Losing Face

The next morning, I awoke in a tangle of sheets and Ranger. We had fallen asleep curled together in front of the fireplace. I snuggled closer to him as his lips drifted over my bare shoulder. "Rise and shine," he said softly. I groaned, and nestled closer. "Come on, sunshine," he coaxed, getting up. I reached up and forcefully pulled him down. He grunted and lifted me up with one hand. "I told you we were running today," he finished, pulling me to my feet. I yawned and moved to the bed.

Ranger's arms came around my waist, and he twirled me around. "Oh, come on," I moaned, opening an eye. "I hate running. I'm not good at it."

"That's only because you're naturally beautiful. But I'm running, and you can stay here, in this big house, all alone," Ranger said, leaned over me. I sighed. That didn't seem so bad. "With Jeanne Ellen out there, waiting for her chance."

Yuck. "Okay, I'm coming."

In fifteen minutes, we were outside, stretching. Ranger usually ran five miles, but since he didn't want to lose me on the road, he said we'd only go three. That was still three too many, but I wasn't going to win this one. We started out, our breath pluming in front of our faces. The snowy ground was frozen and hard to run on, but all in all it was a pleasant experience. Ranger and I had run before, but this time it was different. This time Ranger made sure to keep pace with me, and he was actually more talkative.

We went over his plan to catch Jeanne Ellen. I would stay at the Bat Cave, and he would arrange for Jeanne Ellen to meet him at his office to switch me off. Once she was there, he'd lure her into the office, where Lester and Hector would grab her. It all seemed easy to me. Too easy.

At the end of our plight, I was incredibly well rested and very tired. We climbed the stairs in the Bat Cave, and shed our work out clothes. Ranger dropped his black sweats in the hamper and started stretching his sore muscles. I was transfixed for a moment. Then my cell phone rang. "Damn," I exclaimed, then picked up the phone. "Yo,"

"Okay. Tell me what the hell is going on!"

"Hi, Mary Lou." Ranger grinned as he climbed into push up position.

I sat on the edge of the fireplace, trying to catch my breath. "Omigod!" Mary Lou cried, "Were you having sex?"

I rolled my eyes. "No! I was jogging."

"Stephanie Plum. You don't jog."

"I do when Ranger makes me."

"Oh, oh, oh! What the hell is going on?" I didn't answer. "The whole Burg is talking about it. How you left Morelli for Ranger. I think Bella wants to take a contract out on you."

 I sighed. "Tell her to get in line," I snorted. Ranger looked up. "Joe's Grandma Bella wants to put a contract out on me for breaking her grandson's heart."

"You want me to kill her?" Ranger asked.

Jesus, holy cow. "No! Bella is like the Godfather. You kill her, you're inviting half of Italy to Trenton to kill you."

"So, I'll call my family." I suddenly got a mental picture of twelve Latinos with black ponytails, and machine guns. I shook my head. Ranger shrugged and went back to push ups.

"Steph!" Mary Lou exclaimed. "What the hell is going on? Did you really leave Morelli?"

"Yes! I left Morelli. I left Morelli a month and a half ago!"

"Why? He's Morelli."

I rolled my eyes. "I found him in bed with Terry," I said. Ranger stopped, mid-push up. He hadn't heard this, no one had. "My bed."

"Oh, shit," Ranger and Mary Lou echoed.

Once more, I climbed out of the shower feeling refreshed and squeaky clean. Ranger was leaned against the doorjamb when I opened the curtain. He was wearing baggy black cargo pants, and nothing else. "Hi," I said. After I got off the phone with Mary Lou, Ranger got on the phone with Hector, and started talking in rapid fire Spanish. I got bored and went to shower. It took me longer then usual, I think I fell asleep. Apparently Ranger had already showered, his dark hair was down and tucked behind his ears. He looked ten years older with his hair down. "How old are you?" I asked, before I could stop myself.

He grinned. "No one's ever asked me that before."

"Really," I asked, shocked.

Ranger shook his head. "No. But this time I'll answer it." I waited a moment. "Older than you." I snorted. "Now, we need to get moving. Jeanne Ellen is out of town for the day. Seebring sent her after a FTA in Newark. I've got a guy on her." I nodded and picked up a pair of folded black jeans I'd left on the counter. "Go do whatever you want. We'll do this tomorrow." Again, I nodded. Ranger walked over, and embraced me. "Don't worry, Babe. It'll be all right."

"Yeah," I said, nuzzling close. "I have to go after an FTA." I felt Ranger tense up. "Relax. It's nothing. He was nabbed for public drunkenness. Odds are, he's too plastered to remember his court date. I'll take my stun gun, and I might even use it."

Ranger eyed me carefully. "I want you to take your gun, and maybe even use it," he said, brushing wet hair from my eyes. I shuddered. "I know you hate it, but it would make me feel better."

"I'm not a dangerous person," I protested, shuddering again.

Ranger grunted, that laugh equivalent grunt again. "Babe, you're more dangerous then Tank and I combined," he argued. I grinned and turned away to finish dressing. For awhile, Ranger stood in the door, then when I glanced away for a second, he was gone.

I pulled up to the office, in a black Mustang that Lester had dropped off. From the look of Ranger's lifestyle, I'd say that the cars were a bit more legal then everyone thought. Lula and Connie were at the window when I stepped out of the car. Lula's eyes were wide. Walking into the office was like walking into a bear den. They both mauled me. "Where the hell have you been?" Connie screeched.

I grinned at her.

"Holy shit," Lula said, her eyes widening. "You've seen the Bat Cave."

Connie's jaw dropped. "No one's seen the Bat Cave."

"Not even Jeanne Ellen," I supplied. Lula and Connie gasped. Their hearts must have stopped. "Now, where this file on Jameson?" I asked, looking at Connie's desk. The door opened, and I turned to see Joyce walk in. I hated her.

"Well, well, well," she growled, "If it isn't the missing link." She flounced over to the couch and plopped down. "Where have you been?"

"I've been thinking about your question, Joyce. About which guy you should take," I cracked. Lula, Connie, and Joyce all stared at me. "You can try for Ranger. But you're more Morelli's type." Joyce grinned. "But if Ranger's the way you want to go, then it's war."

"Ranger would be interesting. I've always wanted to see the Bat Cave," Joyce snapped.

"Two steps ahead of you," I said as I smiled. "I've seen the bedroom." I picked up the file Connie had laid out, and strolled out of the office to the waiting Mustang.

First, I stopped by my apartment, to check up on things. There was a layer of dust on everything, but I didn't see any sign of Tank's entrance anywhere. I strolled the perimeter, my gun drawn, checking locks and windows. Unfortunately, with Jeanne Ellen as my assailant, I'd never know whether or not she was in my apartment.

I stepped out the door after my check, with a bag of a few things slung over my shoulder, and bumped into the brick wall that was Morelli's chest. "We need to talk," he growled, pushing the door open and shoving me inside. He slammed the door behind him, and glared at me. His eyes made my blood run cold.

"Morelli," I choked out, trying to reach around him.

He grabbed my shoulders, and shoved me against the wall forcefully. "I'm not going to stand by and let you get trashed by that bastard," Morelli growled. "Damn it, Stephanie, you love me."

My heart was racing. He was drunk. I smelled it on him. Smelled like Jack Daniels and some kind of Vodka. Not a good combination for Morelli, who had a naturally combustible personality. He was going to hit me, I could sense it, and I couldn't do a damn thing with my hands pinned behind me. I could head butt him, but with my track record, I'd probably knock myself out for him.

"I did love you," I whispered, trying to stall. What a day for Ranger to leave me alone. "But not anymore." Morelli's eyes went black. I cringed. Not the right thing to say, Steph.

Morelli's hand lifted to backhand me, and I closed my eyes. I heard a crash and a startled cry from Morelli. He was lifted away from me. I opened my eyes. Ranger was standing there, holding Morelli's chest to the wall.

"You okay, Babe?" he asked, checking me over. I nodded, numb. Ranger picked up his cell phone. "Hey, I need a fix-me-up at Stephanie's." He clicked his phone shut and lifted Morelli off the wall. He pushed him down on my couch and glared at him.

"You bastard," Morelli slurred. "You took her from me." I sighed and plopped down in my armchair.

Ranger turned and glanced to me, holding my head in my hands, and then turned back to Morelli. "I didn't take anything. You gave her up." Morelli glared at him. Ranger stepped back a foot, and crossed his arms. I knew the stance; he was ready for an encounter, though he looked relaxed.

"I love her," Morelli said, as if I wasn't in the room.

Ranger's head bobbed a fraction of an inch, the equivalent of a Ranger nod. "So do I," he whispered. Morelli's head shot up. The two men held that gaze for a moment, then Morelli broke it. "I won't hurt her, Morelli."

Morelli was silent, staring at the ground, obviously thinking. Finally, he glanced up at Ranger and said, "I did." Ranger nodded again. "If you hurt her, I'll kill you."

I snorted. Both men turned to stare, like they'd forgotten I was sitting in the same room. "He's the third person to say that. He needs to find his own lines." The corners of Ranger's lips curved, but he didn't grin. Then his phone rang.

"Yo," he said. His face grew grim. He clicked the phone shut. "One of my guys is on his way with something to sober you up. Stephanie and I have to go." Morelli nodded, stealing a glance at me. I rose to my feet and grabbed my bag.

On our way out, I watched Ranger's face. He didn't look happy, and I think I knew why. "It's Jeanne Ellen, right?" I asked. Ranger nodded. "What happened?"

"My guy lost her, said she vanished without a trace," Ranger said, wrapping his arms around me to shield me on our way to the car. He dropped me in the Mercedes, then did one of his system checks again. He rolled the engine over, and smoked the tires. Off to the Bat Cave.

They had lost her when she jumped across three lanes of traffic to an exit. The only explanation was that she caught the tail. I hadn't a doubt in my mind that Jeanne Ellen caught the tail. Now, the plan that Ranger had formulated wouldn't work. He swept me off to the Bat Cave, watching in his rearview for a tail. "Ranger," I whispered. He didn't glance at me. "Just give her what she wants," I continued.

Brown eyes cut to me, and I felt the intensity behind them. "I will not lose you to Jeanne Ellen's jealousy," he growled, his hand gripping my leg. "Damn it, Stephanie. I won't let anything happen to you." And I believed him. God help me, I believed him. "I love you, Steph." God help me, I believed him.