Stephanie's POV
I ran into my cousin-in-law, Eddie Gazarra when I went home after meeting with Ranger. He heard through the grapevine that I got hired by my cousin Vinnie to work as a BEA for his office. I wondered who Connie told. Perhaps someone else was listening to the conversation. "Who told you?" I demanded.
Eddie laughed. "I was on patrol on Hamilton. I saw you leave the bonds office with a file folder and assumed Vinnie gave you Morty Beyers' job since he's in the hospital," Eddie replied, reminding me I wasn't aware of my surroundings. It was something I needed to work on to keep myself safe. Mentally, I noted that I should monitor where I was going and who was in the area. I must learn to recognize a potential threat, or a criminal would get the drop and kill me while I was working in the law enforcement industry.
"Vinnie only agreed because I blackmailed him," I explained.
"You can't tell me stuff like that, Steph. I'm a cop, and blackmail is a criminal offence," Eddie teased. I gently slapped his arm.
"It was for a job, not his money," I argued, laughing when we waggled his brows. "I threatened to tell Lucille about the duck." Eddie burst out laughing.
After wiping a tear from his eye, he asked, "Do you need help?"
"I met Ranger, and he gave me some instructions, but I still don't like carrying a gun," I confessed.
Eddie shook his head, making me wonder what he was thinking. He knew I could handle a weapon. I wasn't sure why or when guns started making me nervous. Maybe it was all those school shootings I heard about on the news.
"I'll follow you home, and we can go to Sunny's Gun Shop before it closes," Eddie suggested, which made me groan.
"I don't want to," I whined. Eddie laughed and insisted he wouldn't be a good friend or cousin if he didn't ensure I could protect myself. I was suddenly tempted to flip him over my shoulder and twist his arm behind his back.
Then Eddie pulled out the big guns and said, "Please."
Lowering my head to my chest, I agreed, "Fine. Let's get this over with."
My car sputtered and spat out a plume of black smoke when it finally turned over. I banged my head on the steering wheel before putting it into gear and pulling away from the curb. Eddie followed behind, not that I could see him because his car got lost in the perpetual dark cloud of smoke behind me.
When I got home, the only available spot was beside the dumpster. I groaned and pulled into the space, nose first. Eddie parked behind me. He exited his car, waving away the black smoke threatening to choke him. "Pop the hood," Eddie demanded. I pulled the lever, and the hood popped open like the top of a jack-in-the-box. No, it didn't, but it was what I imagined because it really pissed me off that my decrepit car's hood opened without issue. Nothing else worked unless you tugged hard and hit the dash. Jeez… that sounded kind of dirty. Shit! Now, I'm thinking about having sex with Ranger.
"Why is it smoking so much?" I asked, trying to pull my mind out of the gutter.
"It's leaking oil. Do you have any in your car?" Eddie questioned. I shook my head. Eddie grinned and popped the trunk on his car. He removed a case of oil and transferred it to my car. I placed a hand on my hip and gave him my best Burg glare. "Steph," he calmly stated, "Your car is leaking oil. The engine will seize if you don't keep filling it. I bought the oil for you."
"You and Shirley have done too much for me already," I complained.
Waving away my concern, Eddie said, "Don't worry about it. You're family."
I grumbled that it was one more thing I owed him, praying he wouldn't ask me to babysit the boys. The last time I babysat for my cousin, their oldest son, Mickey, cut my hair when I fell asleep. Mickey was supposed to be in bed sleeping. Eddie slammed the hood, pulling me from the unpleasant memories of babysitting. He wiped his hands after confirming my car had enough oil while I locked the doors.
Eddie opened his passenger door, reminding me about our trip to Sunny's Gun Shop to practice. I stared out the window and wondered how my life fell apart quickly. The only good thing to come out of losing my job was meeting Ranger.
"So, Steph, what do you think of Ranger?" Eddie asked, seamlessly reading where my thoughts had drifted.
Smiling at his accuracy in reading my thoughts, I replied, "He's incredibly handsome and kind. I surprised him when I entered the diner. Ranger was obviously expecting a man to coach." I shook my head and explained Ranger's reaction to realizing I was the BEA Connie asked him to train.
Eddie found the story humorous and said, "He really underestimated you. Wait until Ranger sees you in action." He parked behind Sunny's Gun Shop and nodded to the woman smoking at the back door. We exited the car and approached the woman I recognized as the owner, Gina Lucci-Gazarra. She was a year ahead of me in high school. Gina was always a happy girl. When her father opened his business, he named it after Gina, so he called it Sunny's Gun Shop. Mr. Lucci still owned the store, but Sunny mostly worked there.
"You're late," she replied, teasing her brother-in-law. I had forgotten Gina married Eddie's older brother, Gary.
"I was worried about Stephanie's car," Eddie said, pointing at me over his shoulder. I rolled my eyes and approached Gina.
"Hey, Steph," Gina greeted, looking behind me. "Did you bring the hottie Ranger with you?"
"Gina, what about Gary?" Eddie asked, teasing Gina.
Laughing, she replied, "He doesn't care where I get my appetite as long as I eat at home." I thought Gina's statement was hilarious despite not liking the comment about Ranger fuelling her sexual appetite. Ranger was a Cuban Adonis. I couldn't blame her for feeling aroused by Ranger. That man revs my hormones into overdrive. Shit! Think unsexy thoughts. Come on, Steph, think unsexy thoughts. I shove my fist into my mouth, preventing the others from hearing me moan.
"Are you okay?" Gina asked, grinning. She knew how Ranger affected me. I wondered if she watched our interaction on the camera feed.
"Can we get this shit show over with?" I whined.
Gina gave me an exaggerated eye roll, making me smile. "Follow me," Gina replied, sounding mildly annoyed about having to put out her cigarette. She winked at me before opening the door.
Eddie and I followed Gina through the back door inside. She locked the door and quickly disarmed the alarm. I noticed Gina had her dark blond hair pulled back into a low ponytail. Her hair was longer than usual, making me question the reason for the change. I must have been too preoccupied by Ranger's sexiness to notice.
"I'm growing my hair to donate to charity. The organization said they needed at least a foot of length," Gina answered what I thought was a question inside my head. Gina giggled and explained I had mumbled my question.
"Why donate your hair?" I asked. I had never heard of people donating their hair to charity and found the idea intriguing. Who would buy human hair?
"It's for child cancer patients," Gina explained. She told me the story about her daughter's friend moving to Philadelphia for treatment. I felt horrible. Gina touched my arm. "Gemma wanted to do something for her friend. She researched ways to donate without sending money. Gemma mentioned donating hair, which was easy for me to do. She's growing her hair to help." Gina's daughter, Gemma, was a miniature version of Gina. She was kind and generous.
Eddie and I went through a box of ammunition before he purchased an extra box for me to take home. I slipped them into my bag. "Your accuracy is still intact," Eddie said, impressed with my skill as I disassembled my weapon to clean it. "Do you have cleaning supplies at home?"
"Yes, Eddie. I still have my kit," I replied, accentuating my annoyance with an eye roll. My stomach grumbled. I wondered what I would eat for dinner since my cupboards were empty. Mom was too busy consoling Valerie and her issues to grocery shop for me. I pretended I still had leftovers in my refrigerator for dinner. What Mom doesn't know won't hurt, right?
"Come on, I'll take you out for dinner," Eddie offered, bumping my shoulder with his.
"You don't have to do that," I argued.
"Please, Steph, let me take you out for dinner," Eddie begged.
I narrowed my eyes at Eddie and glared. "That's twice you used please to get me to cooperate. You better not be manipulating me," I warned.
"I'm not, promise. I have to work tonight, and I need to eat," Eddie replied. I rolled my eyes and agreed to dinner. Hopefully, he would purchase a meatball sub and drop me off at home. "Not Pino's. I have another place in mind."
Eddie tugged on my arm, and I dragged my feet while contemplating my odds of winning the lottery. I don't like people paying my way. After divorcing Dickie, I learned the importance of financial stability and managing my own finances. Despite Dickie cheating on me and having a prenuptial agreement, he ended up with more money than I did. How was I supposed to know his signature on the legal copy was invalid because he used his nickname, not his legal name? I tried to use the copy he signed for me, but it wasn't notarized or filed with the lawyers. Dickie screwed me over. My lawyer was a useless twit.
I raised my brows when Eddie parked up the street from Pete's Pub. He turned off the car, and we exited. I stepped onto the sidewalk as Eddie rounded the vehicle. Eddie walked closest to the road. His chivalry would not go unnoticed.
My neck tingled. Ranger was here. He was in the area, close enough for me to sense him. Why was he around? "Eddie, why are we here?" I demanded. A shadow in the alley caught my attention. It was too dark in the alley to see who was hiding, but I detected no danger. I suspected it was Ranger.
"Is something wrong?" Eddie asked. I furrowed my brows before shaking my head. He answered my question about why we were going to Pete's Pub, "I told you. I'm buying you dinner."
A Hispanic man entered behind us. I had seen him around town, lurking in the shadows. My intuition said he was harmless. I smiled as I touched his arm. "I'm sorry you had to take a life," I quietly said.
"Steph, I have to use the washroom," Eddie said. I nodded and refocused my attention on the Hispanic man.
The man waited until Eddie disappeared before saying, "Thank you for your kindness. I'm Hector. It's a pleasure to meet you. I have to work." Hector's gang tattoo was visible when he twisted his head to look around the bar.
"Sure, no problem. It was a pleasure to meet you." Hector nodded and walked to the corner farthest from the bar, where the owner placed the pool tables in the sight of the bartender. I assumed the design would alert the bartender when trouble was brewing. Hector removed his phone and tapped the screen. I watched in amusement as he caught me watching from the wooden stool where I planted my ass at the bar. Hector winked before grabbing a cue stick from the rack.
The bartender smiled when I turned my gaze on him. He asked for my drink order. I asked for a Coke. He smiled and poured the drink. I accepted the cola and raised the glass to take a sip.
A sleazy man sat on the stool to the right of mine, blocking my view of the restrooms. "What's a vision like you doing in a place like this?" he queried.
Internally, I rolled my eyes at his horrible pickup line and replied, "I'm here with a friend."
"You look alone to me," he said, annoying me. His hand touched mine, holding the glass. Great. I needed a fresh drink. Who knows what he dropped into my cup? I wasn't about to take the chance that he never spiked my cola, which I strongly suspected he had.
"He had to use the washroom." I pretended to take another sip from the glass and licked my lips. His eyes sparkled in excitement, confirming he spiked my drink. The taste on my lip was salty, and I quickly wiped it away. I caught the bartender's eye to motion for another drink. He dumped the contents of the glass and set it aside to run through the dishwasher. I watched him take a new glass off the shelf below the liquor bottles, then poured me a fresh drink. The bartender placed it on the coaster to my left, keeping it away from the sleazy man.
"Can I buy your drink?" he asked, trying to sound charming, but every cell in my body screamed he was a dangerous man.
"No, thank you," I politely replied.
He leaned closer to me. My neck tingled as I sensed Ranger when he entered the pub. "Come on, sweetheart. It's just one drink," he coaxed. "My name is Eduardo."
"Back off. I already told you I'm here with a friend."
"I only want you for one night, sweetheart," Eduardo insisted. He grabbed my right arm. I turned on my bar stool to face him. While slipping off the stool, I took advantage of his closeness to flip him on his stomach as I yanked his right arm behind his back.
With a growl, I said, "I told you I'm not interested." I felt Ranger approaching. He passed me handcuffs, and I quickly attached them to Eduardo's wrists.
"Eduardo Melendez, I'm Ranger, and I work for Vincent Plum Bail Bonds. I'm taking you back to the police station," Ranger said, jerking Melendez to his feet.
"You owe me a night, cunt," Melendez yelled at me. Ranger glared at him. I would be pissing my pants if Ranger directed that look at me.
"She's mine," Ranger growled. His possessiveness was arousing instead of off-putting. He looked sexier than before. Ranger was my knight in black cargo pants and a tight black shirt.
"Sorry, Ranger, sir," Eduardo replied. My shoulders tensed before I forced them to relax. Putting on a show for Melendez, I smiled sweetly at Ranger and brushed my fingers along his clenched jaw, which relaxed slightly from my gentle touch. It would send a message to the other bar patrons and the criminal.
"Ranger, I'll see you later, my love. I know you won't disappoint me," I said.
"Babe, Hector will bring you home," Ranger said, motioning toward the man I spoke to on the way inside the bar.
"Okay," I responded as Hector approached. He helped me sit on the stool. I linked our arms as if we were old friends. The bartender replaced my drink and gave one to Hector.
Eddie joined me at the bar a minute later. He ordered spicy wings with cheesy fries and asked the bartender to charge him for everything. Hector, speaking Spanish, asked the bartender to bring him a burger and fries. I raised my brows. He motioned for me to remain silent. Hector didn't want anyone to know he spoke English. I promised to keep his secret.
As promised, Eddie paid for our dinner. Hector gave the bartender money for his drink, fries and burger. "Thanks for dinner, Eddie. Hector is supposed to drive me home."
Before agreeing to let me leave with Hector, Eddie asked him. Hector confirmed my claim while speaking in Spanish. Thankfully, Eddie understood Hector's words and let me go with him. Eddie walked us to Hector's car and tapped the roof after ensuring I was secured inside. It wasn't surprising when Eddie recorded Hector's license plate in his notepad.
I told Hector where I lived, and he drove me home. He escorted me to the apartment and cleared it before allowing me to enter. "Are you afraid someone entered my apartment?" I asked.
"You can never be too safe," Hector replied. "I'm waiting outside until he arrives."
After Hector left, I locked the door and showered away the encounter with Eduardo Melendez. The man made me feel gross. After dressing in sleep shorts and a tank top, I remained in my bedroom, occasionally peeking from behind my curtain for Ranger's arrival.
My patience was waning, and I needed to hear his voice. I walked to the living room to grab my mobile phone and dialled the number I thoughtfully memorized before destroying the card. "Talk," his voice sounded firm, almost annoyed despite sensing he was more amused by me.
"Am I calling at a bad time?" I asked, suddenly shy and worried that he had changed his mind. I chewed on my bottom lip to stop myself from speaking my thoughts.
"Never," he groaned. I imagined my tentative question aroused him.
Giggling, I gave him my address and thought, "I can't believe I invited Batman over."
Ranger growled, "Babe, are you sure?"
Oh, my goodness. His voice sounded deeper from arousal. I couldn't stop sighing, "Yes, I have an ache." The line went dead after I heard the unmistakable sound of the car's engine revving. Ranger had stepped on the gas to arrive sooner. I returned to my bedroom to peek through the curtains. When Ranger's car appeared, I smiled.
It didn't take him long to arrive at my door, where I patiently waited for him to knock. I peeked through the peephole to ensure it was Ranger before I unlocked and opened the door. He stepped over the threshold, crowding me. I could feel the heat and electricity emanating from his body. My face flushed red before I stepped aside for him to come inside. Ranger closed the door, flicked the lock and slid the chain in place to secure us for the night.
He gasped in surprise when I couldn't resist for another second. I pulled his head down to press my lips firmly against his. The electricity ratcheted up a few notches when he deepened the kiss, making me sigh breathlessly.
Ranger took advantage of my opened mouth and plunged his tongue inside while gently tugging on my hair. Holy crap! Batman can kiss. Moans of satisfaction slipped past my lips. I let my hormones take control and pulled on his shirt, which he tucked into his pants. "Yes," I breathed when his hands moved to my thighs and lifted me. He carried me to the bedroom and gently lowered me to the bed.
I broke the kiss, sighed and looked into his warm brown eyes. "Ranger," I huskily said.
"Carlos," he quickly corrected.
Smiling, I said, "Carlos, I want this, but I promised I wouldn't sleep with another man before getting married. I'm not interested in having a one-night stand."
"Neither am I," Carlos replied. "I never thought I wanted to get remarried, but I will for you. Let me love you, Stephanie. We can get married in a few days if you want."
"How about I catch Morelli first?" I bartered.
"Deal," he answered before stripping me bare.