Ranger's POV
I married the woman of my dreams. Stephanie Michelle Plum was everything I had ever wanted as my partner. She was tenacious, loving and generous. Her skills in apprehension were impeccable. I never would have married her if she couldn't protect herself.
It was time to tell her about my past. I know she should have known what she was getting into before tying her name with mine. In a way, my life doesn't lend itself to relationships. Everyone involved with me would be placed directly in the line of fire. It was primarily the reason for keeping my family at arm's length. "Babe, we need to talk," I said when we sat in the car.
"Was this conversation necessary before we tied the knot?" Stephanie asked. Her fingers twisted in her lap as she chewed on her bottom lip.
"Babe, look at me," I requested while gently raising her chin with a finger. I tugged her lip free of her teeth. "I was in the Army."
"I figured as much," Stephanie quickly replied, unfazed by the news.
"I have enemies," I added.
"And I always find myself caught up in shit," Stephanie joked. I opened my mouth to talk. Stephanie pressed a finger to my lips to silence me. "Carlos, my dad taught me how to fire weapons. With his guidance, I hold black belts in most martial arts disciplines. You don't need to worry about me."
"Babe?" I asked, hoping she would elaborate on how her father assisted. I knew she received training. Her father, Frank Plum, didn't seem the type to allow weapons in the house.
"Listen, Carlos, because I will only say this once. I can take care of myself. Daddy has me carrying a panic button to use if I ever find myself in a situation where I need assistance. He's a general in the Army. My godfather served with Dad. I'm used to being around military men. I promise not to go searching for trouble. However, if you think my life is in danger, you need to tell me, not ship me off to whatever place you think I'll be safe," Stephanie sweetly replied.
"I wasn't expecting that news," I confessed. I put the car in drive and headed home to consummate our vows. Stephanie was staring out the window. She seemed lost in thought.
"Connie said you slept with Jeanne Ellen," Stephanie suddenly announced.
"I never realized Jeanne Ellen was in Trenton, and I never slept with her. For a woman who barely knows me, Connie sure has a lot to say," I replied. "Where did she get that idea?"
"Welcome to Trenton," Stephanie teased. "Carlos, the women in the Burg love to gossip. I bet someone asked Connie about you, and she came up with some shit story after meeting Jeanne Ellen. Connie merely has to create a sordid story for the Burg bitches to drink up like free booze at the local bar."
"That's twisted," I replied.
"No, that's the Burg," Stephanie corrected. "Mom's expecting me for dinner tonight. Are you available to accompany me?"
"Always," I answered. I had some business to manage before dinner. The first task was to make love to my wife. I wanted to tell Stephanie about Rangeman but was unsure how to start the discussion. Stephanie was watching my face as I drove along the highway to get home.
"The rest can wait," Stephanie said, smiling. She turned the radio to an eighties music station and sang along to the songs. Her singing voice was melodic, and she hit every note without getting pitchy.
I held the steering wheel with my left hand, offering her my right. She smiled and entwined our fingers. It was a perfect fit. Her hand felt comfortable in mine. The energy buzzed between our palms. "Is it just me, or does this feel different?" Stephanie asked, squeezing my hand. Electricity continuously flowed between us. Her hand felt soft and warm in mine, which was also typical. But I understood what Stephanie was asking.
"It feels like our souls have forever entwined," I said.
Stephanie giggled, "That sounds like something a teenage girl would say."
"I have my mate," I corrected. Stephanie rolled her eyes.
"We aren't a pack of wolves," Stephanie snorted. I spared a glance into her eyes, which widened when I gave her a wolf grin. "Man, it's hot in here." Stephanie angled the vents so the air conditioning inside the car would blow in her face.
I kissed her knuckles and placed our joined hands on my thigh. She sighed and closed her eyes as the eighties rock music played through the speakers. Stephanie hummed or sang when she knew all the lyrics. I loved listening to her sing. When I thought Stephanie was sleeping, I changed the station to Latin music.
Stephanie snorted but gasped when I sang. She twisted in her seat to watch me. I smiled and continued to sing. "You have a sexy voice," Stephanie sighed between songs. "Especially when you're speaking Spanish."
"I'm moving into your apartment," I announced. Stephanie grinned.
"Even though a five-year-old can pick my locks?" she joked.
"Especially because a five-year-old can pick your lock," I laughed. "I don't want to spend a night without you."
"Where do you sleep? Don't you have an apartment?" Stephanie queried. I tried to formulate an excuse but mainly settled on the truth.
"I live in a furnished sublet," I replied. "But if I moved in with you, I can give up my apartment and help you pay the rent." The truth was I wanted the apartment as a safe house in case Stephanie needed a place to hide. Tank and the others could live there while we renovate the commercial building on Haywood to accommodate the newest Rangeman branch.
We are several months away from opening its doors. I hoped Stephanie would work for us. Her instincts are better than mine, and I couldn't be more proud. I trained for months to hone those skills, and Stephanie came by it honestly.
"You don't need to help me pay rent," Stephanie argued. I raised a brow. "Carlos, you know I have crappy furniture, and I have next to no dishes, thanks to Morelli."
"Babe, Hector replaced your dishes and cookware," I explained, taking the exit to Trenton. We should be home within half an hour, depending on whether Connie wasted my time.
"But I still have to pay him back," Stephanie whined. She mumbled that she owed too many people for helping her in the past month.
"Do you have your body receipt for Morelli?" I asked, changing the subject. I wondered how long it would take before Stephanie asked if I gave Hector the money to replace her dishes.
Stephanie rifled through her purse to produce the paper. "Yes!" she exclaimed, waving it for me to see. "Are we stopping at Vinnie's before going home?"
"We are," I replied. I had to give Connie my receipt for Gary Barnhardt. Stephanie earned most of the bounty. I felt she would refuse to accept the money. Hopefully, she would let me secure our apartment and purchase new furniture. I wanted Stephanie to be happy in her home. Once Rangeman Trenton was ready to open and her current lease ended, I hoped she would move into the Rangeman apartment with me. We would have a home secured by my men with the benefit of having Ella cooking and cleaning for us.
Stephanie was watching my face for a reaction to something. I wondered if she was worried about Joseph Morelli getting re-bonded and allowed to roam the streets. He was a danger to her now that she successfully captured him.
Her question surprised me. "I hope you're not planning to give me money for capturing Gary Barnhardt, right?" I stopped at the light a few blocks away from Vinnie's office and spared a glance at Stephanie's face. Her eyes narrowed, daring me to confirm she rightfully earned most of the bounty.
"What if I am?" I asked.
"Then I would refuse to accept," Stephanie huffed.
"I'll open a joint account and deposit the money there," I replied. Stephanie tried to argue that she didn't need my help. Her determination to prove she didn't need my assistance overrode her desperation for money. It further confirmed she was not a gold digger. I wondered how she would react to learning I owned a national security company and a multimillionaire. "Babe, please."
Resigned by my use of the word 'please,' Stephanie agreed. She mumbled about constantly caving when someone said please. "Providing intel to the enemy," I teased.
Stephanie gave me her best Burg glare, making me smile. "Please tell me I didn't say that out loud?" she whined. I chuckled in response. "Damn! I must stop doing that."
I raised our entwined hands to kiss her wrist. The light turned green, and I had to continue driving to the bond office on Hamilton Road before I changed my mind about not going home first. Much too soon, I parked at the curb in front of Vincent Plum Bail Bonding Company.
"Stupid parking karma," Stephanie mumbled. She released her seatbelt and exited the car before I could tell her to wait. I wanted to open the door for her. "Connie's staring at us." Stephanie straightened her ponytail as I rounded the car to her side.
Placing my hand on her lower back, I gently guided her up the sidewalk to the door. As Stephanie indicated, Connie was staring at us. Stephanie opened the door, and I reluctantly removed my hand from her back to hold it for us to enter.
"I heard you captured Morelli," Connie said, grinning at Stephanie. "He's madder than a poked bear."
"Whatever," Stephanie grumbled. She slammed Morelli's body receipt on the desk and tapped her toe until Connie wrote the cheque. Stephanie tucked it into her pocket.
I gave Connie the receipt for Gary Barnhardt. She grinned and promised to mail the cheque to the usual place. Stephanie turned to glare at me.
"The bounty was high. Connie needs Vinnie's signature on the cheque," I explained. Stephanie looked at Connie, who confirmed with a nod.
"Do you have any files for me?" Stephanie asked. Connie grinned and passed her a few. Stephanie opened the folder on the top. It was for a man named Lonnie Dodd, who was arrested as a first-time auto theft offender.
"What's going on between you two?" Connie asked when I rested my chin on Stephanie's shoulder. With her right eyebrow raised, she leaned across her desk to look closer. I stepped away from Stephanie to grab my files off the corner of Connie's desk.
"Nothing," Stephanie replied as her face turned beet red. It gave everything away. "Um. I've got to go. Too much to do before going to my parents' house for dinner." Stephanie turned on her heel to make a hasty exit but slammed into my chest instead. I caught her and waited until her balance returned before releasing my grip on her arms.
When we got outside, I pulled her into the alley between Vinnie's office and the laundromat next door. I kissed her until her knees gave out. The files slipped from our hands as we tugged at each other to get closer. "Babe," I whispered against her lips.
"Carlos, take me home to bed," Stephanie huskily said. I kissed Stephanie chastely and helped her retrieve the files from the ground. Thankfully, they didn't blow away with the slight breeze between the buildings. Connie had secured the documents to the folder with a few paperclips.
Stephanie and I rushed to my car and jumped inside. I pulled away from the curb, squealing the wheels on the asphalt. Our desire overwhelmed all logical thought. The stoplights cooperated, and we arrived home sooner than I expected. I parked the car as Stephanie dumped the files into her messenger bag. She waited for me to open her door. "Babe?" I queried, wondering why she decided to wait this time.
"You seemed upset that I didn't let you open my door earlier. I figured you wanted to do that now," Stephanie replied, correctly reading me and proving she was the other half to make me whole.
When I offered my hand, Stephanie took it while smiling. She hooked her messenger bag over a shoulder and stepped from my car. Stephanie moaned when I released her hand to place it on her lower back, gently brushing the top of her ass with my fingers. I tucked my pinky in the waist of Stephanie's pants, eliciting another moan from her.
Stephanie fumbled her keys as she attempted to unlock the door. I chuckled and plucked them from her fingers. She grumbled when I opened the door without problems. I tossed the file on the table holding the answering machine and eased the bag off her shoulder, hanging it on the hook on the wall. "Locks," Stephanie mumbled when I closed the door with my foot.
I engaged the lock as Stephanie removed her shoes. While bent over, she untied my CAT boots, making it easier for me to shed them by the door. Stephanie tugged on the hem of my shirt. "Babe, stop," I whispered. Her eyes widened as she stepped away from me, not comprehending why I told her to stop. "I need to clear the apartment before we get too distracted," I explained.
"Okay," Stephanie replied. She chewed her bottom lip as I drew my gun to check the apartment. Other than a few dust bunnies lingering beneath the bed, the apartment was clear.
When I returned to my beautiful wife, I grabbed Stephanie and carried her to bed, where we consummated our vows. I was head over heels in love with Stephanie. It was too soon to utter the words, but they were no less true. Stephanie's eyes reciprocated my thoughts.
At 1715, my watch alarm sounded. We had less than thirty minutes to shower and get to the Plums' house in time for dinner. Stephanie nuzzled into my chest, kissing my pecs before asking, "What time is it?"
"Time to get up and shower. We don't have much time," I replied. Stephanie raised herself to see the alarm clock on the nightstand beside me."
"Shit!" she snapped. Stephanie jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom. I changed the sheets and made the bed before joining her. "What took you so long?"
"I made the bed," I replied. Stephanie's mouth popped open before she stood beneath the showerhead to rinse the shampoo from her hair. I grabbed her bottle of conditioner and helped massage it into her curls as she moaned in appreciation. "Babe, we don't have time," I warned.
Stephanie gigged and returned the favour. I quickly washed her body and gently shoved her from the shower once I thoroughly rinsed her. It didn't take long for me to bathe and get ready for dinner with my in-laws.
"What do I wear?" Stephanie lamented. I wrapped my arms around her towel-clad body and kissed her neck. Stephanie pulled her damp into a ponytail. She didn't have time to use the blow dryer to remove some moisture.
"Dark jeans and your blue top," I offered. Stephanie smiled up at me. She turned in my arms to press a kiss to my chin. I retrieved my clothes from the duffle and dressed similarly to Stephanie, but I wore a black button-down shirt over my black t-shirt to hide my gun.
When Stephanie finished dressing, we had six minutes to drive to her parents' house on Roosevelt. My phone buzzed from an incoming message. I spared a glance and smiled.
"What's got you looking like the cat that ate the canary?" Stephanie teased as we left her apartment.
"Patience, Babe," I replied. We took the elevator because Stephanie was wearing her boots with a three-inch heel. I didn't want her falling down the stairs.
"Oh!" Stephanie exclaimed when we approached my car. "Hola, Hector."
"Hola," he replied, grinning from ear to ear. Hector passed the ring box before embracing Stephanie. He whispered into her ear. I know he spoke English but pretended not to understand.
"Gracias," Stephanie said. She kissed his cheek below the teardrop tattoo.
I opened the passenger side door for Stephanie and waited until she secured the seatbelt before fist-bumping Hector. He congratulated us and promised to watch our backs so I could relax during dinner.
"What's in the box?" Stephanie queried as I sat in the driver's seat. I passed the velvet box to Stephanie. She cautiously opened it and gasped. "They're beautiful."
Stephanie's hands shook after removing the rings from the box. I took the smallest set from her palm. Carefully, I slid them on her left-hand ring finger as I said, "Stephanie, my Babe, these rings are a sign of my fidelity, support, friendship and love."
Smiling, Stephanie repeated my words while pushing my ring over my knuckles. "We have four minutes before the roast dries," Stephanie announced after checking the time.
I put the car in drive and headed toward Stephanie's childhood home. She gave me directions. Stephanie furrowed her brows when we arrived at our destination. Someone had parked a silver Toyota on the road. She glanced at the house where the curtains twitched. Her gaze turned hard when the front door opened on that house.
"Mom invited a potential husband for dinner. Why can't she stop meddling in my life?" Stephanie snarled.
"Come on, Babe. Let's face the firing squad with pride," I replied.
Stephanie grabbed my hand when I opened her door. She smiled before standing to her full height, squaring her shoulders, and practically dragging me up the sidewalk. "It's time to meet the outlaws, Batman," Stephanie teased.
The door flung open as we walked up the steps. Stephanie's grandma, Edna, stood inside the doorway, grinning. "Welcome to the nuthouse," Edna said. Stephanie hugged her grandma and whispered.
A quirked a brow and waited for Stephanie to share the secret. "I told Grandma to keep her hands to herself," Stephanie whispered.
We brushed past Edna, who kept her twitching palms to herself and entered the dining room. A man sat at the table. He stood to pull out the chair for Stephanie. She ignored him and tried to sit on the other side. "Stephanie, could you help me with the food?" Mrs. Plum politely asked.
I greeted Mr. Plum but followed Stephanie and her mother to the kitchen in time to hear, "Stephanie Michelle Plum, how dare you bring that…thug… that man into my house!"