Ranger's Point of View

The next morning Steph and I along with Lizzie, left right after Jackson got on the school bus. I enjoy spending time with her and now that we have Lizzie; she stays home 3 days a week during the week and comes to the office on Wednesdays and Fridays. This is something that she chooses to do. I would love for her to be there every day, but I understand she wants to make sure the kids are happy. I just enjoy coming home to her every day.

We pulled into the underground parking garage, and I got out to open the door for Steph. I always make sure I do that. The first time I did that, she told me I didn't have to that it wasn't necessary. I told her she was wrong. That she was a woman and that all women should have doors opened for them. Since I said that she hasn't said anything else concerning the matter and allows me to open the door for her anytime the chance comes up. She placed her hand in mine and angled out of the car. I pulled her to me to kiss her to let her know I loved her, and she was the most important person in my life.

I unbuckled Lizzie from her car seat and had her on my shoulder on my left side and held Babe's hand in my right one. My life doesn't get any better than this. I was hoping for Babe to meet the new attorney that I hired. I like for her to know the people that work in the building. In case she runs into them, she will know who they are and will not be afraid of them.

We walked hand in hand into the building and onto the elevator. We got off at 5. Babe made sure she said Hey to everyone, and several of the guys came up and hugged her. Of course, Lester was in that group.

"Hey Beautiful, how are you today?" He put his arm around her shoulder as he walked her to my office.

"I'm good Les, I brought your niece so you can love on her." All the guys considered Lizzie their niece and Jackson their nephew. The kids ate it up and enjoyed spending time with them.

Lester reached down, unbuckled Lizzie from her car seat, and picked her up. "I'm taking princess here to my desk so all her uncles can love on her."

"Geez, Les, we barely got in the office and you already taking Lizzie. You didn't miss her, did you?" I laughed at Babe's remark. Well, it was the truth.

"We all miss her when she is not here. Just like we miss Jackson when he is not here. Besides, you know I'm both of their favorites, anyway. Why? Because I'm more fun than everyone else."

I couldn't help but smile, "No, because you are more childlike than anyone else."

Lester said nothing and just turned around and walked out. "Ranger, I guess you hurt his feelings"

"He'll get over it." She laughed when I said that.

I told Babe the new lawyer would be here soon to meet her. Any time I hire a new person, I introduce them to Steph because I don't want her to run into the person and be afraid of him. Steph is the most important person in my life, and I want her to be comfortable in my business and with the people that are around me.

As I waited for the new lawyer to come down from his office, I sat at my desk to go over some paperwork. Babe was sitting on the leather couch playing solitaire on her phone. She often did that because she said that it calmed her and let her mind go blank.

Mark Alexander, the new lawyer, who was originally from Newark, sat down in front of my desk in one of the client chairs. He is 6'1, has brown hair, blue eyes, and dresses like a lawyer. He always wears a suit and seems to be a decent person.

I walked over to the couch and pulled Babe to her feet. I walked her over to my desk and introduced her to Mark. "Babe, this is the new lawyer of Rangeman, Mark Alexander. Mark, this is my girlfriend, Stephanie."

Babe said nothing. She just stood there staring. Then she started shaking and crying. She kept saying over and over, "You are supposed to be dead. You died in the fire." I didn't know what she was talking about.

"Babe, what's wrong? Talk to me." I pulled her into my lap and stroked her arms up and down.

Mark had a mixture of worried and scared come across his features. I picked up my phone and called Tank. He was there before I had the phone back on the receiver.

"Ranger, what's wrong with Steph?" He looked worried, just like I was. Tank was a tough man, but he loved Steph and the kids very much and would give his life for all 3 of them and myself. That's why he was my best friend.

Stephanie turned and looked at Mark, then looked back at me. I barely heard her, but she whispered, "He was one of them." At first, I wasn't sure what she was talking about, but then when I realized she was still crying, and it was getting worse, I knew what she was talking about.

I looked at Tank and then at Mark. Trying to reel my temper in, "Mark, do you know a Richard Orr?"

His face turned pale, and he couldn't get his words straight. "I, uh. I mean. Well... I.

Tank placed his hand on one of Mark's shoulders, "I believe Ranger asked you a question. Do you need help to answer that question?"

He gulped and took a deep breath. "Yes, I knew Richard or Dickie. That's what we called him. I was out of town when his office burned."

"You were out of town? Do you know Stephanie?" I was still holding her in my lap, and she was breathing slowly and looking at me, not at anyone else. Her eyes registered being terrified.

He stalled his answer. Just by doing that, I knew he knew her. Now, I needed to know if he took part in the tragedy that happened to my babe.

"I'm going to ask you this one time and one time only. You will answer me truthfully. I will know if you don't. Did you take part in the sexual assault that happened to Stephanie at the hands of Dickie and two of his partners in his office? I know you were a partner in his firm."

Steph was still crying and shaking, but was only looking at me. I was letting her know by the look in my eyes that I would protect her. I pulled her to me and whispered in her ear, "Babe, I love you. Everything will be okay. I will protect you. Trust me, okay?" I felt her nod her head, so I knew she understood what I said.

Mark sat there staring and not saying anything. I took his silence as guilt and that he participated in the actual assault. I calmly got up with Steph in my arms, advised Tank to keep Mark there and I took Steph over to the couch and got a blanket from the corner where I keep them in case they were needed and covered her up. She fell asleep while sitting on my lap, and I wanted to make sure that she stayed that way for as long as possible.

I walked back over to my desk and sat there staring at Mark. I was seriously trying to be calm.

"Do you have any idea what you and those others two guys did to that beautiful woman? Do you have a clue? Let me inform you. She and her son were homeless when one of my men found them under our garage trying to find a trash can to get something to eat out of. She was scared to death that we were going to take Jackson, her son, away from her. She kept begging us not to call the police because The Asshole told her she was a bad wife and didn't deserve her son. She feared all of us and would be cowardly in a corner or sit as far away from us as possible. It has taken her months to get to where she trusts all of here and months for her to allow me to love her and take care of her. Know this, I love her very much and I love Jackson very much and I will do what I have to, so both are safe. Now I will ask you one more time and one more time only: DID YOU TAKE PART IN THE ASSAULT ON MY WOMAN? "I didn't scream the last part. I just said it with my teeth clenched because I was beyond pissed, and I wanted him to know it.

Tank, still with his hand on Mark's shoulder, applied pressure to it, which allowed Mark to answer my question. "Yes, I took part. But in my defense, the two other guys were doing it and I didn't want to be called names or ridiculed because I didn't participate."

I walked around and leaned on the front of my desk directly in front of him. I leaned over so my face was in his. "Because you didn't want to be ridiculed, you took part in raping an innocent woman and beating her. What kind of man does that? What did she ever do to you? You know what, I am an honorable person. I want to so badly kill you for hurting my woman, but I'm going to allow my men to get at you. They love Stephanie like she is their sister and Jackson as their nephew."

"As of right now, you are no longer an employee of this company, and we consider you a traitor who needs to be punished. Tank, escort this piece of shit out of my office and into a holding cell." When he pulled Mark up out of his seat, I punched him in the stomach, and then when he was on the ground, I kicked him in the ribs. "That's from Stephanie and Jackson, you asshole."

Tank hauled Mark up by the neck and threw him in the elevator, and took him down to one of the holding cells. I knew Tank would make sure he got a couple of good licks in on Mark as well. Lester came in, holding Lizzie with a confused look on his face.

"Ranger, why did Tank just throw the new lawyer Mark in the elevator?" Lizzie reached out to me, and I took her from Lester and started talking to her in Spanish.

"That piece of shit is one of the men that assault Stephanie. You have my permission to do with him as you please. You and anyone else that wants a crack at him. All I ask is don't kill him, but make sure we drop him off in a 3rd world country with only his underwear on and a bottle of water, Understood?"

"Hooah, Ranger. He will barely breathe when he gets dropped off. We got this." Lester stormed out of my office. He was the one that found Steph and he loves her, just like I do. Not in the same way, but like a sister.

I walked over to the couch with Lizzie in my arms and I sat down and put Babe's feet in my lap with Lizzie on my left leg. These two women and Jackson are my world. Without them, I don't know where I would be. I wasn't living until they came into my life. Jackson makes me want to be the best father I can be to him, and Lizzie and Babe make me want to be a better man every day.

Babe stirred a little in her sleep. I stroked her leg as I held Lizzie in my arms. Lizzie fell asleep as I was singing to her in Spanish. Babe slowly woke up and looked around, disoriented. When she saw me, she smiled one of the most beautiful smiles I had ever seen.

"Carlos, hey."

I locked eyes with her and smiled. I was hoping she would see the softness and the love in my eyes. "Hey, Babe. You sleep well?"

"Carlos, I didn't even realize I fell asleep. Did I fall asleep in your lap?" I shook my head yes. "Oh, that is so embarrassing, Carlos. I'm so sorry." She turned her face into the pillow on the couch to hide the flush that came onto her cheeks.

"Babe, don't you dare say you are sorry for falling asleep on me? I loved every minute. Don't be embarrassed either. It's natural for a man's woman to fall asleep in his lap. I feel honored that I have you in my arms. Remember Babe, I love you."

"Carlos, what happened to Mark?" I knew she was expecting me to say that I killed him. Believe me when I say I wanted to.

"Babe, he is being shipped to 3rd world country in his boxers and a bottle of water. If he makes it back here alive, then he will be taken care of then. I don't look for him to make it, though. The guys got to get in some licks on him in the holding cells and Lester just had him shipped to Zimbabwe."

She looked at me and laughed. I mean, laughed. One of those tears rolled down her cheeks, laughing. She doubled over. She was laughing so hard. "Babe, what is so funny?"

"I can't believe you did all that. The big badass that you are, instead of beating the hell out of him and killing him, you send him to a 3rd world country to let them deal with him. God, I love you. You are freaking amazing."

I pulled her into my lap with Lizzie and we loved on her and each other. Yep, my life was perfect. I just needed Jackson here and everything would be.