Disclaimer: Anything recognizable belongs to Janet Evanovich, and the rest is mine. I'm grateful she lets us play.

Warning: Dark fic. Adult language, adult content, violence, smut. This is written for mature audiences only.

Chapter 14

Hector's POV

I sweep Estefania's car for trackers and remove one before driving out of the garage. Fucking Tank doesn't know when to quit. I use my Bluetooth to voice dial Jose as I drive to Mi Angelita's apartment to pack her bag and inspect for mold.

"Hector," Jose answers on the second ring. "Is everything okay?" I never call during working hours, and I phone two times in a day even less frequently.

When Ranger escorted Estefania to Bobby's office this morning, I was relieved she agreed to be examined. She never complains about pain, and I knew that knee must be hurting more than a simple cut. Further, I can see she's starting to take down some of her walls. I don't like Bobby, but I don't dislike him either. When he pulls his head out of his ass, he can even be a decent human being. I'm hoping the two of them can get mi Angelita to agree to therapy. I wish I had been able to convince her, but she was too entrenched in her heartache to listen to me.

I kicked Lester out shortly after and locked the door behind him before calling Jose for the first time today. "Estefania pushed her panic button last night," I said after Jose answered. He patiently waited for me to continue. "She's alright physically, but I think she's starting to crack. She talked to Ranger and I about what happened after Farro," I said heavily. Jose is the only person I don't disguise how I feel around.

"Hector," he says seriously. "How are you doing?"

"Alright. It brought me back to mi Hermana," I start, trailing off. "I think Estefania might agree to help."

"That's good," Jose says quietly. "Keep the faith, Hector. Stephanie isn't Rosalina, and history doesn't always repeat itself." Jose gave voice to my deepest fear, and his assurance helped center me.

"Ranger is forcing Tank out of the company today. He offered to make me a member of the Core Team, but I have to purchase a portion of Tank's shares," I stated.

"Wow, that's amazing," Jose enthusiastically replied.

"I'm going to use the money from my auxiliary fund, but I wanted to speak with you first," I responded. I have saved a large amount of money from dealing with the gangs before working at Rangeman. Not all of it was obtained legally, and I've struggled with what to do with the funds. Giving it back to a company that works to keep the streets safer is a good solution to my ethical dilemma.

"Thank you for including me," Jose responded. "You didn't have to. I think that's a great idea, and congratulations, Hector. I love you," he said.

"I love you, too," I replied quietly before hanging up and making arrangements with my bank. As the day went on, I started to become concerned when Estefania didn't return to my office. I began walking to building for a sign of her, running into Lester on my way, and we made our way to Medical together. A rock settled into the bottom of my stomach that hasn't dislodged since I saw mi Angelita laying on the bed.

I keep my eyes on the road as I speed towards Estefania's apartment and listen to Jose's breathing. "Hector?" he repeats with concern.

"Estefania was taken forcibly last night, and she fell, cutting her knee before pushing the panic button. She was so emotional afterward that while we cleaned the wound, it took second place to her mental health. She had it looked at by Bobby early afternoon, but by that time, an infection had spread. She's sedated and possibly septic, Jose, in addition to having pneumonia," I state, barely keeping my emotions in check as I barrel down the road.

"Oh my God," Jose replies under his breath. "Is she at a hospital?"

"No, Bobby is equipped to monitor her, but they'll transport her to Princeton if she gets worse," I reply automatically.

"That's good news, isn't it? I mean, from what you've told me, Ranger is very overprotective of Stephanie. If he thought she needed to be in the hospital, he would send her, so they must think she'll be able to pull through," Jose responds with a subtle tone of encouragement.

"I'm on my way to her apartment," I say, changing the subject. "I'm supposed to pack a bag and check for mold. Bobby thinks there's a chance something else is affecting her."

"Does she still have that cough you were concerned about?" Jose questions.

Mi Angelita has nursed that cough for at least two months. I badgered her into getting it looked at, and she eventually went to the clinic a month ago. It got a little better, but not by much, and she refused to go back in for follow-up care.

"Yes," I reply curtly before sighing. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to take it out on you," I say contritely, struggling to keep myself in check.

"It's okay," Jose responds gently. "Remember that while you've been an incredible friend to Stephanie, she is the only one responsible for the choices she makes. You have shown your character by being there for her, encouraging her, and helping her as best as you can. No matter what happens, it isn't your fault, just like Rosalina wasn't your fault," he reminds me.

"I know, it's just, damn it, Jose," I spit out angrily. "She can't die!" I grip the steering while tightly while turning into mi Angelita's driveway and shutting off the engine.

"Keep the faith, Hector. I love you, and I'm here for you," Jose says sincerely.

I keep Jose on the line as I enter Estefania's apartment and begin packing and inspecting. I decide that I agree with Jose, and I'm grateful again for our relationship. From the beginning, Jose patiently waited for me to open up and share my story with him, and he's never judged me. He's included me with his friends and work, and he never pressed me to reciprocate. Jose understands that I am never ashamed of him or our relationship, but that I've kept the different parts of my life separate as a means of survival. Right now, I can feel that I'm losing grip on my emotions, and I won't be able to hold it together if mi Angelita dies.

"Will you stay with me at Rangeman tonight?" I ask several minutes later, and I hear Jose's breath hitch in surprise.

"Yes, absolutely. When and where?" Jose eventually puts together. I almost smile imagining his face at my request.

"I'll text the address. 7 pm. Let me know when you arrive, and I'll open the garage and escort you through the building. I need to go," I state, pulling the fridge back and curling up my nose at the smell that hits me. "Thank you. I love you, too," I finish before hanging up.

Estefania's living condition is worse than I thought. The mold creeps up from the corner and spreads along the baseboard across the entire wall. I inspect the back of the fridge, and I discover a small leak in the waterline for the ice maker. It's also on the inside of the rear of the cabinets, but because it's so dim in here, no one noticed.

I return quickly to Rangeman and deliver my report to Bobby and a woman named Alex. I narrow my eyes at her as I listen to Ranger, Bobby, and she discusses my findings. Alex seems competent, but she won't be left alone with Estefania. Everyone concludes Estefania must move from her apartment to promote her physical health, but if that isn't handled well, I'm worried it will come at the cost of her mental health. I shift my attention to Ranger when he addresses me.

"Pete Thompson, the Rangeman attorney, is here. You're going to complete your portion of the paperwork next door and then remain here with Alex while we have our meeting with Tank. It should go without saying that while the meeting with Tank is important, Stephanie is more important, and you're to contact me immediately if her condition changes," Ranger directs in Spanish, and I'm more than happy to stand guard over mi Angelita versus confronting Tank. My money can do the talking for me.

I quickly sign where directed, anxious to be in the next room, even though there isn't anything I can do. Guilt is gnawing at me. I shouldn't have left Estefania yesterday evening, and I should have known about Sanchez. I watch as Ranger kisses her forehead in farewell before he morphs into a man on fire and blazes out of the room, Lester, Bobby, and Pete on his heels.

I take a deep breath and let it out slowly in the quiet that settles in their wake, my eyes fixed on mi Angelita. Her complexion, save for two pink spots on her cheeks, is ashen, but her face is relaxed. I take her hand and shift my stare to Alex as she moves around the bed and begins to adjust Estefania's oxygen line.

"¿Habla usted Inglés? No importa," Alex starts, and I raise my eyebrow slightly in surprise. Her Spanish is flawless, but I'm not sure what the accent is. "Puedes lucir tan temible como quieras a mi alrededor, pero estás perdiendo tu tiempo y energía. No me asusta voy a comenzar el tratamiento con nebulizador de Stephanie, así que por favor muévase a los pies de la cama. Ahora dime, Héctor, ¿quién eres tú para ella?" (Do you speak English? It doesn't matter. You can look as scary as you want around me, but you're wasting your time and energy. I don't scare. I'm going to start Stephanie's nebulizer treatment, so please move to the foot of the bed. Now tell me, Hector, who are you to her?)

I stand, taking my chair with me, and move to where Alex directed. "English is fine," I reply after sitting down again and placing my hand around Estefania's foot. "I am su hermano, and she is mi hermana, for lack of a better description," I say evenly, intrigued by Bobby's friend. "What is your accent?"

"I'm a Black-Latino from the Dominican Republic. I moved here when I was seventeen on a visa and earned my citizenship two years ago. I'm a reservist in the Army Medical Corps, which is how I earned my citizenship and met Bobby. What's your story?" Alex says evenly, continually working.

"I was sent here as a refugee at age eleven to be raised by an aunt near the end of the Guatemalan Civil War," I respond, surprising myself at the level of information I divulged. Something about Alex's nature makes even me want to share.

"Tough break," Alex says sincerely. "Don't worry too much about Stephanie, at least not yet. If Stephanie is septic, Bobby caught it at the earliest stages. Every intervention we're doing will help with the infection in her leg and her respiratory illness. From what I've gathered, it seems like she's had a pretty rough year, and sometimes a body needs to rest. My instinct is that this woman is healing, and I'm very rarely wrong," she says, placing a hand on my shoulder.

If Bobby told me this, I would probably dismiss him out of hand, but from Alex, I feel oddly comforted. I let some of the tension slip from my body and lean back in my chair, continuing my silent vigil. Alex talks out loud whenever she checks something, administers something, or thinks I'll want to know what's going on, and I appreciate that's she's attempting to build rapport with me.

Alex types out several texts on her phone as I receive one from Lester. Tank is out. I feel more tension fade away. Bobby sends me a note that Ranger is in the gym, and they will be up to relieve me soon. Good. Ranger needs to stay strong for Estefania, and I'm glad he trusts and respects my relationship with her.

The next forty-five minutes give me ample time to replay and sort out my thoughts regarding last night. There was a part of me that thought mi Angelita would rather die than push her panic button, and I haven't been convinced, based on her bounty hunting tactics the past several months, that wasn't a part of her plan. I thought there was a good chance we were going to be recovering a body.

I've seen the special connection Ranger and Estefania shared, and I would never be offended if she chose to lean on him over me. I am humbled that she reached out to me equally in her sadness and grief last night. After sticking beside her through the worst, I want to believe Jose and Alex that things are getting better.

I suspected Estefania harbored negative thoughts about herself, but I was unprepared for her self-description. It's amazing to me how wrong we can see ourselves sometimes. It took mi Angelita and Jose for me to see myself clearly, so I'm not judging, but I never expected such an extreme viewpoint from a person who is so inherently good. It's a pity there isn't anyone associated with Farro I can take my anger out on, but thankfully, I don't have a talent for raising the dead.

I stand when Ranger enters the room, freshly showered with Bobby and Lester behind him. Alex shows Bobby Estefania's handwritten chart, and they discuss it amongst themselves before he disappears with her notes into the next room to log them into the computer, and Alex shakes her head in his wake.

"Still working on his bedside manner, I see," she chides with a crooked smile. "Stephanie is stable, no better, no worse, but it's only been four hours since she began receiving antibiotics."

I walk my chair back to Estefania's side for Ranger as Bobby reenters the room and wordlessly gives Alex back her chart. I look between him, Ranger, and Lester and decide to get my announcement over with at once rather than have the three of them pester me individually later. "My fiancé, Jose Lopez, will be staying on four with me tonight. I'll bring him up to meet you after his arrival," I state nonchalantly in English as four sets of eyes lock onto me. Alex looks intrigued, Lester is astonished, Bobby appears mildly interested, and Ranger almost smiles. I'm not sure if it's because I spoke English or announced I have a social life, but I appreciate being unexpected.

"Congratulations, Hector," Ranger says, raising an eyebrow. "I look forward to meeting him."

I nod in response as my phone vibrates. Jose is here. I step out of the room and take the stairs two at a time down to the garage, calling the duty desk as I do.

"This is a guest of mine. Allow him to park, and I will escort him to you for a visitor's badge," I state, and Zip complies.

I stop at the door between the stairwell and the garage, removing my ring from my chain and sliding it onto my finger. It's time for me to be all in.

"Wow, Hector," Jose says, stepping out of his vehicle. "Is that a Porsche?"

I give a slight smile. "Several, actually. I need to escort you through security first. You'll be required to wear a visitor's badge on you at all times, or you may find yourself forcibly removed from the building," I state, walking around Jose's car and taking his overnight bag from the passenger seat.

"Once people understand that you're with me, nobody will question you," I continue, leading Jose to where Zip is staffing the desk. I guide Jose through the intake procedures quickly before directing us to my apartment on four. Butterflies take flight in my stomach the closer we get. I set my lips as I fob open my door and hold it open for him.

The lights automatically turn on, and I lock the door behind us. Jose stops a couple of feet in and looks around, beginning with the kitchenette on the left, table for two against the far wall, and sitting area with TV on the right. "The bedroom is this way, bathroom attached," I say, feeling more nervous than I should as I step inside to set Jose's bag down on the bed.

"This is…," Jose begins, his eyes wide.

"Sterile, spartan, impersonal," I finish, a smirk playing at the corners of my mouth. "Tank again. He's gone now. You're looking at Rangeman's newest Core Team member," I brag, unable to stop the smile that grows.

"Damn straight I am," Jose replies, his smile matching mine. "Sexiest one, too," he continues, taking a step towards me.

I snort. "You haven't met Ranger yet, or as Estefania used to call him, the Cuban Sex God," I reply, my eyes tracking each of Jose's movements with playful interest.

"I don't have to," Jose says seriously before kissing me. When the kiss ends, I rest my forehead against Jose's with my eyes closed, not fully realizing before this moment how much I needed him to get through the next twenty-four hours as I recover from the last.

"Thank you for coming," I say, embracing him. "I know this isn't how we discussed the big reveal, but," I falter.

"You don't have to thank me," Jose interjects. "The point of us is that you don't have to do this alone." I let out a long breath before taking a step back, observing Jose as he takes another look around my apartment. He gives a long look at the bed before shifting his gaze back to me seriously.

"Please tell me that isn't the only blanket you have. Did you steal it from a prison?" Jose questions, concerned. The bedding set includes a single, coarse canvas covered feather pillow with quills so sharp I wonder if anyone has ever had their eye poked out, 100-thread count white sheets, and a grey, wool blanket so rough I could use it as sandpaper in a pinch.

I laugh for the first time in days, and it feels great. "I'm told that's military issue," I eventually respond, laughing again at Jose's bemused expression while walking to my closet and pulling out a locked trunk. "Tank strikes again. I keep it there for show, but even he isn't crazy enough to go through my property," I explain, unlocking the trunk and revealing a comforter, sheets, and pillows.

"Oh, thank God," Jose exclaims in relief. I finish showing him around before returning to the kitchen and pulling out two bottles of water.

"I'm going to give you a quick tour of the building," I state, my expression becoming serious again. "After that, I'll take you to see Estefania, and you'll likely meet Ranger, Lester, Bobby, and a PA named Alex. We'll be able to get dinner from the break room before returning here for the night." I stop, looking away from Jose a moment as I feel slightly off balance while attempting to merge my two lives together. He places a hand over mine.

"I'm a feared man here, and it's better for me and you if it stays that way," I tell Jose somberly. "You will be talked about, but not directly. I won't do any public displays of affection, but the men will know you are under my protection."

Jose gives me a small smile. "I understand, and I respect you. This wasn't planned, but I'm grateful I can be here for you," he says, twisting my ring with his fingers. "I know who you are and how you feel about me. That's enough."

I nod my head again, my chest swelling in thankfulness for the man before me. I pull a fob out of my pocket and pass it to him. "This will allow you access to certain parts of the building. I'll show you," I say, escorting him to the door. My blank face falls into place before we exit.

The only people in the building at this hour are the night crew. No one stays after hours or, even if they live on site, leave their apartments except to go to the gym after working hours anymore. I wonder how many employees know of Tank's departure. Jose is silent as I show him my office, the gym, and breakroom before heading down to Medical. I rap twice on the door, setting my jaw in nervousness.

Lester opens the door and gestures us to Bobby's office. Ranger stands from his seat beside mi Angelita and follows us. "Ranger Manoso," Ranger says with more warmth than I expected from the usually stoic man, holding his hand out to Jose. "I'm glad I have the opportunity to meet you, although I wish it weren't like this."

"Jose Lopez and I'm pleased to put a face to the name. Welcome home, although I wish it weren't like this," replies, matching Ranger's warmth. I watch has Jose's eyes quickly assess Ranger, and I see the moment when he picks up that I'm watching him. I don't care that he's checking out Ranger. I certainly did the first time I saw him. I mean, he'd have to be dead not to check him out.

"Lester Santos," Lester says, and I'd be annoyed at the fish-eating grin on his face, but it's been so long since I've seen him smile at anything, I can't help but be amused; not that I'd let it show. "Welcome to Rangeman."

"Bobby Brown," Bobby says, standing from his desk chair.

"I'm not often at a disadvantage," Ranger says, looking genuinely interested, "But I'm left with the impression you know a great deal about us while we know nothing about you. Where are you from? What do you do?"

"I'm a California native, though my grandparents moved to this country from Mexico," Jose starts. "I'm a Professor of Latin Studies at Princeton. I met Hector when I was conducting fieldwork in a socio-economically disadvantaged part of Trenton."

Lester laughs. "That's a nice way of putting it. Working on State Street?" he says, and Jose laughs sheepishly. "How long before your car was stolen and your wallet disappeared?"

Jose shakes his head. "About ten minutes," he admits. "I'm pretty sure I don't want to know how Hector got it back for me." I give a small smile in response.

"How is she doing?" I ask, glancing at my watch and seeing it's a little after 9.

"No change," Bobby sighs. "The pain reliever I gave her will wear off within the hour. We will try to wake her then. If she's able to answer questions and be mobile enough to use the restroom on her own or with Alex's assistance, that will be a good sign."

"We'll wait," I state before walking over to mi Angelita and resting my hand on her shoulder. "Be strong. You can do this," I whisper, and her eyelids begin to flutter. I grip her shoulder more firmly. "Estefania?"

Her eyes flash open, and she sits upright defensively, curling away from my hand as she scans the room furtively. "Estefania, it's okay," I say again, catching Ranger's attention. He's beside me in two strides, and Bobby meets her on the other.

"Babe," Ranger says. I watch in amazement as mi Angelita locks her eyes on him and freezes. "You're at Rangeman in Bobby's office. You're safe. You have an infection in your knee that spread throughout your body, and you are being treated here," he explains in a calming voice. Estefania begins relaxing her posture when Bobby clears his throat, startling her. She grabs the blanket and pulls it in front of her, pressing against the back of the bed. I catch Alex giving a slight shake of her head outside of Estefania's line of sight, and I like her a little more.

"Mi Angelita, you're safe. Ranger and I are here. Bobby is beside you, and a Physician's Assistant named Alex, my fiancé Jose, and Lester are near the doorway to Bobby's office. That's it. You are okay," I explain, making no effort to touch her. Estefania slowly looks around the room, verifying the information I'm giving her before relaxing again.

She keeps the blanket pulled up around her body as she looks at Ranger again. "How are you feeling, Babe?" he asks, shooting a quick warning glance at Bobby.

"I need to use the bathroom," she whispers, embarrassed, and I let out a long breath of relief.

Ranger looks at Alex, and she walks over to him. "This is Alex. The guys will step out, and she will help you with whatever you need," Ranger continues to explain.

"Hello, Stephanie," Alex says kindly. "It's nice to meet you."

Estefania nods her head slowly in acceptance. I'm about to leave when Estefania locks eyes with Ranger and whispers, "Stay?" I silently catch Jose's attention before leading him out of the room behind Lester and Bobby. Mi Angelita needs space and time to continue healing.

"Keep me updated. I'll check in again soon," I inform Bobby before heading to four, Jose beside me.

A/N: It's hard for me to say how thrilled I am at the reception to the last chapter. I'm sure we haven't heard the last from Tank, but I'm glad you liked how Ranger and company dealt with him so far. To everyone who left a comment – many thanks! My time has been extremely limited in the past two weeks, and each note gives me the encouragement to keep working to find the time to add another paragraph to the next chapter.

One reviewer commented that writing this story must be difficult for me emotionally. To be honest, not writing it is harder. I find that in my day to day, little anxieties have a tendency to build up inside me, and redirecting those emotions to pen and paper, as it were, helps keep me focused and centered. That I get to hear from all of you is a wonderful bonus.

This Fandom is truly a community, and my world has become bigger because of it. Misty23y is a dedicated and hard working beta who never tires of my revisions and rewrites. Thank you for your patience with my ever-changing outline and train of thought. You're the best. Melyons has given her time and expertise to make the medical portion of this story credible. Thanks, Babe!