"So what's up with you going offline last night. Do you know how worried about you I was," Blaze asked with an edge to his voice?
"It could not be helped, wasn't my fault," I huffed.
"Care to explain!"
"No, not now. I'm going to lunch," I said as I stood.
"Nice try, my mama is bringing food from the restaurant. So, we have plenty of time for you to bring me up to speed."
"Escobar takes all of the phones and locks them in a safe. He said it keeps everyone focused while they're on the clock," I explained.
Blaze's face collapsed in concentration as he paced the floor. "Not good Tundra."
"I'll be fine Blaze, it's alri..."
"NO, it's not alright. Without a cell phone, there is no way for me to keep a GPS location on you. What happens if you need back up? How are you going to get a call out," Blaze worried?
"Your mom is here. I'll go help her with the food," I said hoping to end the conversation.
"No, Dax knows I'm talking to you right now. He is keeping an eye out for her. You stay put while we figure this out."
"Did you send Travis the picture I texted you?"
"Yes, I did and you are going to stop trying to sidetrack me. We are talking about keeping you safe, Stephanie," Blaze scolded.
"Is it her?"
"Yeah it is her, but we will talk about that later. We need to find a way to get a man on the inside with you."
"Yeah, how are we going to that? There are some excellent investigators with impressive street connections working here. But none of these guys have any undercover experience," I complained.
" You let me worry about that," Blaze told me.
"If you don't stop babying her, Blaze. Stephanie is a big girl. She doesn't need you fretting over her all the time. You told me yourself, she good at her job, the older woman told Blaze with a smile.
"Mrs..."
"Uh uh, what did I tell you to call me, baby?"
"Hey mama, how have been," I said greeting Lorraine with a hug?
"I'm great now that I have seen you. My son is working you too hard. You don't even have time to come by the restaurant for cooking lessons anymore. "
"Stephanie will be out to get a plate later. We still have some business to discuss," Blaze, informed his mother.
" The food is hot now and those guys will eat everything if she does not get out there soon," Lorraine said dragging me out of my office. "You gonna sit here and pout or get yourself something to eat," Blaze's mama asked him over her shoulder?
"I got some phone calls to make. I'll be out later,"Blaze grumbled.
The guys had spread out the trays of food and already began to pile up their plates. I quickly filled two plates, one for me and the other for Blaze.
Lorraine, affectionately known as mama, looked at me and smiled as I carried a plate into Blaze's office. When I entered Blaze's office he was on his desk phone while texting on his cell. I held up the plate and he motioned for me to set it on his desk.
"Don't let him get to you baby," Loraine consoled me.
"The man worries too much," I sighed.
"My son is just looking out for you. He doesn't mean to be so bossy. So when are you going to stop by the restaurant again? I miss you and I need a serious girl talk session," Lorraine joked.
"Oh, I wish I could. But with this case Blaze has me working, plus I still have the office work. It feels like I'm on the job seven days a week,"I explained to Lorraine.
"Duh, you are Tundra," Blaze remarked before taking a soda out of the ices chest.
"Why do keep calling her that, boy," an annoyed Lorraine asked?
"You ever see the way she treats a man who tries to get with her? Cold, she is cold, that woman will make a grown man cry. It doesn't matter who he is or what he has. She doesn't care if he has letters behind his name or millions in the bank. If he is a man,Tundra ain't checking for him and she going to let him down hard," Blaze explained.
"Stop exaggerating. She just has not met the right man yet, tell him, Stephanie."
"Sorry, I'm off men, I'll stick to chocolate, it won't break your heart, lead you on or cheat on you," I sighed.
"Chocolate huh, Is that an invitation," Blaze flirted?
"Don't pay him any mind. He can't help himself. The boy is a shameless flirt. That's why he rides to work with you half the time. Because his player ways got women taking out their frustration on his car, "Lorraine teased.
" Mama, not in front of the staff," Blaze protested!
"Girl, I have to get back to the restaurant. When you come back, I'll tell you about the new man in my life," Lorraine smiled.
"Mama this one better not be another youngin,"Blaze said.
"Mama can't help it if your friends holla at her," Lorraine said running out the door. I had no idea how old Lorraine was, but she was gorgeous. When Blaze first introduced us ,I assumed he was joking. There was no way this woman was old enough to have a son his age even if she had been a teenage mother. Then when I thought about how Blaze was mistaken for a much younger man it made sense.
I spent the rest of the day in my office busy with paperwork. When it was time to go home Blaze was waiting for me in the parking lot.
"You know the deal. I fed you, so you work out with me," he said seriously. Blazed and I both shared a love of food. When we first met he agreed to show me his favorites restaurants, diners, and cafes if I would work out with him. I knew it was not my figure he was interested in protecting but I took him up on his offer anyway.
"I don't have my gear," I whined.
"Nice try, you know I got everything you need to suit up in your locker at the gym," Blaze told me as he opened the passenger door to his car for me.
"You spent most of the time in your office today. What was that about," I inquired?
"You, I was working on cashing in some favors I'd traded on with people who might be able to help with this case. It's too dangerous letting you go in blind like this. If something goes wrong I don't know where you are or how to get back up to you. A tracker or wire small enough to hide on you while you dance is going to be hard to come by. I called Paxton Morgan to see if he could loan us one for the FBI. The best thing to do would be to have a man go in with you. Even if I can find someone to who is up to the job, I would still have to figure out to get him in?" Blaze explained as he pulled into the parking lot of his gym.
"I'll get changed and meet you out here on the mat," I told Blaze on my way to the locker room.
"Don't take all night getting changed. I want to get you warmed up on the speed bag and then run some drills before you jump in the ring and spar."
As soon as I left the locker room Blaze had me do reps of calisthenics. When we finished there, we moved over to the speed bag.
Next, we moved on to the heavy bag to practice my combos.
"Let's see if those kicks still need work, he barked. Up, Up, higher" Blaze yelled!" "Your form is looking sloppy. Tighten up that posture," Blaze ordered.
My body was drenched in sweat by the time I had won my third sparring match. After taking off my gloves, I sat down in a chair and watched two men in the other ring spar. The fight was over quickly when the smaller man took his much larger opponent to the mat with a suplex. Soon another large fighter had joined the small man in the ring. It did not take long for the little guy to launch a series of punishing jabs and elbows to the head and face of the opposing fighter. The huge man wobbled on his feet before going down for the knockout. Every fighter in the room was mesmerized by a small man in the ring taking down men twice his size in minutes. The man was vicious and his hands were lethal. He only stood about 5"8 with rock hard abs and a lean muscular form. As he steps out of the ring and walked toward me, I recognized him.
"Hector," I squealed excitedly as I jumped into his arms.
"Hey Chica," he said with a smile
"Look who picked up some new training. I got a chance to see you in action. You handle yourself pretty well in the ring. If you hadn't taken down that guy earlier, I was going to have to jump in. He had no business coming at you like that."
"It called sparring, Hector," I laughed.
"You got a mean spinning back kick. And your take downs are smooth. That guy did not know what hit him," Hector told me unable to hide his excitement.
"What are doing here? Don't you have a gym at work?"
"Nope, Ranger is still having the mats and all the equipment installed."
"So how have you been Hector? I missed you. "
"All the guys have missed you too. Some more than others," Hector laughed.
"Meet at the locker room door and we can exchange phone numbers," I said to Hector.
Hector nodded.
After taking a shower and changing my clothes I took out my phone and waited outside the locker room door for Hector. When he approached Hector took my phone and placed a call to himself.
"There, now you have my number and I have yours. I think you hurt Lester's feelings. He has never had girl run that scam on him before. The man's ego took a hit" Hector laughed.
"I'll apologize to him when you guys come to my place for lunch this weekend. That is if you aren't busy.".
"For you, we can clear some time."
"Did I just see you give a man your number" Blaze interrupted?
"Blaze this Hector, he is a friend from Trenton. Hector this is Blaze."
"Nice to meet you, man," Blaze said as he headed for the door.
"So, I'll see you, Bobby, and Lester at my place. I'll text you about the time," I told Hector.
"What about the address," Hector asked innocently?
I gave him a smirk. "Like you don't already know it. How long has Manoso had me under surveillance?"
Hector shook his head, smiled and gave me hug before leaving.
~XOXO~XOXO~XOXO~XOXO~XOXOX~XOXO~XOXO~
Hector had sent a text to let me know that he and the guys were in route. Nervously, I paced around the kitchen.
"Girl, you are going to be too tired to open the door if keep that up," Lorraine warned.
"I just want to make sure that everything is ready when they show up. I have never had anyone over for lunch before. This is the first time I have ever cooked for them. Are you sure everything tastes alright? Does it look good, Ms. Lorraine," I rambled?
"Slow down, baby. These are your friends, relax "she said with a smile.
I smiled back at her. "Do I look Okay?"
"No," Lorraine said seriously. "You look great. Now, I have to get back to the restaurant."
"Can you just wait until they get here," I pleaded.
The doorbell rang and I jumped. Slowly, I walked over to the door and took a deep breath before opening it. Lester's large frame was slouched in the doorway. He greeted me with a smirk and a wink.
"Okay, you were right. She really does live here," Lester teased as he looked back at Hector. "I thought you might have given him a bogus address."
"Man, move out of the way," Bobby said as squeezed past, Lester.
I opened the door wider for them all to enter.
"It's been too long Bomber. Good to see you again, Steph," Bobby told me.
"Where did Hector go," I asked?
"He went back to the car to get Ranger," Lester said.
"What?"
"What is a Ranger," Lorraine asked?
The room was silent for a few minutes. Then the doorbell rang again. I looked at Lester, then Lester looked at Bobby. The bell rang again. Everyone stared at the door.
"What is wrong with everyone? You all are just gonna stand there and leave your friend outside?" Lorraine said as she opened the door. Hector had a large bakery box in his hand. All of the men burst into laughter.
"Told you she would fall for it," Bobby chuckled.
"Man you should have seen the look on her face, Hector," Lester said.
"You fell for that chica, I just went to get dessert out of the car."
"Ha ha, real funny, guys," I pouted.
"I guess I can leave now," Lorraine said.
"What the hurry sexy? You don't have to go nowhere," Lester cooed to Mrs, Lorraine.
"Why don't write your name on a napkin and she will get back to you, Les," I told him.
"That is cold, Steph."
"As much as I would love to stay here with all you fine fellas ,I really have to get back to the restaurant," Lorraine said before leaving.
Everyone had a seat at the table.
"So why don't we get this all out of the way? No, I'm not a stripper. Yes, I am working a case. No, it's not for any government agency. No, I won't discuss it. And NO you can't mention it to Ranger. Anything else you want to know."
"Who are you working for," asked Lester?
"Blaze owns a small private investigation company. This is a case his firm took on," I explained.
"So Blaze is not your man," Bobby confirmed.
"Nope, I work for him and he like a big brother to me."
"What about that other guy you went out with. Are you dating him ,Hector asked?"
" No ,I'm not dating anyone."
"So you are cool, not in any trouble. No one is stalking you," Lester quizzed ?
"Other than your cousin, no."
"Do you need any help with the case," Hector asked?
"Stop worring about me guys, I'm fine."
"Well if you need anything just let us know," Bobby said.