CHAPTER 3
The next day, I found myself unsure as to what I had gotten myself into when the three of us pulled up in front of a large warehouse that seen better days. The sun faded, blue paint was peeling in places and a few rust spots showed on the metal siding where screws had fallen out or broken over the years since it's construction.
Ram hopped out of the truck leaving Vince to slide into the driver's seat. "Wait? What are you doing?" I asked, perplexed as to what was happening.
"He's going to slide the door open for us. It's okay Mama." His voice soothed my anxiety at the thought of Ram being out where he was exposed like he was. I watched as he jogged up to the huge sliding door and unlocked it before it slid to the left, allowing us access. Vince drove through the entryway and stopped in the near darkness once the door slid back into place.
I shielded my eyes when harsh overhead lights flickered on, revealing a treasure trove of vehicles filling the entire building. "Welcome to Rangeman's vehicle storage. Look over there... that's what we're taking on the trip." My eyes fanned over the vast array of cars and trucks to find Ram opening and climbing into one of the largest Motorhome Buses I had ever seen.
"What in God's name...?"
"Say hello to Big Bertha. Well, we like to call her Bertie for short."
Bertie was a massive Class A Motor Coach. 40 feet long, 11 feet wide and painted in a sweeping swirl of blues and silvers running the entire length of the vehicle. She looked brand new, still having the blue tinted window film on the front windshield. Ram cranked it over and I could feel the diesel engine rumbling as she idled, warming up. He quickly removed the protective window film and gave me a giant grin and small wave through the massive front windshield.
"She'll keep us safe. She's got A/C, central heating, dishwasher, washing machine and dryer, massive kitchen, tons of storage, on demand water heater, huge bathroom and comfortable beds. We can boondock for over a week if we need to and there's even a couple of special safety features if it's ever necessary." He pointed to a couple of tubes pointed to the ground under the frame. "The entire coach is made with reinforced steel and in the event of high winds, we can pin ourselves to the ground to keep us from flying away. Plus, there's hurricane glass, rated for impacts up to 200 miles per hour."
My jaw dropped and I wasn't sure I wanted to know why Bertie had all this extra hardware. Vince began to grab Rex's things, "Let's grab your things and load up into Bertie. We'll leave this truck here and get it when we get back." I soon followed suit and we had all the bags and things loaded into Bertie in no time flat.
Loading up Bertie at the house, was an adventure. Vince left to go grocery shopping while Ram and I loaded the luggage and bedding we need for the trip. I was in awe as I explored inside Bertie. The couches were buttery soft leather, mood lights ran the entire length of the ceiling, giving off a soft glow. The bathroom was larger than the one I had at my apartment. I was certainly jealous. The master bedroom was magnificent, with its combination of greens and browns giving it a woodsy feel. The king-sized bed was just the right firmness, allowing me to sink an inch or so before cocooning me perfectly. It was heaven and I didn't want to move but Ram's laughter made me give up the comfortable spot and follow him back inside his house.
"We just have a few things to do before we head out tonight. We'll eat on the road tonight; I've got a special spot picked out for our first stop." He grinned and wrapped me in a hug. "I'm so glad you decided to go with us, Angel Honey. I know you'll have fun and be able to relax. Lord knows you need it."
Vince returned an hour and a half later, his car fully loaded down with groceries and dry goods we'd need. It took us nearly as long to put everything away, seeing as we had extra storage in Bertie's belly for extra-large items like the massive amount of paper towels and toilet paper, we slid in next to a set of bicycles stored in the same bay. I imagined flying down a mountain road on one of the bikes and wondered if the guys would let me ride one during the trip.
Finally, we loaded the perishables from the house into Bertie, leaving nothing left to pack. I latched the fridge door shut and gave the the men in front of me a loony smile. "We're ready?"
"We're ready. Let's lock up and hit the road." Ten minutes later we were pulling onto the road, headed out of New Jersey.
Ram pulled us over somewhere in the middle of Pennsylvania, at a busy rest stop so we could visit the restrooms and we could scarf down our dinner. We pulled into the extra-long spaces, leaving Bertie to idle as Vince and I practically ran to the bathrooms. Ram followed a few minutes later after I returned to find Vince beginning to put together dinner. Twenty minutes later we sat down to a complete meal of pasta, Vince's bolognese, garlic bread and antipasto. I couldn't stop the moans from escaping as I ate Vince's wonderful bolognese. I literally could not help myself! Both men shifted here and there, trying to make themselves more comfortable.
After quickly devouring our dinner, I wiped the dished with paper towels and nested them into the sink until I could wash them in the morning. We hit the road once again, the gentle side to side sway of Bertie lulled me to sleep. I felt us slow down and come to an idle a few hours later when we pulled into another rest stop much further than before. We had driven all the way past Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and were staying here for a few hours so Ram could get a little shut eyes before we headed to our first destination in Ohio.
The first campground was absolutely breathtaking. Nestled in the Appalachian Mountains, our pull through spot was surrounded by hardwood trees overlooking a tranquil lake brimming with wildlife. We had pulled into the area after spending the day driving the backroads, enjoying the views. I, myself, spent most of the time sleeping, watching Rex running on his wheel and looking out the window.
We pulled in, Ram hit the self-leveler and the set Bertie up for the next two days. Watching the guys set up was an eye-opening experience for someone who had never been camping much in her life, let alone in a motorhome. They moved with such grace and efficiency; it was mesmerizing. The awning came out, the three pop outs came out, matching chairs and woven mat set out and a cute little set of string lights with novelty shotgun shells as light covers. It fit Ram perfectly.
I told the guys I'd be back in a little while and decided to check the place out. I walked along the roadway past different camp sites, most people called out a warm greeting or raised a hand in hello. My heart warmed at the thought of how friendly and close-knit the camping community seemed to be. My meandering brought me down to the water's edge where I found myself casting stones across the water's surface, skipping them like when I was a kid.
"Not too bad of a throw there, Missy." An older gentleman with a warm smile and shock white hair walked next to me, handing me a handful of flattened stones. "These might work a bit better than those round ones."
"Thanks." I threw the first one and it skipped considerably more.
"Name's Mac. First time here?" He matched me throw for throw, though his made it so much farther than mine ever did.
"Stephanie. Yeah, first time in Ohio. I haven't been camping in over twenty years. My friends and I are on vacation to get away from the work. It's kinda tense at times and some down time was sorely needed."
"I'm guessin' you're with the two big guys in the motorcoach?"
"Yes, Sir."
"Beautiful coach." He tossed the last of the stones in one fell swoop and turned to me with a soft smile. "Well, if you need anything, just head on over to the host site. I'm parked in the very first spot as you come in."
"Thanks Mac. Have a great day." The next hour was spent exploring the shoreline, the swim area, the little general store and the picnic areas near the playground. I bought myself an ice cream cone and sat on one of the swings enjoying the peace and quiet while finishing the cool creamy treat.
Unable to stop myself, I began to think my way through my feelings about my kidnapping by Ranger. It worried me to think that for years, I allowed Ranger to decide how I was going to be kept safe when things went crazy. I mean, at first it was comforting, and I was thankful that he kept me safe. But things changed slowly over time. He stopped including me in the planning stages. I wanted to know what was going on but was increasingly put off and ignored. It culminated in this last incident. Though, to be totally honest, I was complicit in the situation I had found myself in. I had allowed him to slowly take over my life. I just sat back and let him do as he pleased.
In reality, I was no better than he was. I gave up my independence, though normally, it was one of the most important things I held so dear. I didn't honestly give a damn how he felt when I needed protection. I just blindly accepted it, no questions asked, no fucks given. Until I realized, I was no longer a participant in my own life anymore. I had handed over all the power to a man who honestly, didn't care about me or my feelings. I can't believe I had been so stupid.
Speaking of stupid. How the hell had I fallen for Ranger as badly as I had? I knew he didn't do relationships and I didn't believe him. How stupid was I?! My heart broke when he sent me back to Morelli repeatedly. I think, I finally realized I was over my infatuation with Ranger the moment he kidnapped me. I just no longer loved him like I once did. I think I'd always have some type of feelings for him, but not like I used to. Not anymore.
A thought niggled at the back of my mind before I couldn't help it and had to address it before I could move on. Was I doing the same with Ram and Vince? Was I allowing them to lead me while I just blindly sat back accepting things as they came? I would have to have a talk with them and let them know how I felt I needed to be included in the planning and decisions on this trip if they wanted me to stay. If not, I could always rent a car somewhere and drive back home.
Satisfied with the progress I had made today, I relaxed and allowed my thoughts to drift enjoying the gentle breeze blowing through the trees, the dappled sunlight playing on the ground and the sound of the birds calling from the trees. I had missed being in a place where I could escape the cacophony of city life and enjoy the sounds of nature.
I texted my dad and grandma letting them know I was okay, and I would check in via text every couple of days. Asking them not to share my new number with my mother, I then told them I loved them before slipping the phone back into my pocket.
A while later, I felt strong hands begin to push me on the swing as a second someone sat on the other swing and kicked off, beginning to pump our legs. A joyful laugh bubbled from my lips; happy I was joined by the guys.
"Last time I was on a swing, I stupidly jumped off and broke both of my arms when I was six." Vince shared going significantly higher than I had figured he would. With a wicked grin and a wink, he launched himself out of the swing at the apex, flying through the air in a massive arc, coming to land in a three-point stance much like Iron Man. Holy hell that was hot! As a connoisseur of all things Marvel, and an avid admirer of all things Iron Man, my lady bits clenched hard, as I was quickly turned on by Vince's feat of strength and agility. Vince stood tall, a cheesy grin on his face as he dusted himself off.
As my swing came to an abrupt stop, Ram's warm breath brushed past my ear making me clench all over again, complete with a whole-body shiver. "If you think that was hot, wait until you get a load of me later on, Angel." Oh, God. I gotta stop talking out loud like that. After an almost orgasm, my nipples had contracted into stiff peaks, causing me to cross my arms over my chest to attempt to hide the fact they were nearly poking through my shirt by now.
"Ohhh, God." I whispered, rising to my feet, I feebly glanced around for something to change the subject to. Finding nothing, I blurted out the first thing I could think of. "Wanna go for a run?" What?! What am I saying? I don't run! "I mean you guys run. I'll ride a bike along side you. You can't slack off while on vacation. Gotta keep yourselves in shape. Quarterlies are coming up." I supplied, giving myself a pat on the back.
"Good idea, Mama. I was getting kinda twitchy. Gotta get my excess energy out somehow."
"Yeah. I like getting all hot and sweaty then cooling off in the shower afterwards. Do you like a good cool shower after working up a good sweat, Angel?" A low keening moan escaped my lips before I darted off to Bertie, intent on changing my panties quickly before heading out to ride alongside the guys on their run.
Ram turned to Vince a sneaky grin on his face. "Dude, you sure things between her and the boss are over for good?"
"After what he just did? Yeah. I'd bet my left nut." The guys both tilted their heads to watch Steph run like hell back to Bertie.
"Morelli?"
"Broke up with the douche five months ago. He was banging Grizolli's niece, Teri Gillman."
"S'pose one of us comforted her in her time of need?"
"After the reaction I got to that jump, I'm thinking she needs a good man in her life."
"S'pose she does." Ram smirked, his mind whirling with ideas of how to make her his.
"Gotta talk to her first. Confirm she's over Bossman and Douchewad."
