DANGEROUS MERGERS

Chapter Nineteen

Stephanie tried to run, but her legs were stiff from being tied together all night. She grabbed a hold of the door handle to Miguel's car and yanked it open. No keys, shit. She looked back at the shack and shuddered, there was no way she was going to go back inside there, not even to get the keys. Besides, someone might recognize his car or the police could stop her, then she'd be in even more trouble. No license, no papers, no Spanish. Better to take her chances on foot.

She wasn't sure how long it had taken Miguel to drive here from the hotel yesterday, but she was guessing less than 30 minutes. There was no telling how long it was going to take her to walk back, especially since her legs still weren't all that coordinated yet. Oh, who was she kidding, she didn't even know which way to turn once she reached the main road. She was pretty sure that Miguel had turned right onto the pathway to hell, but it could have been left. She sighed and hurried her unsteady steps down the rutted lane. It wasn't long before she began to feel uncomfortable with the sun shining down on the shawl she had wrapped around her shoulders. She became aware of how thirsty she was and how long it had been since she'd eaten last. The bruises on her wrists and ankles left by the rope were almost purple. Tears pricked at her eyes.

"Stop it! This is not the time for a pity party! Just be glad you're no longer being held captive!" she chided herself and gave one corner of the shawl a dramatic fling over the opposite shoulder and lifted her head in determination.

Her spirits lifted when she saw that she had almost reached the end of the dirt turnoff, but her excitement turned to panic when she heard the sound of an approaching engine. A burst of adrenaline raced through her body and she whirled around, half expecting to see Miguel behind the wheel of his car, but the lane was empty. She turned back around and fell to her knees when her foot slipped into a hole. "Damn it!"

She struggled to get back on her feet and started searching for a place to hide. She took off at a run for a grove of trees that ran parallel to the road, hoping that she'd make it before the approaching car got close enough for someone to see her.

By the time she reached the edge of the trees, her heart was pounding and her chest was heaving. She risked a quick glance behind her and froze as Big Blue pulled into view. "Now this nightmare is complete," she muttered.

She was so distracted by the sight of the Buick that she didn't realize she wasn't deep enough in the trees to be completely hidden until one of the passengers turned and looked directly at her. Fear shocked her back into motion and she bolted deeper into the trees. She didn't know who the man was, but he sure looked like a Manoso, and right now it was safer to avoid any and all Manosos, unless it happened to be the one she was married to.

oOoOo

Abrahan eased his car to the side of the road and watched when Ricardo pulled the big blue monstrosity up behind him.

"Why are we stopping here?" Lopez asked. He knew the answer to his question, but he was interested in hearing the answer Abrahan would have for him.

"The turnoff is just ahead, we'll hang back and watch the entrance while they go in and run the search."

Lopez had to smile. The man was good; he'd looked him straight in the eye and lied to him. "Right." He waited a minute to see if anything else would be offered in the way of an excuse. Nothing else was offered. "You sure it has nothing to do with me being a cop and that these guys might operate in the gray area sometimes?"

Abrahan smiled and turned to look at his passenger. The man was a surprise. Ricardo had signaled for him to keep Lopez close so that he wouldn't interfere with what the other three men might have to do to rescue Stephanie. "There is no gray area in matters like this in Cuba, there is only the outcome of living or dying." A rap on the window drew Abrahan's attention in the other direction. He rolled the window down and Ranger leaned over.

"You two stay here in case there's trouble." Abrahan nodded and rolled the window halfway up.

Lopez watched as the huge blue car eased out and rolled into the turnoff and out of sight. Looks like the fun was going to begin.

oOoOo

"Stop the car!" Leon yelled.

Ranger slammed on the brakes and threw the car in park while he scanned the surrounding area. "What?"

"A woman just ran into the trees," Leon called back over his shoulder and ran from the car.

"Go with him. I'll go ahead and check thinks out," Ranger told Tank without taking his eyes off his brother.

"Be careful," Tank said before he opened the car door and took off after Leon.

Ranger watched the two men disappear into the trees and then put the car back in gear and crept forward, careful to dodge the potholes. He stopped the car a few yards from the building and studied the situation. The front door was open and there was no sounds coming from inside. He'd come across this scenario several times in his military career and his instincts told him there was someone inside. What he didn't know was if they were waiting to ambush him or if someone was alive or dead. The last option was the one that scared him. He pulled his gun from his waistband and flipped off the safety. There was only one way to find out.

Ranger stepped from the car and took a second look around before he eased the heavy car door closed and hurried to the front of the shack. He plastered his back to one side of the doorframe and listened: nothing but silence. He drew in a deep breath, whirled around in a crouching position and then rolled through the doorway with his gun drawn. He saw a man lying face down on the floor and released the breath he'd been holding. Anger replaced his worry when he saw the crumpled bed, the sections of rope and what he'd bet was a tattered strip of material that had been torn from a woman's blouse. He made quick work of securing the only other room in the small shack, knelt beside Miguel and did a quick exam of his cousin's injuries.

"Proud of you, Babe," Ranger whispered and the corners of his mouth lifted in a small smile as he stood.

The gashes to the side of Miguel's head were deep and his pulse was weak and irregular. "Don't think you're gonna make it through this one, cousin." Ranger stood and then made a quick jump and propelled his knee straight down onto the back of Miguel's neck. The movement was fast, accurate and deadly. "May you rot in Hell."

He wasted no time in grieving over his actions; instead he ran out of the shack and headed straight for the trees… and Stephanie.

Tank was leaning up against a tree, snickering at the sight in front of him when Ranger appeared on the other side of him.

"You're just going to stand here?" Ranger asked.

"Why not? She's winning and I didn't hear any gunshots from your direction. Figured you had things under control, am I right?" Tank settled a questioning look on his friend. Ranger answered with the briefest of nods and turned his attention back to the scene in front of him.

Leon had managed to get his arms around Stephanie from behind but had only restrained one of her arms. She was shoving her elbow into his ribs for all she was worth and when he made the mistake of lifting her off the ground, she started kicking him in the shins and was aiming higher with each kick.

"Any clean up necessary?"

Ranger shook his head. "No, I want my uncle to understand the full message, but it would be a good idea if we hauled ass back to the hotel."

Tank grunted in agreement.

The rush of adrenaline Stephanie was riding from her encounter with Miguel was starting to wane.

"Babe?"

The second his voice registered with her, she stopped beating on Leon. "Ranger?"

Ranger closed the distance between them and pulled her out of his brother's hold and held her close.

"I can't believe it's really you!" Stephanie eagerly sought out his mouth and covered it with hers. "I thought I'd lost you!" Her hands traveled over his face until her fingers lingered over his lips. "I love you." She traced her fingertips around his mouth and couldn't stop the tears from flowing.

Their kiss was long and passionate and would have continued longer if Tank hadn't cleared his throat.

Ranger broke the kiss and pulled her in for another hug while he ran his hands up and down her back. "You scared the shit out me," his voice was soft and choked with emotion.

"Yeah, well I had the shit scared out of me by the other side of your family." Stephanie felt the weight of the past two days taking over. "Speaking of which, it seems you have a lot of explaining to do!" She shoved back against the hard muscles of his chest. "And you can start with Maria!"

"I can answer your questions now or we can go back to the hotel and you can take a shower, eat something and then we talk after you've had some rest. Your choice." Ranger couldn't help himself; he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her, and savored the feeling of her safe in his arms.

"You promise?" Stephanie's body sagged in the safety of his arms.

"I promise." Ranger flipped the car keys in Tanks direction and then lifted her in his arms. "Let's move it, boys. Call Abrahan and let him know we have her and that we're coming out."

Tank caught the keys in mid air. "There is no way in hell I'm driving that mobile nightmare."

Leon limped alongside of him. "I'm afraid you don't have a choice. I have a feeling my brother's going to have his hands full in the back seat and his lovely wife broke my leg in twelve places and cracked at least two ribs!"

Tank started laughing. "Told you she was one of a kind."

Stephanie tensed when she caught sight of the shack when they left the cover of the trees. "Ohmigod! Ranger, I hit Miguel really hard, we should check on him and get him some medical help."

"I've already taken care of him." Ranger stepped aside so Tank could open the back door of the car.

"Did I…" Stephanie couldn't bring herself to say the words.

"No, you didn't." Ranger hoped she wouldn't ask the next question; time for a distraction. "Speaking of explanations, care to explain why someone else is calling you Babe?"

"Enrique!" Stephanie screamed. "That bastard who came with your uncle to the hotel hurt him!" Tears blurred her vision.

"He's fine, Babe. He's safe and waiting to see you again."

She dropped her head on Ranger's shoulder in relief. "What about Manuel?"

"He's safe, too." He slid across the back seat of the car with her still in his arms. "Why don't you just relax?" He shifted so his back was braced against one corner of the long seat and stretched his legs out. Stephanie curled up in his lap and rested her head on his chest and fell asleep to the sound of his heartbeat.

oOoOo

Stephanie felt her body shifting and she jerked away. "Get away!"

"Babe, it's okay, we're back at the hotel." Ranger stroked his fingers down her jaw line, hoping to calm her."

"Oh, sorry." She tried to hide the blush by covering her cheeks.

"Come on, let's get you inside." Ranger shifted her off his lap and opened the door.

She scooched her butt across the seat and reached for Ranger's hand and then froze when she saw a familiar man coming out of the hotel's entrance. She tugged on his hand and wiggled her finger for him to come closer. "There's something I need to do, get back in the car." She reached over the seat and motioned for Tank and Leon to stay in the car, too.

Ranger took one look at her face and angled his body back inside the car. "What's going on?"

She pointed at a man dressed in a dark uniform who was standing at the corner talking on his cell phone. "I have something to say to him and all of you have to promise to let me handle this by myself."

"No," all three men answered together.

"I'd appreciate the backup, but only if things go south. Please, it's important." She pleaded and then smiled when Ranger sighed and nodded. "Thank you," she said and gave him quick kiss before she opened the back door on the opposite side from where the man was standing.

Stephanie went to the back of the car and opened the trunk. Thank goodness Big Blue's cousin had all the usual equipment. She selected the item she was looking for and closed the trunk. She flashed another smile at the guys in the car; all three wore the same stern expression on their faces.

She pulled the shawl around her shoulders and held it together in the front, then pulled in a deep breath of courage. She kept her eyes lowered as she approached the man, but when she was directly in front of him she let the shawl drop open and smiled when he gawked at her exposure. Without a second thought, she swung the tire iron she had been hiding in her skirt straight up between his legs. He grabbed his balls and his eyes rolled back in his head. "Maybe that will teach you to keep your hands to yourself and not to hit children." The bastard who had groped her that night in the back of the wagon and then had hurt Enrique dropped to his knees without a sound.

Stephanie gathered the shawl back around her shoulders and walked away, leaving the bastard lying on the sidewalk. She could hear Tank's booming laugh even before she reached the car.

"Short conversation, Babe." Ranger smiled a full smile at her.

Stephanie smiled and shrugged her shoulders then reached for his hand. "I'd like I'd like that shower now."