Just gonna leave this right here...
Chapter 22
Steph POV:Carlos and I stepped off the plane in Miami with a sense of dread. We grabbed our bags as quick as we could and made our way to the long-term parking. I pulled out of the lot as Carlos called Tank, getting an update on which hospital she was at.
Twenty minutes later we pulled into the parking lot. We walked inside, and Tank met us. "She's in labor and delivery. There's a lot you two don't know yet."
"What the hell happened Tank?" Carlos asked. I squeezed his hand and he squeezed it back.
"Right after you two left, we spotted Rachel and Jeanne Ellen hanging around outside your building. Rachel has been showing up at the office saying she needed to talk to you and that you weren't returning her calls. Jeanne Ellen started showing up at the office, harassing the men," Tank said as we rode the elevator up.
"And?" I asked. When we stepped off, we were greeted by Les and Bobby, who fell in step with us.
"We followed Rachel. She's been clubbing, drinking, and taking men home with her. She's maxing out the card you gave her; she's been buying herself luxury clothing and shoes, just about new everything. She's got a regular boy-toy and she's been gifting him a lot of presents lately," Les said.
"She found out we had been following her; she came to Rangeman today and threw a fit. When we wouldn't allow her in the building she stormed off in a huff and well, here we are," Bobby said. He was the medic, and Carlos turned to him.
"How is the baby?"
"The main concern is her lungs," he said. "If she's born this early, they'll put her in the NICU. Right now, though we're waiting. As long as labor doesn't progress any further, they'll let her go home and be on bed rest."
Carlos went to go in the room, and Tank put a hand on his arm. "Before you go in there, you need to see this." He motioned for Les to hand him the file he was holding.
"Look at this before you go inside."
Carlos and I found a secluded spot of the waiting room and opened the file. The first couple of pages were statements and charges for the card Carlos gave Rachel. Hundreds and thousands of dollars on clothes, accessories and jewelry, and a new motorcycle no doubt for the boyfriend.
The next were pictures. Pictures of her slamming shots and drinks at the bar. A statement from the bartender saying it was alcohol in the mixed drinks that were also pictured. I rubbed the back of Carlos's hand as he let out a breath.
"Let's go hear her excuse for this," he said coldly. I nodded, standing with him. I tucked the file under my arm as we walked into the room.
She glared at us. "This is all your fault," she told Carlos.
"How is this my fault, Rachel?"
"You left me! You ignored me! I'm carrying your child for god's sake!" she yelled at him. "You abandoned us!"
"I went on my honeymoon with my wife. I didn't abandon anybody. You knew I wouldn't be in contact with anybody unless it was an emergency. If there had been one, I would have been contacted. You knew you could go through Rangeman if you needed to, but you abused that," Carlos growled. His hand had found the railing of the bed; his knuckles turned white as he squeezed.
"This is all your fault! I wouldn't be preterm labor if you hadn't have left me."
"Are you sure it wasn't the drinking?" I asked, stepping next to the bed. I thumbed through the file and handed her one of the pictures.
"You had me followed?" she screeched.
"Only after the men found you at a bar drinking at seven months pregnant." Carlos growled.
I glanced back at him; he was still in somewhat control. I returned my attention to Rachel. "Along with the charges to the card you were given. These things aren't for the baby. This is against violates the contract you signed."
"Fuck you, bitch! You're the only reason he's not with me!" she growled yelled. The heart rate monitor sped up. I stepped forward to look down at her.
"Calm down," I growled. "You're going to hurt the baby. We will get this sorted."
A nurse stepped in and sent us out. Carlos grabbed my hand, dragging me with him as he slammed the file into Les's chest. He drug me down a darker hallway. Looking around, he led me into a dark room.
"I need you," he said against my neck. "I can't be gentle."
"I don't want you to be," I said, finding his mouth.
He growled. I pulled my pants off, stepping out of them as I kicked off my shoes. My hands found his belt buckle, fighting with it to open it.
He lifted me up, wrapping my legs around his waist. His fingers found my clit, strumming it, making sure I was ready. I didn't need much help.
He thrust into me, hard and fast. Locking my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck, I thrust down on him as he thrust up into me. His fingers dug into my hips, holding me steady as he fucked me. My back arched as I exploded into my orgasm, Carlos following me seconds later.
His breath was ragged, fanning against my neck. I kissed the side of his face. Nuzzling behind his ear, I stroked his hair. He sighed, pulling away from my neck to find my mouth. This kiss was slower, possessive, but still but calmer.
"I'm sorry," he said, pulling back.
"I'm not," I told him. He raised an eyebrow.
"That got rid of pent-up stress from the both of us. If that's what you needed from me, I'm more than happy to provide it. Now let's get what we can, straight." I told him, kissed him softly. He slowly let me ease to the ground, and damn was I sore. Carlos grabbed me some tissues to clean up with from the bathroom. He let me pull my pants on before pulling me to him.
"I'm sorry I hurt you," he whispered against my forehead.
"Hey," I said grabbing his face, making him look at me. "A little bit of pain make it feel even better."
He shook his head with a small smile. He kissed me softly before leading me out of the room and back across the floor where the guys were waiting.
"What do you want to do Rangeman?" Tank asked.
"What else happened?"
"Jeanne Ellen was spotted hanging outside of Steph's building along with Rachel. We don't know if she managed to get inside. She was showing up at Rangeman trying to get to you. She followed Les a few days ago and pinned him in an alley, trying to get info out of him."
"And how'd that go?" I asked, smiling at Les.
"I'd love to tap that but she's psychotic as hell. She's already stalking Ric; I don't need that," he chuckled. I rolled my eyes and Carlos shoved him.
"I still don't know what possessed you to touch her." Bobby shook his head with a grin.
"She was infatuated with me, and I was drunk." Carlos shrugged. "Errors of youth."
I rolled my eyes and Carlos kissed my temple with a smile. "At least I can do one thing right, and that was getting this woman right here."
I shook my head. "All jokes aside, we know she's planning something. What is she planning, though?"
"I'm not," she said from behind Carlos and me. His arm tightened around me. I turned to glare at her, looking her up and down. She was dressed in head-to-toe black leather.
"I didn't think we invited Cat Woman to the conversation." I smirked.
"Don't get pissy because I look good in leather."
"Oh shit, cat fight!" Les said from behind us. There was a thwap as he was smacked upside the head. "Damnit Tank, did you have to do it so hard?" he grumbled.
"What're you doing here?" Carlos asked.
"Coming to see if it was true. You really did marry her," she said to him before turning to me. "We'll have to sit down and talk. Whatever got him to chain himself to you must be dirty. If his tastes have changed, you'll have to let me know once he's in my bed again." (doesn't really make sense.)
I lunged for her. Carlos caught me around the middle before my fist could make impact. I struggled against him; I was going to kill her. Didn't matter how much prison time I got; it would be worth it.
I watched as Les and Bobby pushed her down the hall as she taunted me. "Got some freaky fetish?" she asked. "Does he let the others join in? So, he can watch you get fucked by other men? If I remember right, he loves that."
"Babe! Steph! Calm down," Carlos said in my ear as I almost got out of his grasp again. Tank held my arms pinned.
"Damnit, you're a real firecracker." Tank swore as he got kicked in the knee.
"Steph, querida, amore, amante. I need you to calm down. She's gone. I'm not going anywhere. We'll take care of her later."
"I'm going to kill her," I growled as I began to settle. Carlos kissed me under the ear.
"Okay," he said.
Tank stepped away once he knew I wasn't going to chase her ass down the hallway.
I shook my head. "Let's get Hector to search the penthouse for bugs and cameras," I said.
Tank nodded. Carlos squeezed my hand.
"I'm going to call the lawyer when we get home. Let's go check on Rachel," he said. I followed him into her room.
"Are you the father of the child?" The doctor asked.
Carlos nodded.
"She's going to be on bed rest for the rest of her pregnancy. We don't want her to have the baby before 37 weeks, but we're prepared if she does. Is she living with you?"
"No, my wife and I are close enough however to respond if she needs anything."
He noticed me for the first time. I could clearly see the questions crossing over his face.
"Bed rest, doctor?" Rachel asked.
"No strenuous activity," he said.
"Strenuous like what?"
"Exercising, sex, really anything that is going to require a lot of strength or movement."
"What would your opinion be on hiring a nurse?" Carlos asked the doctor casually. I saw a flicker of amusement flutter through his eyes.
"I think it would be a good idea to have a live-in nurse if she doesn't have somebody that will be there on a regular basis."
Ahh. Carlos was trying to get her to admit what we already knew. He wanted to know if the boy toy was living with her.
"I don't need a nurse," Rachel pouted.
"On the contrary," the Doctor said, clueless to what was being planned. "It's a wonderful idea. There are a few I would recommend."
"I would like a list," Carlos told him with a smile. The doctor made his excuses and left to finish his rounds, promising to get the list.
"You're such an asshole," Rachel growled at Carlos.
"I'm doing what's best for the baby, unlike you," he growled back, standing. I followed him out of the room. He ran his hand through his hair.
"Let's go home," he said, taking my hand.
"We can't until Hector clears it."
He growled. "I just need somewhere I can be with you alone." He said.
"Ask Tank how soon Hector will be finished," I told him, rubbing my finger over the back of his hand. He sighed and pulled out his phone. since The guys had left, taking care of what needed to be done at Rangeman.
After a quick conversation, Carlos hung up. "He said another thirty minutes."
I nodded and brushed my lips over his knuckles. "In the meantime, we can go pick Mag up from Alex. He's staying with Rick."
Carlos nodded. "Let's go pick him up."