She owned a condo. Hector found the address and I had been staking out the area over the past few days. Monitoring the times she went to work and came home had been fairly easy. Picking up on the fact that she was also working a 9-5 somewhere else was not hard. Still, we had not been able to find the name of the company. Stephanie had to be working off the books or doing something that was less than legal. Since Babe had been so good at spotting at a tail, following her to she where she went was not an option. The tracking device had just come in and I was eager for Hector to install it on her car. This would have to be done sometime in the middle of the night.

Martinez had started his on the job orientation. Now that Bobby and Hector were around, they could get him acclimated with the way Rangeman was supposed to run. Marcus seemed to get along well the guys and he proved himself to be a fast learner.

"Oh wee, what happen to your face, man? That looks like a nasty bruise," Bobby said as Marcus entered the control room.

"A fight broke out at the strip club. Crazy dancer got in the way and I took one to a jaw," Martenez explained.

Worry flooded my mind when he said those words. Marcus had referred Stephanie that way before. Was she alright? I needed to find out what happened and if my Babe was safe.

"What do you mean she got in the way,"I probed?

"Yeah, and why didn't you just move her out of the way and then break up the fight," Lester asked?

"Because she was part of it. This chic was going toe to toe with a man. I was trying to separate them and keep her from getting hurt. She was wilding out, fighting to get back to him. It was crazy! I never saw anything like that before. The woman did not even call for help when he hit her the first time. By the time I was able to get through the crowd he had hit had again! This crazy chick is bruised, bleeding but still wants to fight! And the Rapper, don't want to back down either. Pure chaos. I told you that woman is a hand full," Marcus said.

For a minute my body forgot how to breathe. The oxygen was trapped in my lungs and I could not remember how to exhale. My pulse rate skyrocketed and pain exploded in my head. When I opened my mouth to speak I realized I was clenching my jaw. I had my fist balled so tightly that they were numb.

"Is she alright," the words came out in a harsh whisper!

"She got a shiner, a bloody lip, and a few bruises. But she held her own. That girl can take a punch," Martenez replied.

"She sounds like a trouble maker," Bobby added.

"Not really, more like a magnet for trouble. The crazy thing is you can't help but feel sorry for her. I planned on telling her just how out of line her behavior was. Instead, I took one look at her and caved. She was standing there dwarfed in my co-worker's T shirt. Her hair was a wild mess and she had makeup running down her face. I felt so bad for her I ended up driving her home," Marcus declared.

I felt my chest tighten as the room suddenly felt too small. On wobbly legs, I rushed into my office. The door slammed so hard behind me the walls shook. A few minutes later Lester entered. He slouched down in the chair next to my desk.

"He's talking about beautiful isn't he," Lester exhaled.

I nodded quietly.

"Does he know about your history with Stephanie?"

I gave another silent nod.

"Are you planning on telling him, Santos" asked?

"Eventually, I'll let him know."

"But you are planning on pumping the man for information about her right now ,huh."

"Hey Lester, don't tell Hector about this. Bobby and Hal don't know about her job. Keep it that way."

Before Lester could reply, Bobby was knocking on my door. "Hey, Ranger, you alright man? The color completely drained out of your face. Are you feeling Okay?"

"Low blood sugar, I need to get something to eat."

~XO~XO~XO~XO~XO~XO~XO~XO~XO~XO~XO~XO~XO~XO~XO~XO~

It took more than a week to be able to install the tracking device on Stephanie's car. Today Hector would monitor the vehicle coordinates from his computer while I had a man following her. He was a Miami employee ,someone I knew she would not recognize. Dressing in plain clothes and driving a rental car would help him to blend in. If Stephanie spotted the tail he could simple say he was a lost tourist.

Hector knocked on my door.

"Enter."

"We got a location on her. Looks like she's at a local restaurant. I'm checking to see if they have any close circuit cameras I can hack into. Riley is en route now. He is going try to get some surveillance photos for you Boss." Hector explained.

Three hours later I had nothing from Hector. When I found him in the control room he was lounging causally in a chair looking at pictures on one of the monitors.

"Report" I barked.

"They did not have any close circuit cameras. I'm going over the footage Riley sent over right now," Hector said pointing to the screen.

I watched photos of my Babe having lunch with a mystery man. The glint in her eyes told me she was having a good time. I took in the playful smirk Stephanie was throwing in his direction and jealousy griped my heart. Something twisted painfully in chest and my breath hitched in my lungs when I saw my Babe feeding this man from her folk.

"Who is he" I whispered?

"Don't know. I ran his license plate, but the car is registered to an entertainment corporation. As soon as I send this photo, Silvio is going to have the Miami office run it through facial recognition."

Marcus walked in and his face formed and instant scowl when he notice the picture on the monitor.

"You know him ," I asked ?

"Something like that," Martinez huffed.

"What's that supposed to mean? What kind of answer is that," Hector complained , while giving Marcus his best you must be stupid look. He did not bother to hide the annoyance in his voice.

"Hey, man I don't know you like that , don't come at me," Martinez said.

"You ain't gotta know me. The question was do you know that man?" Hector hissed as he pointed at the screen.

"What's wrong with him? He got short man syndrome or something," Marcus joked.

"Ranger, you better tell him," Hector warned. His tone was playful but his glare was lethal.

I shook my head at Marcus. "What do know about him."

"The man is a pimp."

"A what?"

"He brokers in women. Makes real good money at too."

"How do you know this" I asked ?

"He hires bodyguards , wanted me to work for him. When I found out what he was into, I told the man no thanks."

"What else can you tell me about the guy?"

"Why are asking" Marcus said suspiciously?

"We have him under surveillance for a client. A lady friend of his appears to be seeing him." Hector raised an eyebrow at me when I made the statement.

"That's not good" Martinez sighed.

"Yeah, well your favorite trouble maker seems to be hanging out with him too." I sat back and watched his reaction.

Marcus looked at the wall then to me. He said some colorful things under his breath ,then sent the trash can sailing across the room with one kick.

"Sorry man. Look, I gotta make a run. I'll be back," Marcus told me before he hurried out the door.

"Hector."

"I'm on it. He just left in his fleet Vehicle," Hector said as he scoped Martinez on the monitors. "I'v got him on the GPS right now."

After pin pointing a location on Martinez, I went to see where is was in such a hurry to get too. The building was just a nondescript single story office. I hung back in the parking lot and waited for him to leave. When Marcus came out he was alone. I needed to wait for a few minutes before I could go back to the office so Marcus would not know I was tracking him. Before I could drive away I saw Stephanie's car swing into the lot and park. There was a bounce in her step as she exited the car. She was laughing as she chatted with the woman in the passenger seat. Her mood was cheerful and upbeat. This was the girl who had stolen my heart back in Trenton. I watched as the two women playfully argued over who was going to carry in several trays of food.

"I got this girl," the woman in her late forties said. She had and amazing figure , and flawless chocolate colored skin. The lady was gorgeous. "Just get my bag."

This seemed like a good time try to talk to Steph, Warn her about the new man in her life. Let her know that he was dangerous. When I approached the expression her face told me I had been wrong.

"You are ridiculous Manoso."

"Babe , I just need a minute to talk to you , Then I'll be on my way."

"Stop calling me that and stop tailing me !" she yelled before storming off.

I jogged after Stephanie grabbing a hand full of her T shirt , pulling her against my body.

"LET GO OF ME ,LET GO OF ME " she screamed as she punched me in the chest with both fist. Before she had the chance to land the shot to my groin with her knee, I picked Stephanie up and pressed against the car. Then I rested my head against hers and kissed Stephanie. All the fight drained out of her as she curled her fingers into my T shirt. Stephanie's body melted into mine when our tongues touched. Then she let out a soft whimper.

"Now do I have your attention Babe?" I whispers against her ear.

Stephanie looked up at me in a daze. She shook her head in an attempt to clear the fog and stormed off on wobble legs. Before she could get away I caught her by the elbow.

"Get off of me, Ranger, get off," she yelled!

6 feet and three inches of solid muscle exploded through the front door, then stormed over.

"Get your hands off Tundra!"he growled.

"Who?"

The larger angry man pried Stephanie from my grip.

"Who is this ,your man. Is that why you can't give me a minute to talk to you," I hissed!

"It don't matter who I am. All you need to know is that if you ever manhandle her like that again I'm gonna be the one whupping your butt!"

This man was fiercely protective of my Babe, a fact that I could not help but to resent. Who did this guy think he was , running interference between me and Stephanie. He needed to take himself back inside.

"This is between me and Stephanie. It does not concern you mister!"

Every emotion in this man's body was now emitting an ominous warning that he was not to be taken lightly. His stance was loaded with aggression. Hostility was reflected in his eye.

"That's where you'er wrong. You keep playing with me and upsetting her, I am going to show just how wrong you are ," The muscle bond man snarled.

I looked at Babe , "Can you just listen to me for minute ?"

"You need to go, Manoso" she replied.

"Not yet Babe," I whispered.

"Man you must be either stupid or crazy ," the guy growled as he stepped into my airway. I felt hot breath on my face,his chested bumped mine as the man further encroached on my physical space.

With both hands I shoved him. This sent him flying a couple of feet in the opposite direction right into Stephanie. Concern flashed in his eyes as he swooped up Stephanie from the ground and dusted her off. Then he came charging in my direction.

"NO,NO,NO! Stop! Please don't hurt him, Please don't hurt him," Stephanie pleaded. Her voice was a shrill. "I'm not hurt, the man's not worth it. You don't wanna do this Blaze."

It took me a minute to realize she was talking to him not me. Stephanie had wrapped herself around one of his large biceps in an attempt to restrain the man".

"Blaze no. Come on, your mama is inside."

"Ranger" she snapped! Then she pointed to my vehicle. I gave her a look of confusion before driving away.

The woman must have bumped her head when she fell. What was she talking about telling that man not to hurt me. Yeah Babe was definitely confused.

Marcus was waiting for me in my office when I returned.

"Sorry about that. I had to see a guy I know who always has his ear to the street. He gave me some serious intel on the man you're looking at."