Stephanie's POV

A few hours earlier

After a long session at the range I was actually looking forward to sitting at a desk for a few hours. My hands and shoulders were aching, and I wanted to do something that wouldn't involve upper body strength for a while.

As usual my inbox was filled with search requests for Rodriguez. I'd never actually met the man, but he accounted for about 80% of my workload at Rangeman. I wasn't sure if I should hate him or thank him for the fact that I'd been able to pay my rent some months. I worked for a few hours, grabbing a snack from the kitchen when I started to get hungry.

My cell rang as I settled back into my desk. I held it to my shoulder as I ate with one hand and typed with another. "Hello?" I asked, my mouth full of sandwich.

"Hey, Cupcake. What you up to tonight? Want to grab dinner?"

"You must have read my mind. I'm starving, but I have something I want to finish up before I leave." An idea struck me. "Want to watch a movie? I'm having an urge to see Rocky."

Joe seemed surprised at that. "Sure Cupcake. I'll pick up subs and grab the DVD and Bob from home. Bob misses you, so do the boys." I rolled my eyes at that. Talking about his genitals like they were separate people was a little creepy.

"OK, see you around 8?"

"Got it Cupcake. See you soon." He hung up. I looked at the clock. Still an hour before I needed to leave, time enough to do one more search.

I started to work, and must have gotten really involved in what I was looking at. Suddenly I realized it was 7:50, and I'd have to rush if I wanted to get home in time. I grabbed my things (including my gun, since Ranger insisted I carry when I was working for him), and raced to the elevator. I actually considered taking the stairs, since that would mean I wouldn't have to wait, but the elevator dinged and I rushed inside. I pressed the button to go to the parking garage, and jiggled my foot as I waited to descend.

I managed to get home just 5 minutes late. Morelli and Bob were waiting for me in my kitchen. He looked a little annoyed at my lateness, but I didn't feel too bad. He had a key, it wasn't like he had to wait out in the hall.

I grabbed a roll of paper towels and set up plates on the coffee table. "Did you bring the movie?"

"Yeah. Kind of surprised you want to watch a boxing movie. Normally you just want to watch Ghostbusters"

"There's a scene in there I want to look at." I popped the DVD into the player and settled in for dinner and a movie.

After a while my shoulders started to ache. "Joe, can you give me a neck rub?"

"Sure, Cupcake. Sit in front of me."

I settled down between his legs. He began to massage my sore shoulders, working the tension out of the tired muscles. I'm also pretty sure he agreed because it would give him a good look down my shirt.

"You've got a lot more knots here than usual. You doing pushups like Rocky today?" The training montage had begun, the part I really wanted to see. Rocky running, Rocky doing one armed pushups, and Rocky climbing the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum, where I would be guarding the President. I grabbed the remote and paused it, then rewound and watched again, getting a feel for the space, where threats could come from, entrances and exits. I watched it 4 times, absorbing every detail I could. That wasn't all that much, especially with footage so old, but it gave me a way to visualize the space before I went there.

I realized Morelli wasn't rubbing my shoulders anymore. I looked up and he was staring quizzically at me. "Cupcake, why are you staring at Sylvester Stallone?"

"I'm not. I'm looking at the area around the Art Museum."

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Taking up architecture as a hobby?"

"No. I have a job there in a couple weeks." He continued to look skeptical. "The President is having a rally in front of the Art Museum on Halloween. There are so many rallies going on in the region that the Secret Service is stretched thin and bringing in Rangeman to help with security. Since some of the men have criminal records, I get to be one of the guards."

Morelli was silent for a full 15 seconds, then burst out laughing. "You? You, are going to guard the President?"

I narrowed my eyes. "What's so funny about that?"

He kept laughing. "Oh Cupcake, the President who has been the subject of more threats than any in history, has you for security. This country is in a lot of trouble. "

I stared at Morelli. "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. You should be excited for me."

"Cupcake, this is about Manoso trying to get in your pants and nothing more. I can see him getting a contract, but I can't see the Eastern Seaboard's worst bounty hunter being allowed within a half mile of the President, let alone on his security detail. You attract disaster. He may end up getting hit by a meteor or something."

I pulled away and stared at Morelli. I stared a long time, and I saw something, something I should have seen years ago. Morelli was never going to support me in what I wanted to do. He claimed to love me, but he cut me down at every opportunity. It was little things. The biting comments, the subtle put-downs, the gaslighting. I wanted to fly, and he wanted to tie me down.

"I think you should leave." I whispered.

"Oh come on, Cupcake. You know as well as I do that this is insane."

"I'm not kidding, Joe. I want you to leave."

"Dammit Steph. Look, how about I make it up to you. I bet I can make you happy." He wiggled his eyebrows at me and reached for my breasts.

I pushed him away. "Get your hands off me and get out. I mean it."

Morelli crossed his arms and sat back on the couch. "No, this is just some crazy scheme by Manoso to get you into bed, and you can't see it. There is no way the Secret Service will put you on staff, contractor or not."

"Fine. Stay. But I'm leaving." I got up, dodging his hands as he reached for me. I grabbed my purse and went out the door, Morelli cursing up a storm and Bob howling behind me.

I went downstairs to the parking lot and got into my car, not sure where I was going, but needing to be away. My first thought was to go to my parent's house, but it was past 9 at night, and I didn't have the energy to stand up to my mother's questions. I could go to Lula's, but her place was tiny and she snored like a bulldozer in need of a tune-up.

There really was only one place to go. I put on my turn signal and headed for Haywood.