Ranger's POV
I wanted to kill Vinnie for hiring a woman, his cousin, to chase after the nasty criminals in Trenton. Imagine my horror when she received the file for Joseph Anthony Morelli. Hunting a cop wasn't the wisest decision, though I suspected there was a bit of history between Morelli and Stephanie. I had to know.
My curiosity got the better of me, and I called Tank. "Yo," my second in command answered on the first ring.
"Stephanie Plum in Trenton, New Jersey. Do a complete background check," I ordered.
"Yes, sir," Tank replied and hung up the phone. I knew he would have the information emailed to me within a few hours. Tank would ask my best researcher, Lucas Rodriguez, to check Stephanie's history.
It didn't take long for the report to arrive in my email. Stephanie Plum had an interesting past with Detective Joseph Morelli. He seduced her and wrote about their encounter in the men's washrooms in the Burg. I couldn't believe Morelli would do that to her. Was he staking his claim on the sexy brunette? None of my encounters with women ended with a crass poem in the bathrooms for other men to read. The women always knew it was one night and didn't expect more from me.
I drove to Mario's Sub Shop, parking on the street behind the business. It was a few streets away from the local high school, where the background check indicated Stephanie attended.
Hector approached me to find out why I was in the area. I explained about the poem in the washroom. He growled and shook his head. Hector said Morelli wrote a poem on the stadium wall, mentioning her name. There was a game the following afternoon. Hector said hundreds of men read Morelli's words about Stephanie. I was seeing red and wondered if she knew. Hector waited outside to watch my car as I entered the restaurant.
The waitress in Mario's Sub Shop grinned. "May I help you?" she politely asked. Her clothes were covered in whatever slop the restaurant served, and I wasn't interested in eating at the establishment. She was old enough to be my mother.
Turning on the charm and smiling, I said, "I have a meeting with Mario. Do you mind if I use the washroom first?"
"Not at all. It's down that narrow hall to the right," she replied.
When I entered the bathroom, I was disgusted by the state of the urinals and stalls. It was filthy. How did they stay in business? A young high school boy entered the washroom and took a picture of something in the stall farthest from the door. He blushed and ran past me, grinning. I pushed the door open. A poem about the delicious "Plum" cupcake was on the wall above the toilet paper roll holder. It seemed flattering, but it had a phone number below the words—the same phone number in Stephanie Plum's file for her landline. I removed a marker from my pocket and changed one of the threes to an eight. Using my foot, I flushed the toilet and then washed my hands. Thankfully, the soap and paper towel dispensers were full. I opened the door with a spare paper towel and dropped it into the trash can beside it.
Mario approached me as I entered the seating area of the sub-shop. He wiped his hands on his apron and offered to shake mine. Unwilling to be rude, I accepted his extended hand. "Welcome to Mario's. My wife, Flora, said you were here to meet me. I'm Mario. What can I do for you today?" Mario asked.
"I'm opening a security company called Rangeman in the area," I quickly explained, passing him a business card from my pocket. "I heard the crime in this area is increasing, and I want to offer services to protect your restaurant."
"Most of my customers are high school students," Mario confessed. "Some of them leave nasty poems in the washroom. I've tried to paint over the one referencing a cupcake, but the writing reappeared."
I didn't tell him the writing was fresh or that I modified it to protect the woman mentioned in the message. It was apparent who the poem talked about, and I found it less than flattering. Stephanie doesn't deserve to have unwanted attention from juveniles or the scourge of Trenton.
Mario and I walked around the building, and I recommended what I would use to secure the business. He asked for a quote, and I felt I had accomplished something. My neck tingled as I exited the restaurant. Hector raised a brow when he caught me smiling.
"Ella está aquí," I explained. (She's here)
"Estephania?" Hector asked knowingly. I nodded imperceptibly. He grinned and disappeared.
Pete's Pub was across the street from Mario's Sub Shop. I moved my car, parking it close enough to shove Eduardo Melendez into the backseat and shackle him to the floor bolt I got my buddy Al to install.
"Eddie, why are we here?" I heard Stephanie demand. She rubbed her neck and quickly searched the area, confirming she was as aware of me as I was of her. I was hiding in the shadows, out of view. Stephanie's brow furrowed before shaking her head to answer Eddie's question about something wrong.
"I told you. I'm buying you dinner," Eddie replied. I recognized Eddie from returning my skips to the precinct. He was a kind man of my height. Eddie's white-blond hair, flat pale blue eyes and stubby nose betrayed his Eastern Slavic heritage. I learned from Stephanie's background check that Eddie and Stephanie have been friends since childhood. He lived two doors down from her. I also recalled reading that Eddie Gazarra was related to Stephanie by marrying her cousin, Shirley.
Melendez had to enter Pete's Pub before I would enter the bar. I hoped Stephanie didn't cross his path. Hector silently approached. "Necesito en refuerzo," I said (I need backup), pointing to Stephanie as she entered the Pub with Eddie Gazarra. Hector silently disappeared in the shadows, making his way around the building to slip inside virtually unnoticed. He would keep my Babe safe.
I hoped the sergeant's appearance at Pete's Pub wouldn't affect capturing Melendez. Hector slipped inside the bar behind Stephanie and Eddie. Stephanie smiled at Hector and gently touched his arm. I couldn't hear what she said to him. My Babe impressed me that she wasn't afraid of Hector and his tattoos. I fell in love with her a little more.
My phone vibrated in my pocket. Hector said Melendez was already inside Pete's Pub, brokering a deal with one of his street punks. He was supposed to meet another man later, but I couldn't let Eduardo Melendez set his sights on Stephanie. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Only Babe. For some reason, it amused me.
Instead of waiting for Melendez to leave the bar as I initially intended, I entered Pete's Pub as Stephanie said, "Back off. I already told you I'm here with a friend."
Eduardo replied, "I only want you for one night, sweetheart." He grabbed Stephanie's arm; what she did next made my dick as hard as a rock. Stephanie turned on her bar stool. As she slipped off the worn wood, she flipped Melendez on his stomach and twisted his arm behind him.
"I told you I'm not interested," Stephanie growled as Melendez cried in pain. She didn't break her grip as I approached her. I passed Stephanie my handcuffs, and she quickly attached them to Melendez's wrists.
"Eduardo Melendez, I'm Ranger, and I work for Vincent Plum Bail Bonds. I'm taking you back to the police station," I said as I jerked Melendez to his feet.
"You owe me a night, cunt," Melendez stupidly yelled.
"She's mine," I growled. Melendez's eyes widened at my harsh glare.
"Sorry, Ranger, sir," he quickly replied. Stephanie's shoulders stiffened imperceptibly before she smiled sweetly at me. She gently brushed her fingers along my jaw.
"Ranger, I'll see you later, my love," Stephanie added, proving my point. "I know you won't disappoint me." Our interaction sent a message to the bar's patrons. Stephanie was my woman. Anyone who messed with her would be on the receiving end of my punishment.
"Babe, Hector will bring you home," I said, jutting my chin toward my friend. Hector helped Stephanie sit on the bar stool she vacated when knocking Melendez on his ass.
"Okay," Stephanie replied before turning to face the bartender. She linked her arm with Hector's until Gazarra returned from the washroom. I noticed the other men moving away from my Babe.
Eddie nodded as I passed the hallway for the washroom. "Do you need a hand?" he asked.
"I'm good," I replied. When Gazarra was out of hearing distance, I told Melendez, "One move to break free, and I'll gut you." I pressed my knife against his arm to prove I was armed.
Eduardo Melendez cooperated as I got him shackled to the floor bolt in my car. He didn't attempt to head-butt me or twist from my grip. I took him into the Trenton PD and attached his cuff to the bench. Carl Costanza was on desk duty. He grinned and prepared the receipt for me, which I would take to Vinnie in the morning. Stephanie earned a cut of the bounty. I hoped she wouldn't argue when I gave her half my share.
When I opened Rangeman in Miami, Tank, Lester, Bobby, and I captured FTAs to fund our venture. An FTA was a person who failed to appear in the courthouse for their criminal case. They had a bail hearing and got bonded by a family member through a bail bonds agency. BEAs or Bail Enforcement Agents, such as Stephanie and I, would chase after these criminals to return them to the system, where they would go through the process again.
My business partners and I kept forty percent of the fee for ourselves, reinvesting the remaining sixty percent into Rangeman. Stephanie's share of the bounty would be twenty thousand dollars. I hoped she wouldn't refuse to accept her cut. What could I do if she refused the money? My friends and Rangeman partners would know how I should maneuver the situation should Stephanie decline the offer.
I left the precinct to call my second in command, Tank Sherman. He answered on the second ring, "Yo."
Smiling, I explained the situation to my friend. "The woman I had Rodriguez check helped me capture Melendez," I said.
Tank laughed, "She sounds like a tough one. Are you sharing the bounty?"
"Yes. Stephanie earned it. Hopefully, Hector captured everything on his phone," I replied. My phone chimed, making me laugh.
"Boss?" Tank queried. My best friend was a man of few words. He talked less than me. Lester and Bobby were more verbose.
"Give me a second to forward the video," I replied. I waited for Tank to confirm receipt. He requested I wait for him to review the footage.
"She's good. We could use her for distractions," Tank advised.
"Absolutely," I confessed. Stephanie was perfect for the job. We used a woman named Jeanne Ellen Burrows in Atlanta. She was ex-military and physically beautiful, but I never mixed business with pleasure. Jeanne Ellen was too demanding for my tastes. I know she screwed Santos and Bobby. She hoped to find her way into my bed; however, I never let her get close enough for it to happen. In all honesty, I never thought of her as attractive. Stephanie Plum, on the other hand, was gorgeous inside and out. Her inner beauty shone through to brighten my life. I know Stephanie Plum was the genuine article. Burrows? Not so much. She only wanted money and fame, traits that, in my opinion, tainted her external beauty.
"How much are you giving her for the capture?" Tank asked, getting to the purpose of my call.
"Half of my cut," I replied.
Hearing my sigh, Tank asked, "And if Ms Plum refuses the money?"
"That's what I'm trying to determine. Stephanie was burning through her savings and never considered asking her family for assistance. She isn't a gold digger like Burrows," I explained.
"Ranger, I only see two solutions," Tank laughed.
"What?" I asked.
"Set up an account to hold the funds she refuses to accept," Tank replied.
"And your second solution?" I asked through gritted teeth.
"Marry her," Tank replied, laughing while slapping his knee.
"I plan on it," I said and ended the call. I would let Tank sit on that one for a while. Now that he knew I intended to make Stephanie Plum my wife, he would do everything needed to make it happen.
Before I could put my car in gear, my phone rang. I read the display and smiled. It was Stephanie calling. "One second," I answered. After connecting the phone to the Bluetooth system, I put the car in gear and replied, "Talk."
"Am I calling at a bad time?" Stephanie asked, sounding shy and slightly embarrassed. Or was it hesitant? I imagined her worrying her bottom lip with her teeth.
With my right hand, I fixed myself before answering, "Never."
Stephanie giggled. "I live at the corner of St James and Dunworth in apartment 215," she breathily said before mumbling, "I can't believe I invited Batman over."
"Babe," I growled. "Are you sure?"
"Yes, I have an ache," she moaned. I hung up and sped toward her apartment. Hector was a quick call away. I needed him to watch my back as I claimed Stephanie Plum. He readily agreed and was waiting when I arrived. I wondered if he knew I was planning to visit the woman.
When I arrived at Stephanie's apartment, Hector retreated to the shadows and watched the window on the second floor. I noticed Stephanie's beautiful face peeked from behind the curtains. She disappeared when I exited the car.
The building was old, and its security was lacking. Someone exiting through the rear door allowed me access. I shook my head and vowed to secure my woman's apartment. Hopefully, I could keep people from entering. Her apartment had a fire escape, which made her vulnerable to people breaking in through her bedroom window.
Stephanie waited for me to knock. She peeked through the peephole before unlocking and opening her door. I moved into Stephanie's personal space. Her face flushed red before she stepped back for me to enter the apartment. I closed the door and flicked the lock.
She surprised me by pulling my head down and slamming her lips against mine. I groaned and deepened the kiss. Stephanie's lips were like honey. I plunged my tongue into her mouth when she gasped. My hands tangled in her hair to angle her head. The sound of her satisfied moans as her fingers tugged on my shirt propelled me into moving my hands to her thighs and lifting her. I carried Stephanie to the bedroom and lowered her to the bed.