A Family Affair
Chapter 7
Stephanie ignored the Cuban glare as she placed her make-up bag by the apartment door. "Ranger, if you remember it was decided after a few discussions I would travel to Philadelphia with Grandma and Addison. I'm grieving, remember? I'm getting out of town to get away so I can come to terms with your 'death'," she reminded him of the Rangeman plan to thwart the President's assissiation.
Those dark, intense eyes went from the woman he loved standing in the living room to the daughter he loved in his arms. They came to rest on his 'Babe'. "That was the dumbest plan I ever came up with in my life. I should be with you and our daughter traveling anywhere. Even around the corner!" He hissed through his firm jaw. He wasn't leaving with them, but would follow later hoping to avoid being recognized by anyone.
Stephanie couldn't resist rubbing it in more. She giggled, "You can't travel, you're dead. I guess you could if you're a ghost like Casper."
Acting like tourists, the plan was for Stephanie, Grandma, and Addison to travel to Philadelphia two days before the President's speech. They were accompanying Edna Mazur to the President's speech as a cover since she was a backer and voted for him. Arriving early would allow them time to settle in with Addison. It would also give Grandma leisurely time to hit the adult boutiques for souvenirs before items were picked over. Ranger and the team from Rangeman would stagger their times and routes to Philadelphia making it appear the next two days were normal business days. Everyone was staying in different hotels with the women and baby booked in the Omni. He was riding with Tank. Lester volunteered following Stephanie, his daughter, and 'Commando Edna' in a very ordinary white Caprice. Now that is was almost time for his 'Babe' and his Little Princess to leave, the unflappable, blank-face perfectionist Ranger was known to all despised this arrangement at this very second and beyond until the three of them were together. His face was anything but emotionless and the idea sunk in to him all the ways to his toes, Ranger had to let them leave.
In three Ranger steps, that intent stare was staring down into Stephanie's blue eyes. "That wasn't a ghost you felt making love to you last night," Ranger growled.
The twinkle was in her eyes was teasing him. "It was sort of dark. I can't be sure."
"This is no apparition, Babe." His free arm tugged her to him, his lips crushed Stephanie's.
The hard body molded to her felt very alive. She whispered regaining her senses that she lost for a few moments in that kiss. "Daddy's no ghost, Addison," she told her beautiful daughter wide-eyed watching her parents from her father's secure arm.
The apartment door cracked open, Lester popped his head inside saying, "I'll be leaving, Steph."
"OK, we'll pass you up on Arena Drive," Stephanie agreed with the route outlined after picking up Grandma at her parents' house and taking '295' towards Philadelphia. She couldn't talk Ranger out of a tail so she had Santos. At least Grandma would be having some fun with Lester in tow.
He picked up the overnight bag and make-up case to take to the garage. Stephanie also was driving Ranger's newly reinforced Mercedes. He had bullet-proof panels and windows installed along with a tamper-resistant alarm. Hair samples were analyzed and the DNA results were pre-loaded into the on-board computer of all who would have contact with the vehicle over the next few days including Frank and Grandma. Anyone who came in contact with the car and not recognized in the data base would set off the alarm and be stunned. Ranger was not taking any chances with Stephanie and his infant daughter in the automobile. The car security system would need to be overridden for the hotel valets so they weren't shocked and she could do it when she arrived. Any interfering under the vehicle, the culprit would get a dose of tear gas along with the electrical charge to ring his or her bell.
"We'll be leaving soon, too."
"Lester," Ranger said in his in-command tone, "you're in charge until I get there later. Don't let anything happen to my woman or daughter."
An arm rapped those muscled ridges. "You're dead and can't be seen."
He gritted his teeth, "I'm not dead! I'll show you again!"
Stephanie side stepped the hard body when he leaned in to kiss her again. "Ranger, we need to leave so I can pick-up Grandma."
"Fine," he growled. "When this is over, I'm going to make-up for that stupid ass plan so much. I don't care if it kills me!"
"We'll discuss my terms later," she giggled. The 'fake' death and all she went through were pretty much behind her, but she would let him grovel some after everything was over. Secretly, she was hoping to take a couple of swings at the terrorist herself just for the emotional principle.
"Babe!"
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The black Mercedes was pristine in the usual spot sitting by the elevator when Stephanie, Addison, Ranger, and Tank stepped off. Glum was spread over the Bad Ass' face. It had tinted windows so no one would see him if he jumped in at the last second as it pulled out.
"Remember, Bombshell, to deactivate the security system before the valet parks it or he'll be on his ass not knowing what century it is," Tank chuckled.
"Someone and I won't mention the name went a tad overboard on an auto alarm system," Stephanie commented knowing how the car was reinforced. She didn't understand how it could be done so quickly, but it was Ranger. Only Rangeman and her family minus her mother knew he was alive, but even 'dead' he could still get things done quickly.
The large second-in-command man placed the black and pink stroller in the trunk next to the overnight bags before shutting it. When not in use, it was parked by the elevator. Stephanie's Merry Men all were now experienced folding and unfolding it. The matching infant car seat was secure in the backseat. Stephanie drove Ranger's Cayenne most of the time he was away once Addie arrived; it was now being 'updated'.
"Come here, Baby Girl," Ranger said softly with sadness in his voice. He looked at that ideal tiny face he cradled in his strong arm. She was making the cutest puckered baby lips at her father. "Daddy will be there soon." He kissed her forehead and her curled fingers before giving his daughter back to her mother. Watching closely, he committed to memory how Stephanie buckled her inside the car seat.
Next, it was Stephanie's turn in his arms. "I don't want you to go," he whispered with his forehead touching hers.
"Ranger," Stephanie choked. The emotions playing themselves out on the handsome face were affecting her. She gulped before continuing, "Addison and I will be fine. We need to finish this. I don't want this situation hanging over us. We," her finger moved between Ranger and herself, "have a daughter to raise."
Those words caused the corners of his mouth to upturn. "We do, Babe."
They shared a long kiss before Stephanie slipped behind the steering wheel. Tank and Ranger stood there as the black car backed out of the space and drove out of the open garage door.
"It's not our turn," Tank told his friend referring to schedule of departures outlined; he and Tank were leaving once it was getting dark. He pointed a dark index finger at Ranger for emphasis. "Remember that."
The scowl across the Cuban brow didn't help the longing expression on his face.
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Opening the apartment door, Ranger quickly grabbed the file from General Warwick and went back out heading to his office on 5. Without his beautiful Babe and daughter, the rooms were too quiet for him to stay there. It also reminded him of the dangerous task ahead of them. He knew he had no choice not to involve Stephanie and Addison in this last portion of his mission, but he still did not like it. The light at the end of the tunnel was the 'someday' they would have now. He tucked Addison's pink blanket under his arm for comfort before closing the door.
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He pretended to be focused on a report; Tank never looked up knowing Ranger was at his open office door again. It was the fourth time since Stephanie called to say she, Addison, and Grandma arrived safely at the Omni Hotel that the high-strung pain-in-ass Cuban was there wanting to leave. "It's not our assigned time," he said never looking up.
"The FUCK it is! I moved us up!" Ranger couldn't take it anymore being separated from Stephanie and Addison.
Good thing Tank turned his attention to his boss; he had enough of a second to catch the Hummer keys being thrown at him.
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Stephanie couldn't stop giggling at Grandma Mazur. After checking into the Omni Hotel, she pushed Addison in her stroller accompanying her grandmother to the nearest lingerie boutique for the ultimate "Presidential" visit memento for her 'girls', flavored edible underwear with President Cosgrove's face stamped on the front. She bought one in each of the twenty-four flavors.
Addison just had a bottle so mother and daughter were about to have a relaxing bath in the tub. Edna Mazur finished her primping; she was taking a ride on the hotel shuttle to the casino to try her luck at the slots and with a pair of her new panties.
There was a knock at the suite door. "Room Service," a voice said from the other side of it. It had a distinctive Spanish accent. Stephanie didn't order anything and neither did Grandma Mazur since she was going out.
"You must have the wrong room," Stephanie called walking to the door. She was about to buzz Lester on her cell phone next door when she peeked through the peep hole. She saw mocha latte skin, a hotel jacket, and black framed eyeglasses on a very handsome face. "I guess we did order room service," she said to Addie opening the door.
Pushing a food cart into the room was a bespectacled Ranger in an 'Omni Hotel' employee jacket. There were two silver plated domes on it and she heard silverware rattling.
Once far enough into the room, his foot kicked the door closed and gave the cart a slight push. He tossed the glasses on a chair. "Babe," he said against her lips immediately. He kissed his daughter taking her from Stephanie and locking his arm around her trim waist.
"You two should get a room," Grandma Mazur said coming out of her bedroom door into the sitting area. "Ain't that a pip, we're in one!"
That caused Ranger to chuckle against the warm lips he was kissing.
Her purse went on her arm and Grandma headed towards the door for her casino time. She tapped Ranger's shoulder. "I got me some Presidential edible undies as souvenirs today. Do you think with your connections, you could get Cosgrove to sign one for me?" Edna Mazur asked. "I bet I could get millions on EBAY for them."
The Bad Ass gave a quick arch of an eyebrow and body shake. The concept of Edna Mazur and edible panties didn't mix in this lifetime or the next. "I'll see what I can do."
"Gotcha." Curious, the small woman lifted a silver dome revealing a chocolate fudge cake. "Save me a piece for a bedtime snack." Under the second one was a brown teddy bear. She walked out the suite without another word.
Stephanie reached a finger over scooping a taste of the chocolaty frosting. "Wow! A make-up cake and make-up bear. You got anything else in that sexy uniform there, Ranger?"
"Babe."
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He read nursery rhymes to his daughter and that was a new experience for him. This was another; he was sitting naked in a large marble bathtub holding Addison while Stephanie washed her gently with her baby bath in the warm water. He missed a number of bath times in the last three months, but Daddy wouldn't miss anymore.