All familiar characters are Janet's. Mistakes are solely mine.
"Not today, Morelli. Not to … day," I told my screen as I started to form a reply to the 'It's amazing what blood money can buy these days' comment he left under the picture Grandma posted on Facebook of my hand and the engagement ring starring on it.
'What's even more amazing is how much a badge can cover up', I replied to him. 'You sure you wanna start something you'll end up losing everything over?'
"Why are you talking to or about that asshole?" Ranger asked, coming back into the bedroom after his shower.
I had planned to conserve water and join him in the bathroom, but then I got an alert that turned out to be Grandma's post and stupidly read the comments underneath it. I'm now calling myself stupid all over again for passing up a prime opportunity to enjoy the muscles currently on display as Ranger moved to the closet to get a uniform for today while wearing only a pair of really low-slung sweatpants.
"It was just a momentary lapse in judgment," I explained, dropping my cell onto the bed beside me.
"What did the fucker do now?" He asked, once again pausing what he was doing to make sure I'm okay.
"He hinted online that my ring was bought with blood money."
"I thought you let my people block him from all your accounts."
"I did. He's apparently stalking Grandma's social media now."
"I'd bet he's also praying night and day for your ring to have questionable origins in hopes it'll be seized one day. I don't care what he believes, but I don't want you worrying about it. Seeing how squeamish you are about money, you likely won't want to see the receipt I was given after I purchased your ring, but the amount will match almost to the penny the salary I was given for a bodyguard job I did last month."
"The one for that senator?" I asked, even though that's the only job I remember him leaving Trenton for in the last three months.
"Yes. I get paid well for what I do well. No one died that weekend, and you could say that I was working for a government official, so no blood was involved unless he was organizing a hit while we were attending that charity event in Boston."
"I never doubted you," I felt I had to tell him.
"I know. Your loyalty is as legendary as my control. Morelli doesn't deserve any space in your head. But if I can head off any question he puts in there, I'm going to do it. For you. No one else matters."
"I feel the same way. I would've just ignored him if he was insulting me, but no one attacks you on my watch."
He came over to my side of the bed and bent low enough to kiss me. "I'm a big boy, I can watch out for myself," he reminded me when he let my lips go.
"Believe me, I know just how big of a man you are, but I will still always try to protect you."
"That's one of the things I love about you, Babe."
"One? You mean there's more?" I teased.
"Too many to count. I may have to rely on a more hands-on demonstration of my feelings regarding all the parts of you."
My cheeks and body heated up simultaneously. "But you just got out of the shower," I pointed out.
"And?"
"And … won't you have to go right back in if this 'conversation' goes any further?"
"Only if you plan to give as good as you get."
I nodded; my mind made up. "I'll have to take a cold shower anyway if we don't do something about how I'm currently feeling, so we might as well make it worth our while. One thing first, though. Can I borrow your cell?"
"Why?"
"Do you trust me?"
"Always," he answered while he sat on the bed by my legs and reached across to his side.
He handed me the Bat phone after unlocking it, and I hit the name I wanted. "Hector? Hi, it's Estefanía. Is there any way you can booby trap Detective Morelli's devices or WiFi so all the dirt we have on him gets sent directly to the Governor if he makes contact with anyone I know again?"
