I've got so much to do this week for classes (quizzes, exams, papers to write, etc), but the great response to the last chapter got me inspired to write the continuation. Thanks for the amazing response.
Ranger and Stephanie get even more personal in this chapter;)
Disclaimer: The Plum universe belongs to JE.
Ranger shrugged out of his jacket, swiftly removed his black T-shirt and pressed it against the wound. He took my left hand and said, "Keep that there." Before I even did what he asked, the car pulled away from the curb. He called someone, barked out orders and hung up. I didn't understand what he said. It was English, but I think it might have been code.
I was sitting on my right side, partially leaning against the door. I looked out the window to keep my mind off of the fact that I was bleeding. As I kept track of the streets I realized we weren't headed to the hospital.
"Where are you taking me?" I asked him for the second time tonight. "This isn't the way to St. Francis." I glanced at him, watching the way the glow of passing streetlights danced off his face and arms.
"If you go to a hospital, you're going to attract attention." He said I should avoid that.
"What do you mean?" Just as I was about to continue with my questions we hit a bump and fire erupted across my butt again. I clenched my teeth to keep from screaming. I wasn't very successful, letting out a harsh grunt.
Anyone else might have apologized, tried to soothe the discomfort, but not this guy. The jerk.
Maybe five minutes later he pulled into an underground garage and parked.
"What is this place?" I asked, not making a move to step out. Ranger got out, quickly rounding the back of the SUV. He wrenched the door open and since I was leaning against it I fell forward.
He caught me and I once again found myself pressed up to a very hot stranger. And I liked it, momentarily forgetting about my predicament.
"Am I dead?" I asked when he scooped me up in his arms and started walking. He smelled great and felt pretty good too.
"No." He stepped into an elevator, pressed the 2 button and made it seem effortless. I scanned my gaze over the buttons noticing there were seven floors, but it looked like you needed a key to get to the seventh floor.
"So, where are we?"
"Rangeman." We unloaded and he walked down a long hall. A couple long strides later he turned right, taking me into a room.
The room was filled with medical equipment and it hit me that this was an examination room. A heartbeat later a man joined us. He looked heavily built. I could tell even under his white coat.
"Are you a doctor?" I asked, watching as he washed and dried his hands before snapping on gloves. "You don't look like a doctor." He looked to be more along the lines of a wrestler or body builder.
"Yeah." He told me he was Dr. Brown, but I could call him Bobby if I preferred. Ranger placed me on a gurney type bed, helping me flip onto my front.
"Wait, wait." I was feeling a little uncomfortable with the thought of showing my butt to two men. Okay, one of them was extremely hot and the other said he was a doctor, but still.
"Would it help if a woman was present?" Ranger asked, sounding a bit annoyed.
I didn't hesitate. "Yes." There was a click in his jaw and Ranger turned, exiting the room.
"Judging by what I can see," Dr. Brown, or Bobby, was already getting into it. "You got off lucky." He told me he thought it was a flesh wound, but that he had to take a closer look to be sure.
"Yeah, okay." I didn't think I was lucky. It hurts.
I felt a rush of air run down my lower body and realized Bobby was cutting me out of my jeans. I always thought that would happen when I had one too many slices of birthday cake. Before I could dwell on that thought, Bobby asked me if I was allergic to any medication. I said I wasn't.
I heard footsteps and turned my head in time to see Ranger reenter. He had an older woman with him. She was wearing a bathroom over what looked to be pajamas.
"Hello, dear." She sounded a little sleepy, but that didn't take away from the sweetness in her voice. "I'm Ella." She stood by my side, where I could see her.
"Stephanie." I said through clenched teeth, knowing Bobby was busy working because I could feel it.
"The bullet grazed you." Ranger said, standing on my other side.
"Yeah." Bobby agreed, saying that even though it looks pretty messy I was going to be alright.
"Thank you. I feel so much better." I grumbled, knowing I probably sounded ungrateful, but I was feeling pretty crappy right now.
A rich, manly laugh filled the air and Bobby's smiling face popped up in my line of vision. "I'm going to give you something for pain, okay?"
"Okay." I nodded and then buried my face in my hands, not wanting to see.
S&R
I woke up, sprawled on my front feeling very comfortable. I cracked an eye open, finding I was in an unknown place. I shifted onto my side, instantly remembering the night's events. After Doctor Bobby patched me up Ranger brought me up to the seventh floor to rest. Turns out it's his apartment.
A man takes me to his apartment and it's because I got shot. Figures.
I rolled out of bed just as someone entered the bedroom. It was the woman from last night, Ella.
"You're awake." She said, asking how I felt.
"Better, I guess."
"I brought you these." She handed me a bundle of clothes, toiletries and a towel. She also said there was a tray of food in the kitchen.
"Thanks." I asked where Ranger was. Ella said he was in his office. "I'll let him know you're awake." And she left me alone.
The bathroom was spotless. I placed the things Ella gave me on the counter next to the sink and looked in the mirror.
"Here goes." I said to myself, turning around and dragging down the loose scrubs pants I was wearing. I looked over my shoulder, inspecting things through the large mirror. I gingerly pulled at the taped edges of the gauze patch, revealing the affected area.
Now, looking at the evidence I realize that yes, it could have been worse. A mean looking scrape-type mark was definitely better than a bullet lodged in the ass. With a sigh, I finished undressing and got into the glass-enclosed shower.
I scrubbed, washing away the previous day's events. Things have definitely changed for me in the past two days. My car's gone, I've been shot at and I'm in the apartment of a man who still to this day is a complete stranger.
Yeah, things are definitely out of order in my life.
I tried to think of something else. As I rinsed I noticed the lone bottle of shower gel in a corner. I bent to pick it up, cursing low when I felt a sting on my left butt cheek. "Bulgari Green." I took a whiff. It smelled like Ranger. Well, sorta. The scent was definitely enhanced on him.
And then it hit me that I was standing in his shower. A chill ran through me and I decided it was best to get dressed.
There was some type of ointment with the things Ella gave me. I scanned over the instructions before applying it to the affected area. Next, I slowly dragged a pair of panties up my legs followed by jeans. After that getting dressed was a piece of cake. Ella chose well because the clothes were a perfect fit. The jeans were a little loose, but it was great considering my butt was a little tender.
I left the bathroom and went past the bedroom and living room until I reached the kitchen. True to her word there was a tray of food on the kitchen counter. I lifted the lid and found a selection of very healthy looking food. I grimaced. After last night's scare what I really needed was a nice breakfast, complete with lots of grease and a considerable portion of coffee cake. But since that wasn't on the menu right now, I selected a strawberry and ate it.
A door opened and closed and a moment later Ranger joined me in the kitchen, dressed in what I now assumed was his usual outfit of black cargo pants and T-shirt. No jacket right now.
He gave me a look, assessing me.
I cleared my throat. "I, uh, thank you. For last night."
"That area is dangerous."
"Yeah, you told me that last night." I wanted to know what all that was about, so I asked.
"Two forces are currently fighting over who gets to control the area. To mark the territory someone's gone on a killing spree." Ranger's expression never changed and it was very difficult for me to read into him.
"Ookay." I nodded at the information. "How did you know I was there?" It seems like a lot of coincidence that he was there last night.
"I was in the area."
"You're serious?" Did he really think I was going to buy into that? A thought occurred to me then. "Have you been following me?"
"You thing you're being watched?" He arched an eyebrow, barely cocking his head to the side.
"Then it wasn't you?"
He gave me a blank expression, but I had the gut feeling that he had nothing to do with the whole feeling of being watched I experienced yesterday.
Things have changed for me, in deed.
Ranger's never had to deal with someone quite like Stephanie before, wink wink;) Stephanie is now finding herself in the middle of something much bigger than her or Lucille skipping court and it seems the road keeps leading to a hot stranger, Ranger.
Reviews are encouraging;)