nobody else was hiring. "We aren't going to chain you to a desk. I know you need the chance to fly. If you give us a chance, we could come up with an arrangement beneficial for all of us," Lester said.

"Babe. Please." Ranger just had to use the one word to guarantee my cooperation. "Providing intel to the enemy, Babe."

I rolled my eyes before saying, "Okay. If it's that important to you, I'll work here, Ranger." Watching his expression relax was worth agreeing.

Tank pulled out his phone to send a text. I heard Bobby and Lester's cellphones chime. "Conference room 4 in 10 minutes," Tank said after correctly reading my confusion expression. His words didn't assuage my confusion.

Lester, Bobby and Tank left the room to give us some privacy. "We're making a company wide announcement. Our SOP will now include protecting you at all costs. Anyone who hurts or disrespects you will face time on the mats with me or Tank."

"I don't want you guys fighting my battles. You'll be surprised how much I can take care of myself."

"Babe." I took this to mean, 'I know you can, but you shouldn't have to defend yourself from my men.'

He placed his hand on my lower back, guiding me to the second floor conference room. When we entered the room, Ranger looked around before asking, "Report." The room was filled with black combat clothed men. Nearly twice the number I saw on the fifth floor earlier.

"Manny and Ram were dispatched to the warehouse district. We can update them upon their return," Tank stated.

"Tabitha's Jewelry owner appears to be too intimidated by our men. She asked if our company employed women," Lester announced. "Binkie and I weren't able to make her feel comfortable." I noticed a man sit up straighter in his chair. He had a very young, boyish looking face.

With Lester's flirtatious personality and Binkie's youthful looks, I couldn't understand why she'd be so intimidated. Sure, they're all gorgeous and muscular, but after a few minutes in this room, I don't find any of them intimidating or threatening.

"Our clients know we are ex-military. The women in particular are afraid of us. We've done so many bad things for our government. Most people here think we're thugs or criminals," Bobby explained.

"That's ridiculous!" I exclaimed. "As I look around this room, I see wonderful, brave men who fought valiantly to maintain our freedom. You all have put your life on the line so we could enjoy the comforts our country provides. Thank you for keeping America safe and free."

Some of the men gasped, others smiled or had their mouth drop open. Apparently they've never had someone stand up for them before.

"I have never heard anyone defend us so intensely," a man named Junior said. The other men nodded their heads.

"Men!" Ranger demanded. It was easy to see him as their commanding officer. He easily got his men back on track. "Vince." I guess he was the next man to report.

"We have a few outstanding skips we're having difficulty tracking. Nobody in the Burg will cooperate," Vince announced.

Before he could continue, I asked, "I might know him. What's his name?"

"Dougie Kruper," he answered.

I started laughing. "The dealer?" He nodded. "Have you checked with his friend Mooner?"

"I don't have any known affiliates listed in his file. Who is Mooner?"

"Walter Dunphy. He's best friends with Dougie. If you can't find him at home, check with Mooner. They're probably binge watching Star Trek or I Dream of Jeannie. Mooner has a larger TV than Dougie. Do you need me to help? I could probably talk them into cooperating without drawing weapons or using excessive force." I failed to mention we've been friends since grade 1.

"Sure. If you know them, I could use your help," he agreed. I saw Ranger nod in approval.

"Junior," Ranger barked.

"We have 3 new installations scheduled for later this week. Hector and I will need an extra team to assist." Ranger raised an eyebrow. "I have 2 clients scheduled for the same day and time. Neither of them had alternate openings available. Hector and I will handle the larger installation."

"Woody and Manny will assist. Bobby."

"Annual evaluations begin next week. I have a schedule available to assess the men between their shifts. Physical fitness tests are scheduled for next Saturday. Expect an email outlining the schedule." Ranger nodded before checking his watch.

He looked at Tank before deciding to take his turn. I got the impression Ranger was usually the last to speak. It must be important for him to speak his thoughts first. "Men, this is Stephanie Plum. We're romantic soulmates. Lester, Bobby and Tank are her platonic. SOP will now include protecting Stephanie at all cost. She is currently working as a BEA for her cousin Vinnie at Vincent Plum Bail Bonds. A few minutes ago, she agreed to give Rangeman a try."

The men instantly cheered. They just met me and they're already excited to have me work with them. Ranger raised his hand to silence the men. "Ram and Zip will provide weapons training. Woody, evasive driving and tracking a tail. Lester and Zero, lock picking and self defence. Cal and Hal, forensic collection and processing. Binkie will assist with client relations. Junior will teach installation. Hector and Manny will teach hacking. Silvio and Rodriguez will teach searches. Tank and I will teach her the business side of Rangeman. Each of you are required to work around Stephanie's schedule. She currently has an FTA to find. I expect you to assist."

I heard the conference door open. An attractive 6' tall man with dark brown hair and hazel eyes entered the conference room carrying a briefcase. He fit the typical Rangeman build, but with the attitude of a lawyer. "Babe, Henry Sanderson. He's a lawyer for Rangeman."

"Nice to meet you Mr Sanderson. I'm Stephanie Plum. I prefer to be called Steph."

"Please call me Henry," he said as he shook my hand. After our brief introduction, he moved to the small table at the front of the room to remove papers from his briefcase.

"Tank," Ranger barked.

"Stephanie, since you agreed to work at Rangeman, we need you to sign some documents. The forms are an NDA, permit to carry concealed, gun permit application..." I could tell Tank was still talking, but I was unable to hear what he was saying. Too many people were watching my reactions. I felt as though I was being put on display.

My chair shifted back as Ranger kneeled in front of me. "Babe. Are you alright?"

"I think so. This is all so overwhelming. I need a few minutes to breathe," I whispered. Tank quickly dismissed everyone except the core team.

A short, slim older woman entered the room with a covered plate. She carefully set it on the table in front of me. "I'm Ella, the cook and housekeeper at Rangeman. Carlos and Lester are my nephews. Eat this mi hija, it will make you feel better." She uncovered a mini decadent chocolate cake.

I picked up the fork to take a bite. She was completely right, it did make me feel better. The men shifted uncomfortably in their seats. Ella laughed. "It's a pleasure to know you appreciate my cooking."

"This is absolutely amazing. Thank you Ella. Will you adopt me?" I joked.

"You're already family, mi hija," she said as she patted my cheek. I took another bite as Ella left the room.

After eating my cake, I read through the documents in front of me. "I can still work for Vinnie? Wouldn't that be a conflict of interest?"

"Babe."

"Okay, so that's a 'no' from the 'I only say one word' man," I joked. Tank, Bobby and Lester chuckled, clearly enjoying my banter. "What if I don't want to live at Rangeman?" I asked, not willing to move from my apartment. I still had another year and a half on my 2 year lease.

"Living here would have its perks, but you don't have to give up your apartment. However, your locks are flimsy. Even a 12 year old could pick them. If you insist on living in your apartment, you need to have a Rangman security system installed."

"Do you have other staff living off site?"

"Yes. We all have an on-site apartment in case we work a late shift. All our off site homes has a Rangeman security system. The core team carry trackers," Lester announced as he pointed to his watch.

"Okay. I guess you can install a security system at my apartment. It says here that I need to always have a partner? I'll even carry a tracker."

"None of my Rangeman staff enter the field without a partner or proper training. It's mandatory to have someone watching your back," Ranger answered. I bet they don't have a partner when they're in the field.

"We do have partners," Tank stated. "Ranger and I are partners. Lester and Bobby are partners. If any one of us are unavailable, we partner with Cal, Ram, Woody or Hal."

I initialed the paragraph, indicating I agree to the terms. After reading the contract, I reluctantly signed. There was a stipulation permitting me to use Rangeman resources to capture Morelli.

"You're agreeing to everything?" Bobby asked. I knew he was referring to the expected range and gym times.

"Yes. I have some training, but I know it would take a lot more for me to do my job effectively. You guys are too important for me to act carelessly."

"Proud of you Babe," Ranger said as he pulled me into his arms. Tank passed another set of documents to sign. I read through them and realized there was an application for the government.

"Uh... guys? Why am I applying for high level military security clearance?"

Lester smiled, "Beautiful, Rangeman has contracts with the FBI, DEA, ICE and other agencies. Since you aren't already military, you need to apply for clearance. If you're as intuitive as you appear, we could really use your skills." I barely registered Bobby sending a text to someone.

My spidey sense was humming. I knew it was imperative for me to sign the document and agree to their rigorous, invasive background checks. Huh, I wonder what background information could be dug up about my life.

A short Latino man with a teardrop tattoo entered the room with a laptop. Seriously? It's as though these men have a direct link to my brain and could hear my innermost thoughts.