Unapologize
By: PricklySare
A/N: I'm sorry if I haven't replied to all the wonderful reviews you ladies have given this story. I've tried, but real life, along with a need to get this story written takes away from my replies. I want you all to know that I love each and every one of the reviews! You guys are great. As always I don't own the characters you recognize, and I'm not making any money from these stories.
I want to thank my wonderful beta who keeps me grounded. :) M, you're wonderful. Without further ado, I give you... Lester's POV.
Chapter Nine: Lester's POV
Diablo was like any other club; dark, and packed with women in skimpy clothes looking for a good time, and men looking for the next easy chick to scratch their itch. The music was loud, and the lights were strobing in iridescent shades. I was staked out at the end of the bar where I had been for over an hour, keeping an eye on the skip. The hot chicks were plentiful tonight, and I would have loved to lose myself in one or two; however, I was working so that wasn't an option.
Where the hell are they? Ranger was a stickler about punctuality; as long as I've known him he had never been late, so my imagination was running wild. I knew Tank had spoken to him, and they were on their way, so that meant it was nothing life and death. Knowing Steph, it was probably some minor catastrophe that had them running so late. It wasn't like Ranger would actually take his head out of his ass long enough to enjoy the physical pleasure that Steph could give him. If the roles were reversed and she was head over heels in love with me, I wouldn't toy with her the way he does.
It hadn't taken long for her to get under my skin and past my defenses. She was one of the most honest, and caring people I'd ever met. When Ranger first brought her around, the guys and I were confused. She was nothing like the typical females that flocked around him. Her hair wasn't perfect; it was wild and curly, moving around like a living creature. She didn't dress to try and land a man, she dressed comfortable; and nothing about her screamed 'money grubbing whore' like so many of the others did. At first I knew we scared her, but that didn't deter her. Even after Tank threw a man out the window, she still remained with him that night for watch of the building. Granted, it didn't go well, but that just makes the story better now. She stuck, and now Rangeman wouldn't be the same without her in our lives; in Ranger's life.
I was pulled from my memories by Tank's voice coming through my earpiece, "Looks like we're ready to roll," he said. 'Bout time.
"Affirmative," I replied, as a woman with hair so blonde it had to be as fake as her breasts came up to me with lust in her eyes. She was dressed in practically nothing, and I could see how someone might find her attractive. For once, I wasn't one of those guys. Recently I'd begun noticing my type of woman was changing, and I knew without a doubt it was because of Steph. Suddenly, I was looking for someone like her. Someone who looked like her, someone who wouldn't care if I didn't ask for her name and just let me pretend that she was the one woman I'd never have. If Ranger ever knew, he'd kick my ass.
I noticed Tank walk in and head for a booth in the back near the rear door, his eyes locking onto Giovanelli. I knew it was show time as soon as Steph's mic turned on and the sound of Ranger's voice came through her mic. "Go get 'em, tiger." The next thing I heard were the sounds of appreciation coming from Bobby and Hal, but hearing that did nothing to prepare me for the actual sight of her swathed in a short red number. She had more skin covered than the woman currently trying to keep my attention, yet she screamed sex so much more than the unknown woman next to me ever could. Just seeing Steph made my heart jump into my throat and my cock go rock hard.
"Man, Ranger. Can I follow her? I'll go FTA just to have her play up to me in that dress," I said before I could stop myself. Every fantasy I ever had just paled in comparison to the vision that walked up to Giovanelli. No wonder they were late. There was no doubt in my mind that Steph, in that dress, was enough to make Ranger late to his own funeral. If his head wasn't already out of his ass, then he had better hurry because I was ready to stake my claim.
In the last few years Steph and I had grown close, and I was proud to be able to call her a friend. Possibly even a best friend. I never expected to have so much in common with a little white girl from a suburb; but damned if she wasn't everything I wanted and needed in a woman. She and I started hanging out more and more as she began picking up shifts at Rangeman, and when Ranger would go off the grid we would grab pizza and watch movies, or debate which group, band, or singer was better. Life with her in it was never boring.
When Tank expressed his appreciation for Steph I winced. If Ranger hadn't been mad before, he would be grinding nails now. Shit, Tank. I did not envy him. I also wasn't prepared for the surge of jealousy that flared through my body at Tank's words. Get a grip, Santos. She's your friend, and she's Ranger's woman. Lock her in your spank bank and move on. Damn, I hated that inner voice sometimes. Ranger's voice, when he spoke, left no doubt at just how he felt about the comments. "Enough. No one will be getting anywhere near my woman. Now do your jobs, or tomorrow we'll be meeting on the mats for a review of your responsibilities as employees." Yep, he was pissed. His voice was rough with anger and I could almost hear his hands squeezing the steering wheel.
Time seemed to speed up and slow down at the same time while I watched Steph work her unique magic on Giovanelli. It almost made me feel sorry for him, but then I thought of how lucky he was to be that close to her. Maybe I really should think about getting arrested and bonded out. There are worse ways to go. By this point the blonde had ditched me for more attentive prey, and I was able to focus more of my attention on the 'act' unfolding down the length of bar from me.
She was amazing. Watching her was enough to make my cock throb and stand up to take notice, but being able to hear what she was saying made me feel like a teenager again. It took all my control not to cum in my pants. Her voice was like warm honey, sweet and seductive. It continually amazed me that she had no real understanding of just how beautiful she was. Not long after she began spending time with us she started picking up nicknames, and she never questioned why I chose to call her Beautiful. It fit her, more than Bombshell, or Bomber ever could. Time could change her penchant for trouble and explosions, but her beauty would never fade. There was a lightness that radiated from her, making her more than just pretty.
I watched her body language change slightly and I knew she was getting ready to close the deal, her voice sliding over my body as she said, "You know, Marcus, it's getting pretty hot in here."
"Then let's get out of here so we can get you out of that dress and...cooled off," the skip said. I've been around some, and I've used some pretty corny pick up lines, but that one was just pathetic. From the look that flashed through her eyes I would venture to guess she felt the same way. I half expected her to roll her eyes.
"Sounds good to me, Marcus. I can't wait... to get out of this dress and wrapped up in some hot, sweaty, sex." Holy shit, Beautiful. I was pretty sure she said that for Ranger's benefit, but I had no problem enjoying it for myself. It was almost as good as the first distraction she did for us, when she told the skip that Thursday nights were group sex night. She still blushes whenever it's brought up. Damn was she ever amazing.
I could hear the effect her comment had on Ranger when he said, "Let's roll." The man was definitely a goner. Lucky Bastard. Tank and I came up on her just as she led Giovanelli out the door and straight into the waiting arms of Bobby and Hal. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Ranger pull Steph to him and wrap his arms around her. Something had definitely changed between them. I could tell just by the way they clung to each other, the way their bodies flowed together like they finally found where they belonged.
In all the years I'd been with Ranger I had never seen him act this way toward anyone. His face softened, his eyes dropped their hard gaze and emotions ran freely. I continued to watch how they interacted for a few moments longer before climbing into the SUV to head out. Ranger had told us earlier about her 'girls' night out' and I was looking forward to crashing it. It had been a long while since we'd gone out just to relax. I couldn't wait. Steph sent a little finger wave in our direction and headed back into the club.
While Tank and Ranger delivered the skip to TPD, Bobby and I headed back to Haywood. We had a club to get ready for. We knew we'd be leaving within an hour of the time that they returned, so Bobby and I went to our neighboring apartments to get ready. I cranked up the music on my sound system and felt the bass pump through my body while I stripped off my clothes and hopped into the shower.
Forty-five minutes later I was sitting in the back of an SUV with Bobby while Ranger drove and Tank rode shotgun. I was chilling in my zone, looking forward to dancing, drinking, and having a good time, when Tank broke the silence. "Did you get the mic back from Bombshell?" My eyes shot to the console and I noticed the blinking light that indicated a transmitting wire. Ranger was always in charge of wiring and unwiring Steph, and he forgetting was as shocking as him showing up late to a takedown.
Just as Tank flipped the switch connecting the SUV directly to Steph's wire, Ranger said, "No." Yep, something definitely had thrown the Boss off his game. The sounds of the club came piping through the speakers along with Steph's voice. It didn't sound like she was having a good time and that confused me. It was girls' night. What about that wouldn't be fun for her?
As I listened, my stomach started to clinch and I felt anger heating through my body. My ears blocked all other sounds and conversations except for what was coming from the speakers. I'm sure that Tank and Ranger were speaking, but I didn't care. I was confused as to whom the bitch talking to Steph was and suddenly it all became very clear when Steph said, "First off, Valerie." Her sister was the bitch. What kind of family did she come from?
I tried to tune back into my surroundings and said, "Wow, isn't Valerie her sister?" I tried to keep the anger banked so that my feelings for Steph didn't announce themselves. My feelings for her were personal and private and not up for being shared, especially since they would most likely lead me to a third world jungle, if not certain death at the hands of a very pissed off Cuban mercenary.
"Supposedly," was Ranger's only response, except for the tightening of his hands around the steering wheel.
I went back to listening intently to Steph's conversation with her sorry excuse for a sister and felt a smile touch my lips as she informed her sister that 'being Saint Valerie' hadn't kept her husband from cheating on her. Taking her sister down a notch wasn't something that most people would have expected from her, but I knew deep down she had it in her. It was about time those pretty claws came out and she stood up for herself. Recently I'd noticed slight changes in her, and they all appeared to be good. Her attitude seemed stronger; she seemed surer of herself and was even less willing to put up with the bullshit that the people in her life wanted to dish out to her.
"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," Steph said, her voice strong. This was going to call for a celebration, I wanted to bounce on the seat in anticipation, but I forced myself to remain still.
A high pitched laugh that grated on my eardrums came from the speakers before her sister said, "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."
I felt more than heard Tank's displeasure with that statement and I placed my hand on his shoulder in support as well as restraint. There was nothing we could do while being in the car, and we still hadn't arrived at the club. I felt the car speed up and knew Ranger was hanging on by a thin thread. He'd never hit a girl before, but tonight might be his breaking point; and I don't think anyone in this car would think less of him. Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure that Steph would have a problem with any man hitting her sister. She was just devoted like that.
Next to me Bobby shifted and spoke for the first time, "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?"
Now that was a plan I could get on board with. I knew Bobby and I were friends for a reason. "I don't know, but I'm willing to risk it," I said.
When her sister dropped the bomb, that she was there on their mother's orders I wanted to break something, but it only got worse. Steph's voice was full of confusion and disbelief, "What do you mean, Mom sent you?"
"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."
Her mother actually had the audacity to think she could choose who Steph's friends were? That she had some right to demand her to quit her job and force her into marrying someone she wasn't meant to be with? I really hoped that Steph was strong enough to deal with this. I had faith in her, but the pressure from her family has been taking its toll on her for a while now.
There was such shock and distaste in Steph's voice when she responded that I felt a chill run up my spine. I was surprised that someone as sweet and she was could pull off the Ice Queen persona so well, but damn did she ever. "Excuse me? 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?"
"Man, I'd hate to have Beautiful pissed at me. Damn, does her sister not know her at all?" I spoke from my place in the backseat. She sure was sexy when she was pissed though.
I wasn't truly surprised by any of what she said. Not too long after we had started hanging out she and I spent a night taking shots of Tequila and talking about our first sexual experiences. I was drunk at the time, but I still remember being pissed at the guy. I was also a little pissed at her. I remembered asking her if she had so little respect for herself that she would date a guy who took advantage of her not once, but twice in her youth. Joe Morelli might be a cop now, but in my opinion he is nothing more than a child molester. He might have been eight, but he obviously knew it was wrong when he did it; and I know damn well he knew it was wrong when he fucked her and left her while she was still on the dirty floor of that pastry shop. I felt my hands clinch into fists and forced myself to relax them.
"Guess not," Tank replied.
A smile twitched at my lips when Steph said, "You know what, Val? I would rather have my vagina shrivel up and die before I'd ever marry Joe."
Her sister's outraged response made me swallow a chuckle. "You are so crass, Stephanie. Must come from hanging around criminals all the time. No one in the 'Burg would ever speak like that." She didn't stand a chance against Steph.
I could almost feel the tension in Steph's body and I definitely felt the tension in the car ratchet up another notch. This wasn't going to be pretty. "That. Is. It. 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." I knew I had loved her before this, but there was no doubt in my mind now that I had fallen hard for her. With that knowledge also came the understanding that I could never do anything about it.
"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." She understood us, something that nobody else—including our families—were able to do. She saw us as people, not thugs. Hell, she explained us better than we probably could have. I don't think any of us could have explained who we were more eloquently than she just did. We're proud to call you our friend too, Beautiful. More than you might ever know.
"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. " I know that people think that I'm a player and that I move from one woman to another without care or concern; and to a point, that's true. However, those women always know exactly what they are getting into. There are no false promises, or words of endearment, so no one is getting thrown out like trash.
The same could be said for Ranger as well as Tank and Bobby. Of course, that was before Steph came into our lives. Since then I've noticed a change in all of our dating patterns. Just little things that most people wouldn't notice, but when you spend as much time together as we do you pick up on little things. Hell, I'm pretty sure that Ranger hasn't gotten laid in quite a while. I'm not even sure when the change happened with him. I'd have to say it happened sometime during the Abruzzi crisis. Suddenly, he was just....different. The guys and I talked about it, and figured that he and Steph were finally getting it together. When nothing came of it, we were all confused and she was suddenly back together with the cop. Things around the office were a little tense for awhile, until the Boss went off grid for a while.
I wondered how Steph would respond to her sister's latest volley when she spoke again, "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 really wished we were there so I could see the look on her sister's face. Snap! You go, Beautiful!
In our line of work we meet all kinds of people, some good, some bad, some worse than others. Yet, with all the shit we wade through, all the dregs of society we've dealt with, I never realized that Steph's sister was such a grade A bitch. She was condescending, negative, and completely closed minded. I was completely taken by surprise when Steph didn't punch her out after she said, "I don't care what his name is. He's a thug and thugs don't need names."
Instead of punching her out, Steph made her position blindingly clear; and without a doubt ruined her chances of ever having dessert from her mother again. Luckily for her Ranger employs, Ella. Each word Steph said lanced my heart and made me once again wish that I held her heart. She was one in a million.
Her voice was strong and measured. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that she could rip her sister apart, and was using every ounce of control she had not to scream at her when she said, "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."
I watched Ranger from my spot in the backseat and saw the flash of emotions run across his face. He was most definitely not unaffected by Steph's words. Hell, I don't think any of us could claim to be unaffected. Though, her next words made my jaw hit the ground. Holy shit, Steph!
"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."
Apparently the mystery was solved. Something really had changed between them tonight, and the reason for his lateness suddenly made sense. I was both happy and sad at this new found understanding. Sometimes life really kicks you in the nuts. I didn't get much time to analyze what I was feeling because we pulled into the club and were hotfooting it behind Ranger as the crowd seemed to part for him. The man seemed to have Steph psychically lo-jacked because that is the only possible way he would have been able to head straight for her without slowing down. It was like he just, knew.
We stopped when Ranger saw her. I could tell she knew we were there; or at least that Ranger was there. Yet another strange phenomenon brought to you by the Ranger and Stephanie relationship. Ranger didn't want us to proceed and we continued to listen to her words while finally being able to see her features. She looked strong. She looked pissed. She looked like a warrior goddess in her red dress with her hair curling around her shoulders. Her sister on the other hand looked like a snooty poor relation. She had nothing on Steph. The differences were amazing. Steph looked radiant and I knew her eyes were snapping with anger. Wow.
I watched as Steph held up her hand cutting her sister's words off saying, "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."
To say I was totally floored would be putting it mildly. I'm pretty sure the world stopped turning for a moment. She had finally admitted her feelings; and to her sister no less. This was definitely a night for celebration. I stole a glance toward Ranger and he was frozen to the spot. Stunned, would be too light a term. Emotions were flying across his face and I couldn't read them fast enough to understand half of them. I could only hope he didn't fuck this up.
Telling her sister the way it was going to be appeared to be a totally empowering experience for Steph and when she delivered the piece de resistance I wanted to applaud. "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."
She had officially drawn her line in the sand and she had chosen her side. She had chosen Rangeman. The second the words were out of her mouth everyone except for Ranger, who appeared to still be too stunned to move, began clapping. I let out a whoop saying, "Good job, Beautiful! That was amazing!" before I ran over to her a pulled her into my arms. My best friend was the shit.
It only took me a moment to realize that something wasn't right. Especially when she began stuttering, "How, I mean, what- Uhhh..." Oh shit. This isn't good.
"Your wire is still on," I told her carefully, not sure of her reaction and worried about what would happen next.
She looked over at Ranger and her face lost all its color. Oh fuck. This really isn't good. She started backing away from me, looking like she was about to pass out when she said, "Ohmygod. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry, Ranger." I was so stunned by her words that I didn't even move when she turned around and ran for the door. Why in the hell would she be sorry? What the hell is going on?
Her muffled tears were suddenly cut off and I realized that she had turned off the wire. The only thing I could say was, "Fuck." Now what the hell are we going to do?