Chapter 3: No more

My chest tightened.

I struggled to breathe as my heart started to bruise my ribcage.

My eyes were focused on Ranger…or whoever he was pretending to be. Why didn't he tell me he was going to use a phony name?

Hang on…How do these guys know him? And why would Nightwing be on the name list?

If Ranger was planning to pretend to be Nightwing, why didn't he mention it to me before we left New Jersey?

My mind backtracked to when we got off the plane: He had said; long time no see….

Cortez's grin creased the thin skin of his scar as he looked me up and down. I took in a few deep breaths to stop my stomach from heaving when he stepped a foot closer in my direction.

"Nightwing…" He growled softly without looking at Ranger. "I didn't know you were bringing a guest."

Our eyes were locked, paralysing me.

Pedro made an over dramatic bark of laughter that broke our contact. I mentally crossed myself.

"Oh mi! Lo siento, Novio. I have forgotten my hospitality. What would mi mama say? Cortez, this encantadora dama is Stephanie."

Ranger's hand slid around my waist. He pulled me in front of him, wrapped one arm over my front and placed his free hand on my neck with his thumb stroking the hollow of my throat.

Usually, I would instantly feel safe being in his arms but the way he held me wasn't like the embrace that made me believe I was out of harm's way. His grip was so hard and possessive my back was pressed firmly against him.

I peered up at him over my shoulder and noticed the frightening change in his eyes- feral and harsh.

"Stephanie and I have been buenos amigos for some time but now she has become…mi amante. Usted entiende to que quiero decir?"

All three of them laughed, grinned and wolf whistled. I really needed a bucket.

"Also," Ranger continued. "I don't share." His grip tightened.

There was silence for a beat before Ezio spoke for the first time. "Aw but Nightwing, you'll have to forgive us in advance if we make any attempts" He licked his lips as he looked at me. "Stephanie is muy beautiful but when it is just us, so are Cortez and Pedro."

Okay, if they said anything else I was gonna to hurl.

Ranger moved to my side with his arm still around me. "I am going to show Stephanie to our room. Vamos a necesitar un poco de ropa."

They all nodded as he guided me down the hall.

We rounded 2 corners until he stopped and opened a door. He led me in to a bedroom which looked like a setting from a cheesy romance movie I used to watch in college.

The floor was tiled with terracotta and the walls were a warm cream colour. A black iron king sized bed stood in the middle of the room with blood red sheets.

I noticed 2 other doors on my left as Ranger closed the door behind us.

He took off his jacket and headed to the one furthest from us which turned out to be a walk-in-closet. He opened it and took out a coat hanger.

I watched him hang his jacket before he turned around and looked at me with pure nonchalance.

"That's the door to the ensuite bathroom if you want to freshen up." He said, nodding towards it.

I stared at him, waiting for him to drop me a hint of his detailed plan.

He stared back at me for a while before stepping closer. "Penny for your thoughts, Babe?"

"What's going on?" I blurted out in a hushed whisper.

He raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

I gaped at him before shaking my head frantically. "What do you mean what do I mean? I thought we left Trenton a couple of hours ago to catch a gang of drug dealers and-"

"You thought wrong."

Every cell in my body turned to ice at the sudden change of his tone. His words came out in an angry growl which matched the look in his eyes.

"I am here on business and only business."

My eyes widened half an inch. "Then why did you bring me with you?"

He looked at me for a moment before a grin started to appear on his lips and his pupils dilated pure black. His hands snatched my arms and he pulled me closer to him. "Did you not hear what Pedro said, Babe?" Our faces were inches apart. "You are very beautiful, but when it is just us, so are they."

His lips slammed onto mine, knocking the air out of me. I struggled to breathe as his hands threaded through my hair and groped my ass while he wrestled my tongue into submission.

I gasped heavily when we parted, his hands still in place.

That wasn't the kind of kiss that made my brain go fuzzy. It didn't even feel like I had been kissed by Ranger. It was like being tongued by a total stranger.

He smirked at me with a glint in his eye. "If you remember to do as I say, you'll learn to like it here."

I felt as though my insides had been hollowed out like a pumpkin. How long was I going to be here?

Until he got bored of me?

If he did, what would he do to me?

"But Ranger, I-"

His hand on my ass was suddenly clasped around my throat. I gasped as his fingertips lightly squeezed against the flesh around my windpipe and his grasp on my hair adjusted. I didn't dare blink as his eyes filled with fury.

He leaned in closer to me. "The Ranger you know, is no more." He whispered coldly. "Carlos Manoso does not exist on this island. I am, as you now know, Nigel Nero Nightwing Sarbello."

He let go of me and walked out the door.

His hand was around my throat...

There were times when I was afraid of Ranger; when he seduced me, stole kisses and ran his hands all over me or when he dealt with skips and dangerous criminals when I was asked to help be a distraction. But he had never laid a finger on me and always made sure I was safe. Now I was getting terrified of him.

A horrible thought occurred to me. Was this how he was able to afford Rangeman? Pretending to help provide security for people while at the same time helping to sabotage the lives of others?

Oh Stephanie, what have you got yourself in to?

But I always trusted Ranger. He had saved my life more times than I could count. He had watched over me. He had made me feel loved- wanted. And, unlike Morelli, he never expected me to change myself to suit him.

He had always been there for me…

I yawned as my brain started to overload with emotion and exhaustion. My throbbing feet screamed at me when they decided I had my heels on for too long.

I took them off, climbed onto the bed and closed my eyes.

I woke up when I felt something glide up and down my leg.

My eyes opened and Ranger stood towering over me. His hand slowly made its way up my skirt and groped my butt cheek. He smirked when I squirmed. "Feeling refreshed?"

I felt goose-bumps crawl across my skin. "Kinda…"

Ranger retracted his hand and held it out to me. I placed mine in it and he pulled me to my feet.

I noticed several paper bags around the room, all brown with no logos or pictures.

He moved to stand behind me. I felt his fingers brush my hair aside and fumble with the bow of the straps that kept the bodice of my dress from slipping down before pulling on the zipper.

I felt him pinch my skirt with both hands before roughly tugging it down to the floor and almost yelped when I was left standing in my corset bra and panties. I felt his warm finger tips stroke the bare and tender skin of my lower back. I shivered just as he pulled me against him, his hands sliding to my stomach and up my abdomen before cupping my breasts.

I took in a sharp breath as I felt him kiss my shoulder. A light gentle kiss. A thrill went up my spine when his lips began to leave trails of caresses along my neck and jaw.

His hands rested on my hips and he spun me around to face him.

I gulped at the glimmer in his eye and his enlarged pupils. I noticed he had changed his white shirt for a dark red one. It reminded me of dried blood.

"Dinner will be served in 10 minutes." He motioned a hand towards the bags. "I've brought you some new clothes. Pick a dress to wear and make sure it's…nice." He grinned one of his 2000 watt smiles I rarely saw. This one did nothing to settle my nerves.

I flinched when his hand moved to my face but he lightly titled my chin with a thumb and forefinger. I thought I was going to pass out.

"Don't be afraid, Querido."

His thumb ran along my bottom lip before he kissed me again. It wasn't as hard as the one from earlier but it wasn't the kiss I was used to.

We parted. "You have nothing to worry about if you remember what I told you to do. Also, you heard me say to the others that I don't share…"

I nodded hesitantly.

"If they ask you a personal question, make something up but don't include anything or anyone from Trenton," His eyes narrowed, "That includes Rangeman and Bounty Hunting."

My lungs burned for air and I realised I was holding my breath. I exhaled softly before nodding again.

I had trouble finding the least slutty dress in the bags Ranger had brought in. You could hardly call them dresses; they were more like scraps of cloth held together with string and a label. I couldn't even imagine Lula wearing them.

I finally chose a black mini dress with lace around the neckline. I slipped my heels back on and inspected myself in the mirror.

Despite my current situation, I actually looked great. I looked like the love interest of a James Bond villain.

The dark material made my skin glow which brought out the blue in my eyes. I was also glad Lula and Connie dragged me to get me waxed against my will the other week as the hemline was a couple of inches above my knee. The neckline, which was cut into a sweetheart style, went down to my breastbone and emphasised my cleavage.

The door opened and Ranger walked in.

Even though I verbally called him Nigel, I still couldn't get used to calling him that inside my head. I was constantly reminding myself that he was Nigel/Nightwing now. Not Carlos/Ranger.

Goose-bumps ran across my skin as he walked towards me. I knew I chose the right dress because of the smile on his face.

I wanted to run but my legs stayed put. Plus, I was wearing heels. I wouldn't make it 3 steps without face-planting onto the floor.

Ranger stopped a foot away from me and looked me up and down slowly. His eyes darkened with a predatory hold as they met mine.

"Very nice…." He grinned before snaking his hand around my waist and guiding me towards the door.

We approached a tiled rectangular dining table where 5 plates were laid out with fried chicken, rice and peppers while 5 wine glasses were filled with red wine.

Pedro, Ezio and Cortez sat waiting for us and I tried not to make contact with the 6 eyes that were probably staring at either my legs or my chest. Ranger pulled out a chair for me at the end of the table and sat me down before taking a seat beside me to my right with an expression that warned the men where to keep their hands and eyes.

Too bad he couldn't keep their mouths shut.

"So Stephanie, tell us about yourself." Said Ezio, stabbing a piece of chicken with his fork.

I glanced at Ranger who was already eyeing me.

"Well…" I said, struggling to swallow as I looked down at my plate. "There's not much to tell. I was born and raised in New…New York…I was home schooled by my grandma and until I met R…Nigel I worked as a…as a waitress."

My heart started thumping 3 times harder when I nearly slipped up. I dared to glance at Ranger again who was watching me with a raised eyebrow, but otherwise, no emotion.

"And how did you meet Nigel?" Pedro asked wine glass in hand.

Oh great. Story time with Stephanie.

"I…I met him on one of my nightshifts. While I was serving a table full of…creepy men, one of them tried to get funny with me. He wouldn't leave me alone and…and when I told him to cut it out, he got violent and pushed me against the wall but Nigel stepped in and beat the crap out of him."

Ranger stroked my arm with one finger. "Even the first time I laid eyes on her, I knew she was mine. And I'm never willing to share."

They all laughed and wolf whistled again.

"Ah, Nightwing," Cortez sighed, sobering himself. "You never change."