Chapter 4
"Are you sure that hiring Rangeman was a good idea?" Morelli asked for the hundredth time since Ranger and Stephanie left. Frank sighed.
"Yes, Morelli, it was. Stephanie will not take an SS agent. Ranger has experience with personal security, and he knows how to keep himself out of danger, which will keep my daughter safe. But we do need to talk."
Frank sits on the chair behind Juniak's desk as Juniak sits to his right. Joe is left to sit on the opposite side.
"You are being reassigned to the detail for the Speaker of the House. You are off First Family detail."
"But why?"
"Do you need to ask me that? I am done with the games you are playing with Stephanie. You claim to her, to me, to Ellen, to your family, to the Burg that you love her and want to marry her, but every chance you get, you're sticking your dick into someone else. You have no respect for my daughter. She does not deserve a man who cannot be faithful. With the number of young women you have fucked, how can I know you are healthy?"
Morelli was flabbergasted. He didn't think the President knew about all his transgressions. He has a high libido and needs to be satisfied. With Stephanie on the road more than home, how else can he relieve his needs? "But we are engaged to be engaged."
"What the fuck does that mean? How can you be "engaged to be engaged?" You are either engaged, or you are not. Considering that you have never had the decency to ask my permission for my daughter's hand, what makes you think I approve?"
"Mrs. Plum approves of us."
"And my dear wife is dying of pancreatic cancer and is only looking for what will make her happy, not her daughter. She does not know about your side pieces. If she did, she would kick your ass to the curb. However, I do not want to hurt her like that, so I keep her in the dark. The only reason why she approves of you and Stephanie is because she thinks Stephanie is happy with you."
"She is! We get along great!"
Juniak was sitting there, shaking his head. How can Morelli be such an asshole? Stephanie is miserable; that's why they keep breaking up.
"Why are you and Stephanie not currently "on"?"
Morelli pauses, not wanting to admit why, though he know the President has the answer already. "She got annoyed because she heard I had sex with another woman."
"A maid in a hotel, who was on duty and only 19. It would be best if you were fired. If it weren't for your grandmother being my Godmother, your ass would be unemployed. Do you realize you never stay "on" more than two months? That you spend more time broken up than dating? Morelli, my daughter doesn't love you but feels misplaced loyalty to ensure her mother's happiness before she dies. I will not allow Stephanie to make the biggest mistake of her life and marry you. I need to put space between you and Stephanie for your well-being. Joseph, you want a woman who will be content to have your children and care for you. I had that with Ellen, and Joe has that with Elisa. But Stephanie is not that type of woman. She wants to be a mother someday and have a husband, but she doesn't want her life to revolve around her house in the Burg. She loves her career and wants to see how far she can go. I want that for my daughter."
Morelli leaned back in the chair, defeated. He couldn't lose Stephanie, not now, not ever! He never thought that Frank would go with Rangeman. He thought the file would be thrown away when he couldn't find any information about them. He still doesn't understand why Frank hired Ranger. "Why Rangeman? There's nothing on any of those men. How do you know you can trust them?"
Frank shook his head, reflecting on the history between Joseph and Stephanie. He knows, deep down, that Morelli loves Stephanie. But, he never had someone to show him how loving a woman looked. His father was an abuser, cheating on his mother almost daily and beating her when he felt like it. He filled Joseph's head with ideas about how a man needed to have lots of notches to be a "real man" and that Joseph needed to fuck as many women as possible. He was a player, starting at the age of fourteen, but when he was a senior, my Pumpkin caught his eye. When he asked her to his prom, I ensured he knew that Stephanie would not be used, nor was she a notch in his belt. To his credit, he treated her respectfully and honorably. They dated exclusively for about a year.
That all changed when Joseph joined the Navy. Being away from Trenton and the Burg gave him a freedom he never knew. When he returned after basic, he broke up with Stephanie, told her he couldn't be faithful to her and that she would be better off dating other men. She was heartbroken. That was when our relationship became what it is today. She cried in my arms, her dreams up in smoke. She thought Joseph was the love of her life. She had dreams of marrying him and being a Navy wife, moving around the country, and living away from the constraints of the Burg and our backward community. I was the Mayor then and starting to make a name for myself nationally. I encouraged her to go to college and to do something that made her happy. I taught her the value of being independent. She latched on to my words and put all her effort into schooling. When she graduated, she got a job with one of the top advertising agencies in the world.
By that point, I was the junior Senator from New Jersey. As my reelection campaign started, Stephanie quit her job to work for me full-time. She is the reason I won. When I decided to run for the White House mid-term, she once again led my media team. I'd still be in New Jersey if it weren't for Stephanie.
Meanwhile, Joseph sowed his oats through his first two tours. After a pregnancy scare, he stopped screwing everyone with tits. He did well in the Navy and considered becoming a SEAL. That changed when the girl who thought she was pregnant ran him over with her car. His leg was broken in three spots, shattering his SEAL dreams. He worked hard to regain his full mobility and joined the Secret Service after they had a recruitment event with the Navy. He was a good shot, not quite sniper, but better than average. He took the written test and passed the physical, becoming a Secret Service Agent. Ellen was uncomfortable with our original team and requested Joseph because she knew him. So, he became part of my team when I was a Senator.
At first, Stephanie wanted nothing to do with the man who broke her heart so many years ago. But, over time, they became friends again and then lovers. I am almost sure Joseph is the only one my Pumpkin has been with, but I can't say the same for him. Even though a part of Steph's heart belongs to Morelli, she can't let him have it again. She is afraid he'll abandon her again. Ellen was so happy when they got together because she knew that Stephanie was devastated by their breakup. She doesn't understand that Stephanie has moved on.
Stephanie and Ellen have a decent relationship. Ellen doesn't understand why Steph doesn't want to be a housewife and mother like her and Valerie, but she respects her desire to have a career. She wants to see Stephanie married because, in her mind, marriage means security. I don't even think that Ellen wants her with Joseph, per se, but since Stephanie has never brought another man home, Ellen feels that is whom Steph wants. I think, deep down, that Stephanie is ready to call it quits with Morelli for good but is afraid she'll disappoint Ellen. The last thing Steph wants is to make Ellen sad on her deathbed.
I am brought back to the present by Joseph, "Mr. President, Sir, why Ranger and Rangeman?"
I don't need to explain why I do anything to Joseph, so my explanation is curt, "Because he is the best and will protect my daughter at all costs."
"Agent Morelli, you know how Stephanie is; you know how she hates to be cornered and manipulated. Do you think anyone in the SS can handle her when she gets in one of her moods?" asked Juniak.
"Honestly, no. I can't even make her do something she doesn't want."
"Which is why I hired Rangeman. Joseph, you are too close to the family, and that familiarity is clouding your judgment at this time. You are thinking with your heart, not your brain. That is why you are reassigned. The reassignment will take place once we return to DC."
Accepting defeat, Morelli says, "Yes, Sir."
As the Turbo came to life, Stephanie closed her eyes. She always loved high-power sports cars but has never wanted to splurge on one. When she was working for the ad agency, she was living in New York City, Central Park West, to be exact. There was no need for a car when subways, Ubers, and buses were readily available. Then, when she quit working for her father's campaign, she had transportation provided by staffers or the Secret Service. So, instead, she purchased a practical, safe Lexus SUV. She would have bought a Toyota, but the image of the first daughter driving a Toyota wouldn't fit. She wasn't young enough to pull it off. She often takes her nieces out, so having an SUV was practical. It also helped her when she was traveling between DC and Jersey.
"I love this car."
"So do I," said Ranger in reply.
Stephanie blushed, as she didn't mean to say that aloud. She opened her eyes and looked at her surroundings. "You will learn the filter between my brain and my mouth is sometimes broken. Please disregard those comments. Oh, Taco Bell is two blocks away. Let's go through the drive-thru."
"Absolutely not. I will not eat those taco imposters. If someone put one on their counter, Taco Bell wouldn't know a real taco."
"You said we can get tacos."
"That I did, and you will have tacos, authentic ones. Tacos made with real meat and vegetables. Not processed crap."
"But that processed crap tastes good."
"Babe."
"What is up with you and "Babe?" Why do you call me that?" Stephanie said, perplexed.
That was a good question. Ranger had no idea why he called her 'Babe' other than it seemed to fit her. He never gave women pet names. Hell, his ex-wife was never anything other than Rachel, but then again, she is a bitch. "I don't know. It fits you. If you mind, I won't call you that."
Stephanie thought about it for a few moments. She liked the way it sounded when he said, 'Babe.' It made her feel sexy, beautiful, and desired. Better than 'Cupcake.' "No, I don't mind, but I guess just leave it for when we are alone, okay Carlos?" she said, rolling her 'r.'
After a moment's silence, they rode past the Tasty Pastry. "Ooo, we need to stop there tomorrow. I need my breakfast of champions."
"What's that?" Ranger asked, afraid of what her answer might be.
"Three Boston Crème donuts, of course. Please tell me you eat donuts."
Ranger felt his blood clogging at the mere thought of eating a donut. "No, I don't. I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, lean meats, fish, rice, and pasta in moderation."
"Body a temple, huh?"
"Yes, it is. I don't expect you to understand, but keeping myself in peak physical condition is highly important in my work. Gaining five pounds can mean the difference between getting to safety and getting killed. I work out at least an hour every day."
Stephanie was shocked. How could someone not eat donuts. Deserts and fast food were the base of her food pyramid. "Oh boy, eating together will be fun."
"Why, what do you like?"
"Well, for starters, meatball subs, cake, cookies, pies, fast food, and lasagna. I rarely eat veggies, but I eat fruit two or three times a week."
Ranger glanced at his passenger and had difficulty believing she ate like that and didn't weigh over two hundred pounds. "Okay, I will show you that eating healthy is not horrible. I will let you eat your processed food, but you must promise to be more health conscious. I promise that your future self will thank you."
"I guess that's fine as long as it's not twigs and bark."
Soon they were pulling up in front of her apartment building. "How did you know where I lived?"
"It was in your file, and I put it in my GPS."
Stephanie rolled her eyes. Dumb fucking question to ask. "Um, you can wait for me here while I pack my bag," she said, hoping to get off quickly before she lost her chance.
"No can do, Steph."
"Fine." She said as she got out of the car and slammed the door. She started to walk briskly to her building and shut the elevator door in Ranger's face. That'll show him. When the elevator opened, an angry Ranger stood before her. "Don't ever do that again."
Stephanie once again rolled her eyes and moved past him to her apartment door. He requested her keys, and she handed them over. He unlocked the door, then suddenly pushed her to the side, landing on her as she heard a loud bang.
