Unapologize
By: PricklySare
Chapter Seven: Ranger's POV
The drive to Diablo would take twenty minutes, so I handed Steph the file on the FTA. Marcus Giovanelli skipped bail on a rape charge and was dumb enough to return to the same club where he picked up his victim. His rap sheet was long and varied, all of it pointing to a man with a short temper, violent tendencies, and no toleration for laws, or women. Saying he was not a nice guy would be a major understatement.
I wanted nothing more than to keep her away from this man, but there wasn't a doubt in my mind that she could do this job and keep everyone else safe. This guy needed to be back in lock up. If I could have, I would have used any other female for this distraction. Unfortunately, Steph fit his 'type' perfectly. His victim had been close to her height, with curly brown hair and blue eyes. If it was dark and you squinted, she and the victim could be sisters. Steph was more vibrant, more beautiful than the girl he raped, but I've realized that no one is like Stephanie Plum. She is definitely one of a kind.
While she read through the file I tried my hardest to get into what Steph refers to as my 'zone'. It's something that she complains that all the guys have when they drive. When you've spent as much time in situations where you've got milliseconds to decide what to do, knowing that your decisions will effect not just yourself, and the men who trust you, but innocent people as well; you take any possible downtime and lock yourself in. Our various 'zones' help us to evaluate what we need to do, what we've already done, and every so often help us to relax and not think about anything more important than what the engine feels like under us. If we didn't take that time for quiet reflection then our life expectancy would diminish drastically. It's proven that if you're too busy thinking about bullshit when you're supposed to be focusing on the mission, you're not giving it one hundred percent of your attention or skill, and people will die.
All of my training was failing me tonight. I couldn't block out her scent, her energy, or the memory of what we had shared before we left Haywood. My mind was filled with thoughts of her, the changes that needed to be made, and the knowledge that since the day she walked into that cafe my life was never going to be the same. I had pushed her and pulled her, allowed her in only to lock her out again. I stole moments with her, but refused to give her anything more. I had been my own worst enemy.
Ever since I joined the Army, I lived by a set of rules. Rules to keep me in line, to keep not only myself, but those around me safe. I would enjoy the physical comforts of a woman, but would never allow for emotional comfort or offer comfort in return. It worked well for me, and I always took every precaution. Except, for the night Julie was conceived. After that night, my rules became even harder, even more controlled and structured. I wasn't really an asshole, but I can't exactly claim that I was a good guy either. The women that I took my pleasure from didn't have backgrounds, didn't have stories, and were all hard from life. They wanted me for the thrill of fear I presented them. Danger to them was as sexy as any aphrodisiac. I wasn't any more of a person to them, than they were to me. They were a physical release. Nothing more.
Tank, Lester, and Bobby, all knew me from that stage of my life; and even though they don't often comment on my personal life, they've noticed the changes in me. The changes that began the day a blue eyed, curly haired brunette walked into my life. At the time I didn't know what to expect from her. The throbbing of my cock told me what I would have liked to do with her, but the weird squeezing sensation I felt in my stomach was something I couldn't understand. I'd never felt it before, and at the time decided to ignore it. Apparently, she isn't the only one who could hide out in the land of denial.
Since the day that Steph met the guys, she had begun to win them over. Slowly burrowing through their hard exteriors, and getting under their guards, until suddenly they realized they'd been taken in by a little white girl from Trenton. No one was more surprised than I was. Now, every man who worked for me was at least half in love with her, and I knew eventually that if I didn't step up to the plate they would ignore the unwritten directive that she was 'mine' and make their own move. I've had more than a few sleepless nights worrying about losing her to one of my men. Now that I've made progress, I refuse to lose the ground I've gained.
We pulled into the parking lot of Diablo and pulled around back. Two black SUVs flashed their lights at us acknowledging our arrival. I looked over at Steph and pushed a loose curl behind her ear. "You ready to do this?" I asked her.
Her eyes twinkled in the dim light of the parking lot and she smiled at me before saying, "Not a very nice guy, but I'm as ready as I'm going to be." I reached out and touched her cheek softly with my palm, caressing it before leaning toward her and capturing her mouth in a soft kiss.
"Tank and Lester are inside already. Bobby and Hal will be outside covering the exits. They'll hear everything that's going on. The way you look in that dress tonight," I said, my voice growing husky with the lust that I felt flowing through my body, "is enough to make the Pope follow you around. Giovanelli doesn't stand a chance.
"Just remember, he's not as nice as he looks. Don't let him get you alone."
"Not planning on it," she said with a flirtatious smile. "The only man I want alone is sitting next to me." My cock twitched within the confines of my cargoes and I let out a soft moan. She was going to kill me.
"Playing with fire, Babe."
"Guess it's a good thing I like the heat," she said as she turned on the mic before sliding out of the car.
"Go get 'em, tiger." I knew exactly when each of my men saw her from the sounds of the low groans coming through the radio.
"Red is definitely her color," Bobby said.
"Wooooow." Hal responded, obviously in shock.
"Man, Ranger. Can I follow her? I'll go FTA just to have her play up to me in that dress." Santos' voice cracked through my ear piece.
"Damn, Bombshell. Hope you've gotten your head out of your ass, Rangeman. Otherwise I'm stepping up to the plate." Tank's voice rumbled with obvious appreciation.
My jaw tensed and I took a deep breath. It wouldn't do to kill my men. "Enough. No one will be getting anywhere near my woman," I growled. "Now do your jobs, or tomorrow we'll be meeting on the mats for a review of your responsibilities as employees." The sudden silence over the radio told me that my message was received loud and clear.
It didn't take long before we could hear Steph chatting up the skip, and from the sound of it he would eat off the soles of her shoes if she'd ask him to.
"You know, Marcus, it's getting pretty hot in here." Steph's voice came through the radio, husky and seductive. Just hearing it drop low when she said, 'hot' made me want to moan out loud.
"Then let's get out of here so we can get you out of that dress and...cooled off." It took everything I had in me to not go inside and rip the skip apart. I knew without a doubt he was touching her and it made my stomach knot. I knew that Steph was good at this, but I hadn't realized that it would be so hard for me to deal with her interacting with the dregs of society that we went after once things had changed between us. Get over it, Manoso. You're not Morelli.
"Sounds good to me, Marcus. I can't wait... to get out of this dress and wrapped up in some hot, sweaty, sex." I swear in that second my jaw hit the ground. It was time to roll and walking was going to be difficult with the raging hard on that was trapped in my pants. I knew she'd said that for my benefit, no question about it.
"Lets roll," I said, my voice gruff. The voices of each of my men were just as rough as mine when they responded and we were on the move.
At five minutes to midnight we loaded the skip into the back of the SUV and were ready to head out. I pulled Steph into my arms reveling in the feel of her body against mine. I didn't want to leave her, even for the short amount of time it would take to drop the skip off at the cop shop. Unfortunately, it was girls' night—not girls' night and Ranger the crazy stalker, night. Okay, maybe I'm not that bad, but I'm beginning to understand why she acquires so many stalkers. Even though I wanted to keep her pasted against me all night, I knew she needed to spend some quality time with her friends. The guys and I would be back in a few hours.
"Proud of you, Babe," I said as I ran my hands up and down her back.
Her smile touched her eyes when she said, "Thanks, Ranger. That guy was disgusting. I didn't think I could take it there for awhile. He must have had a dozen hands." I felt the shiver run through her body.
"Cold, Babe?"
"Ha, just deep inside where the phantoms of all the crazies lurk." My mask must have slipped back into place because she said, "None of that, Ranger. I'm fine. Don't shut me out."
"I'm sorry, Babe." I really was sorry. I wish I could protect her from all the filth that seems to congregate in the greater New Jersey area. However, she would never let me, and that is one of the many things I love about her. With another gentle kiss, I pull back enough to look in her eyes, "I've got to get going. The guys are waiting. We'll be back in a while. Have fun with the girls, and I'll be claiming my dance."
"Looking forward to it, Batman," she said heading to the door with a final finger wave to the guys.
I climbed into the car and followed the two black SUVs out of the lot and allowed my mind to drift; thinking about my Babe in her little red dress. I think that I won't be letting her wear that particular dress in public again. It belongs in my private collection, and she can model it for me...repeatedly.
Ten minutes later we were pulling up to the cop shop and I was actively trying to release the pressure in my pants. Thoughts of Grandma Mazur weren't even helping to get rid of it. 'Get it together, Manoso. Where's your legendary control now?' With a deep breath I slipped out of the car and followed Tank into the station to hand over the skip and collect our body receipt. Hopefully no one would notice, and if they did, hopefully their respect—or fear of me would deter them from commenting on my current state.
Steph's friend Eddie was working the intake desk, and I nodded at him in greeting. "Good night?" he asked as he started the booking process.
"Not bad," I replied. He handed us our receipt and Tank pushed Giovanelli toward Eddie, transferring responsibility from Rangeman to the TPD. Our job was done.
"Have a good night, guys," Eddie said as we headed out the door.
"Night," Tank and I said in unison.
"Ready to hit the club?" Tank asked as we approached our vehicles.
"Yeah, let's get back to Haywood and change over. No need to go in loaded for bear and scare the civilians." The thought brought a small smile to my face. "I'd rather not have any interruptions once we get there," I told him.
Tank barked out a laugh and clapped me on the shoulder before saying, "I feel ya man. I wouldn't want any interruptions if I were going to be spending time up close and personal with Bombshell." I shot him a look and it had no effect on him; his smile just grew wider. "Nice try, man. I'm not scared of you. I remember you when you were still a snot nosed, scrawny ass little shit."
"Fuck you, Tank," I growled.
"Maybe, if I don't get any better offers. I'll keep it in mind though." His smile was blindingly white in the darkness. Sometimes I wonder why I put up with him, and then I remember that he's had my back for that majority of my life.
"It's so hard to find good help these days," I tell him as I reach my car. "We're leaving for Diablo in forty-five minutes. See you at Haywood."
He nodded saying, "We'll be locked, loaded, and ready to go." With a nod I climbed into my car and headed out of the lot pointed toward Haywood.
Forty-five minutes later Tank, Bobby, Lester, and I were dressed and loaded into the SUV heading back toward Diablo. Tonight it would just be my core team hanging out, and that was more than okay with me. I try to keep my personal life, private, and it's hard to do that when many of the men are worse than women when it comes to gossip. Granted, Lester was probably the worst gossip, but he also knew better than to spread gossip about me, or for that matter, Steph. He was mighty protective of my Babe and even though he might mouth off about her, he didn't put up with others doing it.
I was driving with Tank in the passenger side when he asked, "Did you get the mic back from Bombshell?" Shit! I hadn't. I'd been too preoccupied with the feeling of her body against mine. Way to be aware of your surroundings, Manoso.
"No," I said, just as Tank flipped the switch next to the blinking green light indicating that a wire was transmitting. Suddenly the car was filled with Steph's voice and the loud background sounds of a busy club.
"You don't know what you're talking about." Her voice was tight with anger and I could feel everyone tense up.
"You know what, Steph; I can't believe you won't grow up." The voice was condescending and was like listening to nails on a chalkboard, all breathy and 'proper'. Although she wasn't sounding very proper currently. You keep living in your own little world, oblivious to the fact that you're a complete and total screw up." I didn't recognize the voice of the unknown female speaker, and I felt my hands tighten on the steering wheel. "You've turned into nothing but a two bit whore, leading Joe on while sleeping with that thug you're always running around with."
Tank swore under his breath and reached to turn off the feed. "No," I told him. "Keep it on. We might not be there, but I want to know what's going on." We were still fifteen minutes away; it might as well have been an hour. I willed myself to relax while we continued to listen to the 'bitch' condemn my Babe.
"First off, Valerie," Steph's voice cut through the thick tension in the car. Her voice was vibrating with fury and I could only imagine the way her blue eyes were firing sparks. My Babe is beautiful when she's angry.
"Wow, isn't Valerie her sister?" Lester asked.
"Supposedly," I responded while consciously trying to relax my grip on the steering wheel. I really wanted to slam my fist into her stuck up sister's face.
"My personal life and what I do with it is none of your business. You don't know me, and even if you did, I could care less what you think. You've been playing Saint Valerie too long and now even you're believing it."
"I don't know what you mean," the 'Bitch', Saint Valerie replied.
"Oh, I think you do. How did it feel to know that all your acting didn't save your marriage? That being so perfect didn't keep you from experiencing pain, like us non-perfect people?" I was seeing a part of my Babe that I had never seen before and if the look of shock on the faces of the men were any indication, they hadn't expected it either. She was going for the jugular, and I couldn't have been more proud.
"You have no right to judge me," her sister said.
"Funny thing about judging someone, Val...you actually have to give a rat's ass about them. You don't fall into that category. Now, let's quit with the petty bullshit and address why you're really here, then you can take your perfect little ass back home and let me finish my night with people who I respect, and who respect me in turn."
There was a bitter laugh before her sister spoke, "Respect you? They don't respect you; they keep you around for entertainment purposes. You're their key to the good gossip. You're a joke, and you're doing nothing except embarrassing your family and ruining Joe's good name. I don't even understand why he put up with you, and why he continues to be interested in you."
A low growl came from the seat next to me and Lester reached over the seat and placed his hand on Tank's massive shoulder in silent support. This is why they're my core team. We've got each other's backs no matter what the situation is.
"How much trouble you think we'd get in if we drug her outside by her hair and beat the hell out of her for what she's saying to Bomber?" Bobby asked from the backseat.
"I don't know, but I'm willing to risk it," was Lester's reply.
"For the last time, Val," Steph said. "Why. Are. You. Here." Her words were spaced like she was biting them off. Babe was most definitely about to hit her limit, and what a show that would be.
"Mom sent me."
"Oh Shit!" The guys stage whispered together. Oh shit was right.
"What do you mean, Mom sent you?" She asked, confusion evident in her voice.
"Mom decided that I was the last hope for getting you to see reason. Since I'm your sister she figured you'd listen to me. She wants you at the house on Sunday, ready to plan your wedding to Joe. That gives you two days to get rid of that thug and his group of criminals who are always around you.
"She also has applications for you to fill out--" She never finished what she was saying because right then it appeared that Steph had reached her limit.
"Excuse me?" Her voice actually lowered instead of the usual raising in octaves it did when she got angry. "Plan my wedding....to JOE? As in Joe Morelli? The same Joe who can't accept me for who I am, wanted me to be a carbon copy of not only our mother, but his mother as well? The same Joe who took my virginity on the floor of the Tasty Pastry when I was sixteen and then proceeded to not only embarrass me, but embarrass our family as well when he wrote about it on various walls around town? That Joe Morelli?"She was pissed.
"Man, I'd hate to have Beautiful pissed at me. Damn, does her sister not know her at all?" Lester said from the backseat.
"Guess not," Tank replied. I was too busy trying to not break the steering wheel while listening to the audio. We were almost there. Hold on, Babe.
"Well, of course that Joe Morelli. It isn't like there is more than one." Her sister said.
"Thank Hell for that." Steph mumbled. "You know what, Val? I would rather have my vagina shrivel up and die before I'd ever marry Joe." We heard a gasp of shock come from her sister.
"You are so crass, Stephanie. Must come from hanging around criminals all the time. No one in the 'Burg would ever speak like that."
"That. Is. It." The tension in the car shot up at the tone of Steph's voice. This wasn't going to be good, but I couldn't help but wonder what she was going to say in response. She'd let the earlier comments about my men and I slide, but it didn't look like it was happening any longer. "Ranger and his men are not thugs or criminals. They have more honor and higher morals than anyone I've ever met. Especially in the 'Burg. They don't sit around all day wondering what everyone else is doing, or worrying about what everyone else thinks about them. Those men do the jobs that no one else is willing to do, the jobs that need to be done so that innocent people are safe. Innocent people like your daughters.
"They have protected me, and cared about me more than anyone else ever has. Those men that you are calling thugs and criminals are good and honorable men who have to do a job that is dark and dangerous. They do it so that the darkness doesn't touch anyone else. Each of those men have more honor in one finger than Joe Morelli could have in his entire body. I am proud to call them my friends, regardless of what you or anyone else thinks."
The car was completely quiet as we listened to the words that she was saying. I knew without a doubt that her words were touching each of our hearts and that any respect that we had for her previously just multiplied exponentially. When her sister started talking again I felt a growl come from my throat. I really didn't like that woman. "Friends? Really, Stephanie, are you that naïve? They aren't your friends; they're just there waiting for their chance to get in your pants. Especially the thug. The second that they get you on your back they'll drop you like yesterday's trash. Though, I guess you're used to that since you spend so much of your time rolling around in it anyway. "
There was an audible sigh from Steph before she said, "Trash comes in all kinds, Val. From where I'm standing it's apparent that you're not too far from the county landfill yourself. For the record, he does have a name you know. So do all of his men, apparently your proper 'Burg upbringing is failing, Val."
"I don't care what his name is. He's a thug and thugs don't need names." Her sister said in a prissy voice that really grated on my nerves.
"He. Is. Not. A. Thug. He is a kind and honest man who I would willingly die to protect. A man who has taken a bullet for me on more than one occasion, so don't you DARE stand there and call him a thug and believe that he doesn't deserve a name. If you don't want to call him Ranger, then you can acknowledge him as Ricardo Carlos Manoso-- or maybe even Mr. Manoso. You will NOT call him a thug again. I've put up with a lot of shit from you, mom, and the whole 'Burg, but I will NOT put up with anyone disrespecting Ranger. I don't care who the fuck you are.
"As for getting into my pants, it wouldn't take him much. I'll even let you in on a little secret, dear sister. I fucked his brains out tonight before I came here. I had him take me on the counter and I enjoyed every minute of it. How do you like that? Does that offend your prudish 'Burg sensibilities? Too damn bad."
We pulled up to the club and jumped out of the SUV with the audio feeding into our ear buds. I couldn't believe Steph was sharing our personal life, but I couldn't bring myself to care—I was too damn proud of her. She was giving it to her sister with both barrels and it was making me want to take her and fuck her against the wall. Any wall would do. The guys were perfectly silent listening and following my path through the club, and when we got to where Steph was we all stopped. I was going to let her finish this without alerting her to our presence. She needed this and I was going to let her have it. Her hand caressed the back of her neck and I knew she was aware of my presence, even though she didn't turn around.
"I can't—"
"No, you don't have the right to speak. You will listen to me and you will listen to me well. I will never marry Joe and I will never be an upstanding member of the' Burg. I'm in love with the man you insist on calling a 'thug'. I love him more than anything in this world and I would do anything for him. If he were to ask me to marry him right now, I'd be on the next flight to Vegas. If he decided tomorrow to toss me out like 'yesterday's trash' then I would move on with my life, but I would never stop loving him. It doesn't matter to me that he doesn't feel the same way, I love him anyway. That's the way love is supposed to be, unconditional. It doesn't have to reciprocated, just given freely. That will be enough for me.
"The difference between me and the rest of the 'Burg is that I don't care what you think, or what anyone else thinks. I am not going to bow to the pressure of becoming someone I'm not, of marrying someone I'm not in love with, who doesn't accept me for who I am; just because it's what the flock of mindless lemmings in 'Burg expect.
If I ever marry anyone, it will be Carlos, it will not be some 'perfect' Italian from the 'Burg, and it sure as fuck won't ever be Joe. So, do us both a favor, turn around and go home. When mom asks, feel free to tell her that as of this moment she no longer has a daughter who embarrasses her. I'm done. You, Mom, and the rest of the 'Burg can eat shit. I don't need you, I don't want you, and I'll be glad as fuck to be done with you. Have a nice life, Saint Valerie."
I wanted to give her a standing ovation, I wanted to run up and wrap my arms around her and tell her how much I loved her, but I didn't do any of those things. I couldn't move. I was stunned. She loved me, actually loved me; and she defended my men like they were worthy of being defended, like she saw them as people not just killers. There is no one better than my Babe and I was going to claim her as mine. Just as soon as I could move again.
Before I got a chance to move though, my men began clapping and shouting. "Good job, Beautiful! That was amazing!" Lester bellowed before running up and lifting her off her feet. I watched as her eyes got wide and she looked at me.
"How, I mean, what- Uhhh..." She stumbled over her words.
"Your wire is still on," Lester said.
Realization dawned on her instantly, all the color draining out of her face and her eyes widened in panic. I watched as she backed away from Lester her eyes never leaving mine. "Ohmygod." Tears filled her eyes and still backing up she said, "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry, Ranger." Without another word she tore out of the club like the hounds of hell were after her. The second she was out of sight her wire cut off and the sound of her muffled sobs were suddenly gone.
"Fuck," Lester said and I couldn't have agreed more.