Betrayal
Chapter 41
Rangers PoV
October 31, 2011 2330 hours
Bodie, WA
"Alpha Mike Foxtrot" Ranger speak for Adios Mother Fucker. A shot. Anderson collapsing on top of Steph. I started to run again. I seized Anderson by the collar and wrenched his lifeless body off my Babe. Throwing him to the ground, I drew my gun and shot him two times in the heart and once in the head, just to be sure. He will never ever lay a hand on my Babe again.
I sank to my knees next to Babe.
"Brown" I screamed. "Hold on, Babe. I have you. I´m sorry. I´m so sorry, Babe. I shouldn´t have played with him so much. I should have had your back. Damn it, Brown, where are you?"
With shaking hands I searched her body for the gunshot wound while I talked to her. I tried to rip the shirt apart, but it didn´t budge. I tried to cut it open with my knife, but again to no avail. So I just shoved it up and saw… no blood. Just a big bruise was forming where the bullet had hit her.
My eyes flew to her face. "How?" I can´t believe she isn´t bleeding to death right now.
"Miguel Caballero. Antiballistic clothes" she smiled at me.20
"Antiballistic clothes" She is making no sense. She wasn't wearing a vest just this shirt.
"You are not hurt?" I still don´t get it. She cupped my face with her hand.
"No I tried to tell you but you weren´t listening, too busy blaming yourself for something that wasn´t your fault. I had anticipated something like this. You should know by now that I´m always prepared. This shirt and trousers are made of a bulletproof material level 3A stops every bullet from 9mm and less up to .44 Magnum and knives to. I have those made by my own specifics with hidden pockets for guns and knives and such, ridiculously expensive."
I had no words for that piece of information other than.
"No price, Babe" And crashed my lips down on hers.
Adrenaline was still running high in my blood I was totally unaware of my surroundings. I need to see her, feel her, smell her, and taste her. The urge to reassure myself in the most primal way; that she is still alive, that we both came out alive, to reconnect with her; was so strong that I completely forgot where we were and that I almost made love to Steph in front of my men and a dead body. This was not how I planned to really ruin her for all other men how she did it ruin me for all other women in that one glorious night.
Steph wasn´t far behind. She tore my shirt apart kissing and nipping each inch of skin she could reach, scraping her nails down my back, driving me crazy with want for her. I palmed her beautiful breasts eliciting sweet moans from her. I gathered her wrists in my hand and hold them down above her head and was well on my way working her pants of her when I was wrenched back by several hands.
Rage surged thru me and I tried to fight of the attackers, it took several moments for the voice of my cousin to penetrate my lust clouded mind.
"Ricardo Carlos Manoso, damn it you can't do that now. Let Bobby have a look at Stephanie. She took a bullet to the gut even with that wonder fabric of hers she might have internal bleedings. And Bobby will take a look at you too. That was one hell of a fight and you took some good hits too."
Sanity returned to me and I looked around. Ram and Eric each holding an arm down, someone I couldn´t see sat on my legs, while Lester sat astride my chest holding my head in his hands. I blinked once, twice and nodded. Silently telling Les I´m okay now. With one last look to make sure I won´t attack again Les got up and the others vanished too. Les offered me his hand, I grabbed it and he pulled me up onto my feet.
We went back the few feet to Steph, who was lying flat on her back being picked and prodded by Bobby and not happy about it.
"Brown I´ll tell you one last time before I punch you. I am fine. Just bruises they will heal just fine all on their own. Go motherhen Ranger and then look after the guys you took out."
It seems like all facets of my Babe share the aversion for doctors and hospitals. I laughed.
"Harassing my men, Babe?"
"Pff more the other way around." She flipped me off and gave me dazzling smile. She sat up and took in my state of undress and crooked an eyebrow.
"Got a bit carried away, didn´t I?" she said not the least bit ashamed.
"Babe"
"Ah hell, you always could scramble my brain completely with the slightest touch so don´t hold me responsible for my actions. I´m pleading for temporary insanity, here." She quipped.
"Information for the enemy, Babe." I teased back. But obviously it was the wrong thing to say in a flash she was up and had my face in her hands.
"You were not, you are not, nor will you ever be my enemy, Carlos." A tear leaked out of her eye and another and another. I felt her trembling. Adrenaline crash was coming fast. It was on hell of a day. I kissed her softly and said.
"I know amante. I know." I took off her mic and earpiece and gathered her in my arms.
"Let us get some rest, Babe. It was a long day. The guys will hold down the fort for a few hours" She rested her head on my shoulder and closed her eyes. She was fast asleep before I reached the mine.
"Lester" I whispered not to wake up Steph, but before I could give any orders he cut in.
"We got it covered, cuz. We will clean up here and then catch some eye rest too. Get some sleep Carlos; you had a long day too."
"10-4" I answered. Knowing that he know what it meant. `Thank you, cuz. Love you, too, man. `
I reached the cavern and placed Steph momentarily on the remains of the air mattress. I took off my mic and earpiece. For tonight I will let Lester be in control. Tonight it´s just my Babe and me.
Gathering the sleeping bag, blanket, and some of Stephs clothes I made us a makeshift bed. I rolled her clothes together as a pillow and placed the sleeping bag on the mattress, I lay down and draped Steph on top of me and covered us with the blanket.
Being shirtless didn´t bother me in the slightest, the propane burner still ran and it was comfortably warm and I have slept in much worse places and under much worse conditions.
"Sleep, Babe. I will watch over you. Te amo, amante." With a last kiss to her temple I closed my eyes and dreamed of a future with my Babe.
All was well.
Right?
FIN
20 The clothes are real as is Miguel Caballero. For more precise information google it. The level 3A is taken form the requirements for Kevlar. I found this on a German website who sells antiballistic clothes. If those are designed by I don´t know they weren´t very forthcoming with information about how it works, who designed it, the precise fabric, price or anything. *huff* So, I tweaked the specifics and everything a bit to make it fit better into the story.
That's it the End of Betrayal!
What a ride it has been...
When I first got the idea for it and began to write I planned Betrayal to be about 20 chapters long and with a totally different end…..Yeah so much for that. Thanks to all of you amazing Reviews, your ideas, your encouragement, your greed for more….
Love Bea