Stephanie knows she's walking into danger.
She knew it from the very moment she stepped off the plane.
This is very different from getting some training. This is a whole lot different from playing bodyguard to society families.
If she knew what Ranger's territory was, she would say this is past it but if she's honest she still can't figure out his game.
The kind of games they played here were the kind of games that would earn you a bullet just for blinking at the wrong person.
For all that she's changed in the past few months, this is a whole new ballgame.
She knew if she crossed this line, there was no going back. She may never make it back to Trenton. And if she did, she would never be the same. This definitely came under the category morally grey and then some.
But she needed this. She still dreamt sometimes of whispers and caresses in the dark of night, laughter and fire and a burning sense of defeat she could never shake.
It was double or nothing.
Angelo had called in a favour for Stephanie to meet an old friend of his when she had landed in Rio.
Rio is one of the most tourist friendly destinations in Latin America. It's bright and vibrant (in the right places) and she can't help but smile at how alive it is.
Her contact is Luis, he's not chatty or friendly, often speaking with his body or his eyes rather than words but he's perfectly decent as far as she can tell.
She's not here to make friends anyway. And it's not like she's not use to the strong and silent type.
Which is definitely his type. Luis is muscled in a compact wiry way, scars of varying sizes layer his skin, criss-crossing and jagged. None of them look particularly vicious. Maybe they're deceptive.
He's handsome, dark, black glossy hair that's reminiscent of bed hair, but tufty in a way that speaks of someone yanking their hands through it. She'd still like to sink her fingers in just to feel the texture.
Her skin's not as pale as it used to be, thanks to all her outside activity, but it's still shades lighter than everyone else around her. Luis is all darkness, dark hair, dark eyes, and dark caramel skin. They make quite the contrast.
Judging by his scars and the one that cuts through his lower lip his muscles are carved from years of bar fights. She doesn't trust him. Trust is not something she indulges in anymore and not something Luis does either by the looks of it.
He appraises her in a swift sweep as she walks towards him, obviously deeming her acceptable. Once they out and hidden somewhat from the bustle of the city, Luis leads her to a beat up SUV, popping the trunk and revealing a hidden selection of goodies.
Steph's not been in this type of game so long to have her own tools of the trade that anything else refuses to compare to. She'll take what she can get her hands on.
And Luis has a lot of that.
Luis gives her a look that she interprets as a boyish grin at her look of surprise at the range he's carrying around like its candy.
"It pays to be prepared" he shrugs, his accent making his voice a curling rasp.
Together they work out what she'll need and what she can carry without raising trouble. Turns out that's a whole lot more than she thought. When she voices the question Luis looks at her, his lips pulling into an actual smile this time.
"It depends who you know" he says handing her a wicked sharp stiletto knife that she tucks away on her body. "It depends who you are"
She quickly learns what he means when they head towards the slums of Rio, away from the modern and bright appearance and towards the dust, dirty and run down shacks propped up and upon each other in a way that's hard to take in.
She sees Luis flicking glances in his mirrors. More wary than aware. The casual sparse chit chat they were having has evaporated. Luis keeps his watchfulness until they pull to a stop into a covered makeshift garage, tucked away in a tight alley.
He cuts the engine and gestures for her to get out. She hops out and finds herself face to face with a beautiful woman with dark curls far thicker than her own. Her eyes are green and appraising. Her body is slim but strong with curvy hips, dressed in a khaki tank and jean shorts, her feet encased in some pretty solid looking boots. She's a knockout. She's also got one gun strapped to her thigh and another two in shoulder holsters.
Whatever she sees in Stephanie she nods. "You ready for this?" Luis has stood silently to the side whilst they've been having their meet and greet. She flicks him a glance, but he is impassive, as if the outcome doesn't really faze him. Looking round the room there are people of various shape, size and demeanour in the space. Some are bored looking, lounging against the walls or beaten up couches. Some with some serious muscle are stood looking poised to snap someone's neck If they look at them wrong.
"I better be" by the look in her eyes I know I've cracked her shell a little.
"You know how to handle yourself?"
"If I don't we'll find out soon enough"
She gave me a long, hard look. "You don't expect anyone to carry you?"
"That's not what I'm here for. I'm here to be whatever you need me to be. Nothing more, nothing less"
The woman I met that day was called Ximenia. She was one of the best women at what she did in the entire continent. She was dead six months to the day I met her.
Before she died she made me work for everything.
In the end I got the feeling she quite liked me. Especially as the only other two women in our familia weren't that bothered about whatever the day's agenda was. Preferring to watch over the people and the community Luis name afforded protection too.
Community was family, family was priceless. Sandra and Leia preferred only getting involved in defense, whereas Ximenia and I were much better at pre-empting people.
Specifically, we were more often involved in persuasion and surveillance.
And we were damn good at it.
Luis territory actually grew in the six months I ran with him. Despite the death of Ximenia his crew rallied. There's nothing like retribution to boost your ambition.
Didn't I just know the truth of that.
I didn't know then that Luis worked for Alejandro.
For a few short, fairly easy-going months I had no idea he even existed. I'd heard rumours, but I thought there was nothing to them. James's warning sprung to mind, but I'd paid it little heed.
There were different levels to the game here, small time players, those who'd bring two or three men with them to larger groups. Ambition of these men would often lead to small time fractions and disagreements. Middle time players could usually stomp them down with little effort.
Every so often, one would succeed and take their place. Luis was middle time. And a high middle. I couldn't have gotten any higher unless you went for one of the big boys.
The big time players were spread across Latin America. We were all linked together in one way or another. Brazil, Columbia, Chile, Cuba. Because of this some people nicknamed the crime network a web or la telarana.
Rumour had it that in the centre of this web sat a spider. A very dangerous spider who knew everything that happened on his 'web'. He was judge, jury and executioner. More so than any government or law enforcement. Some people thought he was just a myth to scare them off from trying to rise up in the world.
People who believed that tended to end up dead a few days later though, so in the end I decided to respect the rumour, and not worry either way.
Whoever he was, he hadn't been seen or heard from in quite some time. Without an obvious top dog to stamp down, rival crime gangs were starting to jostle for power.
Ximenia's death was a message. And revenge.
The man who killed her died seconds after she did.
Her death had the unexpected consequence that I fell into her place. Ximenia and I tended to stick to the shadows and be quieter than the men were. Although women weren't unusual in this business they tended to be rare. Or owned.
Luis had never laid a hand on either of us, we were loose cannons to rival gangs. Women in this business tended to be highly skilled and volatile. They didn't know what to make of us and that made us a threat.
After Ximenia's death things changed and quickly. Luis started taking on more and more. Bigger jobs, dangerous ones. More exposure, more presence.
Instead of taking just four or five men he'd take seven and then me. He started coming himself on every job that I did. Used to be anything below 100K he didn't bother coming himself.
Even on the jobs that I wasn't heading up, he'd have me watching the lower teams, making sure they all made it. More often than not I'd end up blending in with rooftops whilst I watched through the lens of a rifle until they all made it out. If I had to occasional fire off a warning shot or two, or even score a hit then I did. Morality didn't exist in this game.
It didn't seem to exist in me anymore.
There were gangs that dealt in bodies and trafficking. Luis would never touch that if it killed him. The gangs that did were in direct opposition to us. If there had to be one gang nicer than the other it was us and that wasn't saying much.
The truth was getting stronger hadn't healed me. Getting trained only meant I had the skills I needed. But the hole in my chest remained. Something empty, all too often filled with fear. I knew now that if anyone ever came for me I could easily come out on top, I improved every day and the ease with which I'd risen through Luis's familia didn't escape anyone's notice.
I wasn't homesick. I was scared home would come to me.
That someone would find me and realise whatever I was I wasn't Stephanie anymore.
I was a stranger, surviving the only way they knew how. Living day to day on adrenaline and fury because it was all we had.
I had no idea that if I hadn't needed saving before, that I needed it now.
Sometimes you don't need a prince charming on a white charger.
Sometimes what you need is dark and cruel and not at all good for you.
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
I was about to get incredibly familiar with those words.
Hey guys! Sorry for the long wait for this one, it was written months ago but I've been umming and ahhing over it all this time, not quite sure if I liked it! Either way here it is, let me know what you think of Steph now heading down this path, as the follow on chapter should follow shortly!
I'm going to get back to all of your lovely reviews from the last chapter (sorry for the delay!) , thank you very much and I hope you enjoy!