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.

37. Chapter 36: Reclaiming Your Life

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.

I want to thank everyone who writes a review for my story. I enjoy reading them and I love ideas they give me so keep them coming! You do my soul good!

I have a website that I have created to give you all something to explore to dig deeper into the story "What does it mean to trust". Please go and check it out!

www(dot)fanfictionstoryinfo(dot)webnode(dot)com

This chapter is a little different than my other chapters. I hope you enjoy it. I had a lot of fun writing it.

Chapter 36: Reclaiming Your Life

SPOV

The whole way to Joes house fear had consumed me. I wondered how I would respond when I saw him, I wondered if I could tell him the things I so desperately wanted to tell him. I wanted to take back my life. I felt like he had stolen my life from me and I wanted it back.

Just my level of fear was enough to prove how much he had taken from me over the years. How his behavior had affected me him forcing himself on me when he pulled me over, him hitting me and throwing me across the club floor just a few nights ago now.

How he had in fact forced me to have sex with him when I was sixteen years old. All of those scenes were flashing through my head. With each scene the fear notched up another level and panic was starting to set in.

I was in the car with Carlos, Lester, and Tank my other brothers were in a second car that was supposed to go to the alley behind Joe's house. The closer we got the more I wanted to turn around, the more my stomach tightened and the more I felt like me tagging along was a bad idea.

I knew I needed to do this I needed to reclaim what he had stolen from me. I needed my confidence back. I needed to reclaim what I had allowed him to take from me. I still felt like he held some control over me and I needed to get that back. I needed to tell him that I wasn't his to control. That I didn't belong to him, that I never belonged to him, and that I never would belong to him. I just wasn't sure how I was going to do it. I wasn't sure how I was going to tell him when just the thought of him sent fear and terror coursing throughout my body rendering me almost useless and definitely speechless.

Why did he have that hold over me why did I fear him so much? I mean I worked with and considered some of the meanest bad ass men Trenton had to offer my brothers. I trusted these men with my life. I was never afraid of them. Okay so maybe there was a time but it had been a while back before I got to know them. Even then I was only intimidated because of their size never because I truly feared they were hurt me something told me they wouldn't something told me I could trust them and I did without question.

Why did I fear I Joe? I knew I couldn't trust him, I also knew from past experience with him that he didn't mind hurting me. I also knew that giving the chance he would but ultimately I knew I wouldn't be able to stop him. He was much stronger than me. He was much bigger than me and without some sort of weapon in hand to hand combat with him I would lose.

I think those combinations were what caused me to fear him. I have heard that for someone to defeat you the easiest way is for you to fear them. Fear makes you do irrational things, it makes you unable to do things when necessary, and it will defeat you even if your enemy is less than you. Fear is a powerful tool. Why do you think armies have so many people, so many intimidating weapons, it isn't that you have to use them it is to intimidate to put fear into those that may threaten you to show that you have the power to defend what is yours that you are willing and able to use them even though you choose at this moment not to do so. It instills fear in your enemy and the fear prevents their action.

Joe will win because I fear him. He will win because I am afraid of him. He has terrorized me and because of my terror he will ultimately win because the fear and terror will allow him to win. The knowledge of that the realization that he would win sent rage throughout my body.

I was glad my brothers and Carlos weren't talking they were all lost in their zones because it gave me a chance to gather my thoughts get control over my fears and it was working. The rage was burning hotter than the fear.

The thought of him defeating me of him winning of me being unable to reclaim my life and living in fear of him for the rest of my life because of it caused me to roar in anger, roar in hurt, roar in disgust for how I had allowed him to have this power to begin with. I steeled myself that very moment that he wasn't going to win, that I wasn't going to fear him, that I was taking back what was mine and I didn't care what I had to do it.

I would harness my inner Ranger I would draw strength from him. I would draw strength from my brothers who would be standing beside me in that room. I would take what they would willingly give me and I would use it to take Joe on. I would use it to defeat Joe at his own game. When I left there tonight Joe was going to fear me. He was going to be afraid of me. I was not only going to take back my life, reclaim my life reclaim what he has stolen from me but I was going to steal something from him. I was going to steal his sense of safety. He would never feel safe again as long as he and I resided in the same city he would never be safe.

I was going to make him fear me. He would fear what I can do, what I would do, and what I am capable of. He won't know what hit him, he has no idea what I am what I am not capable of and if he thinks he does then he doesn't know me. I will take him down. If he comes at me, at my brothers, at anyone I love and consider family I will defend myself. I will defend them. I will defeat him, and I will make him live in fear of me as I have lived in fear of him.

Carlos pulled me out of my mental preparations "Babe, you okay?" He asked me. I nodded that I was okay, not trusting my voice to not betray me. I knew if I asked him to he would turn this car around right now and take me back to Rangeman. I wasn't dumb enough to think that they all didn't know the emotions that were running through me from my fear and terror to my determination. They were the Merry Men he was Batman I mean they knew it all there was no hiding from them so I didn't try.

I knew better to even try besides I needed them. I needed their strength I needed their courage I needed their support but most importantly I needed the beasts and monsters that lie within them I needed to be able to deliver my message and make him fear me. I needed the beasts and monsters that made men piss themselves the beasts and monsters that were capable of defeating the enemy under impossible odds including fear. I needed them to guide me without remorse, without regret, without sympathy Joe was the enemy and I needed to see him as the enemy from the beasts point of view.

Not my x, not the man that I grew up drooling over, not the man that I had wondered if it would actually work out between us because he said he had loved me. That wasn't who I was paying a visit to tonight who I was paying a visit to tonight was the man who hit me, who threw me across a room, who stole from me, who made me fear him, and who wanted to control me. He was my enemy our enemy and I needed the beasts and monsters to help me focus on my real objective and that was reclaiming my life, eradicating my fear, gaining my freedom and hopefully with their help I would be able to put the fear of God in him if not the fear of God then at least the fear of Stephanie or better yet the fear of Mrs. Manoso in him. When I was done he would ever want to fuck with me again not if he was a smart man.

RPOV
I was worried about my Babe. I would much rather her stay back at Rangeman where I knew she would be safe. However I knew that wasn't going to happen. I was proud of her that she wanted to confront him that she wanted to reclaim what she felt like he had stolen from her but I was still worried.

I knew we would protect her, I would protect her but anything can happen and Morelli wasn't exactly playing with a full deck lately. He had done several things that would prove that he is probably on a psychotic break especially learning that he was her stalker. That he had sex with her mother and then sent her pictures of them together. The thought of that caused me to clamp down on the stirring wheel as the hatred for him ran through my body and fingers.

I still wasn't sure how we were going to tell her that once we had more physical evidence but I would worry about that another day right now I had to focus on my Babe and make sure she was protected and successful in her mission of taking back her life.

Driving over to that fucking cop's house I had been trying to control the rage within me. I had been trying to control the beast within me that just want to slice his throat open and watch the bright red blood run down his neck as he gurgled his last breaths.

Having my Babe beside me actually helped me control the beast. I knew I couldn't lose it in front of her. She would fear me, she would never look at me the same she would know what I was truly capable of and that would change me in her eyes. I could never let her see that.

I could feel the emotions rolling off of her for every mile we grew closer to his house. I could feel and smell the fear, the terror as it notched up with each passing minute. The closer we became the worse for her it got. I could imagine what she was feeling I knew that feeling I had at points in my life been afraid I knew how it made your stomach tighten, your hands and body shake, how it claimed your abilities to function.

I just waited to see if she would decide to go back. If she would decide that this was something that she wasn't able to do. I knew my Babe, I knew she wouldn't. I knew she would dig deep within herself and find the courage find the strength she thought she got it from us, from me but in reality she had it all along within her and it was something that made me love her more than I thought possible. It was what I saw in her that separated her out from every other woman that had crossed my path.

It was what drew me to her like a moth to light on a darkened night. I saw it the first time I met her when she squared her shoulders and flashed her blue eyes at me in anger when I first told her that Bounty Hunting wasn't for her. She looked so white bread yet when she squared her shoulders and shot back at me that she was doing it with our without my help because her shoes hurt her feet, and her car well her car was something of a mess. I had to smile. Even thinking back now it brought a smile to my face and little brought a smile to my face especially back then.

I don't know the last person that challenged me probably one of my dead enemies. I can't remember the last person that challenged me and lived to talk about it and here was this white bread girl from the burg to say she won my heart that would be an understatement she had me hook line and sinker only I didn't know it at the time. I guess I should have known it there really was no reason not to know it but I didn't want those feelings, those feelings had no place in my life.

My life was nice, it was neat I had it all wrapped up in a perfect little package of discipline, hard work, men that listened to my every command, my life was efficient, it was a life that was spent keeping my body in shape, making lots of money and it was completely and totally boring. I had no idea how boring until my Babe with her beautiful blue flashing eyes, her brown unruly curls walked into that diner stealing my heart, stealing my breath and stealing my life. I should have just cuffed her to me that day and laid claim to her.

I will have to say I have never regretted it the only regret I have is taking so long to make her a part of my life. Now that I had her I couldn't imagine my life, our home without her. I couldn't go back to the way it was.

I felt the shift in the car, as the tide changes, and I knew she had made her decision I knew she had a plan and I knew it was going to be simply amazing to watch her in action. I knew she had found that strength, courage and power that lies beneath the surface with her. I knew she had found it and I had no doubt she wasn't planning on using it to deliver her message to Morelli that fucking prick of a cop.

We pull up to the front of the house and waste no time getting in the front door. Bobby, Slyder, Cal and Hector had come in the back door. I noticed Stephanie handing Lester her bag while she grabbed Bob and put him outside petting his head. I hoped if started barking wouldn't wake up the fucking cop I wanted to surprise him I wanted to make sure he wasn't armed especially with my Babe in the room. I didn't want to take any chances that she could get hurt by him again.

We made our way up stairs my Babe leading when she silently walked into the room I couldn't have been more proud of her she had walked in silently she hadn't woken him. She went to the dresser and retrieved his gun setting it on the floor she kicked it under the bed. I couldn't help the jealousy that sparked through me. Though part of me was proud that she had effectively disarmed him in taking his gun and putting it out of his reach the other part was jealous.

Her knowing that he kept his gun in the night stand beside his bed made me think about how she spent nights with him in this room, having sex with him. We made love they had sex. Even knowing that she was mine as much as I was hers it still didn't calm the wave of jealousy that washed through me.

I am not sure what I was expecting my Babe to do I am not sure what I thought she was going to do how she was going to deliver her message but what she did I know I wasn't expecting. She took her thirty eight special five shot out of the small of her back and she pressed it to the side of the fuckers head.

His eyes shot open when she cocked the gun by pulling the hammer back. Holy fucking shit seeing her do that was hotter the hell. I could have taken her right there in front of all my men and Joe she was so hot. My body screamed for her.

Hearing her voice helped tone my body's reactions a little bit as her voice was like ice washing over you sending chills throughout your body and I silently prayed that I would never be on the receiving end of that tone of that voice. I prayed that I would never fuck up our relationship to the point that she felt like she needed to use that voice.

She pulled a second gun and held it in her right hand threatening him if he tried anything she would shoot him with her backup gun. When she said that she would shoot him first and ask questions later I had to smile. Looking at Hector I saw the pride in his eyes I knew he would be the only one to teach her that. The rest of my men didn't have that mentality if they could refrain from using their gun they did however, Hector well he didn't see the world the way we did. If there was a threat it was neutralized anyway by any means and no he never paused to ask questions first.

My pants were so damn tight I think I was in jeopardy cutting circulation off to important parts of my body that I would really be upset and regret if they fell off due to lack of blood flow. It was painfully tight and my Babe had just begun.

She taped his mouth telling him it was her turn to talk and she tore into him. I saw her leer at him and the beast within me responded. Her look drew him closer to the surface as I fought to keep him contained. The look on her face made him want to break free made him want to stand beside her as I wanted to stand beside her. He connected with her as though he connects with the monster that lies within Lester. He would be her backup, he would fight beside her, and he would defend her. I still fought to keep him controlled within.

I know I jumped a little when she pulled the trigger the first time. I think all of her brother's did as well. While none of us would give a fuck if he was dead and hell everyone of us in the room wanted him dead wanted him scattered across the fifty continental states we didn't want his blood on her hands.

We all knew what it meant to have someone's blood on your hands. We all knew the price you paid as a human being the price you paid as being a member of society the price your soul paid when you took another man's life. Especially a life in up close quarters where you looked into their eyes and they looked into your eyes the look they gave you the moment they realized they were dead men standing.

That it was only a matter of seconds before their life would end. The look they gave you when the shock the revelation of what had happened hit them. The look that said you pulled the trigger faster, you had sunk the knife in them the look that said you had taken their life from them. It was something you never forgot she would never forget and none of us wanted her paying that price.

It was that very price that her existence in our lives, in our world absolved us of. Her being there said we were good honorable men that deserved a seat at the table of humanity in spite of the horrible things we have all done. The crimes against humanity that we had all committed be it for the right or wrong reason it doesn't matter at that point. It was her in our lives that saved us we couldn't let her bare the same crosses that we all had bared for so many years, too many years.

I couldn't help the pride and smile when she made the prick thank me and apologize to Cal. When she forced him to say it with some sincerity I wanted to just smile. That is typical of my Babe here she was reclaiming what he had stolen from her and she thinks about us and makes him apologize to Cal and Thank me. Although he shouldn't be thanking me because I know for a fact that gun was fully loaded because I had loaded it myself. So she had come prepared. I had every reason to believe the gun held one bullet in it the only question was which chamber it was in.

She generally looked disappointed when she pulled the trigger and the gun just clicked. She even told Lester she was sorry he didn't get a chance to shoot the fucking cop when he didn't flinch. I wasn't sure if Lester would follow her orders or not. I really didn't want him killed in front of her. Killed yes, but not killed in front of my Babe for my Babe to witness it.

But I was stepping back and I was letting my Babe run this the way she wanted. She was reclaiming her life, she was getting back the power that he had stolen from her the last thing I would do would be step in and interrupt her or take it from her by stopping her. She was a thing of pure beauty.

It was the next words that she said that had me reeling. I heard her say that she was never coming back to him that she was marrying me. She went on to say that she would never have his babies that if she ever decided to have babies that they would be mine. I hadn't thought about having anymore children but when I heard those words images flashed through my mind of my Babe round with my baby. The thought of my Babe big with my baby caused lust to flow through my body like hot lava. I only thought I was turned on by her actions tonight that did nothing to me compared to what those images did flashing through my head.

It was all I could do to stay standing in that spot and not grab her and take her right there. My need for her was so strong that I wondered if my control would break. I could see myself grabbing her and making a run for the car only hoping I would make it. I knew I would never wait until I got back to Rangeman but I wasn't about to let her brother's and God forbid her x witness us in the act of bringing a new life into this world.

I hope my face is showing the pride I have her and not how insanely horny I am feeling right now. I really don't want to have to explain this to my men. I try to get myself back under control. I can't lose focus. While my Babe has this handled I can't allow him to gain the upper hand and harm her if he does he will be a dead man.

Lester is holding Stephanie's gun on him she has pulled the trigger two times now and it has just clicked the third time she pulled the trigger everyone of us flinched as she had shoved the gun into Morelli's dick and pulled the trigger but lucky for him and all of us it just clicked again holy shit. That may have taken care of the problem in my pants. Even though I don't like the fucker none of us do I think everyone of us including myself felt that one. It's a guy thing one guy gets nutted we all feel the pain.

When she asked him to apologize to her to admit he had raped her he started to call her cupcake and she stopped him dead in his tracks telling him that if he ever called her that again she would kill him where he stood if I was Morelli I would forget that name like fucking yesterday because only a fool wouldn't see the truth to that statement only a fool wouldn't believe her. Then again I never figured him to be too smart after all he had pissed off the kitten standing in front of him little did we all know that she had the ability to become a lioness ready for the kill.

When she forced him to call her Mrs. Ranger or Mrs. Manoso my heart swelled with love my body filled with pride at hearing those words on her lips. She was mine she was telling him she was mine and she was forcing him to call her by her married name even though we weren't married yet. I stress yet because we are making it official as soon as I can. I want her round with my child, I want her having my last name I want her completely and totally.

True to my Babe style she gets him to say he is sorry to her and what does she do? She tells him apology is not accepted. But what she says and does next completely shocks me she tells him the only apology she wants from him is him fucking dead and she moves the gun back to his head and pulls the fucking trigger.

LPOV

I had no idea what we would be walking into I had no idea what Beautiful had planned I really didn't even know she had a plan. We get into his bedroom, how the fuck can you be a cop and not hear eight people walk into your bedroom not feel their presence? I mean how the fuck had survived as a cop this long?

I know we are all trained and I know we were all silent even in our large number but still you would think he would have some kind of honed senses that says I am not alone, that someone is watching me. But he doesn't stir. Stupid fucker is all I can think.

Beautiful goes up and gets his gun from his night stand kicking it under his bed so he has no way of getting his hands on it, brilliant idea making sure that he was unable to arm himself. I had no idea she had planned what she did next. She pulled her gun from the small of her back and she put it to his head cocking it. The noise of the gun being cocked snapped him out of his long night's slumber. This isn't a visit from Santa Claus fucker.

She quickly asks me for her bag that she had handed me and I had carried for her. I know don't say anything at least it doesn't look like a purse and no I didn't carry it by putting it on my shoulder. I suspected she wasn't sure she could be silent carrying her bag after all the fucker must weigh fifty pounds. I once again find myself wondering what the fuck does she need all of this stuff for.

Her voice snaps me out of my pondering thoughts the tone of her voice sends chills straight to my balls. I briefly wonder if shrinkage could occur by just hearing her voice. You know the way it does when ice water hits your balls and dick. I resisted the urge to shudder at the thoughts. It didn't take her long before I was having a much different problem and would have welcomed the fucking shrinkage.

She was strong, her voice was ice, her eyes were fire and I wondered which of the three would consume that poor dumb fucker, which had pissed her off for the final time, first. I also found myself praying that she would never have reason to direct those eyes and that voice in my direction. But watching her made me harder and hotter than hell.

She asked me to hold her glock and by the weight of the gun I knew it was loaded. A good soldier a good marksman always knows by the weight of the gun if it is loaded or not and I would say by the weight of the gun I was holding it was fully loaded.

When she told me if he moved, if he flinched to shoot the fucker the monster within me smiled. He took glee in the fact that I might get to kill this fucker. Not that I wanted to do it in front of Beautiful but the monster within me didn't care he just wanted blood. See the monsters that reside within Ranger and I don't have a conscience it doesn't care it is incapable of caring that way. The only thing the monsters in us cares about is keeping ourselves, our team, our loved ones safe and alive when there is a threat against us.

Typically these monsters have resided inside us controlled and only unleashed when necessary for our survival when on missions but Beautiful here has a way of bringing them to the surface because of how furiously protective we are of her. It is our on conscious our own caring for her that keeps us from killing in front of her, keeps us from ending this fuckers life once and for all tonight.

The monster within me recognizes the leer from Stephanie and wants to respond. I feel him smile I feel him pushing me further to join her. I never knew she had it in her, I am still not believing my eyes seeing her this way seeing a monster within my beautiful.

Her words wash over me as a cold shower bringing me back to reality back to being focused on him with the gun in my hand, my finger just itching to pull the fucking trigger and end this fucker's life and the monster within me begging me to edging me on to just do it. Daring me to do it and even convincing me the world will be better without him in it. But I maintain control and I refrain from firing the weapon.

It would be so easy. It would be easier than taking candy from a baby a baby would cry this fucker would never have the chance. Bullet between the eyes and this fucker wouldn't know what hit him. My finger twitches in anticipation. When Beautiful pulls the trigger on her gun my heart leapt forward.

It was only when I heard the click that I realized the chamber was empty and I questioned when had that happened. I happened to know that all of her guns remained loaded now that she was training. She had planned this, she had removed the bullets and I found myself wondering if she had removed them all.

When she had called herself a soldier I had to smile, she was training hard in some ways harder than a soldier trains. She had earned that right that standing among us and while she never went to the armed services I don't think anyone would question her abilities as a soldier at least not in front of me they wouldn't. When she told him she would fight him and if she couldn't win then we would. I welcomed the opportunity.

I would love kicking this fucker's ass there was no doubt that I couldn't kick his ass my bet would be in less than a minute he would be unconscious lying in a puddle of his own blood. The monster within me jumped when she said we could kick his ass at her say so, he wanted the permission he wanted her say so.

She then pulls the trigger again and the monster within me watches closely for the flinch because he had permission with the flinch to end this fucker's life when he didn't flinch there was disappointment. I had to get control if not, Morelli wouldn't survive this night.

I smiled when she made him thank Ranger for not loading her gun. I wanted to laugh but I held it back biting my tongue only keeping her gun drawn on him daring him to fight her daring him to try something. While I wouldn't kill him in front of her for no reason if he harmed her or fought her I knew I would never control the monster within. Her being in the room or not I wouldn't not tolerate the monster within me would not tolerate her being harmed her being in danger again and not acting.

I just couldn't not after what had already happened to her. Not after what I had allowed the guilt I carried from that night was enough I couldn't and wouldn't bare more.

Seeing her putting the tape on and rip it off made me want to flinch duct tape hurt like a bitch when it was ripped off I am sure he won't need to shave around his lips for a while. Knowing she was inflicting pain and scaring him a little with her gun held to his head her threatening and then pulling the trigger only to hear it click made me proud of her. I am sure he will be pissing himself before the night is over I only hoped that my Beautiful was the one to make him do it, it would be so cosmic in a sense of how he had made her afraid terrorized her. Now knowing he was stalker knowing what he had left her I loved that she currently had the upper hand and she was using it all to her advantage to get her message across to him.

If the poor dumb ass fucker didn't listen to her message, to our message then he was seriously one dumb mother fucker because it didn't take an expert in body language, and expert in reading people to know that Beautiful meant every word she said. She was dead serious and she fully intended to follow through with everything she told him.

She made him apologize to Cal for shooting him. She made me him call her Mrs. Manoso I just about shit and I couldn't help the bubble of jealousy I know she is all his but hearing her name containing the last name of my cousin just sent it a little closer just made it more real how she would never be mine.

I can't say that it didn't hurt a little, that there wasn't a twinge of jealousy because there was but I knew he was her life and she was his and I would never come between that I would never be able to break that apart and I would never try. I loved them both too much to do that to either one and it wasn't like I could give her what he did. I knew I could never make her that happy. They were true soul mates.

Lastly she accused him of being her rapist of raping her and the monster within me growled I wanted him the monster wanted him hearing those words enraged me and I saw red. I briefly remember pulling the trigger on the gun but thank god I had at the last second aimed for the pillow beside his head just sending him a message instead of splattering his brains. I could have killed him he knew it but I at the last moment because of my Beautiful, I spared his life.

When she told him that his apology wasn't accepted and the only apology she wanted was him fucking dead then she pulled the trigger. I felt my heart lunge into my throat I really didn't want his blood on her hands I wanted it on mine. I wanted it on Ranger's or any of her brothers but not hers anyone's but hers.

TPOV

My little girl was pure beauty her strength her courage was something to behold. Watching her tell Morelli that she was taking back her life was something that I couldn't describe. My emotions were all over the place. One minute I was worried if she could do this, if she could face him the next I was so fucking proud of her. It didn't take long for me to be shocked by her actions, turned on by her actions, and scared for her actions all in the matter of minutes.

She was sending Morelli a message and if he was a smart man he would fucking listen to her. He should listen if not for what she was saying and what she was promising for the sheer fact that she had us backing up her every word her every promise to him. We were itching for an excuse to kick his fucking ass to China with or without the rest of his body parts attached would make no difference to us.

I watched as she pulled the trigger and I couldn't help my eyes closing praying that the gun wasn't loaded when I heard the click I breathed a sigh of relief I had no idea I was holding. I didn't want her tarnished by his blood, I didn't want that burden on her shoulders to have to carry for the rest of her life.

Even though she hated him, even though she was afraid of him, even though he had wronged her in so many ways some ways which enraged me beyond what I could believe I still didn't want his life on her conscious.

For her to have to live with remember and she would remember she would remember his eyes, his face, she would remember and it would eventually consume her. It would burn her like a flame burns a candle eventually it would engulf her and she would be no more like a candle the only thing left a puddle of wax and some smoke when the fire burns out.

I know lord knows I had enough eyes, faces burned into my soul. My soul wasn't like hers. her soul was pure mine was tarnished and had been for a long time the last thing I wanted on this earth was to have my little girl's soul tarnished because she took another man's life.

I know she has taken a life before but that was in self defense, that was in protecting herself it was either her life or his and I am glad it turned out to be his but in this case that wasn't exactly the case tonight. It may come to that point at some point and I hope it would be once again the other person's life and not that of my little girl but tonight it wasn't self defense, tonight it wasn't to protect yourself against someone harming you tonight was nothing but calculated, it was planned it would be nothing but cold blooded murder and my little girl didn't need that on her hands.

I listened to her as she made him thank Rangeman and apologize to Cal and I had to smile at my little girl making him do that. I had to smile when she told him that she was marrying Ranger that she would have Ranger's babies and I briefly wondered how Ranger would feel about that that.

When I looked at him I had my answer he was love struck as they got. From the look on his face I would be willing to bet if my little girl said so he would be trying to get her pregnant tonight at least he would be practicing tonight.

I doubt that many people could see the thoughts racing through Ranger but I could I could see the love swimming in his eyes as he pictured her. I imagined he pictured her round with his child, I imagined he pictured her carrying his baby and I could literally see his heart melting. Hell he loved that baby and it didn't even exist yet. He was in love with just the thought.

I almost laughed when she made Morelli call her Mrs. Manoso personally I liked the Mrs. Ranger better that definitely sent a message. I also found myself flinching and reaching for my balls when she shoved her gun in his dick and pulled the trigger. I would have sworn there wasn't a fucking thing that could make me sympathize with that fucking prick but her pulling the trigger on his balls well that drew sympathy from me. Hell my balls were aching at the thought of what could have happened had there been a bullet in the chamber. Lucky for Morelli, lucky for me there was no bullet and the gun only made a clicking sound.

Watching her listening to her she made me proud she was reclaiming what had been taken from her she was reclaiming her life, she was making him acknowledge what he had done she was letting him know that his behavior from now on would not go unpunished. I felt myself wanting to slam my fist into my palm to show the true power behind her words that we would enforce her words back her words as well as the gold in Fort Knox backs the American dollar.

While that wasn't doing such a great job lately as the American dollar was suffering I would however do a better job enforcing Stephanie's rules making sure Morelli obeyed every fucking single one down to the letter.

None of us had moved other than Lester and now that he was holding her gun on him he hadn't moved we were all reveling in and enjoying watching Stephanie work her magic all the while I am sure praying a little that we were never on the receiving side of that anger, of that pure hatred. Her eyes flashing ice blue and her voice so cold that I am surprised we didn't see puffs of frozen vapors rise from her lips as it does on a cold winter morning.

It sent a chill through your body yet she looked so hot doing it if it weren't that she was my sister I would be having a difficult time controlling myself as it is it wasn't without difficult at times and when I saw her strong, confident, standing up for herself not taking any shit from anyone. When I saw her flying as only she could fly it was difficult to control.

I am a big man, I am known for my size after all my name is Tank for fuck sake need I say more? Well as big as I am you could have blown me over with a feather when Stephanie had finally made him tell her he was sorry. She had pressured him pushed him into saying the words and then just as matter of fact told him that his apology wasn't accepted her voice so cold the words burned their way through you it was what she did after that I found myself in disbelief that I found myself in almost shock. You could have just knocked me right off of my feet with the gentles touch maybe even a forceful blow or a light breeze. She told him the only apology she wanted from him was him dead, she put the gun back to his head and pulled the fucking trigger.

CalPOV

I knew my Angel had it in her. She had that fire within her that burned bright but she never felt confident to use it until tonight. I am not sure what happened exactly from the time we left Rangeman until we got here but I could see it in her the moment I laid eyes on her.

I could see it in her walk, I could see it in her mannerisms. She walked up to Joe's room with purpose, with a goal. The goal was to reclaim her life. Reclaim the hold he had over her because of the fear she felt for him.

If she was afraid if she feared him I wasn't able to see it and I could read my Angel extremely well. I had to smile the anticipation building in me. I knew she was going to deliver her message to that fucking piece of dog shit eating prick of a fucking cop.

I knew my Angel needed to do this she needed to reclaim what he had stolen from her. I didn't know until tonight just how much had stolen from her all her life. Part of me wanted to just say fuck it and kill the fucker and be done with it. It wouldn't be the first time I did that for a friend.

My best friend in high school she was beautiful her name was Audrey and she had her whole life ahead of her. We were best friends we both had parent's in the arts and we knew the long hours of spending time alone while our Parent's worked, rehearsed or performed.

We spent a lot of time together we partied together we got in trouble together we talked and could tell each other anything. When we got out of High school our lives too different paths she went to college I went to the Navy.

I hadn't been in the Navy for a long time several years I was a Seal but had just graduated when I had some leave so I went to visit her. When I saw her I knew something was wrong. She wouldn't tell me at first but I found out that her boyfriend at the time was abusing her. Needless to say before I left for service the boyfriend was no longer a problem for my best friend.

She never knew what happened only that he left a message that he was leaving town. Oh he left alright he just didn't leave by any means of transportation he didn't leave in a way that he could ever come back. His leaving was a one way ticket, a one way ticket to hell which I hope he is still enjoying his stay to this day. I personally wouldn't mind sending this fucking cop who shot me, and terrorized, stole from, and who raped my Angel all those years ago. I would personally deliver my travel plans for him to him even personally escort him on his way.

The click of a gun pulled me from my reflections holy fuck she had pulled the trigger. There were no bullets but she had pulled the trigger with her gun pressed against the side of the fucking cops head. Fuck!

I knew she was on a mission, I knew she had squared her shoulders and was taking on her enemy head on but I had no idea this is what she was going to do holy shit. She was hot her eyes sparkling blue the flashes of hatred of anger of bitterness blasting through like daggers all directed at that piece of shit.

Rage boiled through me looking at her seeing her like that seeing those feelings run across her face and knowing he was the reasons for making my Angel someone who was so filled with light, with goodness, with nothing but acceptance and trust and he was the cause of these feelings.

That she had to experience these feelings because of this mother fucking cock sucking prick who didn't deserve to breath the same fucking air as her. He was the reason she hurt, she was mad, she was bitter, he was the reason she was unsure of herself, and he was the reason she was not confident in herself. He was the reason she felt like her life was not worthless he had made her feel like she wasn't good enough when she was the best woman I had ever known.

She was my sister, my chosen sister. He had tried to tarnish her by his hands, by raping her but what he didn't understand is her light burned brighter and that would never happen in our eyes, in our hearts but he had tried and for that I wanted his life. I wanted that fucker to scream, I wanted him to beg, I wanted him to pray to God to die. Death was too easy. Hell was too easy this fucker needed to suffer. He needed to pay for every second he had known my Angel and for every second he tried to darken her world by his existence.

Her words pulling me from my wrath hearing my name on her lips calmed me. Her making him forcing him to apologize to me I didn't want his apology I wanted his spilt blood. I firmly believed in eye for eye, tooth for tooth and he had spilled my blood I wanted to spill his only I wanted to spill only a whole lot more.

Internally part of me smiled at her feeling the need to get the apology from him. That is why I chose her as my sister she is an incredible woman she is loving, she is giving, and for some reason she felt like we deserved a place in her life. She was protective over us trained killers, trained mercenaries she wanted to protect us she wanted to have our backs instead of letting us protect her.

I couldn't take my eyes off of her. I knew I should have been watching him to see if he tried anything but I knew Lester had him he had made it known by sinking a round into his pillow beside is him. She was beautiful, she was practically glowing as she was taking back what was hers. She was taking back her life and you could see her flying.

While she had pulled the trigger a few times and the gun had just clicked I didn't want the gun to actually go off and her end his life. I couldn't stand to see the light in my Angel deem and if she did in fact take his life her light within would pay the price for that. I wanted it on my soul, my soul was already black, I already questioned if I still had a soul anymore. It wouldn't matter on my soul black can only get so black and then it can go anymore and I had reached that blackness years ago.

She almost pulled a smile from me when she told him to refer to her as Mrs. Ranger or Mrs. Manoso but I refrained I wanted that fucking cop when he looked at me to see the killer I was, I wanted him to see my deaden eyes, I wanted him to swallow as he took in my conditioned body my trained body that could snap his neck before he had a chance to blink. I wanted him to take in my stare my flaming skull tattoo and known what I was capable of. I wanted him to know that he should fear me.

Rage flowed through me more when she was listing all of the things that Morelli could be apologizing for all the wrongs that needed correcting all the injustices he had committed against my Angel and lived to be able to fucking apologize for.

It was what she did when he finally apologized trying to lump everything into one little I am sorry. Who the fuck says that? Oh I am sorry fuck you I wanted to scream. I wanted to scream take your sorry and shove it up your fucking ass.

But when my Angel told him his apology wasn't accepted and that she wanted his apology to be him fucking dead as she moved the gun from his dick to his head and pulled the trigger I found myself completely and fucking speech less. I had no doubt my mouth wasn't hanging open at the statement but I be fuck if I could do anything about it.

HectorPOV *spoken in Spanish*

I am partly surprised Lester told me about their plans tonight and offered for me to come. Usually they consider me a little of a loose cannon or trigger happy depending on how you want to think about that. I am surprised that they trust me that I won't just kill that fucker where he lays. But I don't.

It isn't for the lack of wanting to. It isn't because I give a fuck that he is a cop or that he is a Morelli like any of that meant anything to me if anything it in an odd way gave me more reason to want him dead. It didn't mean fuck to me.

I would end his life just like I have ended any other life without thought without hesitation. The list was long the ways were varying and none of it made a fuck to me. The only thing that made a fuck to me was my Angelito and because of her I would refrain from doing what I wanted to do more than anything.

She saw me better than I was. She made me strive to be a better person to live up to the person she thought and saw me to be. For that purpose alone I couldn't take his life in front of her. I couldn't change that about her. How she looked at me, the person she saw me to be.

I had planned the ways his life would end by my hands. I thought about it dreamt about it from the time he started scaring my Angeltio. No one scares her no one harms her without answering to me I don't give a fuck who they are. Cop no cop, Rangeman no Rangeman it doesn't matter. Bottom line if you try to harm my Angelito you will answer to me. You will answer to my knife. It is only a matter of fucking time.

If you doubt me just ask any of the Rangeman who have allowed her to be hurt. Bobby let her fall from the ropes on the obstacle course. He wasn't there anticipating her falling she fell on her back. When they got back to Rangeman and he walked back into this office he found that his office wasn't vacant, I was there waiting for him. I would be willing to bet he will never allow her to fall from that rope again or anything else for that matter. He will be there to catch her the next time.

They were my brothers because of her but she came first. I watched her put the gun to his head and cock it and part of me wanted to stop her. The other part couldn't have been more proud of her. When she told him that she would shoot him first and ask questions later I felt my chest fill with pride. I had taught her that. I had instilled that in her. I had taught her that if she felt her life was in danger, if she was in a dangerous situation that for her to pull the trigger first and ask questions later.

I had told her to trust her instincts trust her spidey sense and act on it the moment she felt it not to wait to never question it because it would never be wrong. Shoot first never allow your enemy the chance of the first shot, the first attack.

I was a little concerned how close she was standing that he could disarm her. I knew I could but I doubt he was as trained as we were but he was a cop so he wasn't without training and I wasn't sure how much he had.

I felt my fingers ghosting just above my knives. My throwing knives for me they were every bit as lethal as any gun I carry. I am just as accurate and I would be willing to bet almost as fast with any knife as I am with a gun.

I watched him for any signs that he is going to retaliate that he is going to try to defend himself or attack her. She will be successful tonight in taking back her life, reclaiming her life I would make sure of it. I knew the importance of that. While I never had a person like she had I had a gang and I had to reclaim my life from the gang.

For me it wasn't one person to face it was multiple people who wanted to harm me but the underlying reasons were the same and I understood her need to do this probably more than another man standing here with us. I understood her need to say this is my life and I am going to live my life the way I want. See gangs take that away from you. They tell you how to live your life. Who your friends are and who your enemies are and they could change daily depending on the leaders of the gangs.

I had grown tired of it even though I was top of the gang there was always something higher something that controlled who you could be how you lived when you were in a gang. I would support my Angelito in anything she wanted but I knew the importance of this the need for this and I would be sure she was successful in her endeavors to reclaim her life.

When she asked Lester to hold her gun and keep it pointed at the cop I relaxed a little because I knew Lester wouldn't let him touch her. He wouldn't let that piece of shit cop hurt her. He would sink a bullet in his brain before the shithead's finger twitched toward her.

I watched Angelito as she reclaimed her life as she took back what was hers as she put fear in him. She made him swallow his pride and thank Ranger for not loading her gun when she pulled the trigger and it only clicked. She made him extend an apology that we all knew was never meant to Cal for when he shot him but Angelito didn't let it go and she once again pulled the trigger only for the gun to click.

I didn't want his blood on her hands. I would gladly accept his blood on mine. For me it did not matter when you had killed as many people as I have killed one more wouldn't matter sometimes there were just too many sins too many crimes against humanity to ask forgiveness for and I had long passed that number. There would never be forgiveness for me and I was okay with that.

She wanted him to fear her she wanted to steal away some of his comfort some of his life like he had stolen from her she wanted him to live in fear and I would make sure her wishes came true. He may never actually fear her but I could promise you, promise her that he would come to fear me.

With each click of the gun his fear was raising I could smell it and it made me want to smile. I could smell the fear rolling off of him and I am certain the rest of her brother's here standing with us could smell it too. Her forcing him to call her Mrs. Manoso brought out some jealousy and some rage in him I could see it in his eyes but he remained still and quiet. He didn't want to call her Ranger's name. He didn't want to admit that she belonged to Ranger but she forced him to.

I found my fingers ghosting my knives again as she was listing the things that he could be sorry for God how I wanted to end his life. How I had not done it before now was a little perplexing. I didn't know about their history but learning how he had taken advantage of her as a child and then later raped her at such a young age stealing her innocence well that was enough reason to end the fucker's life and my fingers twitched with desire.

I didn't need any other reasons to justify his death not that I ever really needed to justify but I didn't kill for no reason I may be a monster for what I have done but I wasn't a monster that made me do what I did there is a difference not that it is judged any differently In the eyes of our beholder but to me it was a difference and I could live with that difference.

My fingers itched to just sink one of my knives in his throat from where I stood it would be rookie throw. My fingers itched to feel the cold steel, to feel the weight in my grip, to feel the flick of my wrist the release of my fingers at the exact moment they yearned for that feeling and I had to control myself before I did something that I would ultimately regret. While I wanted his life, I didn't want to take it in front of my Angelito.

When he finally apologized for everything by saying a simple I am sorry my Angelito did something I did not expect, I didn't not anticipate, something that I wasn't sure she was capable of she told him that his apology wasn't accepted that the only apology she wanted was him fucking dead and she put the gun against his head, against his temple and she pulled the trigger.

SlyderPOV

I had only known my Incendia for a couple of days but I couldn't help the feeling of having known her forever. It was like I had known her my whole life. I was defenseless against this little blue eyed woman. The Bombshell Bounty Hunter was one hell of a woman and I could see why the guys loved her, respected her, and wanted to spend their time with her. I could see why they felt like she was their sister because you couldn't help wanting to protect her, wanting to keep her safe.

She accepted me open arms no questions asked. She never even asked me what my real name was she just accepted Slyder and instantly folded me into her family of brothers. I wondered if she felt the same thing I felt the connection we had. It was nothing romantic about it. I did appreciate her body what man wouldn't and her moans well they wrecked havoc on my body but she was Ranger's. There was no question about that and I would never come between that not that I would be able to but I wouldn't try.

I couldn't believe her x was that fucking prick I had beat the shit out of in basic training. I couldn't believe it was her that he was talking about. My mind was still reeling I knew his story infuriated me the moment I heard it but I always wondered why. I mean I respect women don't get me wrong, I would never wrong a woman knowingly or willingly but I am a guy and I have heard men talking about their conquests before and since him and never found myself enraged to the point that I was that day it was almost as if he was talking about my sister or my mother as I don't have a sister at least not until now.

I knew there was more that he wasn't saying. I knew it didn't happen the way he was saying I knew in my soul he had taken advantage, he had more forced her than not to have sex with him. He never said it but I instantly knew it how I knew it I will never know but I knew it. It enraged me and while running to the Navy may have saved him from charges being placed against him had the girl been inclined I didn't let him run away. I beat his ass for it. I made sure he paid for it.

I just didn't make sure he paid enough for it. I should have inflicted more pain. I should have made sure he never made it back from his little short tour at sea.

We made it to his house relatively quickly and we wasted no time getting inside. I was surprised when we were all able to walk into his bedroom without him stirring. What a stupid fucker. Even though I saw combat from a different point of view I was more aware of my surroundings than him. There would be no way in hell that eight people would be able to walk into my room and I not know it sleeping or not.

I didn't know what to expect not knowing my Incendia well. I hadn't seen her like this before. I had seen her playful and having fun. I had seen her upset. I had gotten a brief view of how strong she was when she stood up to her mother and what's her face, ass fuck. I had seen her inner strength in her training today but I don't know that I would have thought her capable of what she did.

Putting her gun to his head cocking it bringing him out of his deep sleep you could see the confusion on his face, you could see him take us all in and her in and the almost shock. When she flipped on the light and the true depth of the position he was in hit him you could see him unsure of himself. You could see the fear in his eyes and I loved it that she was making him afraid that we were making him afraid.

His eyes met mine and I knew he remembered me I could see the look. He remembered our last meeting he remembered his ass beating and part of me just wanted to smile that I had left such a long impression on him.

I almost jumped when she pulled the trigger I wanted to protect her. I didn't want her to pull the trigger. It wasn't that I wanted the fucker's blood on my hands but I would take it before I allowed it to be on her hands.

I know I am not innocent I have probably ultimately taken more lives than any man standing in the room as the missiles from my jet probably took out hundreds if not thousands at a time I wasn't stupid I knew what I was doing but it was never close hand. Never hand to hand and there was a difference.

It wasn't that I was scared, it wasn't that I wouldn't do it under the right circumstance I just hadn't had the right circumstance but something told me this fucker could push me to the right circumstance and I wouldn't hesitate a fucking moment.

The gun just clicked no bullet in the chamber. I breathed a sigh of relief for her. I had to smile when she made him thank Ranger and apologize to Cal and I found myself cringing again when she pulled the trigger.

I knew eventually the chamber would contain a bullet I knew enough to know to heed her warning that there was a bullet in one of the chambers. Her voice was strong. It was cold as ice freezes over the arctic waters her voice could have frozen water. Her eyes flashed blue as a fire that burns so hot the flame appears blue that was the color of her eyes.

Seeing her like this definitely affected my body there was no denying it I suspect every man in the room was affected well with the exception of that fucking x of hers that fucking cop that no good washed up couldn't cut it as a mess hall boy of a never should have been Navy man. Part of me was embarrassed that he served in the same branch as I did that they would fucking let him in. It was a disgrace his performance his ability. I seriously hoped he hadn't bragged about being there to anyone.

When she told him that she had someone for him to meet and she referenced me I just stood there starring at him as he took me in. I already knew he remembered me so I was able to just stare at him hoping that it would raise his level of fear slightly. I may have experienced war from fifty thousand feet in the sky or more but that didn't mean that I was a push over. Standing six two weighing in at two twenty all muscle I am no pushover I am not a little boy and I don't scare. You can't fly the big boys and be afraid. There is no fear when you are flying Mach six.

When she pressed her gun into his dick and pulled the trigger I know we all flinched a little and I know I had the urge to grab my balls out of sympathy empathy something or maybe just to assure myself mine were fine fuck if I know the urge was there but I didn't act on it. Damn I hope I am never on the receiving end of that temper, of that amount of hatred from her. I hoped I would never fuck up that bad.

Remembering him laughing and telling his version of the story in the mess hall that night and hearing her listing to all of the things he could be sorry for all of the things he had done to her what she had told us tonight and what I had found out earlier from the other guys rage bubbled through me. It crept through me like a cold damn night seeks its way into your bones.

I was ready to kick is his ass again, I was looking forward to the feel of my fists hitting his flesh, I looked forward to hearing the crack of his bones, hearing his grunts if not screams of pain from my punches, elbows, and kicks. When she told him that her message would be the least painful of all of the messages he was going to get tonight she was dead on.

While hers may come with some psychological pain in thinking your life is about to end every time she pulls the trigger and he hears the click of the gun's chamber being empty. I have no doubt there is a single bullet in the gun and I only wonder when his luck will run out, would she actually put a bullet in his head at this point seeing her I think she was perfectly capable of doing it. She was perfectly capable of shooting him in the head I only feared what it would do to her after the fact how she would handle the guilt and there would be guilt. There was always guilt no matter how close or how far away you were when you ended a man's life there was guilt. If not for the life you took then for the act itself.

When she finally got him to say he was sorry for everything her whole lists of wrongs he has committed against her she took on an appearance that I couldn't explain her voice became hardened with an edge that felt like it could slice you in half. She looked at him a second and I will never for the words she said. If I lived to be five hundred years old I would never forget those words. Apology is not accepted. excusationis non accipitur, in Latin. She told him apology is not accepted and the only apology she wanted was him fucking dead. I could see what she was going to do before she did it but I wasn't able to stop her she put the gun to his head and pulled the fucking trigger.

JPOV

Today had been one of those days. First I get a call from Momma Plum that Cupcake is at the Stop and Stop grocery store. I head over there only to discover that she is with a bunch of those fucking thuds she wants to make everyone believe are her brothers when we all know she is fucking every one of them.

Then while I am watching her mother confront her and watch them exchange words back and forth I see someone who looks like someone I knew from the Navy. I wish I could say it was a friend but it was no friend of mine. He kicked my ass practically the first day at least it was the first time I had seen him.

I had to leave the scene of a crime to go and of course word got back to my chief that I had left and he wasn't happy. I knew I could talk my way out of the trouble after all emergencies come up all the time right? All I needed to tell him was it was an emergency and I had to leave to follow up on something.

That was the convenient part of police work there was an always an excuse for where you were informant, a lead, following up on information received the excuses were numerous and they had always been good for me. I could go meet a woman at a hotel. I could spend the afternoon getting a freebie on Stark Street, because cops got the freebies unless they wanted to go to jail.

Blow job kept them out of jail. All the while I had the resources, the excuses, and the cover that being a detective offered. Hell I didn't even pay for the hotel rooms the department did after all I was meeting informants. The department couldn't complain I was pulling in my share of gang bangers, drug dealers, and just general bad guys.

I wasn't able to get to close to Cupcake as they carted her away to their waiting SUV before I could pull into the lot.

I later found her again out driving around town and I tried to follow her. My goal was to pull her over but I wanted something legitimate and she wasn't giving it to me. I was about to the point where I was just going to do it and make something the fuck up when she actually gave me exactly what I wanted but she effectively evaded me. I am not sure how she got that lucky but she did.

I searched for her for over an hour but never saw the SUV again. So I gave up. I went and picked me up a freebie something to work the anger out on as I let her satisfy me earning her another get out of free jail card. I then went home after picking up take out. If Cupcake were here I wouldn't have had to have eaten takeout I would have had a home cooked meal because that is what she would be doing.

Cooking my meals and waiting for me to come home. I had an early morning so after the game went off I went to bed. Had it not been for my early morning meeting with the chief I would have had some company tonight.

I had been asleep maybe an hour or so when I heard a distinct clicking. The sound of a gun being cocked my eyes shot open and I almost had to do a double take my bedroom was filled with men and Cupcake was standing beside my bed with a gun to my head that she had cocked.

She turned on the light so I could see them all better I am not even sure I at first all I could feel was the cold steel of the gun pressed to my temple. All I could see were seven extremely pissed hired killers and thugs in my room. The very men that Cupcake is fucking probably every chance she got.

I briefly thought about disarming her grabbing the gun from my nightstand drawer and ending this right here right now but I wasn't stupid I knew the way the assholes were circling my bed I would never shoot them all before they shot me. Before the killed me, at most I could possibly get two before they killed me but that would be two very lucky shots. I went to move but she stopped me saying

"Joe move another inch and I pull the trigger do you understand me?" Her voice is what stopped me I hadn't heard that tone of voice from her ever. I briefly found myself wondering when she had gotten that voice. I didn't think Cupcake had it in her to pull the trigger but still decided to see what she was going to do

I felt the gun press into my head with her warning. I knew with how close she was standing to me she was in a vulnerable position and I knew I could disarm her with ease. I just had to bide my time.

There is a chance in disarming her I could actually use her gun to shoot one of her brothers so there was a possibility I could get three at the tops. I was decent job not an expert but decent. I was better than Stephanie that was for sure.

As if she read my mind she speaks again "Joe I am warning you, you try and move an inch you try an disarm me and you are a dead man I have a backup" she said as she showed me her Glock in her right hand waving it slightly for me to get the full picture. She then told me "I will shoot you first and ask questions later. That is something I learned from one of my brothers."

Her brothers meaning the thugs and killers standing around me just like them to turn my Cupcake my future wife into a cold blooded killer capable of holding a gun on me her future husband. When I got her away from them she would be taught a very hard lesson that she never speaks or treats me like that. My hand itches to smack her now and put her in her place.

I went to tell her to put the gun down but she cut me off as soon as I opened my mouth. She cut me off before the first sound made it out telling me "You don't get to talk, you don't get to say one fucking thing. It's time for you to listen. It's my turn to talk." I didn't appreciate my future wife bossing me around nor did I appreciate that she was holding a gun to my head. I would be willing to bet if she didn't have that gun on me she wouldn't be this brazing with me.

She had bound to know that I would get revenge I would teach her a lesson for treating me like this especially if front of these thugs and killers they had no place here in my home, in my bedroom what would one day be our bedroom. She would pay for that as well.

She called Lester's name "Lester do you have my bag?" she questioned he nodded "Bring it to me" she asked him. He stepped towards her with the bag She handed him the gun "keep it pointed at him if he fucking flinches you shoot the fucker, do I make myself clear?" she asked him.

He nodded and pointed the gun at me. She proceeded to tape my mouth shut with duct tape. The bitch would definitely pay for that. With Lester holding the gun on me I was less confident that I could be successful in overcoming her. Overcoming the situation I was in. Something told me even if Cupcake wouldn't pull the trigger Lester would.

Once she has the tape on my mouth she continues talk "now that's better, you will now keep your fucking mouth shut without me having to shut you up. You will now listen to what I have to say. We are all here to deliver a message to you. The message is to leave me the fuck alone. That means no more following me, no more coming to places where you know I am, and that means you do not speak to me, you do not touch me, you do not call me. Do I make myself clear?" She said thinking that I was going to listen to her message. Like hell she was my future wife and I am going to be her husband and if a message is to be delivered I am going to be the one delivering it.

She jabs the gun into the side of my head until I relent and nod that I understand her only to appease her not because I am going to follow a fucking thing she says.

"Good" she says but continues.

"You see you no longer have control of me. You no longer tell me what to do. You no longer can strong arm me into doing anything. You can no longer lay a finger on me. So help me God the next time you touch me the next time you hurt me will be the last time you ever fucking breath. It will be your last breath you ever draw into your body. Understand?"

Again she jabs the gun into my head and once again I nod to appease her. When she smiles t is a leer that I have seen before but not from my Cupcake. It is a leer of someone who is dead serious someone who is set on doing what they have set out to do. Being a cop we ran into them just a part of a day's work but you knew the type. It was the type you knew you were going to have to shoot them more than likely kill them because they weren't going to surrender they weren't going to give into your demands and they would kill you no questions asks. Much like Ranger the cold blooded killer standing in my room in front of me watching us. For the first time since she woke me a little fear bubbled through me at the thought that she may be able to pull the trigger after all.

She calls my name drawing my attention to her and away from my mental assessments "Joe I want you to take a good look at me. I am a soldier I am in training and I will kick your ass if you come at me again. I will fight you and if I can't bet you by myself I would be willing to bet you that one of my brothers can and will kick your ass. Take a look around Joe these are my brothers and my future husband standing in your room and for every one that is standing here tonight I have one more back at Rangeman all with a single goal of kicking your ass at my say so. So fucking just give me a reason any reason to say so." She tells me and I briefly scan the room taking in the men with her.

My eyes land on Slyder and it is him. I thought it was but this confirms it, it was him here in Trenton. Just my luck and of course he would be friends with Rangeman as if they needed anymore men.

Hearing her words "I have a message for you but everyone one of these men also have a message and I will be willing to bet you that my message will be the least painful of the bunch. You will be lucky to still have your life when we leave here tonight. Actually I am not so sure yet as I haven't made up my mind. I just might pull this fucking trigger and get it over with right now." Fear bubbled up even more in me and something told me what she was going to do. The words no more left her mouth and she pulled the trigger. I couldn't help the flinch when I realized she had pulled the trigger.

It was her sincere disappointment when I heard her say "Damn" that I couldn't believe. She wanted me dead.

She moved her head from side to side and said "I have always had a bad habit of carrying my gun with only one fucking bullet in it. Usually Ranger fills it for me guess he didn't realize it only had one bullet in it. I guess that makes you a lucky fucker Joe. Ranger has just effectively saved your life. I think you should tell him thank you."

Like fuck I would tell that son of a bitch thank you. She reaches over presses against the tape making sure it is good and stuck and rips the tape off. I nearly come up off the bed I know that tape has torn off layers of skin as well as hairs. I fill my eyes sting from the pain but thank fuck they stayed dry I wouldn't want her to think she made me cry.

When she jabs the gun in my forehead and once again pulls the trigger effectively telling me to thank Ranger or else. It was all I could do not to flinch and not to make a sound of being relieved that there was no bullet in that chamber. She would pay for this but it was obvious tonight wouldn't be the night.

She speaks again "Very good I see you can listen when your life is at stake you didn't flinch. Now I think you have someone that needs to be thanked." She said pressing the gun into my forehead this time.

"Joe I promise you this gun has a single bullet in it don't force me to see if the next trigger pull is going to be the one with the bullet." She tells me jabbing my head again with he barrel.

Not wanting her to actually shoot me I decided to speak up by just saying "Thank you" although by my tone anyone should have known I didn't really mean it. But Cupcake spoke up

"Joe the man saved your life, at least for the moment you could give a little more heartfelt thank you. Could you not I mean you are breathing right now because he didn't fill my gun with bullets something that I didn't think to check when I left our home this evening." I heard her emphasis on our home and jealous rage shot through me the only home Cupcake was going to have is here with me.

She once again jabbed the gun in my head and I nodded relenting yet again because of the fear she may pull the trigger again. So I said "Ranger I would like to thank you for saving my life." I said and Cupcake nodded and then she ripped off a new piece of duct tape and once again tapped my mouth shut.

She looked at me and spoke "See you can follow directions under the right pressure." I would see what she could and would do under the right pressure when I got the chance and I was going to make sure I got the chance after tonight. She looked at Lester and smiled and then told him "Lester I am sorry you didn't get the chance to shoot him, he didn't flinch maybe all hope isn't lost he is going to have a lot more to say maybe next time he will flinch and you will get your chance." She told him shrugging.

Fear rose a little more because I knew he would kill me. Cupcake, it was fifty fifty if she could actually do it but Lester I knew he would shoot me. Hell that is who probably taught her to shoot first and ask questions second as she put it. I put nothing past Ranger and his men all of them were psychos, killers, thugs, and trouble makers. They all belonged behind jail but we could never find anything on them to put them behind jail. Okay I could never find anything.

Cupcake focused back on me "You see you now have some apologizing to do. You took a cheap shot and shoot one of my brothers. Did you think I would just forget about that? It was only a flesh wound but you pulled the trigger on one of my brothers, you fucking piece of shit. Did you think I wasn't going to get revenge for that? Did you think I was just going to forget it and allow you to hurt what I consider mine? You should know I am not the same girl you thought you could brow beat, you could control, you could tell what to do. I am not her not anymore. I will stand up for myself I will stand up for those that I love and I will stand up for my brothers at all costs. So unless you want me to pull this fucking trigger again I suggest you apologize to Cal for shooting him and before I have to remind you make it sincere because the only reminder you are going to get again is me pulling this fucking trigger."

If it wasn't for the fact that she had her gun pressed against my forehead I would probably think she was hotter than hell at this very minute and a part of me would want to control that piece of her. But it was me she was holding the gun on and she had proved she had no problem pulling the trigger so with every threat my fear level went up a little. She only had five shots to begin with and she had pulled the trigger twice.

I nod again more to appease and to prevent her from pulling the trigger than I care to apologize to the fucking thug with a God damn flaming skull tattoo on his forehead. She once again rips the tape off of his mouth after making sure it was good and stuck and jabs me with the gun to prompt me to talk. "Cal I am sorry about shooting you" I tell him but she jabs me with the gun again prompting me to continue. "I wasn't thinking when I pulled the trigger I was drunk, I was jealous I was wrong." I told him. It wasn't true but I couldn't think of anything else. Not that he gave a true fuck about my apology.

Stephanie nodded and tore a fresh piece of duct tape and put it across my mouth, this was getting old. Cupcake Looked at Lester shrugged and said "well maybe next time". He just smiled at her.

She got my attention back on her once again by calling my name. "Joe you ever hit me again, you ever push me, shove me, throw me again and this gun will have all of its bullets that is until I unload them in your ass. You are to never touch me again, never speak to me again, and never confront me again. I am never going to come back to you. I am marrying Ranger and I am never having your babies if I have babies they will be Ranger's babies not your devil spawn." She said and I wanted to scream. She was marrying me she was having my babies she would not be having Ranger's anything it would be over Ranger's dead body before I allowed it.

While I was raging about her confession of what she was going to have with Ranger she continued "I have someone special I would like to introduce you to Joe" she motioned to Slyder, he just leered at me. The reminder of our last encounter when he beat the shit out of me flashed through my mind and I really wish he wasn't standing in this room.

Before I acknowledged anything she continued "but I think you two have already met each other. You were in basic training with him but I don't think you were buddies as he beat the shit out of you because you were talking about me. You were telling anyone and everyone who would listen how you had effectively claimed me made me yours because you stole my virginity but you left out you did it by raping me." I couldn't believe he had beat my ass because I was talking about her I remember me telling the story to the guys but I had no idea that was why he hated me why he had kicked my ass. When I heard her say I had raped her I went to defend myself and shook my head only for her to pull the trigger.

The gun clicked again she just said "Damn" shaking her head. "I thought for sure the bullet would be in that chamber guess not maybe the next one, one can only hope." And she shrugged. Hearing her words and hearing her tone caused the fear to raise even more. I once again thought out how I could get to my gun in the nightstand.

She continued "You did in fact rape me didn't you?" She asked me. I didn't move but she continued "You never asked you just took. You didn't ask me if it was what I wanted you locked the door and you took what you wanted. I never said yes to you if anything I asked you wait but you just shook your head and proceeded." She told me.

She jabbed me with the gun again almost yelling "Admit it you piece of fucking dog shit have the balls to admit it." jerking off the tape she continued "tell me you raped me and left me on the dirty floor of the tasty pastry having stolen my virginity having robbed me of my virginity something that a girl only has once in her life to give to the guy who she loves the most and you stole mine." She moved the gun from my head and jabbed it into my dick and fucking pulled the trigger without hesitation. I couldn't control the flinch and fear that ran over me. Lester fired a warning shot that landed into the pillow beside my head holy fuck he would shoot me that was just him saying he was willing. I was for the first time completely afraid of how this night was going to turn out. It wasn't looking good only getting worse by the minute.

"Tell me she said" and I nodded.

"I am sorry cu..." I went to say but she cut me off.

"Joe if you value your life you won't call me that ever again. Fucking call me cupcake one more time and I will kill you where you stand Joe." She told me.

I nodded she had pulled the trigger three times now she only had five shots in that gun if it did in fact have a bullet in it which I had no doubt at this point she had one more pull without a bullet but the question was which chamber the bullet was in the last one or the second to last one.

"I am sorry Stephanie." I started but she cut me off again.

"Joe you know for you, you only get to call me Mrs Ranger, or Mrs Manoso I am not your friend, you are not my friend you don't get to call me by my first name. That is reserved for friends and you are not one of my friends now nor will you ever be, you fucking prick." She tells me and once again rage consumes me at the idea of calling her by his last name. She is mine she will have my last name. That is if I live past tonight which is looking iffy at this point in time.

She jabbed me with her gun prompting me I went for the easier of the two as most people referred to him as only Ranger I chose Manoso. "Mrs Manoso I am sorry." I said but she didn't let it go at that.

She said "Sorry for what, what is it you are sorry for? Sorry for yelling at me, sorry for hitting me, sorry for throwing me across a floor and having a three hundred pound man land on me, sorry for shooting my brother, sorry for knowing me, sorry for playing train with me, sorry for raping me. What is it exactly you are sorry for Joe? Sorry for trying to change me, sorry for trying to control me. You are going to have to spell it out Joe because I have no idea what you are sorry for. With all you have done to me it could be a lot you are sorry for." She told me.

I decided to just blanket it all for my sake of health at the moment "Sorry for all of it."

The next thing out of her mouth had me gasping "Apology not accepted the only apology I want is you fucking dead." With that she put the gun back to my head and pulled the fucking trigger. I couldn't help the terror that shot through me the fear that shot through me and I couldn't help or prevent myself from pissing myself because of it.

When I heard the click of the gun and I opened my eyes from my flinched positioned where tears had pricked my eyes and a big wet spot covered the front of my boxers thankfully so far the covers remained over my lower half so hopefully they would never know that I pissed myself.

It was bad enough that I was coward down with my eyes shut and now filled with tears they didn't need to know that she had caused me to piss myself.

She looked at me "Joe you had better heed my warning and stay the fuck away from me. I will defend myself, I will defend my brothers you have my promise. I will shoot you if you threaten me. I came here tonight to tell you that. That I am taking my life back, that I am no longer afraid of you, and that you have no control over me. Do yourself a favor and find someone else I am taken and not by you. Don't make me come back with a fully loaded gun." She stepped away from me but she raised her gun and fired it this time the gun went off and the bullet lodged itself in the headboard of my bed about two inches from my head causing me to flinch and cower again.

She turned to the guys and had it not been for Lester I would have taken advantage of her back turned to me. She turned to them and grabbed the covers jerking them off of me effectively showing everyone that she had caused me to piss myself.

Lester was the first to start laughing but it wasn't long before they all laughed. The only ones not laughing was Stephanie and Ranger they were starring at each other the way I have seen them do before, the way I hate.

She turned and looked at me and she joined in with the guys laughing for a moment then just like that her laughter stopped and she said "Boys, It's your turn make it painful." Oh Fuck!

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You can find it all at www(dot)fanfictionstoryinfo(dot)webnode(dot)com There are playlists there for the party and songs that are mentioned through the different chapters, pictures of the characters along with their bio as I see them in my head, as they are in my story. There are pictures of some of the clothing, and places that have been in my chapter, as well as pictures of cars, trucks, motorcycles from the Rangeman compound. I hope you enjoy it! Leave a comment there as well if you wish!