Tito parked on the street outside Rangeman. He looked at the building and smiled. Was he going to meet the attractive Hispanic man? Tito hoped the universe was setting up their meet cute. He smiled at the possibilities.
Shaking the thoughts from his head, Tito left his car. He opened the door for Rangeman and stepped inside. The scent of paint lingered in the air. Tito looked around the lobby, unaware of his surroundings. He bumped into someone's back, reflectively grabbing their hips. "Sorry," Tito mumbled. "I wasn't watching where I was going."
The man turned around without shoving Tito's hands off his hips. "Hola," Hector said. "Me llamo Hector." Electricity crackled in the air. Tito resisted the desire to touch Hector's face. Hector was more attractive in person. He was a few inches shorter, but Tito didn't mind.
"Tito," he reciprocated, leaving his hands on Hector's hips. "Are you here for me?"
"Si. I'm available," Hector replied, understanding the double entendre. Hector placed his hand on Tito's chest. "We'll exchange numbers later." He felt the loss of Hector's gentle hand and the warmth of his palm. Tito followed Hector into the conference room, watching his firm ass.
Stephanie giggled, then covered her mouth. Carlos raised an eyebrow. She pointed to the door where Tito was staring at Hector's ass. "Are you playing matchmaker?" Carlos teased.
"No. I'm too late for that," Stephanie whispered.
"Welcome to Rangeman," Carlos said when Tito sat on the chair beside Hector.
"Thank you for allowing me entry to your building," Tito replied. "I parked out front."
Carlos nodded at Manny, who extended a hand for Tito's car keys. "I'll park your car in the garage," Manny explained. Tito grabbed the fob from his pocket, then dropped it into Manny's palm. Manny disappeared and returned five minutes later to return the fob.
"What do you have for us?" Carlos asked.
"Evidence of Morelli's inappropriate behaviour and plot to dismantle Rangeman," Tito replied. He removed the flash drive from his pocket, passing it to Hector. Their fingers brushed, sending an electric charge through Tito to his balls. Tito thought about the stripper in the car before his erection visibly grew.
Hector plugged the device into the USB. He noticed Tito's pants twitching when their fingers touched. Hector felt his dick stir too. The attraction was palpable. He hoped Tito could handle his lifestyle and past. Hector's last partner didn't want him working at Rangeman around attractive men. It was the pot calling the kettle black. Esteban worked as a personal trainer at the local gym.
Morelli's voice filled the room. Hector projected the video on the screen across the room. Everyone listened as Joseph Morelli described how he visited various businesses where the Rangeman decals showed on the windows. He entered the establishments and badmouthed Rangeman and their employees, calling them thugs and criminals. Morelli tried to convince the owners that Rangeman used the company to access their companies legally to steal their products. It was preposterous.
Tito watched Stephanie's expression when Joe mentioned waiting in the wings for Ranger to dump her. Stephanie's blue eyes sparked in fury. He could see the fire burning deep inside. Her face was expressive. Tito knew the words infuriated the beautiful woman. "Fuckwit," Stephanie mumbled. "The audacity to think losing my uterus was a lie concocted by Rangeman is despicable. I should castrate the fucker and shove his balls up his ass so far they'd settle in his mouth. Maybe it would be enough for him to stop spewing lies."
"I like her," Tito whispered to Hector, who grinned. Hector dropped his left hand beneath the table to squeeze Tito's knee. Tito controlled his reaction to Hector's touch. Electricity flowed from hand to knee.
"Or should I shove a broken beer bottle up his ass? Would that work?" Stephanie asked, mumbling her thoughts to the room. "The fucking asshole deserved more than a tap on the wrist and a second chance. I knew he'd blow it on the first day." Tito grinned at Stephanie. He loved her attitude.
"Babe?"
"Oh. Sorry," she replied. "Did I win the bet?" Stephanie looked around the room, then settled her eyes on Lester.
"Um. We need to see the rest," Lester said. "I have to know what caused Morelli to lose his job."
Stephanie harrumphed. "We know it wasn't from the man farting in the passing car," she grumbled. Lester and the others chuckled. "How exactly did you catch that?" Stephanie asked Tito.
"Sensitive microphone on my body cam," Tito replied. "I had an amplifier attached to my holster. Morelli didn't notice I was recording him."
They watched the rest of the video. It ended with Morelli storming out of the police chief's office, mumbling about flirting with Carol Spanelli. "That didn't offer much insight," Lester complained.
Stephanie glared at Lester. She smiled and sweetly asked, "Tito, what was the official reason for Morelli's termination?"
"Inappropriately touching a subject during a routine traffic stop," Tito replied.
"Carol Spanelli?" Stephanie asked.
"Yes."
"Hand it over, Lester," Stephanie ordered. Lester pulled his wallet from his pocket, then fished out the money owed to Stephanie. She grinned when he slapped the cash into her palm. "Sweet. Pizza party tonight!"
Carlos shook his head. "That stuff will kill you, Babe."
"You only live once," Stephanie reminded him. "Are you available to join us tonight, Tito?"
He didn't want to impose on Hector or the others. Stephanie rolled her eyes. "Tito, the answer is yes," Lester replied. Hector nodded imperceptibly.
Tito found himself saying, "Yes. I'm available. What time?"
Stephanie looked at her watch, then replied, "Seven."
"Did I miss everything?" Jeanne Ellen asked as she rushed into the conference room. She stopped short when she saw Tito. Jeanne Ellen saw Tito around town but never formally introduced herself. "Oh. Hi, I'm Jeanne Ellen."
"Tito Spaulding," he replied, shaking her hand. "I gave Hector a copy of the files. You can view them whenever you want. How's it working with Morelli as a partner?" Tito knew Morelli approached Les Sebring for a BEA job.
"Dreadful," she replied. Bobby offered his chair to Jeanne Ellen. She smiled, then accepted the seat. "He keeps saying I'm not doing the job right."
"Are you doing anything wrong?" Tito asked.
"Nope. Morelli is a chauvinistic asshole. He doesn't believe women should be chasing after criminals. I can't tolerate his incessant flirting either. How many times do I have to remind him that I'm happily married?"
Stephanie rolled her eyes. "Don't waste your breath reminding him. The Morelli men don't care if you're married. It just means you won't get attached to them if you hook up," Stephanie replied. "Joe's specialty is virgins and married women."
Jeanne Ellen groaned. She had to tolerate him for another ten days. "Dios! The asshole won't let me drive. He knows where I live. I can't believe he had the nerve to show up on my doorstep with a six-pack of beer and pizza. Thank goodness Jordan's coming home tomorrow," Jeanne Ellen said.
"Did you let him inside your home?" Stephanie asked. Carlos was seething. Stephanie touched his arm, hoping to calm the beast inside.
"No. But I can't stay there tonight," Jeanne Ellen huffed.
"Is your husband Jordan Burrows?" Tito asked.
"Yes. Do you know him?"
"We completed basic and our first tour together," Tito replied. "He's a good man."
Jeanne Ellen smiled. "Thanks." She assessed Tito for a few minutes, then laughed. Tito raised an eyebrow. "We're not in Kansas anymore."
Tito shook his head, then laughed. "We're off to see the Wizard of Oz," he added with laughter.
Stephanie was amused. "I'm sensing a story here," she said.
"Jordan kept calling me Toto. You know, the dog in The Wizard of Oz. It's a small world. You're as gorgeous as he described. Would you feel comfortable staying at my house tonight? Or I can stay at yours. Jordan would want me to protect you," Tito offered.
"I appreciate your offer. Ranger has a spare room on the fourth floor for me to spend the night," Jeanne Ellen replied. Tito nodded his thanks. Hector adored Tito for offering to protect his friend's wife.
Tito exchanged a look with Carlos, silently promising to keep his eyes open during patrols. Jeanne Ellen caught their expressions and rolled her eyes. She could take care of herself. However, she appreciated the extra set of eyes to watch her back.
"I should head out. Thank you for inviting me here today," Tito said, standing from his seat. Hector followed Tito from the room, guiding him to the garage where Manny parked his car.
"May I have your phone for a minute?" Hector asked. Tito removed it from his pocket, then unlocked it. Hector gently took the phone from Tito's hand, brushing his fingers across his palm. Tito's breath hitched. "Now you have my number."
Tito tentatively reached to touch Hector's cheek. Hector removed his fob and pressed a button to scramble the camera. He didn't want an audience for their intimate moment. Tito stroked the tattoo beneath Hector's eye. "Thank you," Tito replied. He sent Hector a text message, pleased when the other phone pinged. "Now you have mine."
"Do you feel it too?" Hector asked.
"Yes." Tito leaned and brushed his lips across Hector's mouth. He meant it to be a chaste kiss, but Hector grabbed Tito by the neck and kissed him. "Hector, I want to do this right," Tito whispered when he broke the kiss.
"Me too, but I don't believe in wasting time," Hector said. "Are you available later tonight after the pizza party?"
"I can make some time for you," Tito replied. Tito stroked Hector's tattoo before getting into his car. Hector opened the gate for him to leave, then reactivated the cameras.
Tito drove from the Rangeman building. He couldn't believe he had met Hector, the man of his dreams, at the meeting with Ranger's team. The energy passing between them was unexpected. It wasn't something he experienced with anyone else. Tito believed in monogamy and commitment. He only had two previous lovers. Neither man wanted more outside of having casual sex. Tito supposed they were hiding their sexuality from family.
Hector was openly gay. He didn't seem the type to have casual affairs or hookups. Tito watched the attractive man for months. It wasn't a stalker. Hector happened to appear wherever Tito was driving patrols. His lips tingled from Hector's kiss.
Tito stopped at a flower shop to purchase flowers. His grandmother loved purple tulips and yellow carnations. He drove to the gravesite and parked the car in the lot. Tito walked among the graves until he reached the one he wanted. Placing the flowers in the holder, Tito said, "Nana, you were right. I know it's too soon in our budding relationship, but I found my true love. You promised I'd feel the electricity and the tingles. I wish you were here to meet Hector. You would love him. Happy heavenly birthday, Nana. I love you."
He felt a feather-light touch on his neck. Tito turned, searching for the person behind him. Nobody was there. A tear slipped from his eye. "Thank you for approving. I'll see you soon." Tito traced his grandmother's name on the tombstone before walking away.
"Are you okay?" Frank asked, approaching Tito.
"Yes, Mr. Plum. I wasn't expecting to see you here," Tito replied.
"I was visiting my parents," Frank said, pointing to the headstones a few plots away. He motioned for Tito to follow him to the bench along the walkway. "I heard you obtained the proof against Morelli."
Tito smiled. "He was a crooked cop. It was about time he got knocked down a few pegs." Frank laughed.
"According to his mother, you ruined the golden boy's reputation and stole his livelihood," Frank said, smiling. "We know that's not the truth. You gave Morelli rope, and he tied that noose himself. It's about time someone stopped him."
"He's trying to get Stephanie to marry him," Tito said, shaking his head. Tito thought Manoso was the perfect partner for Stephanie. "Your daughter is more beautiful than her pictures show."
"Stephanie certainly has a mischievous streak. She has a wild and free spirit which is difficult to capture on film. It's what I love most about her. No matter what knocks Stephanie down, she gets back up to fight." Frank smiled as he talked about his youngest daughter. "Are you still with Josh?"
"No," Tito replied. "He isn't done messing with Stephanie or Rangeman. I gave them a copy of the footage I recorded." Tito stared across the graveyard. He saw a man place flowers on several graves a few hundred feet away.
Frank recognized Hector. "Have you met Almirez?" Frank asked, nodding toward the man who kneeled on the graves. "He visits his parents and sister's graves. Hector lost them when he was a teen. His sister was murdered, and his parents died in a gang war. Hector earned his teardrop tattoo by killing the leader of the rival gang. The man ordered the hit on Hector's family."
Tito's heart raced. He thought the teardrop got earned during a gang initiation. "Does Hector work at Rangeman?" Tito asked.
"He does," Frank confessed, his eyes sparkling with delight. Frank hoped Hector would find a suitable partner. "You've met him."
"Yes," Tito replied. "Today. There's a soul-deep connection which surprised me. I don't know how to feel. It's confusing and exhilarating."
Frank chuckled. "I recall hearing the same words from Stephanie regarding Ranger. She found the other half of her soul when they met. Hector's a good man. Don't let others dictate who you should love," Frank warned. He continued watching Hector across the graveyard.
"I won't," Tito replied. Hector turned when Tito stared in his direction. A bright smile appeared on Hector's face. He waved, then approached the men. Hector wanted to run to him but thought some restraint was necessary. He didn't want to appear desperate.
Tito stood when Hector approached. Frank smiled at the men. "Take care, son. Don't wait too long to tell your family," Frank said. He squeezed Tito's shoulder and nodded at Hector.
"How do you know General Plum?" Hector asked.
"He's friends with my Uncle Fitz," Tito replied honestly. "They served and moved up the ranks together."
"Were you in the military?"
"Marines," Tito replied, smiling. "Uncle Fitz was the training officer in the Army. I didn't want to join his branch in the military."
"Carving your own path in life," Hector said. He understood wanting to avoid travelling in the same circles as relatives. "I didn't have another choice. It was join or die."
Tito touched Hector's arm. "Frank told me," Tito confessed. "I hope you don't mind that I know about your family."
Hector and Tito walked along the deserted path. Hardly anyone visited their relatives at the Hamilton Township cemetery. "Did he tell you about my sister?" Hector asked.
"Only that she got murdered. Frank didn't share details. If you don't mind me knowing, what happened?"
"Do you know what happened to Stephanie?" Hector asked instead of answering Tito's question. Tito stopped walking to face Hector. He felt Ramirez murdered Hector's sister.
"Yes. Was Benito Ramirez convicted for murdering your sister?" Tito wondered. Tito didn't need Hector to tell the story. Hector shook his head and said they didn't have substantial proof. Tito stroked the teardrop tattoo. "I know how you earned this mark. I'm sorry for everything you endured before I met you. How old were you?"
"Fifteen," Hector replied. "Being gay saved my life because I wasn't interested in sleeping with the leader's woman. The other guys took their turn with the skank." Hector shook his head. "Some men died when they refused to pay the leader for borrowing his woman. Life in the gang isn't for the faint-hearted. It's a tough life."
Tito touched the gang tattoo on Hector's neck. "Are you still a part of that life?" Tito hoped Hector was free and clear, but once you got initiated into a gang, there was no escape.
"Ranger helped me escape that life. I refuse to remove the mark," Hector replied. Hector felt removing the tattoo would erase the past, making him the man he became.
"I wasn't asking you to erase your past. I'm a cop. Being involved with an active gang member is forbidden," Tito explained, crowding Hector. "I want to build a life with a man I love. Someday, I hope to have a child to carry my legacy. Is that something you want?" Tito put everything on the line. He wanted to know if Hector was on the same page.
"The gang life is done. I'm not an active member. I want children with the right man. I'll adopt or consider a surrogate," Hector replied.
Tito grinned. He cupped Hector's face and gently kissed him. "Five-year plan?" Tito asked.
"Yes." Hector checked his watch and frowned. "I have to return to work. Stephanie told me to come here today." Tito raised an eyebrow. He was curious about why Stephanie wanted Hector to visit the cemetery. "Frank saw you here and thought you could use some company."
"I'll see you tonight, Hector." Tito squeezed Hector's hand before they walked to the parking lot.