A/N: I want to thank all of you who have read & reviewed this story, the response is amazing. I especially want to thank my BFF, XxTartLoverxX, because without her support & encouragement, this story wouldn't have been published. The next chapter is tentatively the last one. I didn't know if any of you would be interested in reading more of my ramblings. I guess I leave it up to you all! Once again, thank you for making this an amazing experience, I can't begin to tell you what it means.
When the knock came at the door, I swallowed the lump in my throat and answered it. This was not going to be easy. Karen looked beautiful. It reminded me why I was first attracted to her. Then she opened her mouth...and it reminded me why I couldn't stand her. She kissed me on the lips and just walked right in.
"Hi baby. One of the first things you need to do is buy a house for us. I brought over some listings that we can look at. You might think they are a little expensive, but you know my needs, and I know you make good money; you can afford them." I was already getting a headache. I grabbed some Tylenol and took it.
"Sit down Karen, we need to talk about a few things." She looked at me puzzled.
"Ok, but I have an appointment to get my nails done in an hour and a half. Where's that Ellie woman? I'm kind of hungry." I rolled my eyes.
"Her name is Ella, and she's off today." She got a surprised look on her face.
"You gave the maid a day off?"
"First, she's not a maid. Second, she works for the company." Karen rolled her eyes.
"Well, we should get a maid for the house. A live in one so that she's always there when I need her." I needed to take control of this 'talk'.
"Look Karen, I'm going to talk for a few, and you need to listen; ok?" She nodded, and crossed her arms. "I plan on meeting my responsibilities to this child, and I'll be involved and be a father to him or her; but you and I are not back together. We are not going to be living together. I have a girlfriend whom I love very much." I saw shock in her eyes. I definitely saw jealousy and anger.
"But I'm having your child, baby"
"We don't have to be together, to have a child." She was definitiely not happy.
"But the baby and I need your support." I took her hand.
"You both will have my support, in every way...you just won't 'have' me." She grabbed her stomach again.
"Do you want me to lose this baby Ram? Is that what you're trying to do?"
"NO! Not at all. I'm excited about being a father. You and I both know that we don't belong together. Kat is going to be a wonderful stepmother. Just wait until you get to know her. She's amazing, and she's accepted all of this!" As soon as I mentioned Kat's name, I saw something flash in her eyes, but I couldn't figure out what it was. She narrowed her eyes at me.
"You listen, and you listen good Ram. The only way you are EVER going to see this child, is if you're with me." I didn't like her tone, and I especially don't like threats.
"I will take you to court and get visitation." She smirked at me.
"Baby, do you honestly believe a judge is going to give even partial custody to you? Look at your job and your past. No judge would let you near a child." Was she right? Am I going to have to choose between my baby and the love of my life?
LPOV
I was sitting at my desk finishing up some paperwork when Ranger called me into his office.
"You rang?" Ranger smirked at me.
"Get your game face on Santos. There's a surprise in the holding cell for us." An evil grin spread across my face.
"They found Jake?" Ranger nodded once.
"Zip and Zero picked him up at his house." I shook my head.
"What a dumb son of a bitch." Ranger nodded again, and actually smiled.
"At least he made it easy for us." We both chuckled. He clapped me on the back and we headed down to the basement. I saw Zip and Zero standing on each side of the door. "How's he doing?" The two men looked at each other and grinned, but it was Zero who answered.
"He may need a new pair of undergarments and pants. He also lost his balance and fell a few times, but other than that, he's ok...for now." Ranger and I grinned.
"Good work guys. You're dismissed, he's not going anywhere. Send Binkie and Cal down to replace you two." They nodded and headed towards the stairs. Ranger looked at me with a grin. "Ready to have some fun cuz?" I grinned back at him.
"Always." We bumped fists and he opened the door. When Jake looked up and saw the two of us, his eyes got wide. Our grins had been replaced with menacing scowls that promised retribution. I walked up to him with my arms folded across my chest. "So, you think it's ok to take what you want without consent?" He started shaking.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I just lost control for a moment. C'mon, you know how hot Kat is. Those legs go on for miles!" That was it. I punched him right in the jaw. Ranger caught him before he fell back and grabbed him by the hair to make Jake face him.
"I suggest you not speak about Kat like that. My cousin happens to be a very close friend to her, and he will not tolerate you talking about her like that. I can only hold him off for so long before he really loses it." He swallowed hard as Ranger spoke and I stared at him. "It would be in your best interest to talk to us openly and willingly." Jake was looking between the two of us.
"You can't do anything too serious. The cops will find out." The next part he muttered under his breath. "I should've just drugged her again." I saw red, and Ranger nodded to me. I grabbed his right hand and separated his fingers. CRACK.
"That's for thinking we can't do anything." CRACK. "That's for what you muttered under your breath." Jake was screaming in pain.
"What the fuck! You guys are insane!" I grinned at him.
"That may be, but right now, you're at our mercy. I advise you to answer all of Ranger's questions, or I'll break the rest of your fingers, and then move on to your other bones." His eyes got wide. "Do you understand?" He nodded his head vigorously. He looked at Ranger.
"Were you the one that slipped a roofie into her drink at that party?" He nodded. "Are you the one that sent the threatening letters?" He nodded again. "Are you the one that sent her the tarantulas and blew up the car?" Now he shook his head. I could tell he was telling the truth, but I just hated him, so...CRACK...I broke another finger.
"I'm telling you the truth. Please don't hurt me anymore!"
"Who did do those things?" Ranger had a brow raised.
"Some psycho named Karen. I don't know her last name. She just told me to keep doing what I was doing. She said that she would work on driving your boy and Kat apart." He was starting to sweat. I hope I didn't throw him into shock. "I got angry after the car bomb because I told her it could've killed Kat. When she told me that she and Ram used to date, she said that she would fake a pregnancy and then a miscarriage. She said it would keep Ram with her and drive Kat into my arms." The fucker grinned a little when he said that last sentence, and it pissed me off, so I knocked him out. I looked at Ranger.
"We need to tell Ram and Kat ASAP." Ranger got a look in his eyes.
"We need to find Kat and tell her first." I raised a brow.
"Why is that?" Ranger started to head for the door.
"Because Karen is here right now talking to Ram in his apartment. I want to find out what Kat wants to do. She's may want her own revenge." I grinned when I thought about it. Oh hell yeah, she'll want it.
We made our way up the stairs to Steph's cubicle. We found her and Kat sitting there talking. It looked like she had been crying. I put my hand on her shoulder.
"What's wrong? Did something happen?" She turned around and gave me a weak smile.
"No. I just have a bad feeling about Karen and Ram talking. Like she's going to make trouble somehow." I looked at Ranger and we both grinned.
"Well sweetheart, you're right about the trying to make trouble part. But, we can stop it." Steph and Kat both looked up at us excitedly. Ranger and I filled them in on everything that Jake had told us. The anger I saw in Kat and Steph's eyes almost made me fear for Karen's life. But then I just grinned at the two women.
We made our way down to Ram's apartment, and quietly waited outside the door. As the the door opened, we heard Karen say, "Remember, you have 24 hours to decide. Her, or the baby and I." I wanted to rip her arms off. When they both noticed us standing there, Ram looked surprised, but made introductions. the rest of us stood back.
"Kat, this is Karen. Karen this is Kat." Karen stuck her nose up, but Kat put her hand out to shake Karen's hand. Karen rolled her eyes and begrudgingly put her hand out. When Kat grabbed her hand, she pulled Karen towards her and brought her knee up, to perfectly nail Karen right in the stomach. She fell over clutching stomach and coughing.
"What the fuck you crazy bitch! I'm pregnant!" Ram looked at Kat.
"What the hell are you doing Kat! That's my baby in there!" He was bending down to help Karen when Kat grabbed his arm and pulled him back up.
"No it isn't. There isn't room for one soul in there, much less two." Karen looked up at Ram.
"Aren't you going to do something?" Steph stepped up.
"I will." Steph proceeded to kick Karen. Then Ranger and I stood her up and cuffed her. Ram was looking around not knowing what to think.
"Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on?" I looked at him.
"This skank here was pretending to be pregnant to break you two up. Jake spilled his guts." Ram's eyes turned cold and hard. "Oh, and she's also the one that sent the tarantulas and blew up the SUV." Now his eyes turned murderous.
"Get this piece of trash away from me before I kill her." We handed her off to Tank. I saw Ram turn to Kat and cradle her face in his hands.
"I'm so sorry for all of this Kitten." She smiled.
"It's not your fault Collin. I love you." He smiled.
"I love you too." He laid one helluva hot kiss on her. I had to comment.
"Take it inside you two. I'm all for you guys being together, but I don't wanna watch!" Everyone chuckled, and they walked into the apartment as they were still kissing. I shook my head. "Crazy kids."