Hi all, so I know it's been a long time since I've been able to write, but you know adult life is quite busy. This story has been on my mind for a while as I thought about how I wanted to move forward with it. Yesterday I stumbled upon a portion of this chapter that I wrote a year ago and somehow felt like it was missing something. Today I was able to figure out how to fix what I thought was kinda crappy. This story is building up to its climax, so it probably has a few chapters left. I can't promise a speedy update, but y'all know I'd rather take my time to write a chapter so the story can still keep its badass effect.
This chapter explores S&R's Hawaii meeting as well as the current crime atmosphere.
Disclaimer: The Plum universe belongs to JE. Mistakes are mine.
"Hi, can I buy you a drink?" The sound of an annoyingly smug voice snapped me out of my faraway thoughts.
Looking up from my lime margarita, I was greeted by the sight of a smirking frat boy. I doubted he was even old enough to drink. I scoffed, shook my head and returned my attention back to my margarita. Effectively ignoring him was easy, getting him to get the message? Not so much.
"Oookaaay. You caught me!" He said with a nervous chuckle as he admitted to being a University of Hawaii Freshman. "But, yo, I got a big dick." That got him a raised eyebrow look over my left shoulder.
"Babe, is this kid bothering you?" At the sound of his smooth voice, I turned to my right and this time I came face to face with a wall of muscle. The man in black was wearing a fitted button down shirt that hugged his sculpted torso to perfection. I could detect the groves of his abs as my gaze ascended to take in his well defined pectorals. His bulging biceps and overall muscled form made for quite the presence. Frat boy must have gotten the message because I caught him scurrying off from the corner of my eye.
I watched the handsome stranger signal the bartender and faintly registered him ordering a drink. "Oh, I get it." I said with a shake of my head. "Frat boy is bad cop and you're good cop? Sweeping in to save the damsel in distress work for you much?" Another scoff escaped me, making me realize I was on the tipsy side with just three margaritas.
"Babe." A smile tugged on the corner of his lips. "I don't have time for games." He assured.
I laughed, the sound bubbling past my lips. Yeah, I'm tipsy. "So you won't brag about having a big dick?" The bartender chose that moment to bring his drink and the surprise at my comment showed.
The lighting accentuated his mocha skin and the buttons of his shirt looked like they were just about to burst as he leaned forward to whisper in my ear. "I don't need to brag." The husky tone of his voice was as stark a contrast to the bar's busy vibe as our skin tones.
Something about his tone, scent and overall company led me to do something I've never done, not even when I was young and careless. I invited the handsome stranger back to my room. He was hot, sure, but there was just something about him that drew me to him. I wanted him so, so bad and that usual little nagging voice in my head that tends to warn me about potential bad choices was conveniently silent.
And of course he didn't turn me down. As we made the short walk back to the hotel and then to my bungalow, he arched an eyebrow in question. The fact that we were in a Couples Only resort didn't escape him either. Not much seemed to go unnoticed by this man of mystery. Nevertheless, he remained silent as we continued our stroll. When we finally reached the Newlywed's quarters, he watched me unlock the door and tipsily stumble inside. In my somewhat intoxicated state I faintly registered the lack of footsteps following behind me.
"What are you doing?" I asked, both confused and irritated when I found him still standing outside.
"I don't share." He said simply as he made a move to turn around and leave.
"What?" I asked, annoyance setting in. How dare he just leave after I'd made up my mind about indulging with him.
"Goodnight, Babe." He gave me the hint of a smile, a glimpse of fleeting regret crossing his beautiful face.
And as he started walking away it hit me. We were at a couples only resort. "I'm not some swinger!", I all but blurted. The unexpected sound caused his footsteps to stop. As he turned around to glance at me, something in the back of my mind told me that it wouldn't be easy to get rid of him if I didn't let this man leave right at this moment. And yet I couldn't hold my tongue. "My ex left me at the altar." I wasn't sure why I was even telling him something so personal. "Honeymoon vacation was already paid for." I shrugged by way of explanation.
His smile grew slowly, making him seem quite exotically appetizing standing mere feet away partly covered in shadows. "Babe."
I was startled awake, suddenly feeling disoriented in the darkness. For a moment, I felt my heart rate skyrocket as I tried to pinpoint where I was. Taking a deep breath, a familiar scent invaded my senses all at once. We were in close proximity, with my body half draped over his and half sinking into couch cushions. At the realization of my surrounding, things started flooding back.
The memory of our meeting, of my return to Trenton, and everything else assaulted me suddenly.
With the close proximity his unique scent did some interesting things to my libido. I hate to admit it, but even in our current predicament all I could picture was the feel and taste of his body.
"Babe." His whisper snapped me back to reality. Ranger's left arm was wrapped around my waist, keeping me pressed securely against him.
"Any updates?" I asked with a raspy voice, a little too breathlessly for my liking, as I worked on focusing on the present. After the display of wannabe militia, Ranger decided it'd be best to stay put and let tonight unfold as the Stark homeboys had planned. Leaving them to work on their schedule uninterrupted might just be the clue we need to solve this mystery. The Bonds office is a box of a building, all brick on three walls. My office is at the back of the building, with no windows and a single door to connect me to the reception area. I guess my cousin Vinnie chose this specific setup for his extramarital activities. Thanks to my sleazy cousin, the lack of visibility made my now office a great hiding place to wait out this crazy night. At some point, sitting in the dark looking at the camera feed on Ranger's cell made the activities of the last 24 hours gang up on me. In the span of twenty-four hours I returned to Trenton, was unexpectedly reunited with Ranger, had two guys shoot up the Bonds office, bumped into my ex, had several rounds of explosive intimacy with my Hawaiian lover, watched two goons pick up a passed out Morelli, and had a way more up close insight into the city's crime filled nightlife. That's way more activity than what I've had in a long time. Add the fact that sleep has been quite scarce upon my return, I eventually knocked out cold.
"There's been no activity since you fell asleep." Ranger sounded very alert, yet his voice was as strained as mine had been.
"How long was I out?" I squirmed in his hold, trying to find a more comfortable position. What I ended up doing instead was rubbing myself against his taut body and brushing a certain piece of his anatomy with inner thigh.
"Babe." His hold on me loosened ever so slightly. "About two hours."
"Okay. So it's like three right now?" He grunted in response, so I nodded in thanks for the confirmation.
We stayed pressed together for several beats until I had the urge to press my lips against his chest, right over his heart, making contact with the soft cotton of his T-shirt. Frowning, I realized that the kiss felt wrong. Not because it was a kiss or its location, but because I needed to make contact with his skin. So I did just that. Tilting my head back, I first pressed my lips against his neck and followed that kiss with another one on the underside of his jaw.
"Babe." Ranger bent down to press his lips against mine in what has been our least hurried kiss of the last twenty-four hours.
It was not my intention to turn this stakeout into a romantic one, or maybe it was groggy Stephanie's intention, yet that's exactly where we were headed. Our lips became more insistent, morphing our soft kisses into more demanding ones. At some point during our lip-lock, I began rubbing my doodah against his thigh. A growl escaped him as both his arms wrapped around me. In one swift move, I found myself plastered on top of his solid body. A startled shriek escaped me, cutting through the silence like a knife. My body, however, was not surprised. My hips continued their rubbing motion, this time pressing my doodah right against his erection. In a matter of minutes, our tongues dueled for dominance while we dry humped our way to an orgasm.
"Ranger." My breathless moan against his lips was my warning that my almost orgasm was near. And just as his hands roughly closed around my ass cheeks, female cries filled the air. It took several seconds for me to realize that those female cries were not mine.
"Babe." Ranger simultaneously realized the same thing I did. Regretfully, we both stilled our movements just moments away from pleasure completely engulfing us. As we stiffened to be able to better hear the activity outside, my promised orgasm stayed at an almost.
S&R
"Babe." I wrapped my arms tightly around her to halt her delicious movements. It's beyond frustrating to be interrupted just moments away from pleasure. We never had this problem in Hawaii. Then again there was no threat to anyone's life on the island.
The female cries were accompanied by screeching tires. I bolted upright, bringing Babe with me, and reached for my phone. I sent a quick message to the control room to get the men to focus their surveillance near the Bonds office and what Babe likes to call the Burg. As soon as the message was sent I went back to security feed from the cameras overlooking outside the office, primarily on Hamilton Ave. In silence we watched the shiny Black Escalade roar past the office, with an open Jeep Wrangler full of the young armed men tailing close behind.
"Shit." Babe was the first to break the silence, still partially straddling my lap.
"Yeah." In our time away it seems crime has really gotten out of hand. In all my years in the business I've never seen such blatant displays between two rival groups. The fact that not one single cop cruiser has been spotted anywhere in the city goes to show how critical the situation has become.
And just when I thought tonight couldn't get anymore exciting, we watched a figure drag itself from underneath a parked car.
"Ohmigod, that's Terry!" Babe was quick to point out. In the distance the sound of an engine and screeching tires approached. "They're coming back!" Babe jumped out of my lap and bolted out of the safe cocoon her office had become.
I quickly followed her out through the back door, and towards the small gap created on the side of the building and the bookstore next door. The space was dark, barely wide enough for a person to walk through. By the time Terry reached the opening on the sidewalk side, she was intercepted by Babe.
"You?" The Italian wiseguy questioned, her voice sounding quite weak compared to the authoritative one she had earlier tonight during her arranged meeting with Babe.
I reminded there was no time to chat and led the way back down the side of the building. Shots and screeching tires filled the night as we bustled down the opening towards the back door. I wrenched the door open and went inside with the women following close behind.
I stood in silence inside the dark building as we listened for sounds of following footsteps or engines in the alley. After five minutes of no activity sounds, we moved ourselves into Babe's office. With the door closed, I risked our safety by flicking the lights on. Terry perched herself on the desk and loosened her trench coat. Without a word, she peeled back the burgundy fabric to reveal a crisp white blouse underneath.
"You're shot." Babe blurted out, her blue eyes scanning the woman she once considered her rival.
"Yeah." Terry seemed drained, but kept her composure as she one-handedly unbuttoned her bloody blouse.
"Do you have a first aid kit?" My question caused Babe's wide eyes to redirect their focus to me.
"Uhm, yeah. Connie always has one in her desk drawer." A minute later Babe handed me a standard first aid kit.
I checked the wound on Terry's left shoulder, just below her clavicle, and did what I could to stop the bleeding and patch her up. "There's not much more I can do for you here." I thought it'd be best to be honest with her. "You're going to need a hospital."
"No, no hospitals." Terry made a move to dress, but the pain caused a strangled sob to escape. I'm certain this is the last thing she would want anyone, much less Stephanie, to witness. A sign of weakness is never good for business. After several seconds, Terry managed to drape her trench coat over her wounded shoulder. Just as she made a move to stand, her face scrunched up. "You're shot too, you know."
My eyes tracked the mobster's line of sight and found Babe standing in a puddle of blood. "Babe."