This is an AU story. I hope you find the characters still themselves even if their world is different.

Sally

The Good Wife

Chapter 7

I met with Ranger and what he called his core team for the better part of the morning. For the most part we were left uninterrupted. Marjorie stopped in briefly to tell me goodbye. Manners were very important in her world. It would be rude to leave without saying goodbye, even if I had just blackmailed her husband. She looked at me a little apprehensively, but didn't say anything. Charles, not surprisingly did not stop by. He was probably still fuming. Part of me wondered if it wasn't the smartest thing in the world to take him on, but I had put up with him trying to control my life long enough. He was an insufferable prick and needed to be put in his place.

We had come to the conclusion that the threats were clearly directed at me and there was no need for additional guards on Dickie. He still had his detail from the State Police and the fact that he had more public outings and the extra guards would draw more attention to him. We were also in agreement that the note was completely separate from the photos. The guys seemed impressed when Ranger explained that I had been the one to sort it out. For the time being we would focus on the photos and wait to see if there were any more notes. I didn't feel like the note was threatening, but Ranger wasn't so sure.

We had a meeting scheduled for tomorrow to discuss the case with the State Police. Ranger felt it would be better if we held the formal meetings at the Rangeman offices. I agreed. If we were there and not here at the mansion, it would be more official, not like they were doing a favor for the governor's wife. That plus until the background checks on all staff were finished here at the mansion, it wouldn't be completely secure here.

We discussed motive and split up the usual categories for further investigation. Political reasons seemed like a long shot since the threats were aimed at me and not Dickie, but it was still a possibility. There was the longstanding issue with the unions and the threats coming from the Grizolli family. Bobby was to look into it further. He was going to contact Teri Gilman who was their spokeswoman, I guess you would say. She had been two years ahead of me in high school and the Homecoming Queen. I didn't think we had ever spoken all though school, we didn't exactly travel in the same circles then and we definitely didn't now.

Work was up next. Ranger and I would look into the clients and cases I had been involved in through the Foundation and Dickie's law firm. It was a definite possibility. Most of the women and children we helped came from scary situations and even scarier men. Charles' wasn't the only video I kept under lock and key. Nor was it the only time I have had to use my self defense skills. When you work within the element that I did, it was just borrowing trouble to not be able to protect yourself. While my physical skills were good Ranger thought it would be best if I was carrying and spent some time in the gun range. I wasn't completely unfamiliar with guns, but they weren't my favorite. I reluctantly agreed. He said I could use the range they had at Rangeman. Oh goodie.

When they asked me if it could be someone I had been romantically involved with I snorted. Not hardly. Dickie and I had been together since I was in college. Other than the creep I lost my virginity to in high school there was no one. Lester looked like he wanted to say something, but he didn't. Maybe he didn't believe that I wasn't involved with anyone. I guess he had witnessed me molesting his boss the night before. Maybe he thought I did that a lot. No one mentioned Dickie's love life, so I did.

"Who is going to be looking into my husband's relationships?" Tank and Bobby paled and Lester looked like he wanted to be anywhere else but here. Ranger wore his blank face. "Listen, I am only going to say this once so pay attention. I am going to be a part of this investigation. There will be no hiding anything." They all nodded in understanding. "Good. Richard is my husband. I have no delusions about the number of women who share his bed, nor do I care. He no longer shares mine. One of you gets the unpleasant task of interviewing the governor about his sex life. Deal with it." Since Bobby was already looking into any political connections that left Tank and Lester. They did some complicated version of rock, paper, scissors and Lester lost.

That just left family. Other than my father in law, I couldn't think of anyone I was related to who wanted me dead. Tank was assigned the task of looking into the Plums and the Orrs. Other than my kind of eccentric Grandma Mazur and creepy cousin Vinnie, I didn't think we had too much to hide. After a while I had trouble keeping my eyes open. Ranger ended the meeting and Bobby, Lester and Tank all headed back to Rangeman to do research.

Ranger and I went back up to my room. It may seem callous, but I didn't care if anyone saw me take a man into my room, bodyguard or not. For one, Dickie and I lived in different wings of the mansion; secondly there was probably a parade of women in and out of his room. I didn't care to know, hence the separate wings.

Once we were inside Ranger stayed in bodyguard mode, locking the door and sweeping the room for boogiemen. While he was busy doing that I made my way to the dressing room and threw on a pair of sweats and a cami top. If I was going to nap, I was going to be comfy. When I came back into the bedroom Ranger had taken off his jacket and shoulder holster. He had also removed his boots and socks, damn even his feet were sexy. His hair was loose and brushing his shoulders. My breath hitched and my nipples hardened immediately, pretty obvious in the top I was wearing. No man had ever had such a dramatic effect on me. Maybe it was the six year dry spell. Maybe it was that I had never seen a sex god in person before. Ranger had been standing next to a wing chair were his things were piled. Seeing me, he crossed the room quickly to take me in his arms.

I melted into him. His embrace made me feel safe and warm. I laid my head on his shoulder as he ran his hands up and down my back. I tried to stifle the yawn that escaped. Ranger kissed me on the forehead and then scooped me up and tucked me into bed. "You need to rest." He made his way back over to the chair and picked up a black duffel bag I hadn't seen there before. "I'm gonna take a quick shower." I watched his fine ass as he headed to the bathroom. I drifted off to sleep with images of a very naked Ranger in my shower and a big smile on my face.

As happy as that feeling was, it didn't compare to the one I had now, waking up in Ranger's arms. I must have been out for at least a few hours. I was lying on my side with Ranger behind me, his arm around my waist. Yum. I stretched a little. His arms tightened. He placed a kiss on my temple. "Sleep good Babe?" His voice was husky with sleep and sexy as hell.

"Mmm…" Was all I could manage. He was trailing kisses down my neck and shoulder. It was short circuiting my brain. His body felt so good and so warm and hard behind me.

"Babe, we need to talk about this morning." His hand slipped under my top and was tracing designs on my stomach. "Do you want to explain to me how you managed to blackmail your father in law in front of a room full of people?" His voice was curious, but it had a hint of pride in it.

I sighed, "The man is a prick. It's been a long time coming." I thought for a minute. "It may not be the smartest thing to do, I know he is powerful, but the way he treats people, like we are all just his toys to move around as he wishes just pisses me off. This is my life we are talking about. Some psycho wants to kill me and he thinks he can make decisions and just tell me about it later? Bastard!" I was getting myself all worked up. Ranger hands were on my back and shoulders, trying to calm me.

"Do you want to tell me about what happened?" His voice was soft and soothing. His hands continued to travel across my back and down my arms in a comforting rhythm. I took a deep breath, could I? I wanted to tell him. I needed to tell someone.

My voice was shaky, "When I found out the extent of Dickie's problems, we were trying to work out an arrangement that we could both live with. A way we could stay married in name, what we would expect of each other." God it sounded so pathetic when I said it out loud. "Of course Charles thought I should just suck it up. His wife puts up with his infidelity, why shouldn't I put up with Dickies?" Fucker. "Charles always thought my work was ridiculous. He appreciates my skill as an investigator and didn't understand why I would take time away from making money to help the people I do with the Foundation."

I took a deep breath before I continued, "Charles found out how much money Dickie agreed to give to the Foundation and he came to visit me at my office." I shook my head, ashamed, "I had always been so careful around him. Tried to not draw his attention, made sure I was never alone in a room with him. But that afternoon I was trapped. He thought the amount his son had promised was too much and suggested not so subtly how I could make payments to him in exchange for his family's generosity." I swallowed hard, "I was so taken aback, he had pinned me down and started… his hands were everywhere. When he ripped my blouse I finally snapped out of my stupor and my training took over." My voice steadied as I remembered with pride, "I bloodied his nose and gave him a black eye. I thought that would be enough." Shaking my head, I continued, "It just made him more determined. He wasn't used to anyone saying no to him. It wasn't until I broke his jaw he finally got the picture." I smiled, "That and the .38 I keep in my desk drawer persuaded him that our meeting was over."

Ranger's hands stilled and he hugged me tightly to his body. My voice was not much more than a whisper, "I never told anyone. I had no one to turn to. I was sick knowing the money for the Foundation was tied to him, his family. I felt like I had made a deal with the devil himself. I still have the recordings. He hasn't ever bothered me again and I have just stayed out of his way."

Ranger rolled me over to look at him. His chocolate brown eyes were locked on mine. He kissed my forehead before crushing my body to his. That was when the tears started. They turned into sobs that wracked my whole body. I had kept this secret for years, this assault, and the terror that he would try again all hidden. As the sobs subsided and the tears dried, I felt like the pain had been exorcised from my body. After all this time, I was finally free of the burden.

"Sorry," I mumbled into Ranger's chest. He squeezed me tightly.

"Don't." He said harshly. "Stop apologizing." I didn't know how to answer him. I wanted to say I was sorry for apologizing all of the time, but it seemed a bit silly, so I just let the feeling of being in his arms calm me. He whispered to me one of my favorite Hemingway quotes, "The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places." It was true, as awful as the experience had been, I had come out on the other side of it stronger.

He pulled back from me to look at my face, which I am sure was lovely with all of the crying. He held my cheek in his hand. "Proud of you Babe."

Why did those four words make my heart flutter? Maybe because for all I had been through, survived and accomplished, no one else ever bothered to say them to me. But it was more than that. It wasn't just the words; it was the fact that he was saying them. In a very short period of time, what he thought about me began to matter a lot.

He kissed the remaining tears from my face before kissing my lips softly. His lips were gentle as they caressed mine. His tongue traced the seam of my lips and I opened them for him, allowing him entry. I sighed at the feeling. It was different than before. This kiss was not frantic or passionate. It was tender and reassuring.

Ranger rolled onto his back and pulled me with him, so I was half sprawled across his body. One of his hands rested in my hair, the other on my back. I laid my head on his chest and breathed in the scent of him. I used my hand to brush over his muscled chest. He was without a shirt again, just wearing his black cargos. I watched my hand move across his dark skin and drew a breath at the sight. While his skin was soft and mostly smooth, there were a few scars that marked his beautiful body. High on his chest, just below his collar bone, there was a raised scar about two inches in diameter. I traced it with my fingers before moving my lips to place kisses along the mark.

"Bullet wound," he whispered into my hair. I didn't ask, but hoped he would offer more info. "From when I was in the army, a lifetime ago." His voice sounded far away.

I raised my head off of his chest to look at him, "You were in the Rangers?" He nodded; the faraway look I had heard in his voice was mirrored in his eyes. I told him, "My Dad was a Ranger, I don't remember much. He was pretty much retired by the time I was in grade school, but there would be times where he would have to pick up and be gone, with no explanation." His breathing was measured and even.

I found another scar on his side, a half moon shape, kind of jagged. "Knife wound?" I asked. I felt his chest rumble as he laughed. I looked up at him in question.

His eyes were different now, gleaming with mischief, "No, bite marks from my sister." I must have looked surprised. He explained, "We wanted a dog, my mom always said five kids was enough. So we took turns playing the dog. Celia really got into it. She bit me once when I refused to let her eat her dinner off the floor." My eyes were wide, he was still laughing. I leaned down to kiss his scar.

"Five kids?" My eyes got big, there was just my sister and I growing up and I thought that was plenty.

He nodded. "Pretty average for the community I grew up in. Immigrants tend to have bigger families, more people to share the work."

"Were your parents immigrants?" I wondered where his beautiful coloring came from.

"Cuban, my parents are first generation. All of us kids were born in Newark. Carmen is the oldest, then my brother Mateo, Celia, then me and my baby sister Sophia."

I realized, "I don't even know what your name is." Omigod! I was going to sleep with him and I don't even know what his name is.

He was giving me the wolf grin and laughed, "You were going to sleep with me?"

I gave him my best death glare. It seemed to have little effect, although he did stop laughing.

"Ricardo Carlos Manoso, born August 18th, 1980. I was born and raised in Newark. I got into the wrong crowd when I was fourteen; spent time in juvie and got sent to live with my Abuela Rosa in Miami. She straightened me out and I came back after I graduated high school and went to Rutgars for two years before I joined the army. I was in the Ranger's Special Forces Unit. Two years ago when I got out I started Rangeman here in Trenton." He smirked after reciting his life story before leaning down and kissing me. It was soft at first, but grew in intensity. His hands traveled down my back to my ass. He pulled my body fully onto his, so I was now straddling him. He pulled back from the kiss, leaving me breathless.

"Now will you sleep with me?" He asked playfully. I rolled my eyes and smacked him on the chest. Ouch. He held my injured hand and kissed it, before lacing his fingers with mine. He pulled on my hand, bringing me closer. He kissed me again, taking time to explore my mouth with his tongue. He traced my lips with his tongue and sucked and nibbled on them. I couldn't help the moan that escaped. I felt him growl in response and he intensified the assalt on my lips while his hands moved down my sides to cup my breasts briefly, his thumbs running over my nipples, causing them to pebble. They continued on to cup my ass, pulling me roughly to him. I could feel him hard and throbbing against me. I felt a rush go through me and my panties went damp.

The sharp knock at the door startled me, but not as much as the speed at which Ranger rolled me behind his body and pulled a gun out of nowhere.

"Steph," It was Connie, "You need to leave for your parent's house in an hour. Are you ok?" She jiggled the doorknob. I put my hand on Ranger's arm and he lowered his gun, but he didn't put it away. I moved off of the bed to answer the door. Ranger was behind me, his gun in hand. I unlocked the door and opened it halfway to let Connie know I was fine and I would be ready.

"Oh," she said and blushed, taking in my bed head and Ranger behind me, without his shirt on. She was in a stupor, taking in his physique. I knew how she felt, but I felt a lick of jealously and I cleared my throat. She fanned herself. Coming out of her stupor she turned her gaze back to me, blinking, "Um, that's all for today. I'll see you in the morning." She turned and hurried down the hall. I turned to find Ranger with an intimidating look on his face as he watched Connie retreat down the hallway.

I smacked him on the chest, "Don't do that, it's just Connie." He circled my waist with his arm and pulled me to him as he shut and locked the door. He kissed me senseless and then backed me up to the bed. The back of my knees hit the bed and I fell backward. Ranger followed me down and covered me with his body.

I pushed on his chest, which was pointless, "We can't do this now, I have to go to dinner at my parent's house." His dark hair was framing his face and I couldn't believe I was kicking this Cuban Sex God out of my bed to go eat pot roast.

"Babe, don't you think a death threat should get you out of dinner at your parents' house?" He dropped his head and placed kisses along my collar bone as he worked his way down to my breast, latching onto my nipple through my top. I moaned, forgetting my argument.

Regaining my senses, "Ranger unless you deliver my death certificate, no one is excused from Sunday dinner at my mother's table. Now move, I need to get ready." Reluctantly he rolled off me and I hopped up and ran for the bathroom before I could change my mind.

"Need any help in there Babe? I'm good in the shower." I felt another rush and I turned to him, feeling brave.

"Someday…" I told him as I scurried in and locked the door.