Stephanie was losing her mind. She didn't like feeling stuck inside the apartment. Carlos was in his office fielding client calls. "I've been here for a week," Stephanie whined to Hector. "I need something to keep me busy."
"Do you trust me?" Hector asked. Stephanie smiled at her new friend. The tattoo under his eye screamed danger, and the gang tattoo on his neck slightly intimidated her, but Stephanie knew Hector was a kind and gentle man. He was also gay.
"Yup," she replied. Stephanie watched as Hector slid off the bed and left her bedroom. Hector returned a few minutes later. He waved a letter-sized piece of paper to dry the ink. "What did you do?"
Hector passed Stephanie the photograph. "It's Joseph Morelli," Hector announced. Stephanie raised her eyebrows, wondering why Hector handed her a picture. "Watch." He closed the bedroom door, then taped the photo on the back. Hector climbed back onto the bed.
"What are we doing?" Stephanie asked. Hector removed a knife from his pocket. He unsheathed the blade from its leather holster and gave it to Stephanie.
"Throw it," Hector said, pointing to the photograph. Stephanie grinned. She asked Hector to show her how to aim the weapon. Hector held her hand after placing the blade between her forefinger and thumb. "Flick your wrist." Hector showed her the motion before letting her release the knife. It took several wide throws before Stephanie got the hang of it.
Carlos entered his apartment. The bedroom door was closed. He heard a thwap against the door, followed by Stephanie's squeal of delight. Hector encouraged Stephanie to repeat the throw. "Babe?" Carlos asked through the closed door.
"Shit," Stephanie replied. "It's safe, Ranger." Carlos slowly opened the door.
"Babe?" he asked.
"Hector was teaching me," Stephanie replied. "Close the door." Carlos raised an eyebrow, then followed his wife's instruction. A laugh escaped his lips before he could control the reaction.
An image of Joseph Morelli's face was attached to the back of the door with duct tape. A knife stuck from each eye, the nose and the throat. Carlos pointed to the neck. "Was that intentional?" he asked.
Stephanie nodded. "I'm sorry about the wall and door," she whispered. Carlos noticed the knife stabs in the wood and holes in the wall. "I was bored. Hector wanted to show me a new skill." Carlos approached Stephanie. He kissed her passionately, showing her how much he loved Hector teaching her how to throw knives. "Are you mad?" she asked, whispering the question.
"No, Babe. I'll hang a board on the door for you to continue practicing until you can visit the gun range," Carlos replied.
"Really?" Stephanie excitedly asked. Hector laughed. He climbed from the bed to retrieve his knives. "Oh. Are you leaving, Hector?"
"Yes. I have a shift in twenty minutes," Hector replied. Stephanie reached for his hand. Hector moved closer for Stephanie to hug him.
"Thank you. We'll practice again tomorrow," Stephanie said. Hector promised to get Stephanie her own set of knives.
Carlos walked Hector to the door. "How was she today?" Carlos asked.
"Stephanie's ready to move around the apartment. She walked to the washroom without assistance. Stephanie's appetite returned. She ate the sub and dessert," Hector replied. Carlos breathed a sigh of relief. Stephanie ate the meatball subs the men provided a few times that week, but she barely ate anything else. Hearing that she ate the dessert made him happy.
"How was your day?" Stephanie asked when Carlos entered the bedroom.
"Not as exciting as yours," Carlos replied, then removed the picture from his door. He dropped the crumpled photograph into the trash can beside the door. "I'll get Tank to print a larger image to give you more targets."
Stephanie grinned, "Thanks. I want to see if I can hit a nostril. You appear to have news to share. Can we sit on the couch?"
Carlos scooped Stephanie from the bed and carried her to the couch. He sat with her on his lap. "Is this what you had in mind?" Carlos asked.
"Nope, but I'm not going to complain," she replied. "I needed a change of scenery."
Stephanie patiently waited for Carlos to share the news. "Jeanne Ellen signed with Rangeman," Carlos said. Stephanie furrowed her brows, wondering why Jeanne Ellen changed her mind about working for her brother.
"What happened?" Stephanie asked.
"Joseph Morelli got fired from the precinct. He started working for Les Sebring," Carlos replied. "Sebring partnered Morelli with Jeanne Ellen."
"Yikes," Stephanie said, taking in a sharp breath between her teeth. "Jeanne Ellen won't tolerate that shit. When does she start working here?"
"In two weeks. Until then, she's bound by her contract with Sebring," Carlos explained. "Jeanne Ellen has to train Morelli."
"I'm surprised my cousin Vinnie didn't hire him," Stephanie said. "Vinnie only cares about lining his pocketbook."
"I threatened to pull Rangeman's assistance if he hired Morelli," Carlos replied. "Morelli isn't skilled enough to bring in the big captures."
"Call me curious, but how did Morelli get fired?" Stephanie asked. Carlos tipped his head back and laughed. "Ooohh. I can't wait to hear the story."
"Tito Spaulding, his temporary partner, is visiting tomorrow. He promised to show us the footage caught on the body cam."
Stephanie furrowed her brows. She tried to remember where she heard the name. Did one of the guys mention him? Or was it a memory? "Where have I heard his name?" Stephanie mumbled.
"His uncle is Fitz," Carlos supplied.
Snapping her fingers, Stephanie said, "That's where I heard the name. He lived in Trenton when he was younger. I remembered hearing about him on a few camping trips with Ram, Daddy, Uncle Fitz and Uncle Joe. Tito's mom didn't want him shooting a weapon, so he never came on the trips."
"You'll get to meet him in the morning. Bobby has a wheelchair for you to use," Carlos said. Stephanie groaned. She grumbled about being able to walk. "Babe, please." Stephanie slumped in his arms.
"Fine," she mumbled. Carlos had to use the word, please.
"What do you know about Peter Gazarra?" Carlos asked.
Stephanie grinned. He's a lot like Eddie," she replied. "Three years older. He spent three years in the Army as a computer information technologist. When Pete finished his term, he worked as a computer specialist. But I don't think he holds a degree in IT. He married Sarah Riesling after he graduated high school. I think they have two kids. Why?"
"Gazarra applied for a job at Rangeman. Silvio is anxious to return home. He signed an agreement to stay for three months."
"Is Peter qualified for the job?" Stephanie asked.
"Yes." She wasn't visualizing the problem.
"Are you concerned about him not fitting in with the guys?" Stephanie wondered, her eyebrows rising to her hairline.
"Hector doesn't get along with many people," Carlos replied. Stephanie shook her head.
"Then you should have them meet as a test of sorts. See if they get along," Stephanie suggested. "Pass me your phone." Carlos raised a brow, then gave Stephanie the device. She entered her birthdate, grinning when it unlocked the phone. Stephanie went to his email to open the attached resume. She copied the phone number, then dialled from the cordless handset on the end table.
"Hello," Peter tentatively answered.
"Hi, Pete. I'm Stephanie Manoso at Rangeman Securities. I received your resume and would like you to visit Rangeman, the black seven-story building on Haywood, at eight this evening."
"Oh. Hi, Steph. Ed said you were at Rangeman. I'd love to drop by tonight," Pete replied. Stephanie heard Eddie giving Peter the directions. "Why tonight?"
"I have meetings in the morning, and our IT guru is working the night shift," Stephanie explained. "Do you still speak fluent Spanish?"
"Yes. Who will I be meeting tonight?"
"Hector Almirez, Tank and Ranger," Stephanie replied. "I'll be there too. Come to the front door. Someone will move your vehicle into the garage."
"Sweet. Thanks for calling, Steph. I'm excited to meet everyone," Peter said, then ended the call.
Stephanie slid off Ranger's lap. "Babe, where are you going?"
"Dinner. I must feed the beast," she joked. "Ella has crockpots of stew in the break room, and I need a break from the apartment."
"She can bring some upstairs," Carlos offered.
"I'll let you push the wheelchair," Stephanie countered. Carlos tipped his head back and laughed. He kissed Stephanie and gently patted her ass. Dios! He loved the woman.
"Deal," Carlos replied. He couldn't say no to his wife. Carlos went into the office in their apartment to grab the wheelchair. Stephanie scowled at it before sitting on the seat. She smiled when Carlos helped with her shoes and placed them on the footrests. Her breath hitched as he gently caressed her calves before standing.
"You make everything sexy and erotic," Stephanie mumbled. She was going to self-combust before getting cleared for sex. Carlos was careful whenever he shared the bed with Stephanie. He didn't allow himself to get carried away again.
Carlos pushed the wheelchair from the apartment onto the elevator. Stephanie grinned when the doors opened on the fifth floor. Every man on duty stood in a line, waiting for Stephanie to get pushed past them. She extended her hand to smack theirs as Carlos pushed her to the break room. Carlos shook his head as the men cheered.
Stephanie's face hurt from grinning. She laughed when Bobby ran into the room to remove a chair from the table. Carlos pushed the wheelchair into the empty spot. He applied the brakes to the wheels, then got Stephanie food.
"The stew smells amazing," Stephanie said when Carlos placed the bowls on the table. He left and returned with a couple of spoons. "Thanks." Stephanie grinned at Carlos. She loved his attentiveness.
"Oh! Here you are, hija," Ella said, placing fresh bread on the table for Stephanie. She slapped Bobby's hand when he made to grab some. "Ladies first, Bobby. You know better."
Stephanie giggled. Ella waited for Carlos to get a plate for the bread, then placed a few slices for Stephanie to eat with the stew. "Thanks, Ella. Everything smells amazing."
"Do you have a favourite meal?" Ella asked.
"Not really," Stephanie replied. "But I love pasta."
"I'll make you a nice lasagna for tomorrow," Ella promised. "Don't worry, Carlos, I'll make a vegetarian one for you." Stephanie wanted to tease Carlos, but she'd do that when they were alone.
"What made you decide to visit us?" Bobby asked.
Stephanie shrugged. "I needed a change of venue," she joked. "Eddie Gazarra's brother is coming to Rangeman for eight tonight. I promised to be at the meeting."
"So you're going to hire him?" Bobby asked. "I ran a background check when you forwarded his resume. He doesn't have a diploma."
"But he trained with the Army," Stephanie argued. "Didn't you check his military background?" Bobby stared at Stephanie. He didn't think to search the military database. Stephanie sighed. Carlos raised an eyebrow.
Hector arrived with a laptop. He placed it on the table after moving Stephanie's empty bowl and plate. Hector gave her a Post-it note with her username and password. She entered the credentials, then immediately changed her password to access the computer.
Carlos dismissed the men, except Bobby, and helped Stephanie navigate the search programs Silvio and Hector created. He opened another program to access the military files. "Should I be seeing this?" Stephanie asked.
"For what we're accessing? Yes. Your father gave you clearance. However, details regarding missions or deployments are unavailable to you," Carlos explained. Carlos entered Peter Gazarra into the database. It confirmed Peter worked in the computer information technology department and received the highest grades. His commanding officer was disappointed Peter didn't renew his term.
"See? I told you," Stephanie said. "Shirley told me about her brother-in-law's accomplishments. Peter chose the military while Eddie joined the police force." Stephanie outlined the areas where Peter excelled in his military career.
Carlos grabbed his phone to ask Hector to return. He arrived within a few minutes. Hector read the information regarding Peter's computer background, then grinned. He rapidly talked to Carlos in Spanish. Stephanie couldn't catch half the conversation. Hector and Carlos spoke too fast for her to keep up.
Stephanie looked at Bobby, who shook his head. It was too fast for him to comprehend. "Well?" Stephanie asked.
"Hector is setting up a test. If Peter can figure out the issue, then he's hired on the spot," Carlos explained.
They stayed in the break room until it was time to meet Peter in the conference room on the first floor. Stephanie dutifully sat in the wheelchair, letting Carlos push her around. She grinned when they exited the elevator on the main floor. "I need a tour," Stephanie announced, making Carlos smile. He unlocked the room and pushed Stephanie to the head of the table where she could see the door. Carlos sat in the chair beside her.
Manny led Peter Gazarra into the room. Stephanie smiled at her old friend but remained seated in the wheelchair. "Hi, Stephanie. It's nice to see you again," Peter warmly greeted. He extended a hand to Carlos. "Hi, Mr. Manoso. I'm Peter Gazarra."
Hector and Tank entered the room, sitting adjacent from Stephanie. "Please, call me Ranger. Take a seat," Carlos replied. Carlos noticed Peter resembled his younger brother in all features except the nose, making Peter more attractive than Eddie.
Peter sat at the table where he could see everyone else. Hector opened the laptop and asked Peter to find the problem. Peter smiled, then got to work. He shook his head, then fixed the text in the application. "The code is immaculate. I got an error when I selected the option for previous employment. When I debugged the code, I found a few errors. It referenced the incorrect option. I fixed them," Peter said.
He returned the laptop to Hector, who grinned. Hector rapidly talked in Spanish, telling Carlos that Peter not only fixed the problem Hector planted, but found another potential area where hackers could get into the Rangeman systems.
Stephanie ignored the men and watched Peter's face. He fought a grin when Hector mentioned the hole in the program. Stephanie squeezed Ranger's thigh. Carlos glanced at Peter and raised a brow.
"Hector said you found and plugged the opening for a hacker," Carlos said.
"Yes. I also noticed your man had a tracker to monitor my keystrokes," Peter replied. "My intuition was to disable it, but I assumed he needed to see what I repaired and accessed. Sir, I assure you I didn't access the sensitive data."
"Hector is impressed with your skills. Why should we hire you?" Carlos asked.
"I have a lot to offer Rangeman. With my assistance, Hector and I can ensure every electronic file contained on the Rangeman servers remain secure. Before applying, I contacted a few of my Army buddies. They had positive things to say about how you run the company. Despite sitting at a desk all day, I keep myself in shape. I understand Rangeman has requirements for the job, whether in the field or office," Peter replied. He worried about overstepping in his quick speech.
Carlos assessed Peter for a few minutes. The silence in the room vibrated with an underlying energy. Stephanie knew Peter got the job. Suddenly, Tank pushed a folder across the table to Peter. "Read it," Tank ordered. Peter flipped the folder open. Inside was a contract to work for Rangeman Securities.
"Sir?" Peter asked, looking at Carlos.
"I'd like to extend an offer for full-time employment at Rangeman," Carlos replied.
Peter read the contract. The job offer was too good to decline, and the wage compensation was higher than at his previous workplace. He asked questions about holidays. Peter signed the contract without reviewing it with his lawyer. "Thank you for this opportunity, Ranger."
Carlos and Tank added their signatures to the document. "Welcome to Rangeman. We expect you to report for duty on Monday. Enjoy the week with your family," Carlos said, standing to shake Peter's hand. Stephanie carefully got to her feet. Peter shook her hand. Tank nodded, and Hector grinned. Hector escorted Peter from the room. He stopped at the reception desk to photocopy the contract for Peter.
Stephanie sat on the wheelchair and asked Tank to pass the laptop. She read the script changes for the program. It didn't make a lot of sense to her. Hector returned a few minutes later. He closed the debugging screen and tested the background check application to ensure it worked correctly.
"When do we inform Silvio?" Stephanie asked.
"I'll tell him tomorrow. He'd need to stay for a few weeks to ensure Peter can handle the workload," Carlos explained. Stephanie stifled a yawn. She was exhausted.