What Does it Mean to Trust

by at8c

What does it mean to Trust? Will Stephanie understands what it means to trust when something happens that makes her question every man in her life including the merry men. NOT CUPCAKE FRIENDLY, NOT MORELLI or HELEN PLUM FRIENDLY.

23. Chapter 22: Stalker

These characters belong to Janet I am just borrowing them for my amusement. Although I would love to keep Ranger and the merry men for myself!

This story does contain violence, and touches on dark subject matters. This story is not friendly to Morelli or Helen Plum so for Cupcake fans you have been warned.

Sorry for the slow update. Real life has been kicking my ass this week. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 22: Stalker

LPOV

I took my phone off my hip and called Tank. He answered on the second ring "Yo" I didn't have time for pleasantries he just needed to get his ass up here so we could deal with that fucking box. I knew that box was no good. "Grab Bobby and get up to seven ASAP. Stephanie received a box today." I ended the call that was all I had time for.

I then dialed Manny he answered "Yo" I wanted to already be done and comforting my best friend. "Come up to seven in thirty minutes with your bag and bring Hector with you." I thought maybe Hector would like to know what was in the box he scanned that those fuckers at the front desk had given her.

I walked over to Stephanie and put my arms around her. "Beautiful, you okay?" I asked her I know it was stupid. I knew she was far from fucking okay. Having a sick perverted stalker after her and having an x boyfriend that was practically stalking her and had molested her she was far from okay.

She laid her head on my shoulder "Les, why is that all of the crazies have to come after me? I mean what do I do to attract them? Do I lead them on? Do I do something that causes them to seek me out? You are my best friend if I was doing something that was causing this you would tell me right?"

I looked at Ranger and I could tell his heart was breaking just as mine. We didn't have an answer for her. Hell we didn't know why she attracted so many sick fucks. We have been trying to figure it out so we could prevent it.

I said the only thing I could think of "Beautiful you aren't doing anything other than being yourself. You draw people to you it is the light they see within you, the good, and they are drawn to it. It is the reason you have so many people in your life that love you. However it also draws the people that have a warped sense of the world as well as those that are mentally challenged and they form a different type of relationship with you because they are incapable of forming a healthy relationship."

I don't know if she bought that line of bull shit but it was better than telling her that she attracted sick fucks as well as all of the people who loved her.

She pulled away and walked over to Ranger. He put his arms around her and part of me missed her touch her feel of her in my arms. I know she belongs to Ranger but there are times when I am more aware of it than others and that awareness stings. I love her. I want to be the one comforting her and holding her and days like this it stings to see her in his arms.

I love my cousin and I love beautiful and I know they belong together they have something that she and I would never have even if we were together. I know that but there are still days my heart ache to see them together. I know I will always be her best friend and she will always be mine and I am glad we have that. It is something I will cherish until the day I die but there are times I find myself wishing I were in Ranger's shoes. Not because of his money, not because of his status, not because of his cars hell none of that mattered I had all I wanted when it came to those things. It was because of his woman. She was truly an amazing woman.

I heard Tank and Bobby open the apartment door. Ranger wrapped Stephanie in his arms and I picked up the box and we all headed into the living room.

BPOV

I was working on quarterly physical evaluations when Tank stepped into my office and said "we are needed on seven ASAP." Fuck. Something must be wrong with Bomber.

I looked at him "what happened? Do I need my bag?" he shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know Santos just called me said to grab you and get up to seven. That is all I know." Damn shit fuck. Lester called down and said we were needed. I assume Ranger is up there with them. What the fuck could have happened.

She had training with Lester this afternoon, I briefly wondered if she got hurt. I thought about the schedule and realized it was Cal, Hector, and Zip as well as Lester who were working with her. I would have thought had she been hurt earlier I would have been notified so did something happen with her session with Lester?

I grabbed my medic bag just in case. It's always good to be prepared when it comes to Bomber. With her she could be completely fine or she could be injured to the point of being on her death bed and she would still do her best to cover it up. She hated appearing weak in front of us.

We get to the apartment and walk in we don't bother knocking. They knew we would be right up so no need to announce our presence before entering. Walking into the living room they joined us. Ranger had Stephanie wrapped in his arms and Lester was holding a box. Stephanie was purposefully trying to not look at us. Oh this wasn't going to be good.

Lester put the box on the coffee table as we all took our places. This was becoming sort of a ritual Ranger Stephanie and Lester on the couch Tank and I in the chairs across from the couch.

Lester spoke up first. "Beautiful received a box today from her stalker." I knew that box had bad written all over it, Fuck.

Ranger took the floor looking at Tank "Those dumb fuckers you hired gave her the box when she took them coffee this afternoon. I don't know what we are going to do to beat it into their heads that they follow standard operating procedure but so help me god if they want to be able to walk out of this building on their own accord they better get it thru their fucking hard heads that they follow it or else." Oh he was seething below the surface. He wanted their hide he was just wording it as nice as he was able to do at the moment because of Bomber.

Speaking of Bomber she was shaking her head at his statement and spoke up saying. "It isn't their fault, Ranger you can't blame them. They told me a package had been delivered but I insisted on taking it. They tried to protest but I told them it was okay and I threw it in my bag. So if you are mad at someone be mad at me for taking the box. It isn't their fault. I didn't know or trust me I wouldn't have touched that box." He looked at her and ran his fingers through her hair caressing her face.

"It's okay, no one is upset that you took the box Babe. There are procedures that when boxes arrive that they be scanned for any potential threat or hazard. When they told you about the box and then allowed you to take the box they failed to have it scanned. They put you in danger because they didn't follow protocol. Granted they couldn't have protected you from what was inside the box but it could have been a bomb, or hazardous materials in which case they would have failed to protect you. That is unacceptable in this building." Ranger told her.

Damn straight that was unacceptable those dumb fuckers were slowly alienating themselves from everyone here. If they let her get hurt because of something they didn't do or did do god help them. They would have a building full of men ready to torture and kill them provided Ranger and Lester didn't just lose it and kill them before they realized it. I would probably be one of the first in line and I definitely would help keep them alive long enough so everyone that wanted a piece of their ass could take a piece before I would finally allow them to burn in hell for eternity.

Everyone was looking at the box like it was the eight hundred pound gorilla in the room. No one wanted to touch it, no one wanted to look in it, and no one wanted to ask the question that was on all of our minds 'what's in the box'. Finally Bomber huffed and reached for the box.

Ranger stopped her. "Babe Manny is coming up we want him to collect the evidence from the box before we touch anything in there. Once he has bagged and tagged it we can touch it and see if we can get any clues as to who this guy is." She looked relieved that she got a reprieve from the box at least for a little bit. Hell I was relieved for her.

Ranger looked at us and said "I want this sick fuck found. Once we have gone thru the contents of this box I want to know who brought it here, I want to know who sent it here, and I want that fucker found do I make myself clear?" He had that don't fuck with me look and sound in his voice. He was using the voice that we had heard for years on missions. There was no no, there was no can't do, there was no I don't know, there was no excuses for not doing or getting the information he requested. It was only do. How the guys at the front desk didn't understand that was beyond anything I could fathom. They would learn or they would pay the consequences.

Hell every guy in this building were bad asses on our own accord but we were all smart enough to fear Ranger and all smart enough to know that we followed his orders no questions asked. There wasn't room for failure, or non compliance.

Hearing a knock at the door I got up to answer it seen as I was the closest. I open the door and as suspected there stood Manny and Hector. I let them in and motioned for them to follow me to the living room. Well I won't have to worry about the two new fuckers now. With Hector here all I would be doing now would be signing their death certificates. In some way that would take the fun out of it but it definitely would solve the problem.

MannyPOV

Lester called me and told me to grab Hector and come up to the seventh floor in a half hour. I had no idea what he wanted but we got up there on time.

We walked into the living room and I saw a box sitting on the coffee table and everyone else was staring at it.

"Boss you wanted to see us?" I asked Ranger. He nodded his head. "Earlier today Stephanie received this package. Just from having looked in it we know it is from her stalker so I wanted you to bag and tag everything before we handle it. That way we won't contaminate the evidence." I nodded my head in understanding.

I really didn't want to be the first one to take the objects out of the box but since this was part of my job and normally it would be no big deal but since this stuff was directed at my wifey it was a big deal. It was hard to remain focused on my job and not focus on finding and killing some stupid fucker that was stalking her.

I was already frustrated. I had been processing the stuff left at her apartment and there was nothing. No fingerprints, no DNA, nothing to get us closer to who this fucker was. The condoms that appeared to be used was nothing more than watered down lotion and it was such a generic lotion that it offered no further clues. I was hoping that this would be a break that the sick fuck made a mistake.

I walked over to the coffee table and sat my bag down taking out the camera I took pictures of the box opened with the items inside. I pulled bags out and labeled them date, my name, and then gave the bag a number. Putting gloves on my hands I then took the first item out of the box. It was a picture. This one wasn't a picture from a magazine like the others this was actually a picture that someone had taken. Well this was a step in the right direction after all. The picture was a picture of a woman that had her legs spread with a man's hard cock sitting at her entrance. It was really close up.

I placed it in the bag and handed the offending picture to Ranger. I reached in the box and took out the next thing which was another picture. Again a picture someone had taken this time it was the man's dick at the entrance of a woman's ass you could tell her cheeks were being held opened for the picture. Again it was really up close so you couldn't see anything identifiable no tattoos or markings. I placed the picture in the bag and once again handed it to Ranger.

I can't even bring myself to look at wifey I am certain she is embarrassed beyond all belief. While the pictures are similar to the ones left on her bed they are a lot different. One they are not magazine pictures and two they are a lot more involved since the others were the women alone in the picture here they show a man's penis at the ready point for penetration.

I reach back in the box and pull out yet a third picture this one is a picture of a woman's lips at the head of a man's penis you would think you would see more of her face but the way the picture was taken and the close up of the picture you really only see lips and penis. Again I bag it and hand it to Ranger.

I could see Hector's fists clenched at his side yeah he recognized the box and he could see the things I was taking out of it and he was pissed. I could see the look in his eyes and nothing good came from that look.

I reached in the box and pulled out what looked to be a used condom but I knew it was more than likely the same lotion mixed with water. I bagged it and placed it on the coffee table. Reaching back in the bag I pull out a pair of women's under ware. They appear to be brand new. I place them in a bag and sit them on the coffee table.

Finally I reach in the bag and pull out a note. I didn't take the time to read it. I just bag it and hand it to Ranger.

I looked at him "That's all that was in the box." I take a bigger bag out of my bag and bag the box labeling it and putting my name on the bag. I pull off the gloves and stand back up.

Before looking at the things I handed him Ranger looks at me and asks me. "Did you find anything on the evidence that was collected at Stephanie's apartment?" I shook my head no.

Answering I said. "Whoever this is knows what they are doing or at least up until this point. There were no finger prints, no DNA, nothing. What appeared to be used condoms were nothing more than new condoms with watered down lotion in them. The brand of condoms is Trojan that are sold everywhere from convenience markets, grocery stores, to the mega stores so no way to trace where they came from. All of the toys there were brand new no traces of finger prints, body fluids, or DNA on any of them. The pictures all came from various magazines again sold at book stores, or some area convenience stores. The only thing we can tell from the notes is that they are typed using computer the script is Arial the font size is twelve and it was printed on a generic or rather basic home printer. The paper used is generic paper cut to size of note card using a bladed device and not scissors."

Ranger looked at Hector in Spanish he thank him for convincing Stephanie to have him scan the package to make sure there was nothing harmful in the box. He told him that while the contents aren't good at least it wasn't a bomb or some other hazardous material. And he finally thanked him for protecting her.

Hector just shook his head and told him in Spanish that thanks weren't needed. That he would guard Stephanie regardless against anyone and everyone that it didn't matter who or what. That she was his little angel and that he would protect her at all times.

Ranger just nodded his head. Wifey looked a little confused she knew they were talking about her but you could tell that she had no idea what they were saying. Ranger didn't tell her anything other than pulled her close to him and kissed her forehead.

He then turned the pictures over that he had sitting in his lap and showed them to her. You could see the embarrassment and how uncomfortable she was looking at those pictures in a room full of guys so I excused myself "Boss I am going to step out when you are done call me and I will come up and collect the evidence and take it back to my lab." He nodded his head.

Hector decided to leave with me. I figured I could guess where Hector was heading but I wasn't about to be the one to say anything. I didn't need Hector's anger directed at me. I enjoyed living and breathing most days.

As I suspected when I went to exit the stair well on the second floor where the crime lab was Hector kept on going. He was going to the front desk.

SPOV

Carlos turned over the pictures in his lap and I could feel myself getting red from embarrassment. These pictures were so much more than the magazine pictures. They were pictures of actual people not that the magazines aren't but these are pictures of people like you and me. I know it sounds crazy but it seemed more personal and sicker than just the magazine pictures to me.

I was dreading the note. I knew it was under all of the pictures that were being passed around from Ranger to Lester then Tank and finally Bobby who then laid them on the coffee table next to the condom and underpants at least this time it wasn't my own underpants. That was at least one good thing right? To think of poor Manny down at his lab having to process my under ware and personal items wasn't a very pleasant thought.

Finally Carlos turned over the note. He took a minute to read the note and I could feel the tension rolling off of him. I looked at him and his eyes softened and when I touched him he seemed to calm a little bit. I am glad that I have the same affect on him as he has on me. He has the ability to calm me just with a look or a touch. I am glad I can see I do the same for him.

I take the note from him and read it.

Stephanie I see you have moved in Rangeman with a bunch of questionable men. I hope you aren't so busy fucking all of them that you forgot about me. I am after all still looking forward to having you. I sent you some pictures of me with another woman. I hope you don't mind I figured it was only fair since you are fucking all of those men. I hope seeing my dick hard makes you want me as bad as I want you. I want you in all of the ways pictured, don't worry It is going to happen. Just like in all of the pictures I sent you I will have you in all of those positions when we are together so hopefully seeing the pictures excited you. Now that I am certain you have had experience with all of the positions I have no reason to believe you won't satisfy me because I like for my woman to take care of me. It will go easier and better for you if you just do it and don't fight me on it because it is going to happen the difference is if you will enjoy it or not.

Know that all of the guys of Rangeman can't protect you, they won't protect you. I will have you when I am ready I will take you. You staying in Rangeman or not won't matter when I am ready I will come and take you it doesn't matter how many you have guarding you they won't be able to stop me from taking you with me and they won't stop me from having my time with you.

Until we are together can I ask that you keep your legs together and save some for me? I don't want my woman all used up and that is all they are doing is using you up. You won't be any good to me used up and that I promise you will end very badly for you.

Know that until I come for you I will be thinking about you, I will be hard for you and while I may be with other women physically know that I am thinking about you. It won't be long I am growing impatient with waiting. Until later.

Oh my god I wanted to throw up. He had sent me pictures of himself with another woman. I was afraid of that when I saw the pictures but I was hoping it wasn't true. Thankfully there was nothing in my stomach at the time because I really wanted to heave.

I put my hand over my mouth just to be on the safe side. Tears welled up in my eyes as I kept hearing that he would come and take me when he was ready, when he was ready. I was basically a sitting duck until then. He said that my brothers wouldn't be able to stop him, wouldn't be able to protect me that they won't protect me. That he could just come here and take me when he was ready. Was that true, that wasn't true my brothers would protect me they would fight for me. How would he get me with them around? How could he get to me with them around?

I briefly looked at Lester, Tank and Bobby then at Carlos. These guys wouldn't let someone come in here and just take me. I know that. I trust them. But this guy sounded so sure of himself. He said that he was going to force me to do all the things in those pictures and that I should just go along with it and it would go easier on me. What did that mean? If I fought him I would be sorry that he would force me or kill me? I am not sure all I know is that I am scared and I can't breathe right now.

Sucking in air for all I was worth and not feeling like I could get any in I was fighting for air I could feel myself getting light headed and I could feel the panic of not getting air start in. Carlos put his hand at the base of my head cupping my neck and gently pushed my head down between my knees. "Breathe Babe breathe slowly in and out, in and out." Matching my breaths to his words and his breath I was able to get myself back in control.

As the guys read the note I could feel tensions rising in the room. They were pissed. Who was this guy that was stalking me? You know the unknown is the scariest part. It is bad enough and scary enough when you know like with Joe. I know Joe is gunning for me and that is scary but at least I know to look out for Joe and stay away from him. This guy I don't know who he is. He could be anyone. He could be anyone I pass on the street and I would never know. I wouldn't know until it was too late and that really raised the whole fear factor for me. How do you fight someone you don't know? How do you protect yourself against an unknown?

Carlos put his arms around me and pulled me close to him. "Babe don't believe what that note said. We can and we will protect you with our lives if that is what it takes. He won't be able to just take you without us stopping him. I don't care if he is the president of the United States we will stop him. Whoever he is he won't be able to just take you without us protect you." I nod against him I want to believe him. I mean I do believe him. I trust him and them to protect me.

I am safe here in Rangeman I know that. I know I am safe with the guys of Rangeman my brothers they would never allow for someone to hurt me. Every man in this building would protect me if needed. I am safe. I am safe. I tell myself a couple of times until I am able to once again center myself.

HectorPOV

I left the apartment and went straight to the front desk. Their twelve hour shifts would be ending soon and I wanted to be there when they were relieved from duty because I needed to have a little one on one time with the dumb fuckers.

I stepped up to the desk and I saw them assess me. I saw them scan me I am not a large man but that doesn't mean shit. Don't under estimate and don't ever fucking bet against me because you will lose.

I watch them as I see them take in all of my gang tattoos I have on my arms, and neck. Hell if they could see more they would be in even more in shock. I have Tattoos over most of my upper body. I don't have many on the lower half of my body because the thing about getting Tattoos for me was the ability to show them off.

On my back I have angel wings yeah not the white peaceful angels you are thinking about. I have angel of death wings because that is what I use to consider myself the angel of death. More times than not if you saw me then you were going to die just like the angel of death. So I thought it was appropriate. My chest is covered as well as my abdomen, my arms, my neck, only a few have any significance anymore the wings on my back, my sister's name, and the name of a friend a brother to me that died in a gang shoot out.

Revenging his death accounted for the first tear drop under my eye. The second tear drop I got when I took down the leader of my gang that came after me when I got out. Once I had taken down all of the members that choose to seek me out I took out the leader so I marked that kill with a tear drop. The third tear drop didn't come until years later when I assisted Ranger with a problem that my Angelito was having. If I had a tear drop for every kill my face wouldn't hold them all so I just get them when the kill is significant or it was somehow important to me I would mark it with a tear drop.

I looked at the guys at the front desk and I could see they were nervous. They understood innately to fear me good that would make my job so much easier.

I spoke first "¿Hablas Inglés? ¿Puedes entender lo que estoy diciendo hijos de puta tonto?" (Do you speak English? Can you understand what I am saying dumb fuckers?). Watching them closely I wanted to see if they were going to lie to me. They both nodded their heads that they understood what I was saying. Good.

I had some questions they were going to answer for me. "El día de hoy se dio a Stephanie un paquete antes de que me había escanearlo. Usted entiende que no es un protocolo de funcionamiento estándar? Quiero que me digas todo lo que recuerdo sobre el hombre o la mujer que entregó el paquete." (Earlier today you gave Stephanie a package before you had me scan it. You do understand that is not standard operating protocol? I want you to tell me everything you remember about the man or woman who delivered that package.)

I didn't bother to learn their names dumb fucker one and two was good enough for me. Hell they wouldn't be here long enough at the rate they were going to bother to get know their names and if they put my Angelito in danger again they won't have to worry about getting fired.

I could tell that dumb fucker number one didn't want to say anything but dumb fuck number two was sweating bullets. Interesting I noted to bring it up to Ranger and Tank to see if they had noted similar behavior. I was an expert at reading people and I could tell number one wasn't at all what he was pretending to be something was off with him. Just being there I felt that electric pulse shoot thru my body telling me to watch him.

Finally number two spoke up "Él era un hombre negro me dicen que alrededor de seis pies de altura, realmente no veo mucho de su cara como lo había en grandes gafas de sol y una gorra de béisbol, pero no creo que él era demasiado viejo yo diría a la edad de los primeros veinte años de media. Él también tenía tatuajes similares a algunos de los que usted tiene en su cuello. Él nos entregó la caja y se volvió y salió ni siquiera hablar." (He was a black man I would say around six feet tall, I didn't really see much of his face as he had on large sunglasses and a baseball cap but I don't believe that he was too old I would say around the age of early to mid twenties. He also had tattoos similar to some of the ones you have on your neck. He handed us the box and turned and walked out he didn't even speak.)

So the man that delivered the package was black, young, had gang tattoos and they just let my Angelito walk away with the package not knowing if it could cause her harm. Jesus fucking Christ how stupid could they be.

I looked at them and in my most deadly voice I told them "Así que deje a un tipo que cree que era un miembro de la pandilla le dan el paquete de Stephanie y que acaba de decidir que parte de ella sin tener que escanear primero. Te das cuenta de que he matado a gente por menos? Que ponen en peligro su vida una vez más de mierda y yo juro por la vida de mi madre que te mato. ¿Entiendes?" (So you let a guy who you believe was a gang member give you package for Stephanie and you just decided to hand it to her without having it scanned first. You do realize I have killed people for less? You endanger her life one more fucking time and I swear on my mother's life that I will kill you. Do you understand?)

They both nodded they couldn't speak they were trying to swallow the big ball of fear that had built up in their throat without swallowing their tongue in the process. While turning to walk away I reached down grabbed one of my many knives one in both hands as I stepped to walk away I quickly turned and threw both knives at the same time. Both of them met their target there was never a question they sunk deep into the chair cushion just to the right of their heads right at eye level. I was pretty certain those chairs were going to have to be replaced anyway after they finished pissing themselves .

I needed to talk to Ranger about the two new men. I wanted to request that they be assigned to me that away I could watch them closer and I could keep them away from Angelito. It would give me better access to number one and I could figure out what was going on with him. He didn't know I knew English so he may slip and say something in front of me. I walked back up the stairs to seven hoping that I wouldn't be interrupting. I was hoping the core team was still there with Angelito. I wanted to tell them what I learned about the delivery person. I had a feeling that Start Street would need our attention to get more information and we knew exactly how to extract information from Stark Street.

Ranger, Tank, Lester, and I had no problems dealing with the scum and trash of Stark street after all we spoke their language I guess you could say we had a symbiotic relationship we wanted them dead and they wanted to live so in order to keep their life they had to tell us what we wanted. It was truly a win win situation in my eyes. Hell even if they didn't agree then it was still a win in my book because we got to rid the world of one more fucking drug dealing, gun running, good for nothing fucking gang member.

Knocking on the door I waited for someone to answer.

RPOV

I had held Stephanie, Lester had held Stephanie, Tank and Bobby had tried to reassure her but the note from the stalker had really unglued her. She knew she was safe here safe with us but because he wrote that he could get her anywhere and no one would be able t stop him it had her rattled. I partly understood why but I also worried that she didn't trust us enough to keep her safe.

She should know that there is no length I wouldn't go to keep her safe. No matter what happened I would always come for her. I would always be there for her I would always fight for her. She was my life without her I wouldn't be able to breathe.

I was also thinking what I could do to those fuckers at the front desk. Nothing seemed to work nothing seemed to get thru to them. If it wasn't for the fact I needed them for those damn jobs I would just fire their asses. I didn't have time to get new guys in at this point and get them trained although I seriously questioned their training at this point.

There was a knock at the door and I briefly wondered who the fuck was that. Bobby got up to answer the door. He came walking back into the living room with Hector on his heels.

I could tell that Hector wanted to speak to me privately for a minute so I picked my Babe up off my lap. She had crawled up in my lap and was holding on to me like I was going to disappear any moment. "Babe Hector has something he wants to tell me. I am just going to step in the other room right now I won't leave without telling you okay?" She nodded.

I handed her to Lester on the end of the couch and she crawled up in his lap. I understood that she needed to know we were there she needed to understand and feel us there feel us protecting her. The stalker's note had really affected her deep down. I had never seen a note have such an effect on her. I thought the pictures would have more effect but it seemed that she had sort of forgotten about the pictures for the moment and was replaying each line of the note over and over in her head.

I got up to follow Hector into the other room with Tank following me.

TPOV

I knew Hector had something he wanted to tell Ranger and I wanted to hear what was going on. So when Ranger got up I went with him.

We stopped in the Kitchen when Hector turned and started speaking in Spanish. He told us that he had visited the dumb fuckers down at the lobby. He said that he felt like something was off with dumb fucker number one. I believe that was Doug he was referring to. He said that he had put the fear of Hector into them for not following protocol. I almost chuckled at that. Most people would say the fear of God but in this case Hector was scarier than God.

It was what he requested that actually had me questioning what the fuck was going on. Hector always worked alone he never wanted anyone working with him. We never assigned anyone to work with him for fear he would kill them if they fucked up. He had requested from Ranger that Doug and Mike be assigned to work with him.

In a way this would be good because they could do a lot of the grunt work Hector does with running cables, doing the not so technical stuff that goes along with the technical aspects of installing, configuring a security system. Hector's talents would be better spent on the technology side of things this could be good for everyone involved including Rangeman. I just wasn't sure why he would want dumb fucker one and two to be the two. I mean he could pick any of the guys in Rangeman why pick those two when it was pretty clear that they couldn't seem to not fuck up a wet dream.

Something else motivated Hector to ask for them. Maybe he wanted to keep a better eye on them, or keep them from having access to my little girl. I am not sure but I knew enough to know it wasn't because he just all of sudden needed the additional help and wanted partners.

Ranger agreed to allow the two guys to work with him.

Hector told us that he was able to find out from the two men that a black man young to mid twenties with gang tattoos dropped off the box for my little girl. He said that they really didn't see his face because he had a baseball cap on and big glasses. We would pull it up on the security tapes and see what we could get from them along with what type of car he was driving.

Hector said that he thought we needed to make a trip to Stark Street and I could not have agreed more it was time to see what the streets were saying. Ranger agreed. Ranger signed the evidence bags and then had Hector sign them before taking them to the crime lab on the second floor. They did this to keep proper chain of evidence just in case something was found on the items.

He left telling us that we needed to replace the two chairs at the front desk. He told us about the guys pissing their pants and how he had sunk a knife into each of the chairs at head level. I would be willing to bet he did that while those two were sitting in the chairs. No wonder they pissed themselves. I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't give them a little shave on one side as well.

I chuckled thinking about the past twenty four hours those two have had. Their pinkie finger broken, dumb fucker written across their forehead, threatened by Cal and I, taken to the mats by Ranger, would have been more but they fight like girls and we took pity on them, then working at the desks that Lester and Stephanie had pranked, pulling a twelve hour shift at the lobby after working all night, and now Hector 'talking' to them and just wait until their learn their new assignments. I couldn't wait to tell them.

I turned and looked at Ranger. "Rangeman we need to find this fucking nut that is after my little girl. I have never seen her like she is. She has too much on her right now. With what's going on with that fucker Morelli, her parent's, and now this stalker, not to mention the stress of just her training I am afraid it is more than she can handle." He nodded.

"Tank do you think we should postpone her training? That is the one thing we can control in all of that. Not much we can do about Morelli or her parent's other than just be there for her." No one wanted to stop her training and while it was stressful it was also a way to work the stress out and it was teaching her to be aware of her surroundings as well as to better protect herself which is something we all wanted.

I shook my head "no man the more I think about it I think that is probably good for her not to mention it is keeping her in the building more and she isn't going crazy." He nodded his head in agreement.

Looking at me he said "We are going to go down to Stark Street and find out who that fucker was that delivered that box and who paid him to deliver it." I looked at him and smiled saying "now that sounds like a good plan." Maybe I would be able to take a little of my frustration out on some fucking gang members. Maybe I would get lucky and they would decide to not work with us.

He looked at me "I need to go talk to Stephanie for a minute then I want you, Lester, Bobby, Hector and I to pay a little visit to Stark Street and I don't care if we have to tear that fucking place apart we aren't leaving until we have the answers we want. Have clean up on speed dial just in case we need it."

RPOV

I walked into the living room Stephanie is still sitting on Lester's lap. He looks up at me and I can see the heart break in his eyes that I feel in my chest. He will be happy to go tonight and let out a little aggression. Like me when Stephanie is in danger his inner beast roars to life with the need to protect her. I can feel the beast within me just wanting to come out. I could hear it roaring within me I could feel it's desire to seek revenge, pass judgment, and deliver a proper execution. I was a one man show judge, jury, and executioner. I would hold it in until we got to Stark Street but there would be no promises there.

I walk up to my Babe and sat beside her and Lester. She crawls off of Lester's lap and onto mine.

She looks up at me "Carlos I don't know why those words have me so rattled. It's something about them that is just eating at me. They keep replaying in my head over and over. I know I am safe here. I know I am safe with you and my brothers but it is something about those words that just shake me to my core and I can't get them out of my head. I am sorry if I am being too clingy."

Clingy what the fuck? What would make her think that? I loved when she seeks comfort from my arms. I loved it when she seeks protection from my ability as a soldier, and I loved when I was able to hold her.

"Babe you aren't clingy. I love it when I get to hold you, comfort you, reassure you, and when I am able to protect you. Never apologize for those things." She looked up and kissed my lips gently and I returned the kiss gently.

Looking at her I told her "Tank, Lester, Bobby, Hector and I need to go out for a little while this evening. We are going to see if there is any word on the street about who delivered the package to Rangeman. Maybe if we can find out who delivered it we can figure out who it is that is stalking you." She didn't know how we were going to extract the information we wanted, she didn't need to know that we would tear Stark Street up if necessary. She would only worry and there was nothing for her to worry about.

She looked up at me and asked. "You think you will be able to find out who my stalker is?" I nodded my head "it is a good possibility yes." She smiled and then said. "I hope you do because if he had a name he would be a lot less scary to me than just being someone anyone out there." I could understand that. The unknown was always scarier than the known.

I asked her "We will probably leave here around twenty three hundred but we need to meet first and prepare ourselves. Would you like for me to send Cal up to sit with you would it make you feel better?" She hesitated. I could tell she wanted someone here but I could also see that she thought it made her appear weak or helpless. Not that she would ever be judged here or by any of my men especially Cal she didn't want to appear as the helpless scared weak woman.

"Babe I am sure Cal would love to hang out with you and watch some TV or maybe you could play some cards. Hell Maybe Hal or one of the other guys would like to join him and you all could have a little party watching movies or playing cards. I am sure they would love the downtime."

She smiled and nodded. "That sounds like fun maybe I will call him and see what he wants to do. I will leave it up to him if he wants to invite anyone else. Maybe he could invite the guys from the front desk they have had a tough couple of days. Maybe it would give them a chance to bond with the guys."

She is always so forgiving and trusting but I don't trust those fuckers and I don't want them in our apartment or that close to my Babe and I wanted my Babe to stay in our apartment. It was just an added layer of security. There was no seven button in the elevator you had to have the special fob to get it to go to the seventh floor. In order to open the door to the flight of stairs to the seventh floor you had to have the fob, and in order to open my apartment door you had to have another special fob which only the core team and Stephanie possessed. But the kicker is that you better have the fob for the elevator or stairway with you or the fob for the apartment door would never activate.

Without those fobs the door would not open the only way to get that door to open would be to blow it. It was a solid steel door that was five inches thick. A door's week spot is where the lock of the door connects with the jamb in my door case the jamb of the door was reinforced steel the bolt for the lock was multiple rods that came out of the door at three points one high, one low, and one in center that went a foot into the wall bolting into reinforced steel so there would be no kicking that door down. Hell that door was strong enough to stop a vehicle from bursting thru it not to mention a human.

"Babe I doubt if any of the men want to socialize with the new guys tonight. They are a little upset that they just gave you a package that could have harmed you. Maybe the bonding should wait until another night." I didn't want to tell her no and I didn't want to say they weren't welcomed here after all this was her home now as well as mine. I was just hoping that I could change her mind.

She looked at me and smiled. "Yeah I guess you are right, I doubt Cal would care much for having to be nice to them. You know he doesn't warm up to new people easily. I will leave it up to Cal if he wants to ask anyone." Whew I know Cal will be much happier about that.

I look at her and smile "Good plan Babe." I tell her giving her a kiss. "We have to go down to five and start planning I will call Cal and tell him to come up. Just remember when someone knocks on the door look at the screen to see who it is before you open the door." I remind her. That way she will feel even more secure as she will be able to see who is at the door before she opens it.

She nods. I look at the guys "I will meet you in the conference room in ten minutes. Go gear up." I tell them. I stand up picking Stephanie up with me she starts to protest but I silent her with a kiss as I make my way back to the bed room with her in my arms. It's time for Stark Street Ranger as my Babe refers to me when I dress a certain way to make an appearance.

In the bedroom I sit my Babe on the bed. I give her another quick kiss part of me doesn't want to leave her side but I put that thought out of my mind. I turn and walk into the closet. I put on my black cargo pants, black t-shirt, pull on my Kevlar vest. I put my knives on my side in my boot and one in my vest. I put my guns on one on the ankle, one in the holster on my side, one at my back. I pull on my gold chains and I put my diamond earring in my ear. I pull my hair back and tie it with a leather tie at the base of my skull. Lastly I pull on a black hooded sweatshirt.

I picked up my cell phone and wallet. Stepping out of the closet into the bedroom I see her laying on her stomach with her feet up in the air her hands propping up her head. She was waiting on me. When I stepped into the bedroom her eyes slightly widen when she took in my dress. I saw worry in her eyes when she realized I was wearing a Kevlar vest.

"Babe it's going to be okay. Nothing is going to happen to me it is just for precautions and safety that I am wearing this. I am not anticipating any problems. We are just going to be asking a few questions." I tell her. I silently hope she won't further question what we are going to do because I don't want to have to further explain what we are going to do to her.

She looks at me and I can tell she is sizing up what I am telling her trying to decide if she buys what I am trying to sell her. I forget sometimes how intuitive she is. She probably knows I am handing her a bunch of bull shit but she is allowing it because she doesn't want to know.

I walk over and open my arms she raises up on the on the bed and launches herself towards me. I catch her, I will always catch her. My lips crash on hers and now I definitely don't want to leave her. I will be anxious to get back to my Babe tonight to hold her, to make love to her. To feel that once again everything is right with the world.

But right now I have to keep her safe. That is my number one priority. Love her is something I can't not do and will always do but keep her safe and protect her that overrides everything else in my life. With renewed conviction I release her and let her slide down my body until her feet touch the floor.

Refusing to let go of her I put my arm around her as we make our way out of the bedroom. I grab my cell phone and hand it to her. "Want to call Cal and ask him to come up?" I ask her. She nods and takes the phone. Dialing his number she waits for him to answer.

"Hey Cal" I hear her say. She pauses "I am okay" she says kind of weakly. "I…I was wondering if you wanted to come up and hang out with me. Ranger has to leave for a little bit and I thought maybe if you would like….if you would like you could come up we could watch a movie….or…play some cards. You….You want to?" She was nervous about asking him. I wondered if she thought he would say no. I knew he would jump at the opportunity to spend some time with her. "Good. I will see you in a little bit." I could hear the happy in her voice and it made me smile. I knew she didn't want to be alone.

Cal would be a good distraction it would keep her from going over and over what that son of a bitch had written in the note. I then heard her "If you want you could ask some of the other guys to join us. I am going to leave it up to you. I will see you later." She hung up and handed me the phone.

I looked at her and smiled "I take it that he said yes." I ask her chuckling a little. She nodded. "Yeah he said that he would be up in a little bit." Good. I kiss her again before heading to the door. She follows me.

"Carlos, be careful tonight. Know I love you more than life. Please take care of that life for me when I am not there to care for it and protect it." I take her in my arms. "Babe" it was all I was able to say at the moment and then I kissed her for all I was worth, all my love, all my desire, all my breath and all my life.

"Have fun with Cal and any of the guys he brings up with him. I will see you when I get home. If it gets to late go ahead and go to bed so you can get your rest. I promise I will wake you up when I get home." I look at her straight in the eyes so she can the truth in what I am about to tell her. "I promise you I will be careful tonight and I promise you I will come back to you. I will always come back to you." With that said I gave her a final kiss and turned to go down the stairs to the fifth floor to meet the guys.

CALPOV

Angel called me asking me if I wanted to come up and watch TV with her or play cards. I could tell when she was on the phone she was uncertain about asking me. Of course I would do it. I would never say no to her. I enjoyed spending time with her. It was good for my soul.

I thought about asking some of the guys but then decided that I would like to just spend the evening with her. I figured we would watch a movie maybe play a hand or two of cards. Just hang out and talk. I wasn't much of a talker but I could talk to her. With her it came easy.

I grabbed my iPod and laptop just in case we got bored we could listen to some music or play on the computer and I headed up to the seventh floor.

I knocked on the door and a few minutes later she opened the door. I could see worry in her eyes. "Hey Angel how are you doing?" She looks at me and half way smiles "I am okay" she says. I think yeah but barely. I briefly wondered what had happened since I left her this afternoon. She seemed fine in the gym.

We walk into the living room and I sat down on the far end of the couch and she sat down on the other end. She looked at me "You want to watch a movie?" She asked me I would watch a movie but it didn't really matter what we did. I did want to know why she seemed a little off.

"Sure we can watch a movie, but can I ask you something? If it is too personal just tell me to shut up and I won't say any more." She looks at me and nods.

"May I ask you what happened today after our training session? You seemed happier then than you do now. I was just wondering if something happened that I wasn't aware of."

She looked at me first like she wasn't quite certain what to say or even think. "Well I got a package today from my stalker. That is where Ranger, Tank, Lester, Bobby and I believe Hector are going now. They are going to Stark Street to see if they can find any information out on who delivered the package. According to the new guys who were on the front desk, a guy with gang tattoos delivered the package but they weren't really able to see his face because of sunglasses and a baseball cap."

She turns on the sofa to face me with her feet in the cushion between us. She wrapped her arms around her knees and hugged them close to her body laying her head on the top of knees.

God I just wanted to pull her in my arms and comfort her. Being around Stephanie just came natural to me which was so unnatural to me that I had to sometimes school myself not to just reach for her. I don't warm up to people easily. It takes me time. It isn't that I am stuck up or feel like I am too good it's more that I have to make my mind up about the person first.

I have to decide if I like the person for who that person is really is. So I tend to watch and evaluate people actions, the way they treat other people, the way they treat me, their actions. I have to take time to figure out if I can trust that person. If I can and I don't see them act in some way that goes against my moral code then I can let my guard down and consider them a friend. Usually it takes time.

It's nothing for me not to speak to a new recruit for a year or more before I decide if he is someone I can trust and be friends with and often times I discover that they aren't for one or another reason. Most assume I am an asshole but I really don't give a fuck the ones that are worth calling a friend in the end are the ones that don't make assumptions and they are still there when my decision is made.

With Angel it came easy. She immediately wormed her way into my heart. I remember the day I first saw her. I was at the bar and her and Ranger came in and sat down in a booth. I don't know what he said to her but I saw him point to me and she looked at me and her eyes widened when she took me in.

My size is intimidating at six seven and then I have a flaming skull tattoo on my forehead. Her eyes widened in fear at first and then the longer those blue eyes bored into me the more I unraveled before her. She then gave me a slight smile and turned back to Ranger continuing her conversation.

I remember wondering who she was. I remember thinking that I wanted to get to know her. I remember the desire to walk up and introduce myself but Ranger would have had my ass on the mats for sure.

I knew he was laying claim when he didn't ask me over or come over and introduce her to me. Hell any other time he would have had me join him and his guests but not that time. Nope he barely even acted as though he knew me.

Well I was right about her. I instantly knew I could trust her. I instantly knew that she was someone that I could and would consider a friend. What I didn't know was that I would come to love her as family and consider her a sister the sister I never had.

I was an only child. My parents were different than most. No one knew this but my mother was an actress on Broadway. My dad wasn't anyone famous but he played a trumpet for some famous people like Barry Manilow and was CEO of a company called replay solutions but most of all he had supported and loved my mom from the very beginning. They had an ageless love one that I would love to find one of these days if the truth be told. One that I never thought would be possible for me until I met Stephanie.

I realized that people could see past my size, my tattoo, and even my outward standoffish appearance and see me for who I was one who was able to overlook and forgive me of my past sins. That knowledge allowed that hope that someday I would find a woman who could love me as much as I have the potential to love them. My Angel gave me that hope that light that maybe my decisions in life wouldn't lead me down the dark lonely path I once believed I was on. Was there any doubt now why I loved her and why I called her Angel? She was my saving grace my Angel.

Watching her just hugging her legs to her I watched as a tear slides down her cheek. Oh shit. I hated when she cried. I don't know what to do when women cry in front of me. Fuck.

I do the only thing I know to do cringing I asked her "want to talk about it?" She first just shakes her head no. But then after a minute I hear her say.

"He said that he could just come and take me, that they wouldn't protect me, they couldn't protect me. That he could just take me and make me. Force me. Things would go easier on me if I just let him meaning not fight him that I should just let him. That when he was ready he would come and take me wherever I was." I wasn't really following her as the words were a little jumbled and mumbled. I wasn't sure if she was talking to me or just talking out loud.

Who the fuck was going to take her and who wouldn't protect her? "Angel what are you talking about? Who is going to take you, force you? What are they going to force you to do honey? Who can't protect you? Talk to me, tell me what's going on in that head of yours."

She looked up at me and she appeared so small so sad that it almost broke my heart seeing her like that. I would do what I could to take that look off of her face. "I told you my stalker sent me a box today. Well he wrote me another note along with pictures. The pictures this time were pictures that he had taken of himself with another woman. Of course the only parts in the picture were non identifying body parts. You know personal….private… parts." She took a breath.

I was going to have to take a breath as well because I could tell where this was going with what she had already said and what I was hearing and some fucker out there better be finding a very big, very deep hole in some foreign fucking country to hide in for a very long time if he wanted to retain his life for any length of time. He won't be around long if I get my hands on him.

She continued "Well his note said that he would come get me and no one would stop him. That you all couldn't protect me and that you wouldn't protect me. He said it didn't matter how many he could just take me when he was ready. He said that I would be with him in the positions that he sent me in the pictures and that I better just go with it or it wouldn't be good for me." Another tear feel down her cheek.

I reached for her and pulled her towards me holding her while she cried. "Angel, listen to me. I know for a fact that everyone in this building would lay down their life to protect you. No one is going to come here and just take you. I don't give a shit who they are it doesn't matter. We would protect you at all cost. Ranger, Lester, Tank, Bobby, Hector, Me, and all of the rest of the guys we will all protect you trust me no one is going to take you. It would be over all of their dead bodies my dead body and that isn't going to happen."

She nods. "I know that."

"Then why are you so upset. Why are you crying?"

She looks up at me "I keep hearing the words over and over and even though I trust you all and I know they aren't true I can't shake them. I can't stop thinking about them. It's like they are haunting me replaying them over and over in my head like a record stuck. I know you ,Ranger, and the guys think I am questioning you and them and your ability to keep me safe and that isn't true I trust you all with my life, I trust you all will keep me safe, and protect me but those words just won't stop ringing in my ears. Like a bad dream you know it isn't true but for those first few moments when you first wake up you aren't quite sure if it is or was real or if you were actually just dreaming. It's like that only it hasn't gone away. No matter what they said you say I can still hear the words that were written. I hate it because I feel like you all think I don't trust you and I do but it is just something about those words that has me coming unglued."

"Angel it's okay. We all know you trust us just as we trust you. Sometimes we feel ways we can't always explain. It's okay. No one is judging you for how you feel. We know you trust us. We would never doubt that. We are just trying to reassure you so you won't be afraid."

She turns so her back is against the side of my arm her head is resting on my bicep her feet are stretched out in front of her. She looks back over her head at me "Cal, have you ever been afraid? I mean like really afraid." Oh shit bad asses didn't do afraid at least not admittedly.

I try to skirt the issue "Everyone has been afraid at one point in their life." I tell her. She shakes her head. "No I know that. But I want to know if you have ever been afraid. I mean really afraid like you didn't know what to do afraid."

Oh shit I was sunk. "I don't know about not knowing what to do but yes I have been afraid many times in fact." She looks up again at me

"Can you tell me about one time when you were afraid? If it is too personal or classified I understand you don't have to tell me."

I let out a breath. "Angel, I have been scared on missions that I can't tell you about. I have been afraid, afraid that I wouldn't make it out. Afraid that I would fuck up something and get one of the men I was responsible for killed. It is natural to be afraid. Only a stupid man wouldn't be afraid."

She interrupted me "Ranger is never afraid." She told me.

"Angel, Ranger is a man like all of us. Granted he is a legend in the field and the best of the best but he is a man. He has fears, he gets scared, and he has been afraid before he just does a damn good job of hiding it from the rest of the world." Ranger is so going to kick my ass for telling her that.

I don't know what got into me but all of sudden I didn't know when to shut the fuck up. "I know that I have been afraid several times since I have been at Rangeman. Most of them have involved you." I told her while I nudged her with my arm that she was leaning against. She looks up at me "me" she says. I nod.

"Yeah you. I know a couple of times I was afraid we were too late to save you. I know a couple of times I was afraid you were too close to one of your cars that exploded. I also know I wasn't the only man in this building afraid. I have seen almost every man in this building afraid because of you."

She nudges me back pushing her back into my arm. "I wasn't talking about being afraid for someone else. I mean being afraid for yourself. Have you ever been afraid for you? Ever been afraid that something would happen to you or could happen to you that you wouldn't be able to stop?"

"Yeah I have been afraid for me before." She looks up at me "tell me about it." She asks me.

"Well when I was a kid one time I was afraid I wouldn't live to see my next birthday when my mom and dad caught me." I was going to have to tell her what no one in this building new. "My Mom and Dad are different in some ways. My mom is a Broadway star and my dad well he use to play the trumpet he still does but now he is the CEO of a company in California."

She looks at me with widen eyes. I can see the questions behind those baby blues. "I guess I was somewhere around ten or so when this happened. My mom was performing in Guys and Dolls a musical on Broadway. She was rehearsing one day and brought me with her to her theater. Well I heard someone call the dice lucky so I went around and stole all the dice including the special ones that were faceless. I was so nervous that I thought if they caught me they would kill me because it cost them a day of rehearsals looking for the dice and finally having to get new ones."

"Did they catch you?" she asked me I shook my head no and I reached into my pocket and took one of the faceless die out and showed it to her. "You carry that around all the time?" She asked me.

I shrugged "Yeah it reminds me of my mom. I told her years later that I was the one that took them. She said she knew all along and laughed about it." I tell her. Its official because of Stephanie Plum I am going to have to cash in my bad ass card.

She looks at me "I wish I had a relationship where I would want to carry something to remind me of my mom. I have always wanted that kind of relationship with my mom. Instead I get the relationship that unless I do what she says she wants nothing to do with me." Damn sometimes she just couldn't catch a fucking break.

I take her hand and turn it over. I place the die in her hand and I close her fingers around it holding her fist closed with my hand. "Here take it and keep it. Next time my mom is in New York I will take you and introduce you to her. I am sure she will love you she has always wanted a daughter. Just don't be surprised if she drags us to a Broadway Show she usually does when I go. I think it is a way for her to share her world with me when I see her."

She turns and looks at me. "Really? You want me to have this? Don't you want to keep it I mean it reminds you of your mom." I reach back into my pocket and take out the other one and show it to her.

"You have one and I have the other. I already consider you my sister so why not give you something from me to remind you that you have family. Me. Now not only when I look at my die will I think of my mom but now I will also think of my sister who has the matching die. I can't think of anything that would make happier or mean more to me."

She grabbed me in a crushing hug. "I will keep it forever and treasure it for even longer." She tells me. I can't help but smile.

Now that I have gone this far fuck it I might as well just flush my bad ass card completely down the toilet. I grab my laptop. The last time I visited my mom in New York she took me to a musical called Wicked. There was a song I heard during the musical that made me think about my Angel.

"Angel, there is a song I want you to hear. I first heard it last time I visited my mom and she forced me to go see the musical Wicked. It reminded me of you. The song is called "For Good" and once you hear it you will understand why it reminded me of you. But I will tell you. Because I know you I have been changed for good."

I pull the song up on youtube and play it for her. When it got to the point that it said who can say if I've been changed for the better but I believe I have been changed for the better I started singing along. Most people didn't know that I could sing. It was a gift from my mom. My mom loved to sing with me and often tried to get me to sing with her whenever I visited.

Her mouth dropped open in shock. Yeah I guess looking at me I would be in shock too. It isn't what you expect from someone of my stature. She smiled big. "Oh My God Cal. You can sing. I mean really sing. Like star quality sing. Sing something else for me. Please." Oh hell I didn't think she would ask me to sing her something. I am going to have to make her promise me that she won't repeat this evening. I might even end up having to threaten her. If this gets out I am sunk with these guys.

I will have to do something horrendous to get my man card back let alone bad ass card. Luckily I am bigger than most of them so I can at least beat most of their asses but a few of them have me there. Lester is smaller but he can take me on most days. Tank and Ranger I have no chance with. I probably don't have much of a chance with Bobby. Hal is the only one close in size but I think I could take him. So it may not be so bad but Lester, and Tank won't let me live this down. Ranger will get his digs in when Stephanie isn't around. Shit.

I just hit replay and started singing the song from the beginning. The whole time I am singing Stephanie is sitting there with her eyes glazed over listening to me. Maybe my torment will be worth it. It isn't like those fuckers wouldn't do anything to make her smile, or make her feel better. But because they are out being total bad asses and tearing up Stark Street I am here doing whatever it takes to take Angel's mind off of it and her stalker.

When I see her smile and tear appear on her chin I can't help but feel like I somehow got the better end of that deal.