All familiar characters are Janet's. The mistakes are mine.

I pulled into the garage at Miami's Rangeman and Wrecker, Smith, and Álvaro, were waiting for me outside of the building.

"I'm not complaining here, Sir, but we could've used some warning," Wrecker said to me, as soon as I was out of my vehicle.

"Not that I have to explain anything ... I wasn't aware someone would be stupid enough to shoot at Shiv with me present. I know I hadn't planned on an immediate search for Espada being needed on what is supposed to be a vacation. You have a current hideout for me?"

"Ummm, with all due respect, Sir, that's what Wrecker wanted to explain," Smith added. "We knew your Stephanie was ... something, but we hadn't expected her to pick the lock on your office just about one-handed with little Olive still on her hip. She already started looking into Shiv - and for Espada - herself."

"She got through your safeguards and was in before I knew what was happening. She had Olivia sitting on her lap with that flower and Launcher's keys amusing your baby girl, and your wife was pulling up info on Shiv and God knows who else before I could stop her. Should I have stopped her?" Wrecker asked.

A pointless question. "There is no such thing as stopping Stephanie," I informed/warned him.

"She also ordered me to tell her the second you got here."

"I don't see the Warrior Woman down here," Shiv commented. "Someone's in trouble."

"Shut it, Shiv," I ordered him.

"I knew the missus would have instant affection for, and interest in, me," he said. "She can't help it, I know. Few women can resist this. I'm now as anxious to meet her as she is to give you hell for almost getting a boo-boo."

"I knew bringing you here was a mistake."

"So why did you?"

"I honestly don't know," I said, no longer paying any attention to him.

My eyes were suddenly needed elsewhere.

"Ranger did it because he's a good guy," Steph told Shiv, even as she glared at Wrecker over Olivia's head.

Julie was shaking hers as she tried to hide a smile at Wrecker's obvious discomfort.

My office has access to all of the building's cameras. Stephanie would know the moment I neared the gate. Wrecker's going to have his work cut out for him getting back on her good side for being down here before she was, and for not telling her himself that I'm back.

As much as I love Olive launching herself at me like she just did again, never once doubting that I'll catch her, Stephanie having both hands free when she's stressed and upset could be problematic. I thought I may have misjudged the situation when she and Julie hugged Olive and I before Steph kissed me like I'd almost died. I'm even more glad that I hadn't. The real tragedy would've been missing this kiss.

"Don't ever get shot at again," she ordered me, her lips brushing mine.

"I'll do what I can."

"Do even better than that. This can't happen again. It's bad enough when I'm with you and someone tries to hurt you, it's a whole new level of hell to be with your daughters far away from you and only hear about it after the fact. At least when we were partners on a job, I felt like I could do something in the moment to save you."

"Knowing the three of you are waiting and depending on me, helps me save myself."

In my periphery, I saw Shiv nudge Álvaro.

"Never thought I'd see Manoso like this ... actually nice. Anytime I or my associates are around him, he's always threatening to kill, maim, or mutilate, one or all of us. The little lady's proving to be a positive influence on him."

"You'd better be talking about Olive, and not calling me the little lady," Steph warned Shiv.

"Esto no puede acabar bien," was what Álvaro predicted.

I could tell it won't end well for Shiv as he stepped forward to introduce himself to the famous and infamous Mrs. Manoso.

"Stephanie ... how nice it is to meet you," he began. "You are even more beautiful than I imagined."

She took the hand he offered, but she didn't shake it. The Queen of Rangeman is still royally pissed, and she let it show by keeping Shiv's hand in hers so she could twist his arm up behind his back until he went up on tiptoes to try to relieve the pressure.

"I don't like it when someone tries to kill my husband. Since it was a hit on you, I'm blaming you until I can get my hands on the guy responsible. You're gonna help me do that in case you had any doubts about that."

"I didn't." He glanced over at me. "Don't kill me ... but I think I'm in love."

I flicked my eyes to Steph and she met them with raised eyebrows. Then she released Shiv's arm to snag his index finger and bend it backwards.

"Believe it or not, I'm hurting you less than Ranger will for saying that. He's a tad possessive."

"For good reason, Babe," I said into Olive's shoulder as she turned in my arms to see where Julie was going. "Now stop playing with Shiv, we have work to do."

That's something I didn't need to tell her. The men standing in a semi-circle around my ladies added an underlying tension to this introduction.

She draped an arm across Julie's shoulder's. "I got a head start on that one. And once we sit down in there, if you see your Dad move," she instructed Julie, "staple his pants to the chair."

"Babe."

"Ranger, no one is allowed to shoot at my guy or my baby's Daddy. Since I know you'll have something to say about me hitting the streets to find this ..." she stopped herself and glanced down at Julie, "person ..."

"I have plenty to say about you not leaving the safety of me or the building," I interrupted.

"Then I'm forced to track him down from here. And I will find whoever is responsible for this. I know you and everyone here can do it, probably with your eyes closed and hands tied, but I need to feel like I'm doing what I can to protect our family, too. I've already located a pissed ex-boyfriend of one of Espada's harem of women. 'Espada's' real name is Cedric Borrego by the way. The very recent ex claims Cedric's newest squeeze has quickly resettled in Johns Creek outside of Atlanta. I'm betting we'll find him not far from there."

"What was the show of force is about?" I asked, letting Olive and Launcher's keys go back into Stephanie's arm.

"Sorry, but I'm angry ... really, really angry and also terrified if I let myself think about what could have happened today. I want revenge, justice, and to be able to close my eyes tonight and know that I helped keep you safe."