Apparently, I wasn't done tormenting Morelli. All familiar characters belong to Janet. Mistakes are mine.

Chapter 2

"Hey, Boss," Vince said in my ear. "Morelli's callin' wanting to talk to you. Should I patch him through?"

"Yes."

"You sure? Hector swears he came up with a way of shooting an explosive through any line to take out an unfriendly on the other end. I don't think he's jokin'. I can go ask him about it."

Hector isn't kidding, but that isn't information I want out yet.

"I can handle the cop," I assured Vince.

"No doubt. I'm transferring the asshole now. Give him hell for me too … for Steph."

"What can I do for you, Officer Morelli?" I asked, as soon as I heard an angry intake of air coming from his end.

I also caught Stephanie pausing while getting two Coronas out of the fridge for us. I'm technically off duty and can enjoy one, but I know I'll only take a sip or two and leave the rest for her to finish.

"Call them off," was said by Morelli, which sounded unwisely like an order.

"Call who off?"

If he wants to be an arrogant fucker, I can match it anytime.

"Tweedle Deserves To Be In Prison and Tweedle Dumbass."

"Careful, Detective. My phone has ears. I've seen Hector and Cal in action, in and out of the gym, and I guarantee you DO NOT want them to hear you refer to either as that."

"I don't give a fuck what they hear …"

"I guess we'll see about that tonight when you 'accidentally' bump into them again."

"I'm warning you now … "

"That's about your fourth mistake in less than twenty-four hours," I reminded him. "It'll be detrimental to your health if you continue to make more."

"Cut the shit. I know you're paying your goons to stalk me …"

"Looks like the state of New Jersey is shelling out money for a detective who couldn't identify a fact if one punched him in the face. I'm not paying Hector or Cal. They're Stephanie's friends who offered their services to protect her and her sister. Let's see if your paycheck is being totally wasted or not, can you guess who they need protection from?"

I pushed my chair back from the kitchen table when Steph appeared to be getting closer so she could overhear something. Instead of her leaning in, I tugged her onto my lap and tipped my ear against hers so she could get the gist of the tantrum being thrown a few miles away.

"I was only talking to Valerie. Cupcake was the one who went psycho and started making a scene. Must suck to know I still affect 'your girlfriend' to that extent. We both know what that means …"

I let Steph take my cell before the top of her head shot off in her attempt to control her rage.

"You're wrong again, Asshole," she told him. "The two people who understand why I was so pissed off are me and Ranger. There is NO thin line between love and hate between me and you. I promise it's all hate when it comes to you, and I have nothing but love for Ranger. Since you obviously haven't learned a lesson, or regenerated a brain cell that can help save your ass, you're gonna see a lot more of my Rangeguys. Oh and Val knows you were just screwing with her, since Cal came back to Rangeman last night and mentioned a date he scored with a waitress he saved from you about an hour after you were flirting with my sister. Cal says 'thanks for being such a dick' by the way. Probably only you would be surprised to learn just how many women find big, tattooed guys extremely cuddly."

She gave me back my phone and then she skimmed her lips along my neck while I was still trying to stay focused.

"You all are bat shit crazy," Morelli said, in a pathetic attempt to hurt a woman who isn't even listening to him anymore.

"You'd do well to remember that, Detective," I told him. "Stephanie, her family, and my men, are under my protection."

"You're forgetting who I work for …"

"And you're forgetting that I have connections you can only dream about," I warned.

I had to pause and regroup because Stephanie was untucking my T-shirt from the waistband of my cargo pants. She slid her fingertips underneath and started a leisurely journey up the muscles of my torso. If I didn't know she wants to enjoy me in an attempt to diffuse her anger and pretend for a while that people like him don't exist, I'd be concerned that telling Morelli to go to hell acts as an aphrodisiac for her.

"Do you want me to stop?" She teased.

"No," I told her, never meaning something more.

"What the fuck are you two doing?" Was said into my ear.

"That's none of your business or your concern," I informed him. "I suggest you forget all about Stephanie and everyone she cares about."

I could feel his attitude pelting the distance between the Burg and my building. "Or what?"

"First, Hector will carve his 'family crest' in more than just the driver's side door of your 4X4, and he'll continue fucking with the locks on your home just for fun so you can't get into it. My money's on you being locked out again tonight. Then Cal will really turn on the charm and cockblock every conquest attempt you make. As Steph mentioned, women do appear to love good men with protective streaks that match their size. And I'll start dismantling your career."

"You're as delusional as Cupcake is …"

"Call her that one more time and you'll have to resort to spelling the word out with the teeth I knock out of your mouth. We're done," I told him and disconnected.

Steph raised her head from where she'd been pressing kisses in a path from my jaw down to the collar of my Rangeman shirt.

"You're not saying 'we're done' in reference to what I was just getting started, were you?"

"Believe me when I say I'll never put a stop to you loving me in any form, Babe. I just need to make a call before you have me forgetting everything I'm doing when it doesn't involve you being naked."

She took her hands off my body and raised them up in surrender. "Go on. I promise I'll behave."

I took her hands and put them back where they were on my chest. And then I cupped one of mine along the back of her head to pull her to me for a kiss.

"I want a lot for you, Steph, but to behave will never be on the list."

"Good. Do I have to leave for you to make your call?"

"No. It'll only take a minute."

I hit a button on my cell and waited for the Chief of Police to pick up. When he did … I didn't waste any words after he said a polite 'Hello' and asked what he'd done to earn the honor of a personal call.

"I want Morelli on an undercover job out of town for as long as it's possible to keep him away from Trenton. A transfer to another precinct on the other end of the state would be even better, if not an outright discharge from the force. I'll have the Mayor add his backing if you need more weight behind this decision. I expect to see Officer Morelli packed up and gone by the morning."

I disconnected and tossed my phone onto the table. I met Steph's eyes and sucked in a breath at what I saw burning in deep blue depths of them.

"I love you so ... frickin' ... much ... right now!" She told me, in-between smacking kisses to my mouth.

I linked my hands behind my head in a deceptively-casual pose, and allowed her to see the same level of hunger in my eyes. "Go ahead and prove it if you'd like."