Chapter 15

Stephanie's POV

I couldn't believe Lester's mom would want me to be her daughter. We chatted while exchanging phone numbers. She was a kind and funny woman. I could see where Lester got his sense of humour. Marco and Lester quietly talked as Elena planned our shopping trip.

Having Lester as my honorary brother wasn't a hardship. We've been friends for several years. I remember when he got back nearly a year earlier from a particularly trying mission. He had never looked so lost. I got worried when his usual jokester behaviour was noticeably missing. It took several weeks, but he eventually came around. Bobby said it was because I never gave up on him. In all honesty, I would be lost without him.

Marco and I left the hospital to go home. I chewed my bottom lip and thought about my escape from Trenton six months ago. "Steph, you made the right decision to leave. Stop second-guessing yourself. You contacted the guys to keep them from worrying. Is there something else bothering you?" he asked.

"Um. No. I'm fine, Marco. I was thinking about how messed up Lester was almost a year ago," I replied.

"He told me how you pulled him away from his dark thoughts. You saved his life, Stephanie," he said. I wasn't sure if he was correct. He reached over the console to touch my arm. "Stephanie, servicemen don't encounter women like you. Not many people accept our role to protect our country."

I snorted. "Those people are idiots. Without the sacrifice of men and women in the military, we wouldn't be living in a free country. Too many people take our freedom for granted. I wish more people would understand everything our soldiers do to ensure our country remains safe," I said. I wanted to see Tank.

We got to the apartment within ten minutes. Marco cleared our unit before allowing me to enter. I rolled my eyes as I entered the living room. "You have company," Marco said as he sat beside me on the couch.

"Really?" I asked.

"Yes. It appears goldilocks arrived while we visited Lester," he replied.

I shook my head and smiled. His reference to the three bears story was funny. I went into my bedroom to find my gentle giant asleep in my bed. Leaning out of my bedroom, I said, "I'm going to bed."

"Goodnight, Steph. I'll wear my headphones so you can have some privacy," he replied. I giggled before stripping off my clothes to climb inside my bed.

"Hey, Big Guy. Did you miss me?" I asked.

"Yes, Baby. Do you mind me sleeping here tonight?"

"Nope. I was about to ask Marco to drive me to your house," I confessed. "You saved me a trip." I kissed his chest as I cuddled into him. He used his index finger to lift my chin before kissing me. When his tongue touched my bottom lip, I opened my mouth. He swept his tongue inside my mouth to tangle with mine. I shifted until I was straddling his waist. "Please, Pierre," I whispered against his lips as I rocked along his length.

He reached under the pillow to grab a condom. After shifting our positions, he sheathed himself, then pushed into me. I groaned from the sensation of him filling me. We slowly made love. I moaned his name as my body shook from the powerful orgasm. He pumped into me a few more times, drawing out my orgasm as he emptied into me. When we came down from the aftershocks, Tank pulled out of me and deposited the condom into the waste can beside the bed. "When do you stop the antibiotics?" he asked.

"In a few days. We should wait another two months before going bareback," I replied. "I'm not ready to become a mother."

"You would be an amazing mother, Stephanie. But if you don't want to raise a child, then we won't have them," Tank said. "You are perfect just the way you are."

"Awe. You're going to make me cry, Big guy," I replied. Tank was the perfect man for me. I fell asleep in the safety of his arms.

"Do you, Stephanie Michelle Plum, take Pierre Tanner Sherman as your lawfully wedded husband?" the minister asked.

"I do," I replied.

"Do you, Pierre Tanner Sherman, take Stephanie Michelle Plum as your lawfully wedded wife?" he asked.

"I do," Tank responded. I looked into his tear-filled brown eyes. His love for me brightly shone as we exchanged our wedding vows. He brushed a tear off my cheek. I never thought I'd get married again, but exchanging rings with my gentle giant felt right. To live without him as my husband was no longer an option. We only had a few people witnessing our union. Lester stood beside Tank as his best man. Marco was my man of honour.

"Does anyone object to the union of these two?" the minister asked. I looked around the room, wondering if anyone would stop the wedding.

Before the minister could complete the ceremony, Morelli entered the chapel. "I object. Stephanie belongs to me. I've marked her as mine when she was six. I took her virginity at sixteen. She is my woman," Joe stated.

I reluctantly stepped away from Tank and said, "Joe Morelli, how dare you interrupt my wedding. I do not belong to you, and I would never marry you." I rubbed my hands down my pale blue dress, flattening the invisible wrinkles.

"Mr. Morelli, do you have a valid reason to prevent this wedding?" the minister asked. "Is she already married?"

"No, sir. Stephanie is not currently married," Joe admitted.

"Well, then. Shall I continue?" the minister asked, glaring at Joe, preventing him from speaking. "Where were we?" The minister looked at his notes, then said, "Mr. Sherman, you may now kiss your bride."

Our kiss was full of promises for the future. We loved each other more than I thought possible. I wasn't afraid to marry my man. He was everything I could ever want and more. We broke the kiss sooner than I wanted. I held tight to the lapel of Tank's black blazer. His tie matched the colour of my dress. He wore an off-white shirt to reduce the contrast between his shirt and skin tone.

We got into the limousine Marco had rented for the day. As we got closer to the restaurant, my bladder screamed for release. When I entered the building, I went to the ladies' room. I pulled up my dress and sat on the toilet. My bladder emptied, but I still had the urge to pee. No matter how many times I tried to relieve my bladder, it didn't do anything to ease the discomfort.

I woke up with a full bladder. After pulling Tank's shirt over my head, I went to the washroom. When I looked in the mirror, I saw moisture on my cheeks. "It was only a dream," I cried as I washed my hands. I returned to bed feeling sad because I thought it was real.

"You thought what was real, Baby?" Tank asked when I cuddled into his side.

"My dream," I replied. Tank patiently waited until I told him about the dream.

"Baby, are you telling me what I think you're telling me?" Tank asked.

"I guess I am," I replied.

"If we left for Vegas tonight, you'd marry me?"

"Yes, Pierre, I would," I confessed. "Getting married again used to scare me, but the dream made me realize how much I want that with you. Aren't you afraid of marriage? When Lula wore that ring, you broke out in hives and fainted."

"Lula wasn't the right woman for me," Tank replied. "I'm only afraid to marry the wrong person. You are my vision of the perfect wife."

"Even if I can't cook?" I asked. He didn't know that Marco and I cooked together all the time.

"Whether or not you can cook is not a factor. I can cook every meal if needed. We could always order takeout," Tank replied. "I want you, not your ability to perform domestic activities."

"Marco and I bought a house. I want to live there," I said.

"I can rent my house out to Manny and Binkie. They've been looking for affordable housing off-site," he replied.

"Marco, Tim and Buck would be living in the house," I added.

"I'll know you're safe when I'm not home," he countered.

"I'm not easy to live with, and I can be stubborn."

"The same could apply to me. Your stubbornness is one of the many reasons I love you," Tank stated. "I have a cat."

"I have a hamster."

"When do we move into the house?" Tank asked.

"The second our room in the loft gets renovated," I replied. "Hector was enclosing a space for the bedroom."

"Security?"

"Hector is installing the best equipment provided by Rangeman. Marco and I only wanted cameras on the exterior monitored by Rangeman. We want cameras installed in the kitchen, living room and other common areas. Those get monitored internally. Hector selected a computer system and monitors for our secured room. Only Marco and I can access the equipment. We can add you too," I explained.

"Tomorrow morning?" Tank asked.

"No. I want Lester to be with us," I replied. "By the way, I can cook. Marco taught me." Tank's grin made me feel warm in all the right places.

"Ranger wants you to continue working with Rangeman for distractions and searches," Tank said, making those warm fuzzies disappear.

"Pierre, you heard his reaction. He was unnecessarily harsh to me. Don't you think I've caused enough issues between Ranger and his men?" I asked. He leaned over to wipe the tear off my face. I wasn't aware I started crying again.

"If I play a message for you, do you promise to listen?" Tank asked. I nodded. He leaned over to grab his cell phone. After entering the code to access his voicemail, he pressed play.

"Tank, please, speak to Stephanie. I said I didn't want her working for Rangeman in any capacity, but I didn't mean it. Knowing the men would quit Rangeman to protect her made me angry. Those words were said out of hurt and frustration. I believe we left our conversation on a good note, but I could never tell with Stephanie. She has a habit of doing whatever would make the other person happy despite the action hurting her. Take care of her Pierre. Stephanie is a special woman. I'm ashamed I behaved no better than Morelli. I can see you're good for her," Ranger said. "Please, let her know I want her working for Rangeman. She doesn't need to sign a contract to tie her to the company. I'll accept anything she's willing to offer. The men need her."

Tank wiped another tear off my face. "The men would love to see you. I'm not asking you to visit every day. Although, I wouldn't mind if you dropped by for lunch," he said.

"Or a quickie, right?" I joked. He laughed before rolling me on top. "So, do I get to drive?" I asked, remembering his comment about women only being allowed to drive in bed. Tank pulled my face down to his so he could kiss me. Vroom vroom. Let's see how fast I can make this car go.

Hector's POV

Marco sent me a text. He could hear Tank and Stephanie talking in the bedroom. Marco said it sounded as though Tank and Stephanie were getting married. I'm happy for mi Hermana. She deserves to be happy. Her mother would not be happy when Stephanie marries Tank, but I doubt mi Hermana would care. Helen Plum is an evil woman who tries to control Angelita's life. I vowed to get the house ready immediately.

I called Junior for help. "Hola," Junior answered.

Speaking Spanish, I said, "Junior, I need your help. Angelita is moving soon, and I need her bedroom ready within a few days. Would you and Jamie be available to help?" I listened as Junior asked his partner for assistance.

"He would love to help you fix Stephanie's home. Text me the address. We'll meet you in the morning. Jamie and I have a few days off," Junior replied. I thanked him before ending the call.

Junior and I dated years ago when I started working at Rangeman. He met Jamie a few months after we broke up. Junior was a great partner, but we found it hard to keep our work and home life detached. It inevitably drove a wedge between us. We decided to go separate ways before it destroyed our friendship. I like his partner, Jamie. He owns a construction company specializing in home renovations. Jamie is professional and only hires men who pass Rangeman's strict screening. Rangeman secures his business office.

My phone rang within a few minutes. I smiled when I saw Emilio's picture on the screen. "Hola," I purred.

"Hector, are you busy?" Emilio asked.

"I'm working on Angelita's house," I replied. "I'll be done in two hours. Would that be too late for you?"

"No," he answered. "Come over whenever you're available. Let yourself in." I smiled after he ended the call. Emilio liked Angelita even though they never formally met. He respected my relationship with my chosen sister. When she moves into her home, I will introduce her to my partner. Although our relationship was new, Emilio and I belonged together.

We haven't taken our relationship past the getting to know you phase, but I suspected Emilio wanted more. He wouldn't have invited me over if he didn't. I was excited to be intimate with him, but I didn't want to rush. We had plenty of time.

I installed the cameras inside the living room and kitchen according to Marco and Angelita's specifications. They were too small for anyone to notice them. To confirm their concealment, I sent photos to Lester. If anyone could locate the cameras, it would be him. He could detect the items that didn't belong. It's what made him a formidable soldier. Lester often assisted when I required his skills. "Can you review these photos?" I texted with the photo attachments.

"It's a gorgeous house. Is it yours?" Lester asked.

"No. Stephanie's," I replied. "What do you think?" I wanted to know if he could locate the cameras.

"I've increased the size of the images. Give me a few minutes," Lester replied. I knew Lester would review the pictures to see if he could detect the cameras. I continued my work, setting up the security room off the kitchen. The room was reinforced with steel and used as a cold storage area. It was perfect for the computers. There was enough ventilation and coolness to prevent the computers from overheating. I installed a keypad and fingerprint reader to access the room. Smiling, I entered the date she got the tattoo on her hip.

An hour later, Lester replied, "Camera near the ceiling to the left of the window. Not easily detectable. I see you used the improvements I recommended. I'm assuming you have cameras in the kitchen. I can't find them, but I imagine you installed one in the range hoot and another on the light fixture. It's where I would place them in that space. Excellent job, my friend. You are protecting our sister quite well."

"Thank you for checking. I can rest easy knowing that our Hermana is safe," I replied. I packed my equipment and locked up the house.

It took me another thirty minutes to drive to Emilio's home. I used the key card to open the gate to the secured community. He didn't give me a house key, but it didn't take long for me to pick the lock to enter his home. I would need to change out the deadbolt for a more secure lock. The alarm code was the day he sold his first house. I smiled after setting the alarm.

Emilio was asleep in his bed. I stripped down to my boxers and climbed into the bed behind him. He instinctively grabbed my arm to pull over his hip. I kissed his shoulder before settling down to sleep. A man could get used to this.