Cal's POV
I was tired as hell from my mission but we were successful and I was going home. The suits in DC weren't happy about my refusal to sign another contract but I was certain of my decision. My girl was waiting at home and I couldn't wait another minute to get back to her.
Normally I would spend a week at my beach house when I returned to decompress and rest but tonight I needed to see Steph. I missed her like crazy and couldn't wait to feel her in my arms again. She held more healing, calming power over me than the ocean ever could.
I sped off to Trenton, excited to slip into her house and crawl in bed next to her. I'm sure she was sleeping but she'd made it clear I could slide into her bed anytime. I knew the moment I had her warm body pressed up against mine, all would be right in my world.
My excitement to see Steph built steadily as I got closer to her house. I missed her so much it hurt, but not for much longer. In under ten minutes, I would have her in my arms and we could start the rest of our lives together. No longer contracted to the government, I was free to make someday happen soon. I had thought all the way home about what I wanted and had planned my mission like the master tactician that I am. I wanted to tell Steph that I love her the minute her eyes opened next to me. Then we could work on making our relationship much more permanent. I wouldn't push but I would make damn sure she knows that I'm in this forever.
I hummed a happy tune to myself as I turned into Steph's neighborhood and was ready to jump out of the car. I turned the last corner and noticed a scuffle on Steph's front porch. There was a team from RangeMan subduing someone who looked angry as hell and was giving them quite a fight. Thank goodness Ranger had a team here to take care of my girl. I unbuckled my seatbelt before I was stopped and jumped from my car the second it was in park.
Les's POV
My idiot cousin had gone too far this time. I was pissed that he'd been relentless in pursuing Steph, but this was beyond what I had ever thought him capable of. I'm just grateful Steph is so smart and good at protecting herself. If she hadn't gotten that notification that Ranger was approaching this might have all gone down very differently.
I used hand signals to tell the team to move in and rushed toward Ranger with my gun drawn and ready to rain down hell on him for this stunt. Cocky fucker must have thought we didn't know what was going on because he tried to spin the situation as soon as he saw us.
"What the hell are you doing?" I growled when we made eye contact.
"Steph had an intruder, and I was just going to make sure she's safe," he lied.
"Bullshit, Ranger. You're the intruder here!" Tank snapped. Ranger never even saw Tank coming and was pinned face down on the ground before he could blink.
"Get your hands off of me!" Ranger barked. "That's an order!"
"You don't get to give orders right now, fucker," Tank responded angrily while snapping cuffs on Ranger.
I'd given Steph the okay to open her door, and she peeked out at right that moment. Her eyes widened when she saw Ranger cuffed on the ground and then she looked up at me and smiled.
"Thank you for coming, Les," she said softly.
"Of course, Steph. Gotta take care of Cal's favorite girl," I promised her.
"Someone let me up!" Ranger roared.
Tank put his size 13 boot on his back as I read him the riot act.
"What the fuck did you think you were doing? You just gonna come over here, pick the lock, slide into her bed, and pray she didn't notice that you're not Cal? She's turned you down every single time you've shown interest in her and made it clear that she's with one of your men."
"No woman turns down Ranger Manoso! I just needed to give Cal a reason to think you were cheating on him and then you'd cave!" he replied angrily.
"I turn you down! I've never given you any reason to think I'm interested! And I'd never cheat!" Steph shot back.
Her gaze moved across the yard at that moment and her pissed off face turned into a smile. I glanced over to where she was looking and smiled along with her.
"Oh my god. Cal!" she yelled, jumping over Ranger's prone form and taking off across the yard at breakneck speed toward him. "You're home!"
"I'm home. What the hell's going on here?" he asked as Steph leapt into his arms and wrapped herself around him.
"Your boss is an asshole!" Steph answered angrily.
Cal's POV
I caught Steph as she leapt into my arms, thrilled to be back where I belonged but confused as hell about what was going on. I made eye contact with Les as I approached the house and saw Ranger cuffed on the ground with Tank's foot in his back.
"It appears that the boss man here didn't want to take no as an answer from your girl and thought he could give you the impression that she was cheating by breaking into her house," Les explained. "He and I had a little talk about his refusal to leave her alone recently but I guess I didn't make my point clear enough."
"We can all take turns beating it into his thick head tomorrow on the mats," Tank growled.
"Let me get this straight. You continually hit on the woman I love, despite her shooting you down, and then you break into her house to try to make me think she's cheating on me? You're a fucking idiot," I said.
"I love you too, Cal," Steph blurted out.
"Huh?" I asked, trying to catch up with her brain.
"You called me the woman you love. I love you, too," she replied softly.
"Yeah?" I asked with a smile, still holding onto her for dear life.
"Yeah. I knew it before you left and I couldn't wait to tell you the minute you got back."
"God, I couldn't wait to come back and tell you either. I love you, Steph," I whispered.
"You two enjoy Cal's first night back and we'll take care of this asshole. Let me know when you want him on the mats and we'll have him there," Tank replied as he pulled Ranger onto his feet.
"Thanks, guys. Gotta spend some time with my woman," I replied with a smile. Ranger wasn't going to ruin this night. I stepped into Steph's house, her still clinging to me, and only stopped long enough to lock the door and set the alarm. Then I stalked toward her room and laid her on the bed, my body quickly following hers onto the mattress. My lips descended onto hers and my whole world narrowed to this moment with my woman. It was time to reconnect.
