213No, this story (or any others of mine) has not been abandoned. Yes, it hasn't had an update in a while, oops. The beginning of this chapter has been sitting in my files since early 2020 and we all know how 2020 went. 2021 I was very sick and 2022 is going. JudoMom sent me a PM this weekend, hinting that ya'll are still waiting on an update after I left Steph with a GSW to her ass. I don't like just posting filler updates, which is what kept this story on such a long hiatus. Moving forward, chapters will be longer so that we can get to the end in less chapter updates. This chapter alone, without the long AN, is over 6500 words, so enjoy. Next chapter is in the works already.
Here's a quick recap, although it wouldn't hurt to re-read Ch1-8 to refamiliarize yourself with the story (or read it for the first time if you didn't when it first came out): This is a slightly AU story. Morelli was a no show for his wedding with Stephanie. When Stephanie found out he missed their wedding because he was holed up in a cheap motel with his ex, Terry Gilman (I now know it's Terri, but when I started the story I used Terry so we're keeping it for continuity), Stephanie went on her honeymoon to Hawaii alone. That's where she met Ranger and they engaged for two weeks in paradise before she had to go back home. Upon her return, S&R were reunited when Connie contracted Rangeman to set up a security plan and Ranger showed up for the walkthrough. Along with their reunion, Stephanie got mixed up with the increasing wave of crime that has overtaken the city in her time away. We left off with Ranger and Stephanie heading back to Rangeman as the first rays of sunlight bathed the city. Steph survived a night that included Stark gangs and the Burg's mob princess, Terry Gilman.
Let me know your thoughts on this one.
Disclaimer: The Plum universe belongs to JE. The typos are mine.
Stephanie's POV
"We're going to get caught!" I hissed out in a hushed whisper, even as I followed after him in the narrow hallway. Why am I kidding myself? I'd follow this man just about anywhere!
Ranger stopped abruptly, ushering me inside and quickly locking the door behind us. "Then you'll just have to be quiet this time, Babe." His blinding smile reached his eyes as he leaned down, pressing a toe-curling kiss on my parted lips.
"Mmm…" I couldn't contain the moan that escaped after that thorough kiss. As we broke for air, I had to blink several times to chase away the fog. "Me?" I batted my lashes at him as I trailed my hand down his chest. "I wasn't the one roaring in pleasure mere hours ago." Smiling sweetly, I placed a quick peck on his tempting lips. Take that, Ranger.
He reacted faster than I ever could, spinning me around to face the big mirror in front of us. This morning he asked me out on a dinner date. Dressy attire a must. It's been over a week and we've only ever made it out to breakfast once and twice for lunch, only to quickly rush back to the cabin because we couldn't wait any longer. Dinner at this upscale restaurant was great. The food was delicious and the company was even better. I'd been enjoying my dessert, moaning in delight at the taste of sugar and chocolate, when Ranger abruptly asked for the check.
"Playing with fire, Babe." He groaned, nibbling my earlobe as he quickly pushed up the skirt of my tight dress. Leaving the material bunched at my waist, he used one hand to test my readiness. "Babe." Ranger moaned against my ear, causing a pleasurable shudder to course through me. It's baffling how in sync our bodies are. How I'm always ready for him, wetter than I've ever been before for anyone else… It should scare me, but it doesn't. This weirdly perfect connection is something I'm not ready to give up. And lucky for me, we don't have to just yet.
"Oh!" I groaned in ecstasy when he plunged into me, thrusting in one swift stroke. He's so big, filling me deliciously and moving at just the perfect angle. "Ranger…" I warned that I wasn't going to last. We'd teased each other all throughout dinner, so it shouldn't be a surprise.
"Let go, Babe." His face pressing against the side of my neck, nuzzling my curls as he spoke, was his tell tale sign. It's a little freaky how well we've learned to read each other in just a week. We seem to know what the other wants, needs… Right now? We're both about to explode.
"Ranger, kiss me." I ordered breathlessly, meeting his eyes through the mirror. Watching our reflection was an added burst of eroticism. Knowing we were both so, so close, I braced my hands on the edge of the sink counter and thrust back to meet him stroke for stroke.
"Always, Babe." He promised, slanting his moth over mine so our tongues could tangle to mimic the dance of our lower bodies. One of his hands gripped my hip tighter while he snaked the other one to my front. That hand dipped lower, dipping into my slick folds to help push me over.
Our breath mingled when we broke apart for air, the orgasm rippling through us at the same time.
Good thing he's big and muscular, because my legs felt like they wouldn't be able to hold me up after that earth-shattering pleasure.
"You're trouble, Babe." Ranger breathed against my bare shoulder, working real hard to normalize his breathing.
"The good kind, I hope." I teased while I cupped his chiseled jaw with my hand before kissing the underside of it. He smells so good. Mmm…
After we came down from the high, we cleaned up and decided to take this back to the cabin. The night was still young. Very, very young.
"Save yourself." I joked dramatically once we got ready to exit the luxurious single stall restroom.
"I never leave a man behind." He joked right back, giving me an inadvertent glimpse into his life. Ranger was in the military for sure. Mmmm, maybe Soldier Ranger would come out to play tonight. "Only if you misbehave." Ranger added as he yanked the door open.
I didn't have time to fantasize about said possibility because we came face to face with our waitress. The female restroom was down a narrow hallway. There was nothing else down that way and she totally knew what we'd been up to, because she smiled knowingly. Feeling the heat as a blush spread across my cheeks, I blindly followed after Ranger.
A gasp, mine, snapped me back to the present.
"Babe?" His inquiry prompted me to snap my gaze to the mirror in front of us. Noting that not only was I naked, but that he was too, heat seared my face. The red tint to my cheeks was a dead giveaway too.
Thankfully, Ranger was too busy with his task to notice. Or at least, he made it seem that way.
The last twenty four hours have been eventful, for lack of a better word. As soon as it was safe to move, Terry coordinated her pick up from my apartment. Seconds after that Ranger did the same for us. The sun came up as he drove us back to his place: Rangeman. Still feeling groggy, I crashed in his wonderful bed as soon as we were back. Ranger had to have been exhausted, because I doubted he let his guard down, much less sleep, during the night. My suspicion was confirmed when he slipped into bed next to me. Mindful of my wound, instead of plastering me on top of him so that he could use his hands on my ass to anchor me in place or press his front to my back for a delicious spooning of my body, Ranger slipped into bed facing me. His hand on my shoulder allowed me to fall into a deep slumber. He quickly followed.
We woke up close to noon after a dreamless sleep. Well, at least it was dreamless for me. With Ranger's help I took a much needed shower. I'm sure he didn't want me to tear my stitches, but I can conclude that he also didn't want to miss the opportunity to help me lather up. As always, he spent considerable time on my breasts. Ranger's the only guy I've been with that makes me feel confident about all of me. I've always felt like I'd be better proportioned if I'd had bigger boobs. Ranger seems to disagree, which is something I'm totally okay with.
After our shower, Ranger dried off quickly so he could help me do the same. He's been redressing my wound for the last several minutes. Being in front of a bathroom mirror with my hands viciously gripping the sink counter inevitably transported me back to our time in Hawaii. To a specific dinner date to be exact. I frowned, thinking. Scratch that. It was our one and only dinner date.
"All done." Ranger announced, efficiently disposing of the byproducts of his work before he moved to wash his hands.
While he did so, I raked my eyes over his muscular form through the mirror. It felt so intimate to be standing shoulder to shoulder completely naked. The familiarity between us made me feel comfortable enough to not be tripping over myself to cover up. Ranger's seen all of me, just as I've seen all of him.
Unable to control the impulse, I placed my hand on his biceps and leaned forward. The kiss I planted on the corner of his mouth was unexpected, not just for him but for me as well. I've never been a very touchy feely person; not even as a significant other. Maybe that's why my first husband, Dickie Orr, stepped out on me with none other than my arch nemesis Joyce Barnhart. My quick marriage was followed by a quickie divorce. I struggled, sure, but I found my independence again. When my job as a Lingerie buyer for EE Martin went belly up just like the company, I had to resort to more unconventional means. Despite bribing my pervert cousin Vinnie, working at the bonds office opened up an unforgettable chapter in my life. I'd known Connie prior since she also grew up in the Burg. Despite being two years older than me, we've become fast friends. She used to handle the bonds office and Vinnie, which made her the perfect candidate for office manager even after I acquired it from Vinnie. It's because of Connie and her contacts that I was able to become a relatively good bounty hunter with no prior experience.
Morelli? Well, we all know how that went. Left me standing at the altar while he got in yet another round with his lover, Mob Princess.
Instead of that gut-wrenching feeling of emptiness that remembering my two disasters of mega, epic proportions involving my only serious adult relationships instantly washing over me, I was quickly reminded of how all of that led me to saying Fuck you! to my past. I boarded the scheduled flight and went on to enjoy what was supposed to be my honeymoon alone. And boy did I get bulldozed by a lovely chance meeting. It's mind blowing how close we've been in this short time, yet had never met until my stay in Hawaii.
"You okay, Babe?" Ranger asked as he skimmed his fingertips gently over the bruise that had formed on my left cheek thanks to my scuffle with the ski mask asshole. God, so much has happened that even that seems like it happened so long ago and not yesterday morning.
"Yes." With the same gentle touch, I traced the small crescent shaped scratches I left on Ranger's chest. His pectorals are super well defined. I know because I've explored them very thoroughly with my mouth and hands. His quick thinking saved our lives. We'd landed with a heavy thud behind my desk, taking cover from the rain of bullets ripping through the bonds office. I'd been greedily roaming my hands across his warm, hard muscles when the intruders opened fire. As I screamed, I dug my nails into his skin. Now, he's left with nasty little marks marring his perfect mocha latte skin.
It's hard to believe how much happened in the span of a day. My return and subsequent surprise reunion with Ranger was overshadowed by the seemingly never ending violent events that followed. I was unprepared for the harsh reality I came back to. I figured avoiding my ex and the nosy Burg gossipers would be the worst part of coming back to Trenton. Okay, the worst second only to being away from Ranger. I'd been so naive. Denial has always been a go to for me. That had to be the reason why I'd given my self that false sense of security. My life as I knew it would be no more. Not having Ranger in my life makes me physically sick. I know that it's going to be very different navigating this new us while being back to our regular lives, but I'm willing to try. Hopefully he is too.
"Babe." Ranger's grin as I placed yet another kiss on his tempting mouth was yet another reminder of our short, yet eventful history. "Come on. Let's eat." He knows me so well.
With Ranger's help, I managed to dress in comfortable jeans. After Terry's goons carted Morelli out of my apartment, I stuffed enough clothes for several days into a duffle bag while awaiting the go ahead from Connie.
Ranger dressed in a form fitting black T-shirt and black cargo pants. He completed the look with combat boots, looking as yummy as ever. I paired my dark jeans with a T-shirt and opted for sneakers.
Our food selection was more on the lunch side since we slept all morning after the long night. As we ate, my mind was racing.
"Stephanie." The teasing in Ranger's voice made me snap my attention back to him.
"What?"
"What are you thinking about? I can hear the gears turning." I gave him a small smile, because honestly he's learned a lot of my silent cues down to a T.
"Just thinking about everything that happened since you showed up at the bonds office yesterday morning." My cheeks blazed as I realized that despite sharing every meal together for the past two weeks, this is the first time that we're fully dressed and actually sitting down to share breakfast. Unless we went out to eat, which was rare, clothes were not a requirement.
"Babe." Ranger's too damn handsome for his own good. And smart. "Let's get this settled, and we can have any meal you want Hawaii style." His bright smile widened as he reached for his coffee. Hawaii style for us means eaiting in bed in the nude while taking turns feeding each other. Yes, sign me up.
After we ate, Ranger went into his home office to check on his messages. Turns out he's the CEO of his own company, which I sorta knew, but it's completely different to see the magnitude of his security empire.
While Ranger was busy fulfilling his Bossman duties, I decided to brave the hoards of missed calls, voicemails and texts that flooded my cell in the last twenty four hours. During my time in Hawaii, I mostly kept my phone off. I checked in with my best friend Mary Lou and my Grandma Mazur at least every two days just so that they could know that I was alive. Morelli's messages and voicemails were deleted without a second thought. He made his bed and needed to lie in it.
I ignored everyone who was just fishing for info to feed into the Burg grapevine. The messages from my mother made me roll my eyes. She wasn't worried about my safety. No. She was worried about what the town was saying. I could hear the 'why me' even before I listened to her voicemails. I blew out a breath. I knew I wasn't going to be able to get out of confronting my mother for much longer. The two weeks I spent in paradise and the almost forty eight hours I've had back in Trenton were more than enough in her book. Not in mine. Nope. A whole lifetime would still not be enough.
I sighed loudly as I shifted on the couch. It wasn't that the cushions were uncomfortable per se, but it's kinda hard to sit properly when you've got a bullet wound on one asscheek. Okay, so I'm being a whiny little bitch because all things considered I got off pretty easy.
As I was putting a considerable dent in my messages, a call from an unsaved number flashed across my screen. Thinking it was some nosy Burg grapevine member, I ignored the call. Seconds later, the same number flashed across my screen.
Get the hint! I huffed in annoyance. Mentally, of course.
Again, I declined the call. Instead of a third attempt, I got a text message from said phone number.
Answer the call, Plum. -T
Before I could even attempt a reply, my cell rang again.
"Meet me at Pino's in thirty. Alone. Don't be late." Terry's smooth voice floated over the open connection, ordering in her practiced calm tone. She disconnected before I even opened my mouth.
With a grunt, I slid off the couch and went in search of Ranger. His home office was to the right of his bedroom and he looked right at home in it.
I was unprepared for the sight of Ranger sitting behind a desk, phone in one ear and scribbling something in a sheet of a paper. Office Ranger fantasy unlocked. Oh god…
"Babe." He greeted when he ended the call. I've become very adept at interpreting his different Babes. This one was playful. He caught me staring and knew where my mind went because his went down the gutter right with mine.
"Terry asked me to meet her at Pino's in…" I glanced at my screen. "Twenty-nine minutes."
"Did she say what for?" Ranger arched his right eyebrow in thought. It's been less than twelve hours since we parted ways. I figured she'd be sleeping it off since her GSW was a lot nastier than mine.
"No." I shrugged because I didn't know.
"Okay. Let's go." I held up a hand, halting his movement.
"She wants me to go alone." I knew what he was going to say before he even said it. We've been practically glued at the hip for very different reasons since we met, so yes I know he's going to be less likely to leave my side. Especially since everything that's happened since our return. Add in the fact that I essentially interfered with Mob Barbie's nightlife activities, well let's just say Ranger's not a fan of me meeting her alone and in her territory.
Ranger was silent, his barely restrained power buzzing off him as he approached. I instinctively took a step closer, not back. I trust him with my literal life.
"I'll wear a wire. We'll swing by the bonds office so I can get my car and drive to Pino's without a tail in case Terry's people are watching." I like to think that I've matured over the course of this wild adventure. I'm even willing to compromise and not be reckless instead of getting into a screaming match because I didn't want to be told what to do.
"First, your car is in the underground garage." Ranger said he had one of his guys, Hal, deliver the car after dawn. "Second, you're adding a tracker to your get-up."
"You're fucking controlling, you know that?" I threw back in a play to a similar comment he made before I met Terry last night. Fighting the smile that threatened to spread was hard.
"Smartass." Ranger's lips twitched as he slung an arm across my shoulders. He kissed my temple as he guided us out of his office.
Six minutes later I was all wired up. It could have been done in less than a minute, but someone's hand kept straying to my breast and distracting himself. Okay, distracting us.
"What's this?" I asked when I grabbed my keys from the little silver bowl on the sideboard next to the front door.
"It's a fob." Ranger explained it would grant me access to the underground garage and his seventh floor penthouse.
The thought that maybe we were moving a little too fast crossed my jumbled mind fleetingly. There's been nothing conventional between us, so why would be start now? I did make the mental note to find time to talk about where we are headed.
I looked in the rear view mirror periodically throughout my short drive, but never spotted a tail. I figured Ranger's men had to be really good as I didn't see any shiny black vehicles. Let's be honest. There's no way Ranger's letting me go off on my own. Not after the events of the last twenty four plus hours. He doesn't care that it's the middle of the day. So, I'm sure there's a tail that I can't spot.
I was momentarily taken aback to see the Pino's parking lot empty. At this time of day the pizzeria is usually busy with their slight after lunch rush. Pino's is basically always busy. I don't think I've ever seen the parking lot empty. Like ever. Not even that time I was really craving a meatball sub and basically camped out in their lot until they opened. Even that time there'd been at least two vehicles in their lot.
I parked in the spot closer to the door, because why not. When I reached the entrance I took a moment to read the big sign posted at the door that said it was closed for 'maintenance'. A frown scrunched up my forehead as I pulled the handle to go in. That's something I've never seen either. Pino's is always open. It'll close early on some holidays, but it's never just been closed.
As I entered and gave myself a second to adjust to the dim lighting, I wondered if Pino's is as free of mob influenced as I'd always thought. It's been a police hangout for as long as I can remember, which made other dark thoughts begin to swirl around in my jumbled brain. The absence of police presence in the streets last night as all hell broke loose in the Burg being one of them.
Terry had opted for the booth on the far left corner, away from the windows. Her back was to the wall, which left me to sit across from her with my back to the door.
"Would you like to order anything, Steph?" The waitress asked, staring openly at my bruised face. Loretta Sullivan has worked at Pino's since I was in high school. She's aged as much as the building has, but looking graceful through the years. I'd love to look that good when I hit my fifties.
"A coke. Thanks." I nodded at the look she gave me, like she wanted to say something but couldn't.
"Right on the dot, Plum." Terry announced. I catalogued her, noting she looked good too. Damn. Everyone looks good but me. Sigh. "Don't sell yourself short, Stephanie." Terry added just as Loretta brought my drink. Guess I was going to have to scold my features to keep from showing my cards. Best not to give added ammunition to mob royalty.
"So what's up?" I asked, taking a sip from my coke to keep from blurting anything out. When I squirmed, Terry rolled her eyes.
Her still manicured hand slipped into her jacket pocket, producing a yellow pill. "Take it."
I shook my head. "I'm okay. I just sat wrong." All in all I am okay. The bullet wound is high enough that I can sit with minimal discomfort as long as I don't lean back against the backrest. Plus, meds make me loopy. This is a meeting that I want to be clear headed for.
"Suit yourself." She muttered before popping the pill into her mouth and downing it with what looked like water. Guess that's how you can look like you're all good and in one piece: drugs. Go figure.
"What do you want?" I asked, once again wanting to move this convo in the right direction. Despite the recent events, it's not like we're friends. Never have and never would be.
"I've always liked that you don't beat around the bush, Plum."
I blinked, wondering if I'd slipped into some weird alternate universe. Since when does Terry give two shits about me? We never ran in the same circles. Ever.
"Look…" Terry paused as she leaned forward, keeping her movements deliberate to keep from jerking her shoulder too much. "… I don't like owing favors. To anyone."
Ah! I get it know. Terry wants to have a chat with me. As I got ready to set her straight, to let her know that I'm not after cashing in or dangling 'saving her life' over her head, I was interrupted by Terry snapping her fingers in front of my face. A little too close to my face.
"Focus, Plum." She snarled somewhat annoyed. Guess she's not as one hundred percent as she likes to project.
"Okay." I nodded, taking another sip of soda.
"What do you want to know?" She said all seriousness.
My eyes widen at the implication. Just last night when we met in the parking lot right outside she was quite firm in saying that she didn't know anything. I mean, I knew that was bullshit, but it still surprises me that she's willing to share some info with me now.
"Why the bonds office?" I finally settled on that. She arched a brow in surprise, probably thinking I'd ask about her and Morelli instead. I need no confirmation on that. Why revisit the past? She can keep him for all I care. She was right. Terry did do me a favor. Without what happened between Morelli and I, I would have never met Ranger. And he's something I'll never regret.
Terry went on to give me what sounded like a very censored version of events. Something about a Mexican cartel suddenly arriving in Trenton. They settled themselves on Stark and have been quite successful at gaining territory.
"And that has something to do with me, why?" I couldn't help but interject. Running through my mental files, I never had any run ins with any of the gangs on Stark. Despite making some enemies as a bounty hunter, none of them had connections with a new gang in town.
"Not you necessarily, but the bonds office."
"Why?" Terry rolled her eyes at my question, annoyed.
"Why do you think? There's a reason why Vinnie sold you the office so cheap and skipped town." Guess she really does know more than she said last night. "He really underestimated who he was double-timing."
We sat in silence for several minutes as I processed the information.
"What are they looking for?" I had to ask. "And why shoot up the bonds office?" Before I left on vacation there had been some unsuccessful break-ins. The police kept playing down the seriousness because they'd never gotten inside. We don't keep money in the office. We do have some items that people have left as collateral and lost, including a Ducati bike, but nothing's ever been taken.
"Could have been a message." Terry shrugged her good shoulder. Her guess was as good as mine. "You'd have to ask Vinnie what he took from them." Terry said it could have been money, which I highly doubted, or drugs. The drugs were a little more likely, but I was unsure.
As Terry got ready to rise, she leaned forward. The inadvertent flash of her perky breasts was momentarily distracting. "Piece of advice: no one in this town is who they say they are. Everyone has secrets, even you."
I glared up at her as she rounded the table between us.
"Careful. That includes Ranger Manoso. He's a mercenary, in case you didn't know." With that, Terry got ready to leave as she straightened her spine. "Wait ten minutes before you head out."
I waited maybe five minutes tops before I rose. I headed to the register to pay for my drink instead of heading straight for the exit.
"It's on the house." Pino himself was on the register and declined my money.
"Uhm, thanks." I was about to turn on my heel when Pino's words stopped me.
"Whatever you think you need to prove, you don't. Walk way from this. Don't get tangled in something that you've been successful in staying free of." Pino said I had no idea how deep the mob ties run. He said I was better than that.
"I thought the same about you."
Pino gave me a curt nod in acknowledgement. "Don't make the same mistakes some of us made when we were young and will now reluctantly pay until the day we die."
Damn, that was deep. With a nod of my own, I left.
The parking lot was still deserted when I exited the restaurant. When I angled into my car I noticed I had a missed call from my mother. With a groan, I decided to grab the bull by the horns and get this over with. I could practically hear her 'why me' already.
Putting the car in reverse, I backed out of the parking spot to make the short drive to my parents's house.
My dad's cab was missing and so was my mom's Buick. Guess the universe was on my side after all. Now when she calls me again to complain, I can point out that she wasn't home when I stopped by. Ha!
Instead of being able to pull away from the curb, I turned off the ignition when I saw a figure appear behind the screen door. I reached inside of my shirt as discretely as I could, taking out and turning off the wire before I dropped into my purse.
"Wasn't expecting you today." Grandma Mazur opened the door, somehow knowing I'd pulled up at the curb. She's freaky like that. In a good way. Always knows when someone's coming.
"Hi, Grandma." I greeted her with a hug, noting that she was all dolled up. "Nice outfit." I praised. She was dressed for a night out.
"Thank you. I got me a hunny. He's picking me up in a few minutes." Her excitement was palpable. Go Grandma. Guess that's why she didn't comment on the obvious bruise on my face and my slight limp.
"Anyone I know?" I asked as we stood just inside the house. When I left she wasn't seeing anyone. Guess a lot has happened stateside too.
"You may have heard of him." Grandma smiled so wide I was afraid her dentures were going to pop right out. "He's a retired businessman. Built himself up from nothing." When Grandma said he retired from his business and was looking to enjoy life, I saw nothing wrong with it. Grandpa Plum died when I was still in high school. Valerie, my older sister, had just gone off to college when Grandma came to live with us. She took Val's old room and has lived with my parents ever since.
"So you going out on a date?" I asked, plastering a smile of my own. Grandma and I have always had a close relationship. When everyone else and their momma berated me for daring to think differently, Grandma Mazur was there to encourage my flight.
"Yes!" Grandma said it was their fifth date of the week. Guess they were moving fast. "And he's still pretty good in the sack!"
Oh god! I had to close my eyes, count to ten and picture Ranger naked just so that I could scrub out the mental image of a naked Grandma Mazur.
"Grandma!" I groaned, still picturing Ranger in all his naked glory to help me through the traumatic moment.
"What? It's nothing you haven't done." She waved off my protest, giving me more horrendous visuals.
When we heard a honk, Grandma's excitement reached new levels.
"Your dad's at the lodge and your mom's out running errands." Grandma said I could stay and wait for them. "Or lock up behind you if you leave." Before she was out the door, she glanced over her shoulder to tell me that Rex was in the kitchen.
I followed Grandma out so that I could see who her new beau was.
To say I was shocked speechless would be an understatement. I would have guess anyone, and I do mean anyone else, as Grandma's new man. Never in a million years would I have pictured my Grandma Mazur with none other than Vito Grizzolli, head of the Italian Mob. Or should say, ex head of the mob if Grandma's claim's anything to go by.
"Grandma, wait!" I called out, grinding my teeth when I stepped off the steps a little too fast and my ass billed me for it without mercy.
"What?" Grandma asked annoyed. I had a momentary flashback to a similar scene I lived through with my mother. And I had the same expression crossing grandma's face at the time too.
"Where you guys going?" I croaked out, torn between letting her go off with Vito or somehow keeping her home. In a moment of pure genius ingenuity, I leaned forward and gave grandma a hug. While I did so, I dropped Ranger's tiny tracking button inside of her large purse.
"We're having dinner and then we'll be off to Bingo." Vito said sweetly as he opened the door for Grandma. "I'm a complete gentleman." He promised me.
"I don't want no gentleman." Grandma complained, looking at Vito with what I could only describe as lust. Oh no.
"Edna, my dear." Vito glanced at her, closing the door once she took her seat. "I'll take care of her." The deadliest mob boss in Burg history promised me before he slid behind the wheel.
I watched them motor off, completely dumbfounded. My grandma is dating a mob boss. What?!
Reeling with the information that I'd just discovered, I decided to tell my hamster Rex that I'd return for him later. I dropped a grape into his cage before I hurried out of the house. I locked up and decided to deal with my mother on a different day. No doubt she's going to get a call from one of the neighbors saying I stopped by, but decided to leave instead of waiting for her to get home. How rude of me. Eye freaking roll.
My drive back to Rangeman was spent with me trying to mentally piece the puzzle together. At a red light I had to shift in my seat. My body's telling me that I'm doing too much. However, with the bomshells that I just uncovered there's no way that I can take it easy and lay low. Nope. Nuh uh!
Fobbing my way into the underground garage felt a bit weird. This place is a literal fortress and having a free reign to go and come as I pleased felt huge. Really huge. Putting that aside for the time being, I retraced my way back to the corner of the garage where my car had been parked next to the elevator. I thanked my great visual memory for helping me make it back to the right section of the underground parking garage. The place is enormous and I was thankful for not having to waste time trying to find the right way.
As I gingerly angled out of my car, I spotted one of the men exiting a door labeled stairwell next to the elevator.
"Hi." I waved, introducing myself in case he didn't know who I was. I got the impression that Ranger didn't have many visitors.
"I'm Hal." He shook my outstretched hand, a slight blush creeping up the collar of his tight black T-shirt as he admitted that he already knew who I was. Guess the whole workforce already does.
"Is Ranger in the building?" I asked, switching topics because I was nearly vibrating with pent up energy. I needed to get the intel I gathered off my chest.
"The Boss is in his office on the fifth floor." Hal politely answered.
"Will this get me to the fifth floor?" I flashed him my key fob. Ranger said it'd give me acess to the seventh floor, but I wasn't sure if it'd get me access to commad central on the fifth floor.
"Yes, Ma'am." Guess the men have been briefed about me staying in the building. Had I not been so ready to talk to Ranger, that realization might have freaked me out. Maybe. Possibly.
A grimace escaped me when I roughly shoved my cellphone into my back jeans pocket. It's such a reflex that I didn't realize what a bad idea it was until I felt the burning pain as the device brushed my healing wound. Hal gave me a questioning glance as we walked the short distance. I wasn't sure how much he knew about what went down last night, so I kept it to myself. Brushing it aside, I discretely swapped the phone to my other pocket and gingerly ran my fingers across my cheek. I breated out a sigh of relief when my fingertips met dry denim. Good. I really don't want to have to tell Ranger that I tore my stitches for being stubborn and doing too much too soon.
With Hal's guidance, we loaded the elevator and unloaded on the fifth floor. My fob did work for every floor. I tried it out, much to Hal's amusement.
"Ranger's office is the third door on the right." Hal shared as he led the way down the hall. I could feel eyes on me, but shrugged it off. Guess a woman on this floor is uncommon. Huh.
"Sir, Ms. Plum is here, sir." Hal shared after he knocked on the closed door and was told to come in.
"Dismissed." Ranger told him, causing a delicious shiver to run through me. Mmm. Commanding Ranger is very hot.
"Babe." The small twitch in his lips told me that he knew exactly where my mind had gone.
"I'm sure you already heard what Terry had to say." I began as I moved away from the closed door. I stopped by the side of his massive desk to wait for him to acknowledge it.
"I did." He said he'll share it with Hector as soon as he comes back online. He's still running the gang leads for us.
"Well, I accidently found out more." I told Ranger what happened with Grandma and how that led me to start thinking. "If Vito Grizzolli is now busy pursuing romantic relationships and enjoying leasurely nights, then he's not the one running the show." Vito's wife died about twenty years ago. He never remarried and didn't have any children. "With no direct blood heirs ready to take over, that only leaves Terry as the closest blood bond to become the head of the Grizzolli empire."
"You think that someone in the organization isn't a fan of that change?" Ranger arched an eyebrow as he swiveled his chair to look at me.
"I know so." The Burg is stuck in the past. "A woman taking over a male dominated buisness? That's unheard of in the Burg. I'm sure there's at least one man in Vito's clan that's not happy with that scandolous change in operations."
Ranger nodded, thinking of the possibilities himself. "And if they're busy fighting amongst each other, then that creates a very lucrative hole in need of filling. No wonder gangbangers on Stark are trying to fill that void."
We watched each other in silence as we individually ran through the possibilities. Weirder things have happened.
Before Ranger and I could take ourselves back up to his penthouse apartment, my phone buzzed in my pocket.
"What's wrong, Babe?" Ranger reached out, wrapping an arm around my waist to keep me steady. After reading Grandma Mazur's text, I felt my legs give out.
"My grandmother just sent me a text asking for help." Everything that's happened since my return began to flash through my mind, causing my chest to feel heavy.
"Breathe, Babe." Was the last thing I heard Ranger say before everything went black.