Chapter 9

I woke up to my stomach growling and delicious food smells. I washed my face and headed downstairs to the kitchen.

"Watcha' cookin' Brian? Smells yummy."

"Hey there. Just bacon, eggs, and some toast. You sleep good?"

I nodded. "Can I help?"

"Sure can. Plates that cabinet, utensils this drawer. You can grab the juice, butter and jam out of the fridge too."

He had a bright eat in kitchen. Large sliding glass doors led to a cozy screened in porch off the back.

"I really like your house Brian. It's really comfortable and cozy feeling."

"Thanks. I like it too. A bachelor doesn't need much."

Brian brought the food to the table and we sat down.

"What are your plans for today? Still going to quit Rangeman?"

"Yeah. I'm going to call Tank and have a talk with him. I have a feeling about this whole thing. I want to know if Lester is the only one that Ranger wanted to share me with. His actions and reactions to the Lester thing were too strange. I thought he had come back feeling different about us and I just wanted to tell him about Lester and get it out so we didn't have any secrets. Instead he stunned me and just tried to lay that on me without even discussing it with me. For all the time I have known him, he rarely shared himself. I guess the truth is I don't know who he really is."

"Did he say what his reasoning was for this bad idea?" Brian asked.

"Yep. He said that if he shared me then he wouldn't have to worry about getting killed and leaving me alone. Fucker said I wouldn't get a ring but he offered me a big home with I'm sure a security fence and babies. I guess we would all live in our fortress happily ever after."

Brian choked. "Holy Shit, Stephanie. I have professional respect for the man, but somewhere along the way he got fucked up in his head where it comes to his personal life. I know first hand what war does to men and women."

I sighed. "I guess I'll just be back to chasing skips. I need to go by the bonds office today. What are you up to?"

"My day is slow. I have two jumps this morning and the rest of the day free. If you want some company, I can pack chutes tomorrow."

"That would be great. Ranger has eyes everywhere and just appears out of the mist like freakin' Batman. I also need to buy a car."

"I can help you with that. Got a friend that sells cars. So you make your calls and make yourself comfortable and I'll get business done."

"I'll clean up here and Brian, thanks again." He kissed my cheek and left the house. I cleaned up the dishes and made my dreaded phone call. "Yo."

"Yo to you."

"What's up, Steph?"

"Tank, I'm not coming in today."

"You sick sis?"

"In a manner of speaking yes. I'm quitting."

"What brought this on?"

"What else, Ranger."

"You two seemed to be fine yesterday. What happened?"

"Actually, I need to ask you some questions and please be honest with me."

"Do you know about the deal a few years ago?" Silence.

"So you knew?" "I knew."

"Do you know what happened the next day?" Silence.

"So you know he sent me back to Morelli and told me that he doesn't do relationships." "No, not all that."

"Tank, did you know he wanted to share me?" Silence.

"So you knew? Did he plan on sharing me with you and Bobby too?"

"It's not exactly like that sis. In his head he thinks he would be protecting you in the long term because he loves you and he knows we love you. His job and his missions are dangerous."

"Tank, he doesn't think I'm strong enough? I deserve better from him. I deserve all of him and him all of me. He doesn't have faith in us? What he proposed to me disgusted me. I will never forget the look on his face as he told me to get in his bed with him and Lester for a fucking threesome. I still can't wash the nasty off of me for them even thinking I would go there. They didn't ask me what I wanted.

And oh my God, it just dawned on me that what Lester did while he was gone was probably planned. They used me like a play toy and set me up. I was in fucking training for them and their perversion. I feel sick. You tell him goodbye and to please leave me alone. He owes me that much. I'm going on with my life and I'm not going to look back. I waited and hoped for a long time for him. He is not going to get another opportunity to hurt me and reject me or use me. I have to walk away, for me. I Love you big guy, goodbye."

"Steph wait," I disconnected. I took a deep breath. No tears, no tears Steph. Keep going forward.

I called Connie at the bonds office. "Hey girl, got anything for me?"

"Hey girl, actually I was going to call you. I have a couple new skips that need attention. You coming by today?"

"Yep, see you after lunch and Connie, if Ranger comes in please don't tell him that you're expecting me or that you talked to me please."

"Okay, but you need to explain when you get here."

"I'll just tell you that we broke up for good just like me and Morelli." I disconnected and my phone immediately rang. It was Ranger.

I turned the phone off. If ever I felt dazed, shocked, confused, and numb it was today.

Brian came in a little after 1300 hours; hard to break the habit. He was smiling. "Let's get some lunch precious and then I'm all yours." We stopped at Pino's and Eddie Gazarra was there and Big Dog and Carl. I introduced them to Brian. They told me that Morelli was still gone for a couple more months on assignment.

When we left I told Brian that I should warn him about my nosy girlfriends at the bonds office. But, I told him that they were loyal and I appreciated them a lot. "When we walked in, both Lula and Connie were arguing with Vinnie hands on hips. Vinnie squawked, "Are you here to work or loiter too?" Then he slammed his door.

Connie gave him the one finger jersey salute and Lula called him pervy duck boy. Brian looked at me and grinned.

"Hey girls. Con this is Brian Grath." Connie raised an eyebrow, "Hey Brian."

Lula snorted. "Damn girl you lucky and you move fast. This man is fine!"

I laughed, "Connie you remember that skip, the sky diver? Well this is him. I was the one that was lucky that day."

"No shit. I'll be damned if all your beaus don't start out or end up as skips."

"Here, I got a couple skips for you. They're new so you got a few days." She winked at Brian.

Lula said, "Yeah you call me if you want a sidekick girlfriend."

"Thanks girls. I'll see you later."

We left the bonds office and I looked up and saw the black SUV.

It was Lester. I looked him in the eye for a couple minutes as the knot formed in my stomach. I put my head down and got in Brian's car before the tears started to fall. Brian started the car and took my hand and squeezed it. "I'm here Precious. The hurt doesn't last forever. Just feels like it does."

As he pulled away, I looked at my skips. A child molester and a wife beater. Perfect. I was taking these alone and I'm going to be dressed because I didn't feel like being nice or saving anybody right now. I needed to vent my anger. I felt like kicking the shit out of a couple low lifes.

"Take me to your car dealer please Brian." He nodded.

Brian's friend was nice and fixed me up with the best car for my money. My first Ford Explorer SUV. It was a few years old but in great condition. We drove back to Brian's house and ordered pizza.

We lounged on the couch and ate and then snuggled and watched some tv shows. I fell asleep and he roused me to go to bed. His kiss turned into five minutes of breathy making out and then he pulled away and smiled at me. "Mmm, I could just kiss you all night but I know you're not ready. Goodnight Precious."

When I woke next it was really early morning and Brian was still there with his arm around my waist. I took a good look at him. He looked innocent and so young sleeping. His muscular bare chest had a light dusting of hair down the center leading to what I was sure was the promised land because I could see his impressive package through his boxers. Does every hero have a big package? Is it just pre-ordained like all tough guys carry big sticks? He was so handsome with his warm smile, eyes and personality. He had been savior to I'm sure many tough men. He was currently my personal savior, but I knew I probably wasn't worthy of this good man. I would probably just fuck up his life like I did mine all the time. How could he trust me knowing what he does about my relationship history?

I quietly slipped out of bed and stuffed my clothes and junk in my bag. I left him a thank you note. That's the Burg girl in me. I grabbed my bag and Rex and left his house.

I didn't park my new truck in my lot on purpose. I didn't want Ranger or Lester to know I had a new vehicle and tag it with GPS.

When I snuck up to my apartment, I purposefully didn't turn on lights until it was light outside. I showered and placed Rex in my bathroom instead of the kitchen in case Ranger let himself in looking for me.

I dressed dark with full bounty hunter gear including my loaded gun, stun gun, and pepper spray. I snuck to my Explorer and headed to the child molester's house. I got out and walked to the door. You're first fucker I thought. I knocked and waited and then knocked again. The door opened. "What do you want?" "Clyde Jenkins?"

"Yeah what's it to…" I zapped him and drug his ass to my truck and banged his sick fucking head getting him in and cuffed. Who knew being really pissed off gives you this kind of strength. I dropped him off at the cop shop and headed toward the address of my next skip.

The place was near the Barrens in East Jersey. It was a marshy area and was the birthplace of the spooky Jersey Devil rumors. I located the house by the number on the mailbox and quietly got out of the car. I slowly walked to the door and knocked. There was no noise. I walked to the back and tried the back door. It was open. I stepped in and went a few paces and covered my mouth. A woman was lying on the floor eyes glazed and staring at the ceiling. Omigod, she was dead. I backed out the door and headed to the shed I saw when I got out of the car. I could quietly make a call from there.

I opened the door and went to crouch when I felt a searing pain in my side. I dropped my phone and went to grab my gun. Then another pain sliced through my shoulder and I fell. I put my hands up. A slice stabbed through my palm and I gasped. "Ple…please," I whispered.

In the dark he just stabbed and stabbed and my hands were up and my eyes were blinking and blinking. This wasn't really happening. I wasn't really bleeding and I wasn't really going to die. It never happened this way. I always got loose, got away. I just heard, "Bitch, die bitch!" Then I couldn't hardly hear anything anymore except ringing and my heart beating slower and then quiet.

TBC