Continuing Eleven

by Artgal

Steph works alongside Ranger, Ranger's brother, an assassin, Morelli, Terry Gilman, and all the MerryMen as they work together to stop Trenton's deadliest brothers. And if that isn't enough, Steph catches the attention of a mystery killer.

3. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

"Let's go, Steph, wake up."

I told myself it was a dream and ignored it. Bulgari, yum. The bed next to me dipped as a body lay down next to me. Hmm, Ranger.

I snuggled closer and rested my back against his front, letting out a content sigh. I placed my head in the crook of his neck and breathed in that freshly showered smell I loved so much.

That's when I heard the laugh. It was deep and rich… and not Ranger.

I opened my eyes and lifted my head to find a shirtless Fang next to me. I quickly moved away.

"I'm not even going to touch that one. Let's go, we have work."

I shot him an evil look and got up.

10:30… guess I did have to get up. Sometimes life was just not fair.

Coffee in hand, I stared at Ranger and his guys. This could not be happening.

"So you're telling me someone thinks I have a computer chip that just so happens to be missing?"

Fang sighed. "Here's the situation. Pay attention. Your skip David Swolinski worked for Hawkins. We didn't know that. He apparently had a computer disk that had all the names of Hawkins' contacts."

I leaned back and closed my eyes.

"That skip just came in this morning. I haven't even gone after him. Explain to me how I could have the disk."

Ranger cut in. "Swolinski was found dead last night. Shoved in a dumpster."

"Let me guess… no disk."

Lester shook his head. "No disk. Swolinski was going to go to the police with the information, so we thought Hawkins' men had taken him out. After your late night visit last night, I'm assuming someone else has it."

"So who killed the guy?"

"The guy who really has the disk," Tank said.

"Well there's always something," I said.

"We'll keep you here and try to get more, but there isn't much we can do."

Ranger leaned back in his chair. "Babe, this is getting complicated. We want to start to move on Marty and Dino."

I nodded. "Okay."

"I called Dino this morning to set up a meeting. We're meeting downtown at four."

I shuffled through my papers until I found the file on Marty.

"Fang has a plan in mind for Marty."

Ranger shoved a packet of papers toward me. I flipped through and skimmed all the high points.

"So this is a meet and greet?"

Ranger almost smiled. "Yeah, Babe."

I sighed. "Who's working with who?"

Lester stood up. "Morelli and I are working surveillance on you and Fang. Tank and Gilman are backup for Ranger."

He handed me over a small mic. "Put it where you can."

"I had your outfit sent up to the apartment, Babe."

I nodded. This was moving fast. And someone new wanted me dead. Joy! Remind me again why I came back to this profession?

I felt pressure on the back of my neck and looked up to see Ranger looming above me. "You'll be fine, Babe." I hoped he was right.

Two hours later Fang and I were getting into a silver Jaguar and speeding off toward Café de Los Reyes. I was gussied up in a black knee-length cocktail dress, with a necklace of cascading diamonds and matching earrings. I had four inch heeled Jimmy Choos with diamond buckles on and my make-up and hair were professionally done. Only the best for his whore. I snorted at the thought.

I saw Morelli and Lester pull out after us in a black nondescript van.

Fang was outfitted in a black Armani suit, black hair loose and wavy, Gucci shades shielding his eyes. We reached the café in a half an hour and were quickly seated with an older man. He was tall and thin, wearing a suit similar to Fang's and a woman similar to me on his arm. Two huge guys all in black flanked him. Now why didn't we think to bring big bad guards? Sigh. Put that on the list for next time. Next time? That is the sad state of my life, when I go making lists on how to handle 'next times' like this.

Fang and the man shook hands. "I am Vince. Marty was unable to make it today."

Ranger had warned me this may happen. Vince was a nobody. His job was to make sure Fang and I were credible before sending us off to see the big kahuna.

"I think Mr. Mancini would be very… mislead… to not go into business with me," Fang started with.

Vince steepled his fingers across the table and leaned in, his black eyes sparkling.

"And why, may I ask, is that?"

Fang smiled a feral smile just as a blonde waitress came and placed a plate of crab cakes and lemon water on our table. I never understood lemon in water. Yuck.

The waitress lingered longer than was necessary making eyes at Fang who was delightfully checking out her ass as she leaned over the table. She gave him a wink as she flounced away and I'm sure I saw a white slip of paper 'fall' into his lap. Oh please.

"First of all, there's more where that came from," he said and nodded at me and placed his hand high on my bared thigh.

Vince threw his head back and laughed and his arm candy eyed me with contempt.

I heard Morelli and Lester break out in laughter in my ear. "Damn straight," yelled Lester.

"A valid point, please continue," laughed Vince. Fang now had him on the line. A good joke and the man was putty in Fang's hands.

"Secondly…" Fang started as he leaned down to grab his Italian leather briefcase.

He inserted a code and flipped up the locks on the case, revealing a boatload of cash.

"I'm willing to pay quite nicely for Mr. Mancini's services."

Vince leaned back as he chose a crab cake. Fang reached forward and chose one, then leaned into me, pressing a kiss to my jawline.

"Open up," he whispered.

I did as I was told and Fang carefully placed the cake in my mouth and used his index finger to close it. He kissed my neck as I chewed, expertly showing his possession of me.

He finished the show off by kissing me deeply, plunging his hands into my hair and moving his hand higher. Probably now wasn't the time to be thinking about Fang's kissing expertise, but I was. I was thinking how he could go from being gentle with the lightest touch to rough and demanding in two seconds flat. And I was thinking that if he could kiss that well, there were probably other things he could do just as well or better. And that thought made me blush. The blush wasn't lost on Fang. He was smiling like an ass when I finally exited my reverie, as was Vince.

"You have quite the way with women. Perhaps, Mr. Vitale, you have the same way with business."

Fang raised his glass. "Women, my friend, are business." Vince held up his glass with a chuckle.

"Cheers," he said.

"To a new partnership," amended Fang.

"That it is."

I watched Fang seal the deal with one of the most expensive bouquets in America, before he excused us for a business meeting. Vince kissed me on the cheek and said he looked forward to getting to know me better. Ew, creepy.

Fang helped me get my coat on, then placed his arm around my waist and led me out to the car.

Vince was steps behind us, his big body guards clearing the way, and disappeared into a Lincoln stretch limo with tinted windows.

"Nothing to it," Fang said on a victorious smile as he sped out the driveway.

I debated about two minutes after walking into the apartment on whether or not I should just change and go back to work, or if I could squeeze in a little time for a hot bath. I figured I spent the day with the creepy guy, I get the bath. I turned the music on low, dimmed the lights and enjoyed my half an hour of freedom from the insane.

"Stephanie… tsk tsk tsk, skiving off work."

I opened my eyes to see Fang leaning over the tub. I let out a large yawn and looked at the clock on the wall. Whoops. Apparently my thirty minute bubble bath turned into an hour and some.

"Look who's talking. I don't see you behind a desk."

He grimaced. "I don't do desk work."

That's when I noticed his chest was bare. Nothing but a small silver cross necklace on it.

He was very sculpted, a light dusting of hair, evenly tanned. Your basic dream chest.

"I'm going to give you two minutes to get out of the tub, or I'm getting in with you," he said over his shoulder as he walked out.

Join me. Hmm… I spent a moment visualizing that before realizing I had wasted half my time. I quickly jumped out of the tub, did a lightning speed dry off, pulled the plug on the drain and was just tying the sash on my robe when he walked back in.

He looked at me and shrugged. "Too bad."

I felt another blush coming on, so I quickly ran out the door and straight into Ranger's fully clothed (unfortunately) chest.

"Hi," I squeaked out.

He raised an eyebrow at the running shower and my robed appearance.

"Forget something, Babe?"

Oh dear. What a situation.

"Um, no, Fang's in the shower."

Ranger tensed his stance and I saw his fists clench at his sides.

"No! I fell asleep in the tub and he woke me up!" I quickly tried to explain.

"He woke you up while you were still in the bathtub?"

Ergh. "Yes."

"And helped out to get out safely, I'm to assume?"

"No! He left and I got out and… and I don't have to explain this to you!" I yelled and threw my hands up.

"You're sleeping in my bed, so yes, I think you do," he said and pinned me to the wall with his body.

"I'm sharing a bed with you," I corrected.

"Should you be sharing a bed with him instead?" he growled.

"No! Nothing's going on! Not that you should care anyway! So what if I date someone?"

I shoved Ranger aside and strode to the dresser, getting out fresh clothes to change into. The water shut off and the glass door banged against the ceramic walls.

Ranger glanced back at the bathroom then at me and walked out.

I let out the breath I had been unconsciously holding and placed my forehead against the cool wood.

"Still going to tell me there's nothing going on?" said Fang who was lounging in the doorway, towel around his waist.

I remained silent.

"He wasn't too happy about how I handled our meeting either." He walked over to me. "I've never seen him react this way before. Probably you should figure out why." And he walked out.

Armed with my toothbrush and a change of clothes, I knocked on the solid oak door in front of me. I really had no idea what I was doing. I must be some kind of an idiot to even think about doing something that may, perhaps, tick Ranger off.

It took a few minutes for him to answer, and when he did, he was dressed in red reindeer boxers. How typical.

"Steph?" he groggily asked.

I felt bad about waking him up. He'd been investigating a case for a regular client that ended up having him on an all day stakeout. I'm sure he was dead on his feet.

"Hey. Um, can I stay here tonight?"

His hazel eyes searched mine for any clue of why I wasn't where I was supposed to be. I'm sure everyone and their brother thought I was 'involved' with Ranger. Probably he was weighing the likelihood of him getting shot if he let me stay. I'd say no more that 80 percent… or so.

After a moment he pushed the door open enough so I could slide past him.

"Hope you don't mind the couch," he said as he headed for what I knew to be the hall closet. He pulled out a warm looking blanket and pillow and tossed them over the side of the couch.

"Nice jammies," he said with a smirk.

I looked down at my pink cow pj's and sighed. "Shut up, they're warm. At least I'm not the one wearing half of Santa's posse on my ass."

He came to sit down on the couch.

"What's got you in such a delightful mood?"

Just thinking about Ranger and Fang made me groan and fall back onto the soft Italian leather couch. I'd never really paid attention to his apartment before. I'd been here plenty of times, but I guess I never looked around. The whole place was done up in Earth tones. The tables were geometrical and the furniture was lush. It was stylish in a way that didn't come out and bite you.

"Steph?"

Oh, right. Focus.

"Ranger… Fang…" I mumbled.

He raised an eyebrow at me and started laughing.

"Never knew you were so adventurous."

I smacked him hard on the arm and tried to ignore the images that a statement like that would naturally bring up.

"You can stay here as long as you want," he said, placing his hand on the light switch.

"Thanks, Lester," I said as the room was plunged into darkness.

Chapter 6

You know those times where you want your cell phone to just spontaneously combust because it's ringing at a really inconvenient time? Well six thirty in the morning is definitely one of those times.

" 'Lo?" I grumbled into the receiver, after having eventually turned it upright.

"Where are you?" came Ranger's less than amused voice.

This was really not a conversation I wanted to be having at this time of the morning. No coffee, no fries, no donuts, no talking. That's the rule. He's breaking the sacred rule.

"Sleeping," I responded. I could do the one word answer thing early in the morning, too. "Where are you sleeping?"

I sighed.

"What do you need?"

I imagined him taking a few deep, calming breaths before attempting to talk to me again. Sometimes I had that effect on Ranger. There were times where I was entertainment, but the rest of the time I'm sure he wanted to throttle me. Most people do. In fact, I think I have the effect on everyone. Generally I'm just a pain in the ass.

"You need to come to RangeMan… now," he said in a measured tone then hung up.

I tossed (well perhaps tossed is a bad word for it. Maybe threw or even threw with enough force to shatter stone would work.) the phone onto the floor. I heard Lester's pager go off in the room and some mumbling that sounded strangely like "damn him," but really I couldn't be sure. Light filled the room as Lester opened his door and I squinted up at him.

"You're still here," he said, sounding genuinely surprised.

"Thought Ranger would come steal me away?" I asked.

"I wore Kevlar to bed."

I'm sure he was joking. Pretty sure.

Since I was already at RangeMan and didn't really want Ranger to know that fact, I let Lester use the shower first and I took an extra long time making myself irresistible to the male species. Er, well, I made myself look not scary.

Lester laughed as he left at the visual of me holding a curling iron to my head and a mascara brush to my face. Never say I can't multitask. I was donning a Terry Gilman style navy suit, four-inch heels and a simple diamond necklace that inched suggestively into my cleavage. I was pretty satisfied, seeing as I never looked cute anymore. I was always covered in one food product or another and, let me tell you, pizza is not a good accessory.

I poured myself a cup of coffee in one of Lester's travel mugs with "I'm on the Naughty List and Proud of It" and took the elevator to the fifth floor, Conference Room A.

Figuring Ranger was about to fly off his rocker about me being so late, I grudgingly pushed open the door to see about eight pairs of eyes staring at me.

"Morning," I said brightly and took the only available leather seat.

Tank slid a folder over to me and I read the short stack of papers inside while everyone continued to stare. It was like being a fish in a fishbowl. Which, of course, is the only thing that would be in a fishbowl. If there were something else in a fishbowl it would be called something else. Like the giraffe bowl or the llama bowl. Or whatever else can go into a bowl. Not that a giraffe or a llama could fit in a bowl. Maybe a really large bowl. But then who would make that bowl? Tupperware? I don't think so.

I heard Tank clear his throat and realized I had been pondering outrageously large whatever bowls instead of reading my handout.

"So Dino and Marty are having a little party, huh?" I said lightly. Terry Gilman rolled her eyes and Lester smiled at me. Ranger just looked at me. He didn't appear to be in such a bright and shiny mood this morning. Wonder why?

"Well this should be fun."

Tank stepped forward, a smirk playing on his face.

"We'll have Manny, Bobby and Zero arrive early with the catering team. They'll set up sound and cameras and act as waiters for the evening. If something goes wrong, they're your back-up."

He passed me, Ranger, Fang, and TERRY??? mics. I eyed her with my superpowers, wishing her to melt like the Wicked Witch. Needless to say it didn't happen. A girl can try.

"Why exactly does she need a mic?" I casually tossed in.

Tank and Lester exchanged glances and Fang rocked back on his heels.

"She's going in with me," Ranger said.

My mouth literally dropped open.

"I'm Ranger's contact. We're old friends."

I'm sure. Slut. And when did she start calling Ranger, Ranger?

Morelli pretended to be busy with some papers, which was probably a good idea since Terry had never really been a strengthening tool in our relationship.

I pulled myself together and decided to leave it be.

"I suggest we break off into our groups to get ready and get security handled."

Ranger nodded tersely.

"Morelli and Les, you're with Steph and Fang. I'll be on Ranger and Terry. Let's keep this clean, everyone."

Three hours later there was a workable plan and I was all dolled up. Vera Wang dress cut in every way possibly to be suggestive and sexy, bordering on classy slut. I was decked out with glistening diamonds and done up with $100 lipstick. I thought I looked damn good.

Fang came out of the bathroom in a black Armani tux. His face had only the lightest hint of stubble and his hair was perfectly gelled in place.

He looked me up and down with a glint in his eye and gave me the wolf grin.

"So there is a female under all that?"

I scowled as he came up behind me. "I saw your mug this morning."

He lightly brushed his hand down my arm until it got the diamond bracelet on my wrist.

"I'm on the naughty list, too."

And he headed down the hall.

I was feeling pretty damn good about myself when I re-entered the conference room, but it all went away as soon as I saw Terry Gilman. Terry fucking Gilman.

She was sporting a black dress made of layers of a very thin fabric so it swirled all around her. The dress wrapped around her neck and crossed over her front, leaving her stomach bare, then fell down to her thighs in the front and to the floor in the back. It was probably the sexiest, best-fitting dress I had ever seen. It probably cost about a million dollars too.

Her golden blonde hair was pulled back in an elegant bun, a red rose pinned on the side.

My glass of self-confidence was just drained.

The worst part was how she was hanging on Ranger. Touching his shoulder and the hair on the back of his neck. I sent her another bout of the death vision, but nothing happened. "If looks could kill," Lester said quietly to me.

Hmph. Ranger stood up at the head of the table.

"Don't mess up."

"Woo haa," Tank muttered. He didn't really sound that convinced.

Fang and I got into the white limo out front while Terry and Ranger loaded into the black one just behind it.

Next to me, Fang pulled out a cigarette and lit it.

"So, hotshot, why are you gonna kill the blonde?"

I rolled my eyes. "She's a bitch."

He smiled. "You can't kill people for being bitches."

I crossed my arms over my chest and watched the city fly by. Fang hit the button for the radio and ACDC blared out of the speakers.

Sometime later, I felt the car slow to a stop.

"Party time," Fang said and he put out his second cig and I opened the door and got out.

Fang jogged up behind me and gently grabbed my elbow.

"I lead you, not the other way around."

I slowed my pace a little and let him put his hand on the small of my back.

"And," he said as we approached the backyard. "Remember to be all over me."

I rolled my eyes. "Right," I said.

"You know you like it," he said on a laugh.

To say the Mancini brothers know how to throw a grand party would be an understatement. The whole thing was catered and professionally decorated at a house in the style of a Spanish villa that would take me at least four lifetimes to afford. I recognized big name assassins and members of the mob. Fang and I were presented with shimmering glasses of champagne upon our entrance as I saw Terry and Ranger getting out of their limo and heading up the path.

Probably throwing the caterer's knife at Terry would be bad. I'd probably miss anyway.

"Damian!"

Fang and I turned to see none other than Vince the Nobody walking towards us, Marty Mancini in tow.

Fang and I immediately went into character, him giving Vince a broad smile and me trying to, uh, look slutty?

Fang extended his hand to Vince who took it eagerly. "Vince, my man," Fang said as they clasped.

Vince smiled and clapped him on the back. "My new son," he threw over his shoulder at Marty with a laugh.

Marty smiled like he was still suspicious and I saw his eyes stray to me and look me up and down. Yes, I was a deli counter to be perused as men so wish. Gag me with a spoon.

Vince moved over to me, taking my hand and kissing the palm. "Michelle, beautiful as ever, my darling."

I smiled like a loved it and swallowed the bile that unconsciously moved into my throat.

"Mr. Renacio," Marty said coolly as he shook Fang's hand. "I hear we're going to start a great friendship together."

Fang nodded soberly. "I hope so."

Marty moved over to me. He reached out and touched my diamond necklace, his eyes never leaving mine as he traced the dazzling jewels down the vee of my dress.

"A great partnership is a beautiful thing, Mr. Renacio," he said still looking at me. "It can be mishandled and deformed. We do not want that." He shot a quick glance at Fang then turned back to me.

"I hope you hold your business as dear as you hold this beautiful woman."

Talk about revulsion. It's not that Marty Mancini was an ugly man. He wasn't gorgeous, but he wasn't ugly. He had dark brown hair, bushy eyebrows, but deep emerald green eyes. His face was a bunch of harsh lines, a larger nose and a square jawline. He was average height, a lighter olive complexion, and was very well dressed. Or should I say expensively dressed?

Marty's hand moved from my necklace to my arm, as he ever-so-softly caressed for upper arm.

Fang swooped in (causing Marty to move back) and possessively placed his hand at the small of my back/the top part of my behind. Not an unpleasant experience and not one that went unnoticed, I saw, as Ranger's eyes narrowed at his brother's hand from across the room.

"With an eagle's eye, Fang said politely.

Marty smiled at us both. "I do hope you enjoy the party."

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Ranger and Terry prepare to meet Dino. Terry flounced in a way that made her assets noticed and her stride confident right over to Dino and planted a kiss on both cheeks.

She introduced Ranger and, as soon as he had shaken Dino's hand, placed his arm around her waist and pulled her to him.

"You're staring. Don't," Fang said quietly and twirled me around and onto the dance floor. The Mancini brothers had a live band playing and white stones set up as a dance floor.

"We need to show off a bit for Marty. He doesn't seem too fond of me."

He pulled me so I was skintight against his body as he started to dance to the slow beat. "Perhaps that is because Vince already trusts you too much," I said before he twirled me around and brought me back.

"No, that isn't it."

We took a few steps together to the right, turned, and moved around the dance floor in quicker, in sync, motions.

"Then why?"

Fang laughed.

"Because of you."

I stopped momentarily to look at him like he was dumb as a rock, so he tugged my hand into a spin, then pulled me up against him as he leaned me back until me hair touched the floor. As he did so, his hands ran down the sides of my body.

I was a little breathless when we started moving again so I just attempted to raise my eyebrow.

"He wants me to share you. I won't."

I gaped at him. What a sick sadistic bastard.

"Exactly," Fang said and he leaned me back as the music ended.

Everyone around us clapped, with the exception of Terry and Ranger who were both looking extremely pissed off.

"Let's go inside," he said and guided me through the gold rimmed French doors on the patio.

I know my jaw dropped when I entered the room. The words elegant and beautiful completely left my mind. We entered what looked to be the Mancini entertainment room. A full bar and kitchen, various leather couches, plasma tv, surround sound, pool table, poker table. Men were drinking tequila shots off their dates, women were snorting cocaine.

Fang took off his tux jacket, unbuttoned his shirt and headed toward the bar.

"My kind of party," he said before catching my hand and pulling me along with him.

He reached under the bar and pulled out a bottle of clear liquid I recognized as rum. He poured it into the blender along with various other things and a red sort of slush came out. He looked at it for a moment, then up at me, and with a mischievous grin, poured half the bottle in the blender. Grabbing two glasses and pouring the drink into them, he handed one to me.

"I drink half that and I'll be on my ass."

He shoved it into my hand.

"Good," he said, shouting over the music. "Maybe you'll let me take a shot off you later, then."

I should have found this insulting, but instead I laughed.

I took in the scene around me and wondered what it was like to live like this every day of your life. Drugs, alcohol, public sex (judging by the couple that were currently on the couch) every night. Big houses, important people. Probably I was better off where I was.

Fang and I saw as Dino led Ranger over to the poker table in the corner. They were soon joined by 3 other players and chips were dealt around. Marty came up behind us.

"Mr. Renacio…" he started.

Fang smiled. "Damian, please."

Marty nodded. "Damian then. Do you play poker, Damian?"

Fang looked at the table and rubbed his hands together.

"You have tequila?" he asked.

Marty nodded.

"Great. Crack it open and I'm in."

I mentally rolled my eyes. Drunk poker players. Drunk Fang. Oh dear.

Marty walked off to, I assume, get Fang's request.

"I'm a lousy poker player," he said.

I shook my head. "Then you shouldn't play. Poker is business to these people."

He just laughed. "I'm playing. But how about a little deal?"

I looked at him skeptically.

"I win, I get to take a shot off you. Think of it as motivation."

I sighed. If he really was lousy, it wouldn't matter. Although, if he really is lousy, we have a major problem.

"Fine. Deal. Just do something good."

He smiled brightly. "I'll hold you to it."

And he grabbed me and kissed me hard. He let his hands freely roam my body and groaned into my mouth when I hit the bar and pushed against him.

He finally ended the kiss after some time and looked at my frazzled face.

"A kiss for good luck." And he winked and walked toward the table.

Composure. Right. Straighten your dress and go watch the game. Don't look at Ranger.

But the first thing I did (after straightening my dress, of course) was look at Ranger. He was staring at me, but turned his glance back to the table when I looked up.

Yeah. He was pissed.

I walked over to the table just in time to hear how much Fang was playing with. Ten million. Dollars. Ten million George Washington's. Holy shit Batman.

Everyone started with ten mil, pot no lower than ten thousand.

Texas Hold 'Em, deuces wild.

I knew enough about poker from what I learned playing with the guys from the station. I could hold my own, but we never played for more than pizza money.

Ranger came out strong. He won the first three kitties and Terry was bouncing around, showing her enthusiasm. So unlike Terry. Every time he won, she threw her arms around his neck and planted a kiss on his lips. I wanted to take the blender and smash it over her pretty little head. Fang carted out his cigarettes on the next hand and lit one up, also taking his first shot of tequila.

The looked at his hand as the first card was turned over and folded.

Marty was giving a knowing look to Vince as he won with a straight of hearts.

Ranger looked over at Fang for just a second before focusing back on the game.

And that's when it happened. Fang turned from zero to hero in one hand. He bid up until the end, the final kitty being three point four mil. All players were down except Marty. Fang took a drag on his cigarette and Marty stood up, pacing as he waited for the river card to be turned.

The dealer, a pretty blonde, turned the last card and Fang smiled.

"Gottcha," he said and he flipped over his hand for the table to see. Marty looked impressed as he sat down and watched Fang sort his winnings. It went on like this for the next hour. Either Fang folded or won. There was no in between. Two players were knocked out quickly until it came down to Dino, Marty, Ranger, and Fang. By now Fang was wearing his undershirt, no shoes, no tie, jacket long forgotten. He was drinking a shot every hand he won, but still carefully judging everyone's faces. Dino was kicked out next when Marty won with a royal flush.

He stood by as the final three duked it out.

It wasn't long before Ranger had to throw in the towel. I think this was purposely done because he went from winning one out of every three hands to nothing. Maybe he was trying to show Dino he wasn't any better than him.

Terry consoled him, but my eyes were focused on the game. I realized now that Fang had lied to me about being a horrible poker player and that I fell for it. How could a man like him not be good at poker. He could read people impeccably and just got back from working in Colombia. Poker was a living in that country. That little rat fink!

But at this point, Fang taking a body shot from god knows where was less of an issue than him losing this game. Vince was happy with himself again now that his 'new son' was running the show.

Marty and Fang were both very calculated players. Both gave away no tells and bluffed their asses off so well they could earn gold medals at the Olympics.

At the next hand my heart almost stopped. The cards were dealt, the antes were in. Marty stood up and pushed all his chips into the pot.

"All in," he said at Fang.

I had a really bad feeling about this. I had a feeling that Fang would be in big trouble if he won, perhaps angering Marty into not wanting to do business with him. I also felt like there was something wrong. My spidey sense was tingling, but I couldn't figure out why. Ranger looked over at me and we locked eyes. He must have sensed my apprehension because I saw him give Manny and Zero a small wave. They came over and handed him a drink and he whispered something to them so discreetly I wouldn't have picked it up unless I was specifically looking for it. Brushing the feeling off, I focused back in on the game.

Fang leaned back, his chair on two legs, and looked from his cards to the pile of chips in the center of the table.

He took a moment to stare at Marty before he too stood up and pushed all of his chips to the middle.

"I'm in," he said and they both faced the dealer.

Meanwhile… Back in the Van

"Kiera Knightly," Lester said. Morelli smiled before taking a bite of pizza.

"Yeah, she's hot."

"Hell yeah," Lester yelled. They'd been watching the best night of television of their lives and actually getting along while doing so. Steph was pissing off Ranger who was pissed off my Fang who hates Terry who wants Ranger who hates Marty. And on and on, so on and so forth. It was all entertaining to watch from the outside, not that either one of them would have wanted to go in. Unless they got to make out with Steph, but neither of them said it out loud.

They were watching Fang fuck with Marty at the poker table when the screen went fuzzy.

"You picking up any interference?" Morelli asked.

Lester checked the dials. "No, no I don't know what's happen—"

And the screen completely cut off and was replaced by the latest taping of The Wiggles. Lester slammed his fist into the receiver and began checking hook ups.

"We've lost all visual, Tank," Lester said into his headset.

"So have I, fuck!" Tank's booming voice said.

Now they were in there alone. No one would have any idea if something went wrong. There would be no back-up. And that thought made all of them sick to their stomachs.

Back to the Gang…

Just then, I heard a noise in my ear piece. It sounded like music. I looked to Ranger who nodded and touched his ear. I saw Bobby the waiter glance at Ranger and Manny and Zero look at each other.

The music was getting louder and more pronounced. And that's when I realized what it was and stifled a laugh. "Grandma got run over by a reindeer" was blasting on our lines.

Fang glanced quickly at me, but refocused on the dealer. He looked slightly agitated and kept looking around the room, as did Ranger. A waitress from the bar came over and handed me a little fruity drink with an umbrella in it.

"Courtsey of that man over…" she trailed off. "Well he was over there..."I saw the rest of the players receive a drink as well. Fang and Ranger's were pink. Ha! Marty received a note. He read it quickly and stood up, red in the face and furious.

"Lock it down! I don't want anyone leaving."

He focused his look down on Fang who was sipping his fruity drink with a smile. Marty hastily flipped over his cards and Fang's before fleeing from the room. I looked over at the table to see a pair of two's for Marty and a flush for Fang.

Fang barked out a laugh and turned to me.

"…About that shot." And he gave me the wolf grin as he reached over and grabbed the bottle of tequila.

I have this bad habit of not thinking things through before I agree to them. This was one of those times. I agreed because I thought my ass was grass if I didn't. And know I was paying for it.

Fang slide a look Ranger's way then back to me. Terry watched with mild fascination as Ranger came over.

"Anthony Barrio, I don't believe we've met," he said and crushed Fang's hand in a grip.

"Yeah, one hell of a poker player Tony. If you'll excuse me, my girl Michelle here needs to sit her pretty little ass on this table."

Ranger's eyebrow shot up and I hopped onto the table and lay back. Fang bent down and licked part of my belly before I felt the soft sprinkling of salt in the same place. I shivered at the sensation. I saw Ranger's eyes go dark and stormy and knew Fang was in for it.

The tequila was cool on my skin, but the tongue that licked the salt off my belly and promptly lapped up the tequila was not. Not at all. And probably I didn't make matters any better with the moan that escaped my lips as he did so. There was no denying the fact that Fang is a sexy sexy man. And yeah, sure, I was (in some way) attracted to him. That didn't mean I wanted to buy matching robes, exchange vows and grow old together. That didn't even mean I wanted to sleep with him. Not that the thought hadn't entered my brain a time or two. It just meant exactly that. He was attractive and I don't think you'd find too many women who didn't want his tongue somewhere on their body from time to time.

I opened my eyes to see Fang smiling with a piece of lime stuck in his mouth. Ranger/Anthony glared at me then strode off to Terry and pulled her out the door.

"Give me that!" I snapped as I grabbed the tequila out of Fang's hands and took a drink. I grimaced as the liquid slid down my throat.

I saw Fang looking out the window and into the pool house. Marty and Dino were in, what looked to be, a heated argument.

"Let's check it out," Fang said and tugged me out the door.

We crept around the outside of the building and leaned into the shrubs to hear better.

"Threats! All threats! Nothing has happened, let's not worry now."

Marty's loud voice lashed out. "They have the DISK you idiot! This man broke through our security!"

"Let's just take it one step at a time, understand?"

Footsteps sounded right before the door opened. Fang crushed my body to the wall, kissing me, hiking up my dress and wrapping my legs around his body. The leaves rustled and I heard the distinct click of a safety going off a gun.

Fang and I pulled apart and looked at Marty holding a silencer directly level with Fang's head.

"Oh, it's you, Mr. Renacio—"

"Damian," Fang interrupted.

Marty slowly lowered his gun and leered at my exposed thigh and the dress that was partially pushed down, revealing my lacy Victoria's Secret bra.

"Glad to see you are enjoying yourselves," Marty said, "but I'm afraid we'll have to end the party a little early."

"Dino, I was just looking for you!" came Terry's voice. I mentally crossed myself as I saw Ranger come into view. Talk about one compromising situation after another. I can't catch a break!

."I'm terribly sorry Terry. My brother and I were called away on business. I'm afraid we're going to have to leave the party."

Terry pretended to pout. "Alright, but you make sure to call me as soon as you're back in town."

Dino flashed a 'I'm boinking your girl and she's flaunting it right in front of your face' smile to Ranger and kissed Terry chastely on the lips.

Marty and Dino shook Ranger's hands (and to my dismay, Fang's) before heading back into the house to break up the party.

I was starting to get uncomfortable, pushed up against the brick like that and tried to wiggle free. Fang wasn't budging.

"Nice night," he said casually. Ranger sent him a death glare before heading down the path with Terry and getting into the limo.

I placed my hands on my temples.

"I'm confused. I thought you wanted Ranger and I together?"

Fang eased my feet onto the ground and gently pulled my dress back up and into place.

"What makes you think I don't?"

I looked at him like he was stupid.

"The kissing! The tequila! The flirting!" Like, DUH!

He gave me his patented wicked half smile that made women like me have small orgasms on the spot.

"Nothing wrong with having some fun," he said and took my hand. Just as we were about to get inside the limo, the pool house blew up. Fang threw his body over mine to shield me from the debris that was flying everywhere.

A piece of paper was taped near the gate.

'That was a warning.'

"What the fuck!" Lester yelled as soon as we had all gotten back into Conference Room A. I was really getting sick of this room to be honest.

Shrugs went around the room. My only response was a yawn. I was dead on my poor painful feet and had lost the mild buzz I had going on at the party.

Ranger shook his head. "When did you guys loose the frequency?"

"Right before the last hand of poker," Morelli piped in.

"At least no one died," I said quietly.

Fang grabbed something from the fax machine and read it. All the color drained from his face.

"Actually…" and he walked along the row of leather seats somberly, the white sheet of paper in his hand.

"I… I'm sorry, man," he said and handed the paper to Lester.

Lester looked at him for a moment before taking the sheet. He looked down at it for a moment before closing his eyes and crumpling the paper up in his fist. He took a long breath before his fist came crashing down on the table and he got up and walked out, the door slamming behind him.

"What happened?" Morelli asked.

"Elena was in the room?" Ranger asked, already seeming to know the answer.

"She was there waiting for him to come back," Fang said curtly.

"Who's Elena?" I asked.

Ranger sighed. "Probably the only woman Lester ever loved."

I was puzzled. "His wife?"

"No," Tank croaked.

"He loved her, but circumstances didn't work out."

I decided the conversation was over and stayed silent. "Maybe we should just all go to bed," Morelli said.

Nothing wrong with that plan to me.

I picked up my purse and headed out the door, just noticing the blood red orchid that was sticking out of my purse. I took it out and looked at it, not remembering it being there before. Touching it gave me a tingly feeling and I didn't even want to go there.

My body didn't have any fight left in it, so I went silently up to the seventh floor. I'm sure Lester wanted to be alone right now. I took a shower and was drying my hair when the door cracked open.

"Back to stay?" Fang asked, casually leaning against the counter next to me.

I shrugged. "Didn't have a place to go."

Fang smiled with enlightenment.

"Ah, stayed with Lester, huh?"

He pulled me into a hug, tucking my head into his neck.

"Ya did good today, kid."

I laughed. "You're drunk."

"Nah!"

He pulled me out into the living room and sat down with a fifth of vodka.

"Now it's time to get drunk."

To be honest, it didn't seem like a bad idea to me. That's why, some three hours later when Ranger came in, I was laughing like a hyena on the living room floor while watching Eurotrip with Fang.

"He's fucking making out with his sister!" Fang yelled at the TV with disgust.

"Gross!" I said and snorted with laughter.

Ranger threw his keys into the sidedish and came over to stand in front of Fang.

"Stand up," he said.

Fang stood up, swaying back and forth as he tried to balance.

"What's up?"

And Ranger punched him. He didn't hold back, he didn't make sure to hit him where it wouldn't hurt. He just reared back and gave him a right hook to the face.

"Ommigod!" I yelled and ran over to him, now sprawled out on the floor, blood oozing out of his nose.

"Let's get a few things straight!" Ranger growled as he crouched down next to Fang.

Fang groaned and rolled over onto his back, rubbing his forehead.

"You couldn't have waited until I was sober?" he grumbled.

Ranger grabbed the front of his green t-shirt and hauled him to his feet.

"When does that ever happen?"

Fang shoved Ranger's hands away and stepped back.

"You're so damn tense all the time, Ric. Loosen up. Maybe that's part of the problem."

They were circling each other now. Ranger looked murderous and Fang just looked mildly agitated.

"Come on, Ric," Fang taunted. "Do it. Hit me."

Ranger lashed out and I saw fist connect with face just before Fang flew onto the couch. I decided giving them space was the best course of action and backed closer to the TV.

"You push your luck, little brother." Ranger said and stepped right. Fang stepped left. "You take risks you don't need to and you treat life like a game."

Ranger lunged forward, but Fang was ready for it. He moved Ranger's body so he plowed into the kitchen counter.

"Sometimes you have to take risks, Ric. Otherwise you don't get what you want."

Their eyes held for a few moments. Ranger had a cut down his left cheek that was bleeding. A small line of blood was trailing down his face as he looked at Fang sharply.

"You're the only one around here who gets what I want," Ranger said before turning around and walking out the door.

I looked at Fang and we locked eyes. "Go," he said and I ran.

The elevator doors were just starting to close when I shoved my arm in, causing the door to re-open.

Ranger glared at me.

"Let's get you cleaned up," I said as I hit the button for the fifth floor.

"I'm fine."

I sighed. "No, Ranger, you aren't."

The elevator doors opened and I pulled him down the hall and into the back room. Basically we kept first aide crap and paper and junk back here. I pulled out antiseptic and cotton balls.

I poured the antiseptic and touched the cotton ball gently to his face. He pulled back and I laughed.

"Oh, come on Mr. Big Bad Army Man."

Then he smiled. It was probably the first time I'd seen him smile in two days and I realized I didn't like him being grumpy. I didn't like not seeing him. I missed the comfy covers and the Bulgari.

I carefully cleaned out the cut and put a liquid band aide on it. I softly blew at the liquid to make sure it sealed and Ranger closed his eyes.

"So," I said, capping the antiseptic and putting it back. "You want to explain what that was all about up there?"

Ranger shook his head. "No."

There was nothing like a good fight to sober you up. Eye roll.

"Why did you just attack him like that?"

"He compromised a mission."

I rolled my eyes again. I was going to get dizzy if he kept making such absurd comments.

"If Lester "compromised a mission", you wouldn't take him out back and beat the shit out of him, you'd dock his pay or suspend him or something."

"Lester isn't my brother," Ranger shot back.

I threw my hands up in the air.
"What were you guys really fighting about?"

Ranger stood up and walked to the door. "Nothing."

I shrugged. I wasn't going to get anything out of him and I knew I wouldn't get anything but sarcasm out of Fang.

"Let's go watch a movie," I said and walked back to the elevator.

Fang wasn't there when we got back, which didn't really surprise me. I poured a cup of coffee and grabbed Speed. Keanu Reeves for me, guns and bombs for Ranger. Great compromise. Ranger was sitting at the far end of the couch, so I plopped down next to him. He looked… I don't know. He just looked not himself. It was a little disconcerting.

As the movie progressed, I pulled down a blanket and snuggled up in it. Ranger never moved. We were barely touching and he never looked my way.

The next morning I woke up because I fell on the floor. Yup. I fell asleep on the couch and I fell onto the floor. My arms flailed and I hit something, my hair was a mess, and my neck hurt because I slept on a very awkward angle.

A loud bout of laughter made me stop and turn toward the recliner where Fang was lounging, laughing his ass off at my misfortune.

Instead of granting him a verbal response, I graced him with the presence of my middle finger up in the air. I was a very civilized human being.

"Did you sleep there?" I asked, just now noticing the blanket draped around his waist. He was bare-chested (aw damn) and his hair was all mussed.

"Yup," he said as he yawned.

I looked at the couch then the floor and decided getting up to go back on the couch was just not worth it, so I reached up and grabbed the pillow and laid down on the floor. Call me lazy.

Another Fang chuckle. At my expense, mind you.

Just then the door to the bedroom opened and Ranger came out. He didn't say anything to either one of us, didn't acknowledge us, just grabbed a few papers off the table and walked out the door.

I groaned and fell back onto the floor.

"He's so difficult," I practically yelled.

"He can be a little… stiff sometimes," Fang said before lighting a cigarette.

I got up and walked over to him, promptly pulling the cancer stick out of his mouth and putting it out in the ashtray.

"Outside," I said and pointed toward the door.

And I stalked off to take a shower.

Warm water and yummy smelling Bulgari was, for once, not the answer to my problems. It made me think of Ranger and that just got me frustrated. The problem with me is that I'm stubborn. I don't budge when I have an opinion and I rarely ever admit to being wrong. The problem is, so is Ranger. Neither one of us will admit to being wrong about anything. Sure, I kissed his brother. A lot. But it's not like we were together or anything. It was for a mission. He should understand that.

So now we were at an impasse. Both of us wrong on different accounts, neither one of us willing to admit it.

Just then the glass of the shower opned and Fang peered in with a wolf grin. I shrieked like a little girl and made a move to cover myself.

"Just wanted to let you know there's a meeting in ten."

I stood there, dumbstruck.

"Uh, thanks! But you could have told me that from OUTSIDE the stall!!"

He chuckled. "This was so much more fun," he said, taking one last look before closing the door and walking out.

The nerve of some people!

I showered and dressed quickly, opting for a stretchy black top and the skintight workout pants I had once used to piss Morelli off.

I ran all the way to Conference Room A and was still ten minutes late for the meeting. Everyone was staring at the door when I came running in, hair all awry.

"What?" I said, stopping midway through opening the door, deer in headlights look on my face.

"That's nine minutes fifty-three seconds late," Tank said, looking at the black military synchronized watch on his wrist.

It was a couple seconds before most of the guys at the table reached into their back pockets and extracted their wallets.

I saw money fly around the table and exchange hands so many times I lost count.

Fang leaned back in his chair and put his feet on the desk, sorting through the large stack of twenty dollar bills in front of him.

I made sure to bump into him as I made my way to my seat.

"Now that we're all finally here…" Ranger said coolly.

I felt like mocking him, but figured he'd see and get slightly ticked so I kept my smartass comments to myself. I believe the correct term for that is self growth.

Morelli stood up and walked toward the screen at the front of the room. "We took a look at the surveillance from the party at the Mancini's."

We watched the night progress a little faster than it actually did and looked for anything suspicious. Nothing popped up until the poker game. Then a man dressed in a black suit, black fedora hat, walked into the room. The angle of the hat prevented the camera from picking up his face. He walked over to the bar, talked to the waitress (hand covering most of his face, of course) and got a drink. Scotch on the rocks from the looks of it. Then, just before the cameras went out, he lifted his drink in a toast directly at the camera. His face wasn't at all visible.

I noticed there was one empty chair and realized Lester wasn't in the room. It was also eerily quiet. Not liking Lester being gone at all.

"We checked everything. We double checked everything. How this guy one, knew we were there and two, knew how to disable our signal without us knowing…. I just have no idea." As he said this, he kicked Lester's empty chair and sent it flying across the room. One thing you can always admire about Morelli is that he does his job and he does it right. Things going wrong just piss him off.

"Who is this guy?" Bobby asked.

We all stared at the screen.

I decided after the meeting to grab a sandwich in Ranger's apartment. Fang and Morelli were in a deep discussion about the best spywear software when I left them downstairs. They were trying to beef up the system and come up with another opt to implant the new devices. When it came to technology, I was a clown. I was a bumbling idiot. I knew nothing about computers at all before I worked at RangeMan and I really don't know much outside the system we have. So I just let the boys talk while I go eat.

I was halfway through my peanut butter and jelly sandwich when the hairs on the back of neck prickled. I grabbed the knife beside the microwave and turned around.

"Hmm, what have we here?" asked the moderately amused voice.

The man was tall and lean, but it was all muscle. His black hair was a little past his shoulders and wavy. He was lightly bronzed in tone, which brought out his striking hazel eyes.

The key here was to not panic. Yeah, right.

"My, my, my… what is such a pretty little thing like you doing here?"

So much for Ranger's amazing security system.

"Who are you?"

The man smiled.

"Stephanie Plum. Incompetent, frail, untrained." The smile continued to play on his lips.

"Yet now that I see you, I know why he keeps you on the payroll."

That got me. I didn't really think about the fact that the man could kill me with the slightest movement, I just got pissed.

"I don't know who you think you are, but EXCUSE me?" I yelled.

"I am not frail! Or incompetent! Or FRAIL!"

At that, the front door clicked open and Ranger strode in.

"What are you doing up here?" Ranger asked calmly. I couldn't believe he didn't have his gun to this guy's head!!

"Just getting to know your girl."

"Don't."

Dante smiled again and made eye contact with me. He held my gaze like he was trying to see all of my secrets. I turned away with a blush because my secrets right now were not fit for him to see. He turned away from me and to Ranger.

And then the two men embraced each other in a manly hug. The whole shake hands the lean in deal.

I was still standing against the counter looking, I'm sure, utterly confused.

Then the man turned to me, reached out and took my hand, and kissed it.

We made eye contact for about thirty seconds before he turned and strode from the room.

I turned to Ranger for an explanation.

"Dante."

I gaped. "That was Dante? Like the assassin Dante?"

Ranger nodded. "We brought him in to help out with our mystery killer."

It made sense. Doesn't mean it wasn't scary as hell.

Ranger moved toward the cupboard and reached around me to grab a glass.

"Don't try to get too close to Dante." No problem!

"So he's gonna be staying here...?"

Ranger shook his head. "He'll stay at his place. Doesn't trust RangeMan security." He smiled at that.

Obviously Dante proved Ranger's security wasn't all that amazing.

"I'm going to Vinnie's. I need some social contact," I said.

"Have your cell on and available," Ranger said to my retreating back. "And take this," he said, throwing me keys to the Porche Turbo.

I caught the keys and looked at him.

"Tracker," he said simply before heading into the kitchen.

Connie was adding yet another layer of mascara when I flew through the door of the Bail Bonds office, donuts and coffee in hand.

"Giiiirl!" Lula said before plowing me over with a hug.

She made sure the donuts were okay, of course, but I was definitely a pile of crushed bones.

"We haven't seen you in forever, Steph," Connie said, finally putting down her mirror and looking at me.

"It's been busy," I said. I was actually really happy to see them. It had been a while. I actually missed the disgusting couch and the files stacked everywhere.

"So what have you been up to, white girl?" asked Lula.

I shrugged. "Work."

Lula narrowed her eyes at me.

"Work, puh! You've been living with all those hot men around you and you want to tell me nothing's going on?"

I looked her straight in the eye.

"Nothing is going on."

She looked a little crestfallen, so I conceded.

"Not much," I amended and then began telling her the measly bits of RangeMan hottie drama that I had.

Two hours later we were out of donuts and I was feeling guilty about not being at work. I'd heard stories of Lula chasing after criminals and having worse luck than I had and heard about all the latest mob scores that needed to be settled.

It was practically on cue when the door opened and Ranger, Fang, Dante, and Lester walked through.

I heard Lula run into the filing cabinet, but I didn't look because I was a tad preoccupied.

Them walking in together was better than my fantasies. Now Dante still scared the crap out of me, but there was something about him, lying just under the surface, that made me trust him. In an odd sort of way.

Yeah, I need a CAT scan, I know.

I sighed. "If it involves a dress I need to go home first," was my greeting to the boys.

They all smiled, except for Lester. He just looked beat. The usually perfectly polished smartass was looking a little downtrodden.

I couldn't resist; I walked over to him and gave him a hug.

He held onto me for a long time, us just letting the tension flow out for a moment. Sometimes that's all you needed. A moment to just let life take you and pull you into the flow. For Lester, letting go would probably be the hardest part.

"Thanks," he whispered in my ear as I pulled away.

I walked back over to the couch and sat down, patting the seat next to me as invitation that we should sit while they break the bad news.

"What? No hug for me?" Fang asked before coming over and plopping down on my right. Lester took the seat to my left Dante and Ranger stood in front of us, arms crossed.

Connie and Lula were immobile, drooling.

"Morelli and I are working on a new security system. Whenever that's ready, we need to go back in to plant it," Fang said.

I nodded. "Okay, what about Dino?"

"Gilman and I will be seeing him tomorrow evening. We've been invited for dinner."

The thought of Terry and Ranger having dinner together made me want to throw up the three donuts I'd scarfed down earlier. Best not to think about it.

"Alright. Now the part you aren't telling me," I said, narrowing my eyes at Ranger.

He slid a glance to Dante and then back at me.

"We're going to try and attract the attention of the killer."

"Okay…" I knew I had something to do with this. Nothing is that simple with my life.

"Somehow you have a connection," Dante said simply.

"We don't know how he knows you or why he saved your life, we just know he did," Lester said.

I stared. "You want to use me as bait?!? For this guy?"

Dante gave me the smile. "I have a few ideas why he wanted to save her."

Lester shot him a sour look.

"So how exactly am I supposed to attract the attention of this guy?"

"Just be you, Babe. He's already coming to you." Ranger didn't seem particularly happy about that fact.

I threw my hands up. "And what exactly do I do once I get his attention?"

So yeah, I was getting a little hysterical. But I was dealing with a lot. First of all, Marty Mancini is crazy. Secondly, I belong to Fang, which is just a headache all in itself. One that I rather like pushing out of my mind. And now I am supposed to attract a killer that no one knows anything about and spend my free time with an assassin!!!

Is no one else getting the gravity of this situation?

Ranger came over and pushed my head between my legs.

"Breathe," he commanded.

"Easy for you to say," I mumbled.

All the while, I don't think Connie and Lula had moved an inch. They were looking concerned, but I saw Lula crane her neck to check out Ranger's ass. Not that I blame her too much.

"Dante's going to be with you. He'll take care of it. You just need to get him out in the open."

Say what?

"Dante's going to be WHAT?" Lester asked, standing up and facing Ranger.

"Dante's going to be with Stephanie. At all times."

Lester opened his mouth to argue, but Ranger stopped him with a look.

"Later," he said.

With that, I said good-bye to the girls and headed out to the car.

Attached to the rearview mirror of the Porsche was another blood red orchid.

A slip of paper was fastened to the stem.

'And so it begins, insert nickname here' the note read.

A hand reached out and took the flower from me. I looked next to me to find Dante in the passenger seat. I didn't even notice him get in.

He read the note and gave a small smile. "Fast work," he commented.

I gulped. "That was from him?"

Dante nodded.

I blew out a sigh and pulled the Turbo away from the curb and into the flow of traffic.

It wasn't long before I had the car parked in the RangeMan garage and Dante and I were riding the elevator. I pushed the button for seven and Dante made no move to hit a different one.

He had a single black duffle bag in his left hand and his right lingered at his side, directly above where I saw the handle of a knife.

The elevator doors pinged open and I walked out and used the key fob to enter Ranger's apartment, Dante right behind.

Fang and Ranger were already there, lounging on the couch, staring at the TV. It was probably the only time I'd ever seen them act alike.

I felt a hand at the small of my back push me forward and I realized I had been staring. Dante dropped his bag near the couch and sat down in the only other chair.

"Wait. You're not staying here, are you?" I asked Dante.

"Of course," he said, once again fixing his eyes on me. That led me to think about sleeping. Sleeping led me to thinking about the fact that Ranger's apartment only had one bed. Four people, one bed. The math really didn't add up. I didn't know what the hell to do… the three of them and me.

I stood there, in between the couch and chair, and just looked at the group that was seated before me. Ranger and Fang were still lying on the couch while Dante was sitting upright in the chair. I was definitely flustered. I didn't know how this was going to go. It was bad enough with just Ranger and Fang, but to add Dante to the mix was like adding vinegar to baking soda. It was chemically designed to blow up. Story of my life.

I snapped back to reality to see Dante staring at me again. He seems to do that a lot.

"So who's bunking with whom?" I asked nonchalantly.

Fang looked at me and laughed. "Always the funny one," he said and got up to tousle my hair.

"This is awkward," I said and went out the door and down the elevator.

I knocked on Lester's door and he answered with a glass of Captain Morgan in his hand.

"Yum," I said, eyeing the glass. He handed it over as he invited me in. I sat down on the couch as he went to make himself another drink.

"You look about as happy as I feel," he said as he added ice to the amber liquid.

"I'm being forced to live in an apartment with Ranger, Fang, and Dante," I sighed. Lester shot me a look.

"You'd think that'd be good, right? Three hot guys, me. Nothing wrong with that. But it's just awkward. And a lot to deal with."

Lester sat down next to me and took a drink.

"I'll be honest," he started. "I don't trust Dante. Not as a person. Not working for RangeMan. Not protecting you." He paused for another drink.

"You know he's an assassin. He kills people. He doesn't have any allies. He doesn't trust anyone. Why should I trust him?"

I thought about it as I finished off my drink.

"Because Ranger does," I said. "Not that he doesn't scare the shit out of me, but I should trust him. I just don't like being around all of them together. Sort of a war of the testosterone."

Lester seemed to find that funny.

"How are you doing?" I asked it quietly.

He got up and brought the bottle over, tipping it back and taking a long drink.

"Ah, that good, huh?"

He simply nodded and hung his head, bottle in one hand.

"Just wrapping my head around it. She… she meant a lot."

A few moments of silence stretched out between us.

"But I guess that's the risks of the job," he said and leaned back.

Yeah, I thought, the risks of the job. And now I had a killer attracted to me. Life was looking up already. We sat in silence and watched a movie the rest of the night, forgetting everything that was happening in the real world.

By the time I was shook awake, the credits were rolling on the movie.

"You should be getting back upstairs, much as I hate it," Lester said quietly.

I sat up and wiped the sleep from my eyes, just in time to see Lester's door open to reveal Dante standing in the doorway.

Without a word, Dante strode over to where I was sitting.

"Come on Stephanie," Dante said.

Lester stood up and put himself in between me and Dante. "She'll go when she's ready."

"Santos, save it."

"I suggest you go back upstairs. Steph will join you when she's ready."

Dante looked past Lester and straight into my eyes. The problem with that is it makes me want to do whatever the hell he asks. He makes me trust him with those eyes.

I stood up and put a hand on Lester's shoulder.

"It's okay, Les, I'm tired anyway."

He didn't look too happy about me siding with Dante.

"Be safe," he said and kissed me quickly on the lips before giving a cold, hard death glare to Dante.

I walked all the way over to the door before I realized Dante wasn't following behind. It was really hard to tell when he was following and when he wasn't, he was so swift. It was kinda creepy really.

But anyway, Lester had put a hand to Dante's chest. Dante stared down at the hand and I saw his left hand move to that bulge in his shirt.

"I will kill you," Lester said to him.

Dante just smiled, grabbed his wrist, and pulled it off him. I saw Lester grimace and I knew Dante was hurting him.

"And I will kill you if you ever touch me like that again. Understand?"

The two men glared at each other, neither one moving.

"Oh for God's sake," I said, coming over and grabbing Dante's hand and tugging him out the door.

We walked into the elevator in silence. Soon after it started moving, I pulled the stop button.

Dante remained silent but arched an eyebrow at me.

I rounded on him. "One, you don't tell me when and where to be. Two, you don't attack Lester. Three, you don't threaten my friends. Is this understood?"

He still was silent, but did the whole eye stare thing, then hit the button again.

I grabbed it and pulled, once again stopping the elevator.

"Are we clear?" I asked again, getting all up in his face.

His face went from clear to cloudy and he stepped closer, putting his mouth directly against my ear.

"You realize I kill people for a living," he stated, his warm breath blowing right in my ear, causing me to shiver.

"You realize that you just threatened me?"

I took a strangled gulp.

"Yup," I said weakly.

He slowly walked toward me until I was pressed against the back of the elevator.

"Do I frighten you, Stephanie?" he asked.

I couldn't move. He was so close to me, crowding my space with his presence. His black tee showed off his defined shoulders and his wavy hair lightly brushed my neck.

A leather band was around his neck, a small jade figure hanging from it. I reached out and touched it.

I heard his breath slow and he looked down into my eyes.

"It's from Antigua."

That wasn't what I expected.

"Huh?"

"The jade comes from Antigua. Supposedly it's good luck if you rub it."

The stone matched his eyes almost perfectly. I noticed he had day old stubble on his face that made him seem even more rugged. The air around us stilled as I looked into his eyes.

"I suppose this would be you getting too close to me, wouldn't it?" he asked with a smile. He had brilliantly white teeth that were perfectly straight. An assassin with good oral hygiene… interesting.

He reached around me and pressed the stop button again so the elevator started moving again, but made no move to stop interfering in my space. The doors opened to reveal Ranger and Fang standing there, guns drawn. It took them a moment to realize it was only Dante and I and re-holster their weapons.

Dante leaned even closer and brushed my jawline with his lips as he spoke. "We're clear," he said and walked out and past Ranger and Fang.

I blew out a sigh and pushed by Ranger and Fang and into the apartment.

"Where are we sleeping?" I asked as soon as everyone was in the living room.

"You and I are taking the bed, Fang the couch, Dante the chair."

Dante pulled his shirt up over his head and I felt my jaw drop and my mouth go dry.

When I realized I was staring, I groaned at myself and stalked off into the bedroom. Ranger was already down to his boxers, lying on top of the sheets on his side.

I grabbed a pair of little shorts and a knit top and changed in the bathroom.

I was under the covers for probably a total of fifteen seconds before Ranger asked the question I'd been expecting.

"What happened in the elevator?"

I sighed. "Dante and Lester had a small… disagreement. I was just warning Dante not to be mean to Les."

Ranger smiled at that. "Bet that went well."

I shrugged. "Could have been worse."

He leaned over me and suddenly his lips were on mine. I had to admit I'd missed the stolen kisses quite a bit. Ranger's hands fisted my hair and his kiss became more intense, his tongue mixing up the action. He rolled us over so I was on top of him and I moaned into his mouth.

"If you two are going to fuck, keep it down," Fang yelled from the other room.

Ranger moved his lips to my neck and began nipping at it.

He pulled back and looked at me. "Babe, I'm not joking. Don't get too close to Dante."

"Why?"

"Trust me," he said and kissed me hard again.

"Ricardo, tell me you're almost done," came Dante's drawl from the front room.

I chuckled quietly. "Goodnight Ranger."

"Goodnight Babe," he said and pulled me close as I drifted off into sleep.

"Get up, hotshot," came Fang's voice. I pulled my arm out from under my pillow and gave him a stiff middle finger.

He flung the covers off and I instantly curled into a ball. I heard a groan next to me and opened one eye to find Ranger still next to me. Usually he was gone. Which made me wonder what time it was. I rolled over and looked at the bedside clock. 5am. 5fuckingam.

"Screw you, Fang, there's no way in hell." And I put the pillow back over my head and snuggled up to Ranger for heat. He turned and wrapped his arms around me.

"Well aren't you cute," came Dante's voice from the doorway.

Ranger groaned and got up.

I went out to the kitchen and grabbed a cup of coffee.

"Morning, sunshine," Fang said, grabbing the cup of coffee I had poured for myself and walking away.

Dante walked over and plopped a white bag down in front of me.

I sniffed and smelled the best thing in the world… Boston Creams.

"Someone's got to keep you in sugar."

I gave him a big smile and dug into the bag, all thoughts of coffee completely gone.

I had survived the first night with minimal problems. It could only get better from here… right?

NOTE: I realized when I started writing this chunk that I was incorporating 12 into this a tad. So, um, screw the title. Plus I like Melvin and kinda want to put him in here really bad.

"The new security system is done," Morelli started, standing up at the front of the table and facing six tired faces.

"Apparently we have a computer geek in our midst."

Fang scowled at Morelli. Fang wasn't happy about being called a geek.

"We have a business meeting set up for tomorrow evening. Look sexy Steph and flirt with Marty. That's why you've been invited. Pretend you're into him."

I sighed. Sure, why not. Suddenly a possibly deadly situation didn't seem so horrible in comparison to spending an entire day with the boys together.

"Until then we need to bring in Vinnie's skips," Ranger said. "Three teams, meet at the office."

We all looked around at each other, not knowing who to go with. Life was an awkward situation.

Ranger and Tank were already halfway out the door when they noticed no one else was moving. I saw Tank smile but try to hide it and Ranger was doing his almost-smile thing.

"I'll go with Steph," Lester said.

"No, she's mine," Dante said. The thought made me shiver. He was looking at me with those eyes again and I thought about what it would be like to actually be his. Completely his. Don't get too close to Dante. Right.

Lester once again took an offensive stance in front of Dante.

"I said I'll go with her."

Dante was thoroughly amused, I could tell.

"Dante and Steph, Lester and Tank, me and Fang," Ranger said shortly.

I smirked and walked out into the hall.

"You have an extreme amount of control over my men, Babe," Ranger whispered as we headed down the hallway and into the garage.

I decided to ignore that comment as I got into the nearest Bronco with Dante.

All three black Broncos pulled up in front of the bail bonds office and parallel parked. I can only imagine what everyone on the street thought. Drug dealer, mob, or FBI. Grab the kids and run inside, Trenton was going to hell in a handbasket.

Dante and I led the troop inside. Once everyone was inside, I fully realized exactly how small the office was.

Connie's penciled eyebrow was up on her forehead as she stared at me.

"You need all them now? Who the hell is after you? I could take care of it, you know."

I rolled my eyes.

"Thanks, but this is for the rat. We're here to make Vinnie happy again. Hand over all the files."

Connie smiled. "Bless you. He's been a real pain in my ass lately. Talking about how you and Ranger left him out in the cold and how Lula is worse than you."

Speaking of Lula…

"Where is she?"

Connie sighed. "Trying to pick up Lennie Carson."

I laughed. "And how long has she been trying to do this?"

Connie glanced at her watch. "Oh, only about four hours or so."

I nodded. "Print another copy out and give us everything."

Fang, Lester and Tank had taken up residence on the flea bitten couch and I swear I saw it sink a few inches when they sat down. Ranger and Dante were leaning up against the wall on both sides of the couch staring at us.

"So who's the new guy?" Connie asked, her voice dropping low. I knew they could all still hear us. All of them had freakishly good hearing.

"Dante. He's helping with an open case."

Connie leaned back as the printer groaned from the workload.

"That's two you've brought in, Steph. Everything okay?"

I nodded. "It's going okay. Long term."

I felt their eyes on me and it made me nervous.

"Well at least they're all hot." I conceded there.

"Amen," I said and we both laughed.

Armed with a heavy stack of files, I started doling them out.

I opened one file to see none other than Manny Goldburg's face staring up at me and laughed.

"Here, Fang, this is all yours. Don't forget the shotgun."

He opened the file and smirked.

"Cruel woman."

We all headed out in our respective cars, but Ranger grabbed me by the arm before I got in.

"Tell me what you forgot," he said.

Purse, lip gloss, hairspray, files.

"Nothing?"

Ranger reached to the small of his back and pulled out a .38, my .38, and shoved it into the waistband of my jeans.

He let his hands linger there as he spoke. "Be careful. Let Dante do his job."

"Kill people?" I interjected with the innocent look on my face.

"Smartass." Yeah, pretty much.

"You can take your hands out of my pants now," I said. The truth was that I didn't really want him to take his hands out of my pants, but if he didn't I knew this great alley I might be tempted to push him into and have my wicked way with him.

He leaned close to my ear. "I could, but what fun is in that?"

I smiled as his lips brushed my ear ever-so-softly.

I saw Dante watching through the side mirror, a scowl set on his face.

Ranger finally took his hands out of my pants before kissing me firmly, but chastely, on the lips and heading back to his Bronco.

Woo, hot flash.

Steve Weriski was probably the wussiest FTA I'd ever met. He was currently standing in front of me and Dante, pissing his pants. No joke. I had done my thing and knocked on the door claiming to be Bob Barker or something of the like and he answered. I told him I lied and that I was here to haul his ass back to the pokey because he was a bad boy. He had a moment where fleeing crossed his mind, you could see it on his face, so Dante dissuaded him from doing that. And, yes, perhaps Dante dissuading someone could be a little… oh, I don't know… intimidating, but really, peeing your pants? I'd had big guns held to my head before and I never peed my pants. But here, alas, was a pisser of epic proportions. He was wearing tan dockers and the darkened spot in the crotch area was steadily growing larger.

I cringed and moved back a couple steps.

Steve looked up a little sheepishly. "I have irritable bowel syndrome."

I swear I saw Dante smile before he cuffed him and dragged him back to the Bronco.

Our next skip was known to live two blocks over, so we were there in no time. Dante got out of the car and came around to my side. I hesitated.

"You're leaving him here alone?"

"Yes."

"And you expect him to be here when you get back?"

"Yes," Dante replied as he grabbed something out of the glove compartment. It was small and black and he used duct tape to fasten it onto the pisser's chest.

"This," Dante said, "is a bomb." Steve's eyes got large.

"If you move within three feet of this truck, it will go off. If I press the trigger, it will go off. Understand?"

Steve frantically shoot his head and I saw the spot in his pants enlarge in diameter a little bit.

He turned to me. "There. No problem." And he closed the door and started up the path.

"Pizza or flowers?" I asked Dante when I joined him at the front door.

"Pizza." And thus started the pizza delivery ploy.

Ron Pidito was wanted for the attempted murder of his ex-fiancé with a twenty inch blade. He was a professional swordsman who did stunt work on films. Great.

Ron Pidito was also, as I found out when he opened the door, a six foot seven huge ass black man with more muscles than Arnold Schwarzenegger.

"Er…" I was at a loss for words.

"You're in violation of your bond agreement. You need to reschedule," Dante said calmly.

"Fuck you," was Ronny's reply as he slammed the door in our faces.

Well that went well.

Dante just sighed and shook his head. "This is why killing people is much easier," he said and put his boot to the door and kicked it in. Ron was hopping around the living room with one boot on, but looked up when he saw the door crash. Quicker than I thought any man of his size could move, he wrenched a sword off his wall and faced Dante, who, at the same time, had unsheathed the blade he wore on his back.

It was like waiting for the storm to strike as the two glared at each other, their blades mere centimeters from each other.

Ron tapped Dante's blade with his own and ran it up and down the side, apparently trying to intimidate him.

Faster than my eyes could take in, Dante has stepped and lashed and sliced Ron's left arm.

When he reached over instinctively to cover the wound, Dante came at him, knocking the weapon out of his hand and pointing his blade at Ron's throat.

"If you move while she puts the cuffs on you, I will kill you."

Ron remained motionless as I attached the cuffs, then Dante dragged him up and out to the car.

Strapped in and ready to roll, Dante pulled the Bronco away from the curb. We all sat in silence a couple minutes before Steve spoke up.

"Uh, anyone going to take this off?"

I suppose he was talking about the bomb.

Dante glanced at him through the rearview mirror. "No."

Steve gulped.

Two hours after we started, Dante and I pulled back into the bail bonds office and came in with two nice body receipts.

"Amazing!" Connie said. "We'd given up on those because we didn't have time to get to them. Vinnie's gonna go crazy."

I hated doing anything that would make Vinnie happy, but the paycheck was good for me too, so I guess it all worked out.

"Am I splitting this fifty fifty?" she asked.

I said yes as Dante said no.

"Yes," I repeated.

"She can have it."

I looked at the floor. "I'm not a charity case, you know."

He locked eyes with Connie. "Give it all to her." And, under the spell of the eyes, she wrote only one check per body, payable to one Stephanie Plum.

"You did all the work," I mumbled as I sat down on the couch and waited for the rest of the team to show up.

Dante didn't say anything. He was looking out the window, once again leaning against the wall, strong arms crossed over his washboard straight stomach. I remembered what he looked like without a shirt and felt myself go warm.

Sure, he scared the shit out of me, but he was hot. Too damn hot.

I got up and made myself busy pretending to file things. I just needed to do something with my hands before I did something completely stupid and irresponsible. Like go against what Ranger said and get extremely close to Dante.

While lost in my thoughts, I never realized he had walked over to where I was 'filing.'

"Forget your alphabet?" he asked with a smirk. Yes.

"No. Just thinking." About jumping your bones.

He gently took the file I was holding out of my hand, found the tab labeled "E" and stuck the file in the appropriate spot.

I could see Connie staring from the corner of my eye.

We were a mere foot apart, the open filing cabinet drawer between us. I visibly swallowed. It seemed like most of the air in the room had disappeared and I was having one hell of a time breathing.

"I make you nervous." It wasn't a question, but I shook my head anyway.

"Good. I should."

I shivered a little bit. His voice was so soft and low. I was incredibly turned on right at the moment and I wasn't quite sure what to do about it. It was pretty damn messed up.

Dante leaned close to my face.

"Do you usually go against what Ric tells you to do?"

I looked at him, a bit thrown off. "What?"

"The six foot rule between you and me."

Oh. Right. "I'm not real good at following the rules." Hmm, perhaps I phrased that wrong.

He moved even closer, his face slightly in my hair as he whispered in my ear.

"Breaking the rules is dangerous, Stephanie."

I was breathing hard now, having a hard time on concentrating on anything. It was crazy. I was petrified of him but ready to rip off his clothes at the same time. This was unnatural.

The door to the office banged shut and I squeaked and jumped back a good three feet.

The rest of the guys were standing there watching us and all of them looked beyond pissed. Uh-oh.

"I just, uh, I need some, uh… I'll be right back." And I flew out the back door of the office and headed straight down the street and didn't stop until I was standing right in front of the beautiful display.

"What'll it be, dear?" the old woman asked.

"A dozen Boston Creams."

You could cut the tension with a knife. No one had said anything since they got back to the bail bonds office. Dante didn't speak on the car ride back to RangeMan and I couldn't tell what he was feeling or if anyone had said anything to him. I was slightly, extremely, embarrassed. I'd been thinking some pretty interesting thoughts about me, Dante and the ragged couch. And I'd been caught red handed.

And now we were all sitting up in Ranger's apartment in total silence. I still had ten donuts left and I was eyeing them on the counter.

"I should get back to work," Lester said and stood up. "Steph?" he asked, eyebrow up as he stared at me, willing me to come with him.

"Uh, you go ahead. I'm going to take a shower first."

More like I was going to see what happened here. Ranger had driven like a maniac all the way back to RangeMan, cutting Dante off at least three times while weaving in and out of traffic.

I went into Ranger's bedroom and pulled out a fresh pair of clothes and it wasn't long before Ranger was in the room as well, door closed behind him.

I turned around to see him staring at me.

"Some days you try my patience," he said and started walking towards me.

"Stay away from Dante, Stephanie." Dante calls me Stephanie.

I decided on a little bending the truth. "We were filing."

His eyes narrowed and he stepped closer until he was right about where Dante was when they walked in.

"A little close for filing," he said icily.

I pulled back. "What do you want me to say? Huh Ranger? That I'm attracted to him? I am. Sure. Look at him. What else do you want?"

I was yelling at Ranger. That was soooo not the smartest thing I'd done all day.

A muscle worked in his jaw and he glared at me before turning around and walking out.

"You, outside," he said to Dante.

Dante got up slowly and followed him out of the apartment. I stared at the closed door. I couldn't catch what was going on at all.

I decided to just take my shower and let them duke it out on their own.

Thirty minutes later I was nice and squeaky clean. I slide the glass door open and grabbed a towel, drying my face before looking up and letting out a shriek.

Fang was leaning against the counter giving me the wolf grin.

"Great job, hotshot," he said.

"With what?" I said as I wrapped the towel around myself as I got out. I was working hard at not being embarrassed.

"Pissing Ranger off. Great job, full marks."

I rolled my eyes. "I don't see what the big fucking deal is."

Fang looked at me like I was dumb. "Putting aside the history with you and my brother, Dante kills people for a living."

"You and Ranger kill people," I said as I grabbed another towel from the cabinet and proceeded to try and dry my hair.

"We kill people who try and kill us."

"That makes it all okay? Listen, I appreciate you all trying to tell me how to run my life, but I'm not marrying Dante, I'm talking to him."

The thought of marrying Dante made me want to move to a Third World country and change my name to Frieda.

"You'll get hurt."

"And you don't think I haven't been hurt by people who weren't assassins?"

Fang shook his head and followed me back to the bedroom.

"No. But he can't have a relationship with you. It'd be sex and that's it."

I glared at him. "Yeah, well sex happens. And sometimes sex is where it ends."

Like with Ranger. But I neglected to mention that part. I'd had one night with Ranger and it had been a mistake at the time. We'd had sex, he'd left, it was over. And it hurt like hell. I was sent back to Morelli and then that hadn't worked out. Hell, maybe fucking an assassin would hurt less. At least I'd know what I was getting into. I guess I should have assumed what the results of sleeping with Ranger would be. Great memories and not much else.

The door to the apartment opened and moments later Dante walked into the bedroom.

He looked at Fang and then moved to me, clad only in the towel, and let his eyes scan me from head to foot.

"We have a meeting," he said and walked out.

Of course we did. Fang left and I got dressed, opting to not think about the state of my life right now. Better to focus on attracting the superkiller.

"You want me to do what!!"

Ranger looked at me from across the long oak table.

"Go after Adrian Miller."

I looked at him with wide eyes. "And what happens if our mystery hero decides I'm not worth it?"

"I'll be there," Dante said. He was quiet, leaning against the door.

I rolled my eyes. "Oh that's comforting!" Sarcastic, me? Naaah.

"Let's go."

"NOW?!?"

Ranger nodded.

"Sooner the better, Steph. We'll get this guy before he comes after us," Lester threw in.

"I don't know about you, but I'd rather not let it get to the point where this guy comes after one of us."

No, that would be bad. But why meeeeee??

I sighed and pulled away from the table and went upstairs to change. Full slut mode, here I come.

I couldn't believe I was doing this. I couldn't believe I was wearing this. I couldn't believe this was all happening. Maybe my mother was right. Maybe I should try the hygienic products plant. Maybe that wouldn't be so bad.

I had originally come out of the bedroom in a short blue summerdress. Ranger had taken one look at it and shook his head before giving me a small box.

And now I was parading around Stark Street in this. This being a tight as hell leather skirt that barely covered my ass and a just as tight leather top that tied in the back and left most of my middle bare.

I looked like a whore. A low class whore.

I checked the piece of paper I was holding. 378 Winslow. Okay, here goes nothing. I stood on the corner across from the entrance of the building and tried to look sexy.

"I'm not the right kind of sexy for this job," I said into the mic that was hidden in my cleavage. We were hoping I would be saved before Adrian found the mic. Fingers crossed.

"Not from where I'm standing," Fang replied. I heard an "oof" and I was pretty sure someone hit him. Not quite sure who.

"Here we go, Steph."

I looked up and saw Adrian exit the building and walk down the stairs. He was a lean Italian man, with an uncanny resemblance to Adrian Brody. Ha.

"I'm right here, Stephanie. Relax."

Hearing Dante's voice made me think of him. I could imagine him telling me to relax and trust him. I took a deep breath and started strutting around my corner.

Adrian walked down the street a ways to a blue Jaguar convertible. He got in, started the engine and sped off right past me. "Damn," Lester said.

There was a squeal of tires and the blue Jaguar came shooting backwards.

"Hey there, Baby," he said as he pulled up.

I sauntered over to his car, working my extra done up hair and putting some swing in my step.

I placed my elbows on his door and leaned forward, pushing my boobs out and my ass up.

"Hey. You lookin for a good time?"

Adrian pulled his sunglasses down so he could look at me over them.

"Only if it's with you." Smooooth.

I grabbed the handle of his car and pulled.

"Step into my office," I said.

He cocked an eyebrow at me.

"Here?"

I leaned down right by his ear, letting my lips hit his ear as I spoke.

"I like to take chances… don't you?" And I stepped into a side alley and prayed to God. I'd give up the donuts and the men. Okay, I'd cut back on the donuts and give up on the men. Well, I'd cut back on the donuts. Just let me live.

"Trust me," Dante said in my ear. Ranger told me not to trust him. Lester didn't trust him, but I was supposed to. Oh man. I was very close to hyperventilating.

About thirty seconds passed before Adrian appeared in the alley with me.

He was on me in a second, kissing my lips and pushing me against the wall of the building behind me. His hands roamed down my body and I felt a shiver of fear go through me that he mistook for pleasure.

"You like that?"

I mumbled a moan-esque reply.

"Yeah? What about this, bitch?" And he shoved me up against the wall and planted himself right between my legs, forcing them apart.

His left hand came up and pinned my arms above my head and I was starting to freak out.

He was biting my neck hard and shoving my skirt up. I wanted out now. I didn't know what to do. I tried pushing him away but only managed to get one arm free.

"Oh, you want it rough? I'll give it to ya, bitch."

He grabbed me and threw me against the other wall. I hit it and pain exploded in my head as I slid to the floor, scraping my back the whole way down.

Where was this guy?!? It was sad when you wanted a mysterious killer to show up. I really needed to rethink my life.

He stood above me and pushed me down on the ground, reaching for his zipper as he lowered himself down on me.

I was about to lose it and start screaming my full head off when Adrian was lifted off me. There was a small squeak and he slumped to the ground.

"Come on, Stephanie." Dante.

He lifted me up and helped me straighten my clothes. He pushed my hair out of my face and wiped at a cut I had on my right cheek. I was about two seconds away from bawling.

I looked down at Adrian and I knew he was dead. His eyes were still open and he was sprawled out at an odd angle. Dante put his hand on my cheek and guided my face to look into his.

Dante pulled me close and I let my tears fall. I cried for about three minutes before I stepped back. Dante handed me a tissue and I blew my nose.

He was giving me a chance to get myself together before we had to face everyone else and I was grateful for it.

"Tell me we at least got a glimpse of the guy," I sniffled.

Dante nodded. "He was here."

"Why…?"

"Adrian's security came looking for him. He didn't want to be seen, so he was doubling back to come back around the back way. You didn't have that much time."

I nodded. "Thank you."

He captured my gaze. "I told you… trust me."

I didn't even want to touch that one.

"I'm ready. We can go."

He nodded and we headed out to the van. Lester helped me into the back of the truck and pulled me into a bear hug and never let me go the whole ride back. Ranger kept staring at me in the rearview mirror the whole way back and grabbed my hand and led me upstairs as soon as we parked.

He unlocked the apartment and led me into the bathroom. He leaned me up against the counter as he silently got out some cottonballs and rubbing alcohol.

He turned me around so I was facing the wall mirror over the sink. I looked a mess. He leaned down and started cleaning the scratches down my back out with the alcohol. When he was done, he capped the bottle and put it back under the cupboard.

He stood behind me and leaned down to kiss my shoulder.

"Are you okay?"

I nodded.

He led me out to the bedroom and set me down on the bed. He grabbed one of his t-shirts and came back over to me.

He locked eyes with me as his hands snaked out to undo the tie on my shirt. He went slowly so I could stop him at any time. I didn't. I didn't have the energy to. I wanted to get out of these clothes and if he was willing to do it for me, then that was fine.

He quickly got me redressed in his black t-shirt and a pair of my black shorts. He then peeled off his shirt and pants, leaving him in a pair of black boxers. He flipped off the light and climbed into bed with me, throwing an arm across me and scooping me close to him as we fell asleep.

"Ranger?" I mumbled into the pillow.

"Hmm?"

"Your hands are under my shirt."

"I noticed. Your hand is on my ass."

I looked down. Hmm, it was. Wonder how that got there.

I opened my eyes to see him staring at me, lying on his side, his hands creeping up to cover my breasts.

"Guys, when do you want to have a debriefing?" Lester asked, walking into the bedroom.

Ranger and I broke apart and he pulled the blanket up to cover me. Somehow I had lost my clothes and Ranger and I were about two seconds away from repeating history.

"Sorry," Lester stuttered and ran back out.

I sighed and let my head fall back onto the pillow.

"This is happening a lot," I said.

"Yeah," Ranger said slowly, rubbing a hand over his face.

And I felt bad. I was having x-rated dreams about Dante and then hooking up with Ranger. I was such a slut.

I threw an arm over my eyes and groaned. Ranger leaned off the bed and grabbed my shorts, tossing them over to me. I felt around for my top, carefully avoiding hitting anything else under the covers and ending up in worse trouble, and slid it over my head once I found it.

Ranger leaned over and kissed me before shamelessly getting out of bed and walking into the bathroom. I watched him go and wondered why I kept resisting. I must be some kind of an idiot. That had to be it. Any girl would want him tearing their clothes off. I groaned at myself and got up and went to get coffee. I opened the door and saw Lester and Fang staring at me. Lester smiled. "We feeling good this morning?"

I shook my head. "Not really."

"It seemed like you'd had a good morning to me."

Fang shook his head. "Couldn't have been that good."

I put my hands on my hips. "How do you know how good it was?"

He gave me another one of those looks that tells me I said something stupid.

"I sleep about four feet from your door. I'd know if you had a good morning."

I mentally cringed at that. Dante's chair was empty and I looked around.

"Left about a half an hour ago. Wanted to finalize plans with Bobby and his team." Right.

Ranger came out of the bedroom fully dressed, hair still wet from his shower.

"Meeting in an hour." He didn't sound happy.

"Definitely not that good of a morning," Fang said before taking a sip of coffee and downing a powdered donut.

Later that night, I was once again seated next to an Armani style Fang in the silver Jag.

"You nervous?" he asked me.

I shook my head. "Yes. I look like a slut. Marty's wife will kill me with a carving knife over dinner."

Fang barked out a laugh. "I think she's too civil for that. Don't get worried until dessert."

I rolled my eyes and mentally took a deep breath.

Bobby, Manny, and Zero were the waiters for the night. It was just the four of us, so we could easy shut down Marty if needed. Not that we wanted that. Then we wouldn't be able to extract info out of him and that would just be a bummer.

"What do I do if he shows up?" I asked.

Fanged checked his rearview mirror. "Try to get a look at him."

Oh great. Try to get a visual of the killer. Righty-o.

Trust me. Whether Ranger liked it or not, I had no option but to trust Dante.