These characters belong to Janet I am just borrowing them for my amusement. Although I would love to keep Ranger and the merry men for myself!

This story does contain violence, and touches on dark subject matters. This story is not friendly to Morelli or Helen Plum so for Cupcake fans you have been warned.

I want to thank everyone who writes a review for my story. I enjoy reading them and I love ideas they give me so keep them coming! You do my soul good!

It still amazes me the number of new readers I have to my story. I am so thrilled that it is enjoyed as much as it is by all. It is humbling to read your reviews. I am so glad you found my story and that you are enjoying my story as much as the avid readers that have been with this story from the beginning. I am thrilled that you have found a connection to the characters within my story and I hope you continue to enjoy it.

This is the final chapter. This story is now complete. There will be a sequel but there will be a break between this story and the sequel. The final chapter posting is the exact one year anniversary from the start of the story! What a great Anniversary present huh?

I have a website that I have created to give you all something to explore to dig deeper into the story "What does it mean to trust". Please go and check it out!

. Click on what does it mean tab. I hope you enjoy it.

I am issuing a Tissue warning for this chapter! You have been warned.

Chapter 61: Second Week at Rangeman

SPOV

We had gotten back to Rangeman I was never so glad to make it to the seventh floor. I walked in and I knew Carlos was home but he wasn't where I expected him. He wasn't in the living room or the dining room.

I could smell dinner and I knew Ella had been there with dinner. The smell alone made my stomach growl loudly with want.

I heard laughter from the bedroom and I knew he had heard my stomach how was that possible. How could have heard it all the way in there. Bionic bat hearing further proving he was Batman.

I made my way into the bedroom and what I saw had me no longer feeling tired. We had gone at each other like wild animals today you would have thought that would have been more than enough to satisfy both of us but it was never enough. We always craved each other.

Laid out on the bed was Carlos with a tray containing our dinner. He had on his black silk boxer shorts and nothing else. He reached his hand out and I moved forward towards him without any effort it seemed like my feet moved without instructions.

I reached out and grab hold of his hand as I climb up on the bed. His hand rubbing down my cheek down my jaw to my chin and I felt my eyes close at the feeling of his touch.

"Ella brought dinner but I thought we would eat it in bed tonight. Tonight is all about you. Everything I do tonight is all about you." He told me and I think I moaned at the thought of what a promising night this was going to be. He was always about me even when he didn't know it.

He uncovered the food. Picking up the fork he forked some of the chicken with rice and held it up to my lips and I took a bite. While I was chewing my bite he took advantage and took a bite of his. He continued this pattern until I had eaten all of my food.

He then uncovered the chilled strawberries and the whipped crème which I knew was freshly whipped crème. He dunked one of the luscious bright red plump berries in the crème and then held it up to my lips where he ran the berry around my lips before offering it to me to bite. Once I had bitten it he ran his tongue around my lips lapping up the remnants of the juice and crème.

My body was humming with every berry he fed me. All too soon the plate was empty and I had to hold back the desire to pout at the loss of berries.

In one smooth motion he had the tray and was up off of the bed carrying into the kitchen I just sat there watching his backside walk out of the room. I think I may have moaned again but I wasn't sure. I was too caught up in the moment to pay much attention to what I was doing.

When he walked back into the bedroom he walked over to the bed and removed my boots, socks, he pulled my shirt over my head and then undid the button and zipper of my cargos.

I rose up off of the bed so he could pull them down my hips when he tapped my hip. I was sitting there in my bra and panties when he ran his fingers through my hair effectively taking the pony tail down as his fingers fished through my hair. I fought the urge to toss my hair from side to side and just let him take control.

He rubbed his fingers through my hair a few more times and I felt myself relaxing. I felt feather kiss on my shoulder and he stepped away from me heading to the bathroom. I heard the water cut on and heard him doing something but I wasn't sure what I was hearing.

It was only minutes later that he walked back into the room taking me in his arms carrying me to the bathroom. I at first wanted to protest but a look in his eyes and the echo of what he had said when I walked into the room kept my protest to myself.

When we got into the bathroom I saw he had drawn a bath even added bubbles and I was seriously hoping I wasn't going to have to ask him to join me. I had my answer when he removed his black boxers and started to relieve me of my bra and panties. He put me over in the tub and quickly joined me. Sitting down he grabbed my hips and guiding me down.

My ass nestled up against him had me humming for a lot more than bubbles and warm water. But I was just allowing him to do what he had planned. I knew there was no need to rush, there was no need to hurry it was just enjoy the moment and go with it.

I closed my eyes leaning heavily against him as I felt his hands working their way over my body. I felt the tension, the emotions, and the worry of the day leave me as his hands worked over me releasing it.

I finally decided to talk. I needed to confess something to Carlos.

"Carlos, you know today when I said I sensed that Slyder was going to get hurt if we went in that house after the skip?" I asked him.

"Shhhh….Babe we don't need to talk about this right now. Just relax." He told me but I shook my head no.

"I am relaxing but I want to get this off of my chest." I confessed to him. His hands pausing hearing my words so I continued.

"I figured out the danger to him." I paused for a moment willing myself to continue. "I figured out the danger to him was me." I told him. I felt him nod behind me.

"Proud of you Babe." He said and I couldn't help but wonder if he hadn't known that the whole time and just allowed me to figure it all out on my own. Had he told me that earlier today it isn't that I thought he would have lied to me I just wouldn't have realized I was a danger to my partner I wouldn't have seen it not in the way that allowing me to figure it out on my own would have done.

"You knew all along didn't you?" I couldn't keep the words from tumbling out of my mouth.

"Yeah Babe I knew, well at least suspected." He stated. "I knew because we have all been there we have all done it. I recognized the look and I knew the dangers of what could happen." He told me without me having to pull the information from him.

"I guess I should be surprised but I am not. I am glad however you let me figure it on my own." I told him. His only response was a kiss to where my neck met my shoulder.

RPOV

I wanted to tell her, when she told me earlier, that I thought it was her but I knew it would be better to let her figure it out. I also knew Slyder was a big boy he could take it. If she led him into danger he would face it and take it and protect her with his life. In the end that is all I can ask of my men, of me, of anyone with her.

I know it was lame to expect my men to protect my women with their lives it was a lot to ask, demand, of someone that you paid a salary to. It wasn't like that was their jobs. They all had their own jobs but they all were fiercely loyal to her and they were all fiercely protective of her and I couldn't be more humbled or more proud of them for it.

I loved her more than life. I needed her more than I needed my life. That had scared the shit out of me but I finally pulled my head out of my ass and owned up to it.

I spent the night taking care of her every need as much as she needed. I knew the day had been difficult on her. I knew her emotions had been all over the place and I knew that most of it was her coming to terms with mailing the envelopes with the pictures.

She didn't need to tell me I saw it I had seen it. I had thought she had talked herself out of doing it until her confrontation with Morelli, which scared the fuck out of me. I also knew she wasn't fully invested in doing it even though I knew at that point she would go through with it. If for no other reason than he pissed her off.

She had done it. I got an email from Lester with a picture of her handing the box to the postmaster and then another one of her smiling about it but I could see the look behind the smile that said all wasn't truly happy in the world of my Babe.

I knew most of the guys would miss it I knew Slyder probably missed it but I knew Lester wouldn't. I knew Lester would see it and I knew he would get her talking about it. Sometimes I was grateful they were so close. He understood her in a way that I wondered if I ever would if I was ever capable of understanding her.

Normally I would have called his dumbass gay for it but I knew better. It wasn't like I would give a shit even if he was gay but their level of connection it ascended boy and girl, woman and man, badass and angle. It was another level and I knew there was love at that level but I was comfortable and secure in what my Babe and I shared that it didn't bother me.

Our love was just as different, it was something that was above all others. I knew we held it between us we both felt it and we both needed it. There was never a doubt what we had or what we shared.

SlyderPOV

Tuesday morning I woke up sore as fuck. Going those rounds with my Incendia in the ring had me sore as shit. She pulled her punches but there were a few that were a little harder and each time she took my ass down on the matt it hit and it hit hard.

I had been beaten worse and I had worse injuries as technically nothing was injured only some really light bruising but with my darkened skin you would more than likely never know it without looking for it.

I make my way into the gym because if I didn't show up the guys would call me a pussy for not being man enough to man it up and work out even in my sore state. Sometimes it was ridiculous what guys would do just to keep from getting teased or just so they could teas someone else.

I know we were adults and we should be over that teenage bull shit of teasing but what can I say we are bunch of over testosterone men who have nothing better to do than work out, live our lives on the edge of danger, fuck lots of women, and make fun of each other. When you boiled everything down that was about the nuts and bolts of what we did.

Walking into the gym I saw Incendia, Ranger, Lester, Bobby, Cal all working out. So I went over to join them.

I couldn't help but notice how she fit right in with them. Each of them doing their work out not really paying much of attention to one another until there was a need for a spotter on the weights. Whoever was resting out a set would spot her.

She had come a long way in her weight training and she was starting to lift weights that while light for us were heavy for her and I felt like she needed a spotter I was glad to find that the others felt the same way as me.

She was my partner and while I knew we didn't share what she and Ranger shared, or what she and Lester shared we were partners and I would do anything to protect my partner; even in the gym.

I began my workout for the day working the kinks out of my body. Somehow I knew today was going to be tough on us all. The pictures would be delivered today to the burg and while I was glad she had mailed them I was also worried about the fall out. I was worried what Morelli would do, what her mother would do, what others may do.

I knew that her family and Morelli's family wouldn't get theirs today as she had held them back and was going to send them today but still it didn't mean that they would never see them or someone wouldn't show them to him early.

Lost in my thoughts I continued to work out the more I worked out the better I felt. The soreness sometimes just needs to be worked out. If you don't work it out you are just more sore and sorer for longer. I was glad that the soreness was leaving me because I would need to be able to move if my partner needed me to and I didn't want sore muscles hindering me.

I finished my morning routine and like most of the other guys I headed to the shower area. Walking into the locker room I went to get my things out of my designated locker. Ella is good to us she always has it stocked for us. The exact same products we use in our individual apartments are in a case that we can just carry to the shower area. A fresh uniform is in everyone's locker every morning. She spoils us.

She even knows which of the guys wears underwear and what type and has them ready for them. Personally I don't and in my locker she doesn't put them. Somehow that should be disturbing she knows that but I don't worry about it. Ella is like a mother to us all for some it was the only mother we knew. I walked into the shower area and several of the guys were in a shower. The showers were separate showers with curtains so we had our privacy. Not that most of us gave a shit but for those that did they could have it.

Most of us had been use to military living where you didn't always have the luxury of modesty or privacy you learned to deal with it and move on without a second thought.

"So you guys got the Ipod ready for Stephanie?" I questioned when I walked into the shower area. I talked loud enough so I knew that all the guys in the area could hear me. Incendia had broken her ipod several weeks ago and hadn't replaced it.

We had gotten her one as a gift but hadn't given it to her as of yet. We were busy buying songs or moving songs to download to the device that we already had purchased. Yeah that might not be legal but fucking sue us.

I heard a serious of I am done and yeas meaning that most had downloaded the initial songs they wanted. "When are we going to give it to her?" I asked hoping they would say in the next day or so I knew the coming days were going to difficult on her."

Incendia wasn't one for revenge she didn't have the heart and while I admired her for doing this for stepping forward and saying you're not going to walk over me and I take it I still understood that it was going to take its toll on her as well. There was a price she was going to pay for this and I felt like the Ipod would make her day not to mention be a reminder that she had a large support system. Every man in this building supported her, loved her, and needed her; including me the newest member.

There was a series of I don't knows "well can I suggest we do it either today or tomorrow. Maybe tomorrow would be the better of the two days? Can we have it ready to give to her then? I think she is going to need something. These next couple of days is going to be rough on her." I reminded them. We all knew about the pictures.

Some had directly helped her others had just heard about them and seen the envelopes but we all knew about them and we all understood on some level the effect they were going to have.

I heard a round of everyone agreeing with me. I got cleaned up, dressed, and then went in search of breakfast.

RamPOV

I hated days like today. I was stuck at the fucking front desk answering phones and should anyone come in direct them to where they needed to go. Looking at the schedule it looked fairly light. I think Woody had one meeting onsite today. Other than that there would be walk-ins. We didn't really get any walk-ins.

I was going to be stuck at the desk most the afternoon twiddling my thumbs being bored out of my mind. My sniper training would see me through after all I could sit for days if I had to without moving more than a few inches in slow motion if necessary. I didn't necessarily like it but I could do it and had done it more times than I could count.

My kill book kept the record of each and every one of my kills and while I could tell you dates, times, names, places, and even faces I never bothered to add them up. It wasn't like it was a video game and points were given. It was real life and even if the target deserved what they got they were still a person with a family. So I kept them in my kill book marking their life existence even if noted in death.

It was my way of staying sane in the world of my job. Keeping focus that while they are my targets they are still people, they are still human beings no matter good, bad, or indifferent deserving or not deserving those weren't my call I followed orders; period.

When you took on judging or second guessing that is when you needed to get out. That's when you would get sloppy, lose focus, and lose your grasp of reality.

Some may say that was the easy way out or that it was a copout but it wasn't it was a sniper's life.

The phone rang "Rangeman Security Company" I said answering the phone.

"Hello, this is Helen Plum, Stephanie's mother. I need to talk to my daughter it is of an urgent matter." An annoyingly high pitched voice sounded into my ear. It sent shivers down my back like fingernails being drawn across a chalk board.

"Mrs. Plum I am sorry but Stephanie doesn't take phone calls." I told her. There was no way in fuck was I going to forward her through to Stephanie. I wanted to live to see tomorrow and if I forward her through to Stephanie if Stephanie didn't kill me Ranger would.

"Young man, I am her mother of course she takes my phone calls." She said her voice rising even higher I could hear her level of frustration rising with it and I smiled. The bitch deserved to be annoyed having the fucking nerve to call here and ask for Stephanie claiming to be her mother when we all knew she wasn't her mother. She was like a snake that laid its eggs and slivered away. Hell that would be better than what she did. She stuck around and did nothing but put Stephanie down and ridiculed her and made her the punching bag of the family and the burg. I let my years of sniper training control me.

I could have easily lost my cool but a sniper doesn't lose their cool a sniper controls it a sniper waits patiently a sniper is calm cool and extremely deadly; at least I was. It was time the predator played with its prey.

"Mrs. Plum Stephanie made it real clear that your calls are not to be forwarded to her. I would be glad to take a message and give it to her. If she wants to call you back I am sure she will call you when she can." I told her keeping my voice calm. I could feel her getting madder over the phone and she hadn't said a word. I couldn't help the smile.

"Young man I don't think you understand I told you it was urgent I don't have time for her to call me back. I need to speak to her now. I am not going to hang up this phone until you put her on the phone." I didn't give a fuck if the bitch stood there and held the phone all fucking day I wasn't going to be on the other end.

"Mrs. Plum you need to calm down, you can hold the phone all day but I am going to hang up and then I am going to give your daughter your message so I would suggest you hang up the phone so if she is inclined to call you back she will be able to get through." Once again speaking calmly into the phone not letting my temper through my voice, this was pissing her off more than me raising my voice or yelling back at her.

"Young man I am tired of this conversation I don't care what you say or what you are going to do I want my daughter on the phone this minute." She screamed the phone demanding I do what she said boy did she have it wrong.

"Mrs. Plum I am hanging up now have a good day." I told her as I put the phone down.

The phone rang immediately I knew she was calling back sometimes people just needed to listen the first fucking time. "Rangeman Security Corporation" I said even toned.

"What is your name young man" she demanded like I was fucking going to tell her my name. I would tell her my name when hell froze over and fucking cracked. Besides not telling her would piss her off even more and why not she was worrying the fuck out of me; it was the least I could do.

"Who wants to know" I asked.

"You know who I am, my name is Helen Plum I am Stephanie's mother." She screeched in the phone and I had to bite my lip to keep from saying no fucking shit to her I didn't think fucking snakes have talked since Adam and Eve lived in the garden of Eden and even then the snake was a dirty fucking son of a bitch just like this bitch I was talking to on the phone.

"According to her she no longer has a mother so I am going to need further proof of who you are. Do you have a Rangeman account number? Are you a customer of Rangeman? If not, then I am not going to be able to assist you further. The only calls she is currently taking are Rangeman Customer accounts she manages." I told her preparing for the scream that was going to come from her.

"No I am not a customer of Rangeman, I wouldn't hire your company if you were the last company on the planet I would risk someone stealing everything I had before I would hire your company to secure anything of mine. Knowing you people you probably only secure the properties so you have access and then you can steal what you want." She screamed at the top of her lungs. I am sure her voice could be heard across the room at this point as I held the phone away from my ear after all I needed my fine tune hearing.

"I want to speak to my daughter, I demand you put he on the phone or I am going to consider she is being held without her permission and I am going to file a complaint with the police department do you understand me young man. They will storm your precious building and take my daughter from you after I make my complaint to the police department. No one would believe you, nor would anyone believe her. Everyone knows your reputation and everyone knows that Stephanie is nothing but a liar." She said and I felt my anger rising at her accusations she was about to piss me the fuck off.

I have been trained to be calm, I have been trained to stay cool in not so cool situations but I have a temper. It just takes me longer to lose it than most of the guys of Rangeman did but if you start fucking with Stephanie you just tapped it and she was more than tapping it she was beating it at this point. I took a calming breath invoking more of my training focusing on my prey for the moment.

"Calm down Mrs. Plum. I don't think Stephanie has anything to worry about. You do what you have to do as far as the police are concerned but if you call back here I will consider it harassment and I will have to make a phone call of my own. I can't promise you exactly who I will call but I can promise you won't be so happy about it. After all like you said we are nothing but a bunch of murderers, thieves, and thugs. So I wouldn't want for us to let you down or make a liar out of you. Sleep well Mrs. Plum." I let my voice sound threatening just as I intended and left the threat hanging in the air for her to mull over as I hung up the phone.

Fucking bitch! I picked up the closest thing on the counter and threw it across the room. When I heard a crash I looked up and realized I had just thrown a stapler through one of the pictures hanging on the wall breaking the glass and sending the picture to the floor. Fuck Ranger was going to kick my ass for that. I only hoped it hadn't damaged the art work because that shit wasn't replicas and I didn't want to be paying for that shit the rest of my life.

Picking up the phone I called Luis to come and fix it. I briefly considered if I should call Ranger it wasn't like he wasn't going to find out I sighed and picked up the phone and called Ranger to report my dumbass doings to him.

SPOV

I had been sitting in Carlos' office going over some reports with him on a new customer account he had given me when his phone rang.

"Yo" he said and I just watched him. I loved watching him especially when he was distracted. He was beautiful to watch. The air he had about him that spoke of danger, desire, business man, grace, power. It was all there. He was in his element no matter the situation.

I smiled my thoughts taking over looking at his hard, long, body as he moved about. It was about the hottest thing a woman would ever see, well besides him with no clothing.

"Babe" he whispered to me as he was listening to whoever it was that called him. I blushed knowing that I had said that out loud. There was really nothing to blush about as it was all true all fact and I could prove it.

I shrugged my shoulders.

"Which one?" He questioned and I could hear the anger in his voice. I looked up thinking he was talking about one of my Brothers. His eyes were slightly hardened.

"Why?" He asked and I wished he would say more so I could get some idea of what is going on.

"Okay I will come down. I will see if Stephanie wants to join me but she is busy with something so I am not sure she will." He said and now my interest was sparked even more I was definitely going wherever he was going. He wasn't going to leave me behind now that he said my name.

This had to do with one of my brothers and he said my name he should know I wasn't going to be left behind. "Babe" I heard him say and I grinned even bigger. I couldn't help it sometimes I was broken when I was around him after all it only took me looking at him.

I stood up closing the report and sitting on the table in front of me. "Looks like she will be joining me" he said and hung the phone up. I nodded he was right. We stepped out of his office with his hand on the small of my back as he took us to the elevator for which I was grateful.

We got on and he pushed one for the lobby. When we got down there and the elevator door opened I saw the reason for the phone call. One of the pictures was on the floor the glass shattered and a stapler lying next to it so this was no freak accident where the picture just suddenly jumps off of the wall only to learn it didn't have wings or feet to rely on.

"What happened?" I looked over to Ram and just looking at him I could see the anger around his eyes. I noticed the tension around his mouth and how he was holding his body rigid. It occurred to me in the relatively short time I have been here with my brothers how much I was able to read and know just looking at them I knew what they were feeling. I would say right now Ram was pissed.

That acknowledgement made me happy made me smile.

"What's that look for bombshell?" Ram asked me as I walked over and sat down in his lap.

"I was just thinking how I could look at you and see that you were pissed. How I was able to read the signs in your face that several weeks ago I would have never noticed." He raised his eyebrow fuck even he could do that.

I reached up rubbed my fingers around his eyes "I can see the anger around your eyes" I then rubbed my fingers around the sides of his mouth "I can see the tension around your mouth." I then ran my hands over his shoulders and neck "I can see how you're holding your body rigid. I would say you are pissed. Not to mention the whole throwing a stapler through a pictures. What did the picture do to you anyway?" I half jokingly said to him to get a smile out of him; it worked he smiled.

"Your mom called" he said looking a little apprehensive. I looked at him I know both of my eyebrows went up as I was fighting for only one to go up but it didn't work.

"She wanted to talk to you and I wouldn't put her through she got a little upset. Threatened to call the police and report that you were being held against your will." He told me and I wanted to ring her neck. Now it was me that was getting rigid and getting pissed.

"It's okay Bombshell I handled it she probably won't ever call here again looking for you. After all I threatened that if she called back that I would make some phone calls. I just wasn't going to tell her who I was going to call after all as she put it we were a bunch of murdering, thugs, and thieves and I wouldn't want to make a liar out of her. When I hung up the phone I picked up the closest thing to me and threw it. It happened to be the stapler and it happened to hit the picture." He told me and I couldn't help cracking up. I laughed until I wouldn't have been able to sit up on my own. Had I not been in his lap I would have been on the floor.

I knew Carlos was looking at me because I could feel his eyes on me. He must have questioned Ram why I was laughing because I felt Ram shrug his shoulders.

I looked up with tears in my eyes from laughter at Carlos standing beside us looking down at me "Babe" he said and I couldn't help but laugh at the situation.

"Ram the picture frame is toast but the art work wasn't damaged you were fucking lucky. That picture would have cost you three point five." Carlos said and I was a little confused. Three point five what the fuck does that mean?

"Carlos you must mean like thirty five hundred not three point five that doesn't make sense." I said to him. He shook his head smiling.

"No babe not thirty five hundred. Three point five million." My mouth dropped open. I knew they looked like museum quality but I had no idea they were that level of museum quality. I mean this was like lock that shit up and put it under sensors museum quality and it was in the lobby like any other picture. What the hell?

"Carlos you are telling me that one picture is worth three point five million dollars?" I asked him hardly able to get the words out of my mouth.

"Rangeman purchase Babe, consider it an investment next month I will be worth four." He said and I just shook my head pretending I wasn't hearing this. I got up out of Ram's lap gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"Sorry my mother is such a bitch Ram. I am also sorry you had to deal with her hopefully she won't call back anymore but thank you , thank you for not forwarding it through I didn't want to talk to her." I told him and he nodded I knew he was saying anytime in that nod.

Carlos and I made our way up to the fifth floor to get back to work. It could have been a whole lot worse.

When I got back to my office I checked my old cell phone. I hadn't cut the service as I left the voice mail on. I clicked it on and listened to the voice mail. Mary Lou left me voice mail about the envelopes she received. I smiled and when she told me that she loved me my eyes watered up. I hung up the phone and turned it back off I didn't want to hear it ringing all afternoon.

I spent the rest of the day in my office when the mailman came by delivering the mail I handed him the handful of envelopes that had been held back. I couldn't help but think bon voyage. This was going to be a surprise of their lifetime. As far as they knew I was the one that allowed them and the burg walk all over me. That had ended and these pictures were a good way to prove it.

I packed up my desk and headed up to seven for dinner with Carlos.

RamPOV

What a fucking morning. Hal and I had been out all morning staking out a skip. He was suppose to just fucking be sleeping off a night of drunken stupor so it should have been a relatively easy pickup. A no brainer even for the violent skip he was.

We had gone in the house once we thought he was well passed out but we were surprised. He hadn't passed out. He grabbed a knife throwing it at us and it stuck in Hal's thigh.

It gave Hal the permission he needed to beat the fuck out of him and he beat him. The skip went to the Trenton PD with broken ribs, broken hand, and a face that looked like it had been hit by a fucking MAC truck.

Once we dropped the skip off I stirred us toward the ER. Hal wasn't looking so great. He was looking pretty pale. The knife was still sticking out of his leg as we didn't want to pull it out. Bobby had told us enough that we could do more damage if we pulled objects out in the field. I knew it had to hurt like a mother fucker. I hit the com button to link the vehicle with control room. "Yo" I heard "Let Bobby know that Hal took a blade to the leg. We are heading to ER." I told them and pushed the button to disconnect. I didn't need to say anything more.

I pulled up to the ER and Hal got out. Rangeman had a deal with the ER and the hospital that we didn't wait, we had a private room, and we were able to have guards at the door because we never knew the circumstances for which we would be brought to the ER or the hospital.

"Go ahead man I will park and catch up to you once I have parked." I told him. He nodded and headed into the ER. I parked the vehicle in our designated parking spots and made my way into the ER.

I had been standing there for a little over and hour when Morelli came in with two women on gurneys nurses were frantically working on both of them and they went into one of the rooms down the hall from us. He never saw me standing there.

I would look in the room through the window every little while to see what they were doing with Hal I knew Bobby was making sure Hal was stitched up correctly and cared for to his specifications which were a hell of a lot higher than what the average person here got.

Bobby took his job seriously and he would stop at nothing to ensure we had all the care we needed. There was expense spared whatever was the most successful, the best recourse of action for recovery, the best rehabilitation to be had that was what he ensured was done for all of us. There was never a question. If the doctor didn't agree with Bobby, Bobby made sure the doctor agreed before they walked out of the door or the doctor never walked back in the room again.

Hell I had even seen him go to the point of the doctor not being allowed to walk back into the hospital.

I wasn't sure how long I had been standing there when I sensed someone approaching I turned in time to block a right hook. I continued to block his attacks was this all the fuck he had? Fuck this was like fighting my mother. I didn't strike back because it would be like kicking a fucking starving puppy.

Even though he was a son of a bitch and I fucking hated him for what he had done with Stephanie if I struck back it would be a slaughter. He wouldn't survive the first strike. Besides he was gaining quite the audience and I could use this to my advantage.

I remained calm. He reared back and pulled his gun and before he even had time to register what the fuck happened I had him on the ground on his stomach with both hands cuffed behind his back. When he realized his position he roared. But I didn't give a fuck. I wasn't going to help his dumb fuck of an ass up if he wanted up bad enough he would figure it out.

"Uncuff me you fucking son of a bitch. Do you know who I am? Do you know what I am capable of? Uncuff me or you will fucking live to regret it every fucking day of your miserable existence of a fucking life you fucking thug." He yelled out I just looked at him.

"Morelli I know who you are. I also know you attacked me and I will be filing charges, you drew your gun on me without provocation, without warrant, you would have pulled the trigger had I not disarmed and subdued you. You are out of control." I told him calmly once again reverting back to my sniper training to control my emotions, my heart rate, my breathing.

"I have an ER full of witnesses and I have called the police to come and take care of you." I told him before I walked back over to the window looking through it to check on my partner.

Being a partner was something few people completely understood. When one of us was injured the other was immediately put on edge. We looked out after each other and we depended on our partner to look after us so it was important that we knew we were there for each other.

"This is all Stephanie's fault. I am blaming her she will fucking pay for this every second of it. You can also tell her that she is the reason my grandmother is dead she fucking killed her. When she looked at those pictures she had a fucking heart attack. You tell Stephanie that. She had a heart attack and died because of Stephanie and what she did." He screamed at me across the hallway. That would one message that I would not be giving her; I wasn't pretty sure.

I turned looking at him lying on the floor hands cuffed behind his back thinking it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy I calmly told him "I am sorry for your loss" before I turned back looking in the window to check on my partner and calm myself.

I heard him roar at my comment and I couldn't help the smile that came over my face. He got i, I really didn't give a fuck about his loss.

It wasn't long before Carl walked into the ER I heard Morelli complaining like a fucking pussy but I ignored him. When Carl walked up to me he asked me what had happened and I gave him a rundown of the events, and the attack on me.

I had hidden my gun in a pile of laundry on the tray just outside Hal's door. I knew Carl would check and I wanted to be unarmed. Once he checked me I hid the gun on me he would never be the wiser. As far as Carl was concerned Morelli attacked an unarmed man.

Not that my hands weren't just as lethal as my gun but I couldn't do anything about them. He went back over and exchanged words with Morelli but I had already tuned them out. I didn't give a fuck what happened to him long as his fucking sorry ass went to jail. I wanted this attack on his record, he couldn't say it was provoked, he couldn't say I had done a fucking thing to warrant it and I had a whole ER of witnesses in addition to the cameras.

I sent a text to Rangeman to have them pull the footage from the cameras before they were fucked with. I didn't trust Morelli and while I didn't think some of the cops would tamper with the video there were certainly some cops that I wouldn't put past doing some shit like that.

I got text 10-4 meaning they were on it and I just smiled; minutes later Bobby and Hal came walking out of the room ready to head back to Rangeman. Now there was only one question I needed to answer on my way to Rangeman; to tell Bombshell what happened or not.

SPOV

I had been in the office working on a proposal and doing some paperwork that had been shifted my way when Ram knocked on my door and walked into my office. He went straight to the couch and sit down. I sensed something was up with him and I knew it wasn't business; at least not directly.

I locked my machine and got up and walked over to him. I had heard about Hal but they had let me know he was okay and only needed to get stitched up. He would just have some recovery time while the muscles healed.

I reached him and sat down in his lap turning sideways so I could look at him, his arm lying across the arm of the couch supporting my back.

"Bombshell I have something to tell you, I am just not sure how to tell you." He confessed and I was confused.

"Ram just tell me." I told him not sure what he was going to say and I was a little anxious as to what he was going to say. I could tell he was hesitant to continue.

"Stephanie" he started and I couldn't help but feel that oh shit moment wash over me. He was using my full name. My anxiety ratcheted up notches waiting for him to continue. "Today I was standing in the ER and Joe came in." He told me.

I had the urge to ask him why he was telling me this because I am sure Joe was in the ER a lot with his job. Why did I give a shit? But I held back.

This was Ram and he wouldn't be in here wasting words and talking to me if it wasn't important and if he felt it was important then it was important he wasn't an alarmist and he never believed in wasting good words on shit talking.

"Stephanie he came in with his Mother and Grand Mother." He said looking at me. I hadn't moved my eyes still locked on his. He ran his hands through his short hair he pierced his lips together as if trying to think of the best way to tell me something so I just waited him out.

"His mother and Grandmother were both on gurney's I am not sure what happened with them but his Grandmother died I don't know about his mother." He said and I sat there unable to move listening to his words.

"He attacked me came at me swinging then pulled his gun" when I heard that I started to jump to my feet I would fucking kill him with my bare hands. Ram grabbed me stopping me. He pulled me back to him. "Stephanie he said they had had seen the pictures." He told me.

I just looked at him. "What?" I asked him feeling as if the air had been knocked out of me. "I wasn't sure if I should tell you but it didn't feel right keeping this from you. I couldn't keep this from you so I had to tell you." He said.

I sat back on his lap. "Thank you, Ram thank you for telling me. Keeping this from me even if for my own good wouldn't have been good. What happened when Joe pulled his gun on you?" I asked him. He smiled. He knew his safety and he came first above my thoughts about Joe's mother or grandmother.

"I disarmed him, cuffed him and let the police pick him up. I am pressing charges. The charges are good he attacked me; he pulled his gun on me. Furthermore he pulled his gun on an unarmed man." He told me and my eyes caught him narrowing.

"You, unarmed? " I questioned him not believing it. If I knew Ram I wouldn't be surprised if he slept with his gun. He was never unarmed. He smiled at me and I knew there was a catch.

"Well I was unarmed when questioned by Carl who came to pick him up and haul his sorry ass to jail." He told me and a smile broke through.

"You could have gotten killed today because of me." I said the reality of what could have happened sitting in and tears sprang forward in my eyes as I grabbed him hugging him to me. I could have lost my brother today.

"Bombshell its okay I am fine. I was never in any danger." He said and I shook my head no against him.

I felt hands on me and I knew who they belonged to as they lifted me and held me to him I buried my head in his neck and took a deep breath in his smell washing over me, calming me. How did he know I needed him?

"I always know." He whispered in my ear and I knew it was true he was always there when I needed him even when I didn't realize it; he did.

"Grandma Bella, Joe's Grandmother died today. She died after she saw the pictures. Joe went after Ram and pulled his gun on him after he attacked him. Ram disarmed him and cuffed him and is filing charges but hearing it scared me. I could have lost him." I told him spilling it all out.

"Babe he's fine. It's okay." He told me and I knew that was true but my fear laid in what could have happened not what did happen and I hadn't even focused on the death of Joe's Grandmother. I knew the pictures would cause a scene.

I knew the pictures would ignite the burg but I didn't expect them to kill someone. I never intended them to kill someone. I mean everyone knew we never got a long. She hated me and threatened to put the eye on me anytime she saw me but I didn't want to kill her.

"Babe its okay you don't know if that is true, she was an old woman she could have died today even if you didn't send those pictures." He said. I saw the logic in his theory and it was true she could have but I knew better; we all knew better.

I knew that was something that I was going to have to live with and deal with. I didn't like it, I wouldn't have wished it, I felt slightly guilty but I wasn't sorry I had mailed them. My fears still was with what could have happened to my brother. Now had that happened and had he been taken from me I would have never forgiven myself.

That was the bitter pill about revenge. When you sought revenge there was consequences there was fall out and sometimes it spread in ways you never anticipated in ways you never fathomed or meant but once you unleashed revenge you set the ball in motion and you can't prevent or stop the fallout you just ride the wave and pray those you love don't get in the way. Today Ram and Grandma Belle had gotten in the way. Ram made it out safe, Grandma Belle didn't.

I looked up at Carlos "are you mad at me? Are you disappointed in me? For having caused this?" I asked him and he shook his head no.

"Babe, never would I be mad, or disappointed in you." He said and I could see the truth ringing through his words and his eyes. All was right in my world. That was all that matter at the moment. Well maybe not all but it was the most important.

JMPOV

I did not believe they were arresting me, when the captain was through stripping me of my detective title and putting me on desk duty until who the fuck knew when he excused me from his office. Carl came collecting me and walked me to booking.

They were going to fucking put me behind bars over this. It figures the liberal fucking no backbone fuckers of this department to side with Rangeman; the enemy.

I wasn't surprised why should I be they had been siding with the wrong side for a long time. I had seen it how their interests in crimes that involved anyone other than middle class white American's held the highest priority to resolve. We wouldn't want to have anyone notice that we were paying more attention to the middle class white American's than anyone else; stupid fuckers.

Here was further proof they would side with those fucking thugs over me a detective on the force for all these years. I worked long hours, I put in my service and this was the fucking gratitude I got arrested for confronting a fucking thug. What was this department coming to? What was this world coming to?

They were too fucking stupid to get out of their own god damn fucking way in my opinion and this was just further proof I was right. There was never a mention of having my back, but oh anger Rangeman and it was like the world was going to come to a fucking halt and everything was going to fucking fall off.

I didn't say a word through the whole booking process. I just sat there fuming and relishing in the thoughts of when the day would come that Stephanie would pay for this, for my grandmother, for me, for everything she caused.

I heard the click of the metal and I went over and took a seat. I knew I would be arraigned soon and I would be able to get out on bail. Maybe I could skip out and then when Rangeman came after me I would be ready for them. That was something to further contemplate.

I had been sitting in there for several hours. I hadn't heard about my mother but I was sort of hoping no news was good news but I would be lying if I didn't say it was on my mind and I was getting worried. I wondered why they hadn't taken before the judge.

I called out and one of the cops walked over. I didn't know his name. "Can you tell me why I haven't been taken to court yet for my arraignment hearing? I want to get the fuck out of here." I told him he turned and walked away.

He came back in a few minutes "You hearing is tomorrow the judge's docket was full and he refused to stay over time to hear your case." He said. Since when would the judge refuse to stay over to hear a case especially if it was a cop's case. We should be given some leniency after all it was never good for a cop to be in jail. They fucking knew that. At least they threw me in a cell by myself. I guess it could have been worse.

I sat down on the cot really wishing I had a drink. It would be nice to wash this day away with a slow burn trailing down my throat. Feeling the warmth wash over me burning the day away but no I wasn't able to feel that or do that I was fucking stuck here.

They had brought our dinner in at some point and the food was nasty. I had heard people say people in prison should be happy they weren't living on the streets. They had a roof over their heads, three squares a day, warmth in the winter, and air conditioning in the summer; better than some hard working honest American had. If this was the fucking shit they were eating I would bet they could find better in the dumpsters behind restaurants.

It had gotten dark I wasn't sure the time as there are no clocks. When I heard the door open I stood up thinking they were going to release me to my surprise they walked Edna Mazur through the door. I briefly hoped they put her in my cell but they passed me and put her in the cell at the far end. I could see her but there was no way I could touch her; damn.

I briefly wondered why she was being arrested but knowing that crazy old bat it could be for anything. The last time she was arrested her and her friends decided it would be fun to sit on the back of a convertible and strip their clothes off because it was too hot outside.

They had seen some movie something about Ya Yays or something like that because they keep yelling it and laughing from the time they were arrested until they were booked.

Who knows what she had done tonight.

The officer had no more shut the door when she started.

"Joe what brings you here?" She said but I ignored her it wasn't any of her fucking business. I went and sat back down.

"They arrested me because they are trying to say I hung up pictures at the VFW." My eyes locked with hers, pictures? She smiled. She knew she had me she knew she had peaked my interest with the word pictures. These pictures were going to be the death of me.

"Someone hung pictures of you and Helen in the VFW tonight for the dance." She said. Yeah I couldn't imagine who that someone was; Edna. I wanted to scream but I realized this is what she wanted so I was going to try hard not to give it to her, but she was pushing all of the right buttons.

"Yeah they blew them up and framed them. Framed them in those nice frames from the dollar store you know they are nice frames for a dollar." She said like I gave a fuck about the frames at the dollar store. I am sure they were nice after all you usually got what you paid for. They were probably fake metal, fake wood, hell probably fake glass.

I sat back down trying to ignore the old crazy ass woman. Somehow I knew this was going to be a long night and it was just going to be longer with her in the room with me. Shame she wasn't in my same cell if she was I could choke the shit out of her as is all I could do was trying to ignore her.

SPOV

Carlos and I had finished dinner and we were sitting on the couch. Him holding me as I was contemplating my day and trying to come to grips with the fact that I had effectively meaning to or not been responsible for someone dying today.

The phone rang and I jumped. It wasn't normal the house line rang. Typically the calls went to our cell phones.

Carlos picked up the phone and his eyes cut to me causing me to straighten my posture. His lips quirked so something he found amusing but he didn't want to laugh in front of whoever it was on the phone. He shook his head and handed me the phone.

"Babe its BInkie he wants to speak to you." He said and I hesitantly took the phone.

"Hello" I said bringing the phone to my ear.

"Bombshell your grandmother has been arrested. She called here to ask if you could come to the station and get her." Oh my god my grandmother had been arrested.

"What happened?" I asked not sure if he even knew.

He cleared his throat. "Well according to the report that went out someone had taken pictures, the pictures you sent out, blew them up framed them and then hung them up at the VFW for a dance they had tonight." He told me and I couldn't help the laughter that sprung forward.

This sounded completely crazy, completely asinine, and completely something my Grandmother would do. Joe's Grandma dies from looking at the pictures she gets so upset from them my Grandmother blows them up, frames them, and hangs them up at a dance. I am sure her reasons were no doubt all in an effort to get her a hottie. That sounds exactly like something she would do.

Even though it had landed her jail which I didn't want to happen I couldn't help but laugh leave it up to my grandma.

"Okay thanks Binkie I will take care of it." I told him handing the phone back to Carlos as I stood to get ready to head down to the police station. It was getting late.

"Carlos I have got to go get Grandma out of jail. She apparently blew up the pictures I sent her framed them and then hung them up in the VFW for a dance. They arrested her. I need to go get her." I told him. I wasn't certain he was going to like the next piece of my plan but for some reason I felt it necessary.

"I think when I pick her up and we are able to leave I am going to go and stay with her for the night at my old apartment." I told him. For some reason I felt like it was something I should do.

He wrapped his arms around me holding me to him. "Babe I will miss you not being our bed but if you feel you need to then go stay with her." He said.

I looked up at him. "I will miss being in our bed too." I told him walking into the bedroom to pack a small overnight bag. I would be back for the morning meeting maybe even my work out. He followed me into the bedroom.

"Babe I am going with you to the station and I will drop you and your grandmother off at your apartment. I want to make sure the apartment is secure before you go in. A lot has happened today and with other things possible I think it is important." He said and I nodded.

"You can have Slyder pick me up tomorrow in my new vehicle." I told him smiling. I had just a few days ago purchased my own personal vehicle. I was excited about it but I was also careful when I drove it.

He smiled and nodded as we made our way out of the apartment to the police station.

"Babe you think I should have our lawyer meet us at the station?" He asked me and I shook my head no.

"We will see how much trouble she is in, what happened exactly, what she has told them first. Then we can call him if we need him." I told him and he nodded. I was hoping tonight was going to be a simple pick up we could use the lawyer later if there was a trial.

RPOV

I knew Stephanie's grandmother was one crazy woman but I didn't realize how crazy she was. After tonight I knew never underestimate her. Never assume you know what that woman is doing or why. She was crazy; crazy like a fox.

We walked into the police station Babe, Santos, Hector, and me. Santos and Hector insisted on coming. They were both waiting on us in the garage when we got down there. I didn't put up a fuss the more men protecting my Babe the happier I was. However, the four of us definitely were causing a scene in the station.

We all had on our weapons, including my Babe. We were all dressed in our cargos. We looked ready for battle. I wasn't certain if the police thought we were here to get Edna one way or the other.

My Babe walked up to window "I am here to pick up Edna Mazur" she said to the cop behind the glass. He nodded and called out to another cop who walked out of the door and came up to us.

"Maam I am sorry but Edna can't leave tonight her arraignment isn't scheduled until tomorrow." The dumbass cop started to say and I went to reach for my phone to call our attorney.

"Officer can I see my Grandmother? As you can see I am member of Rangeman and I would like to see her, talk to her, and ask her what happened." My Babe said sounding confident in her voice. She was getting her Grandmother tonight you could hear that in her voice.

He looked over at us and I gave him a look that said he better be moving his ass giving my woman what she wanted and he paled slightly I think it was more Hector's fault than mine as he nodded asking us to follow him. Well he asked her but we weren't going to let her go alone. Not in enemy territory.

He led us to a room where he asked us to wait. I knew he was going to get Mrs. Mazur so I sat down and pulled Stephanie into my lap. Santos and Hector leaned against the wall. I knew we were in an interrogation room. "Babe be careful of what you say we are in an interrogation room and I am sure we will be recorded. She has been read her rights anything she says can be used against her." I whispered in her ear pretending to have a little make out session with my woman.

She nodded her head in a way that would appear she was nuzzling my neck letting me know she understood what I was implying. My lawyer was good but it was hard to recant a confession and if her grandmother admitted to it in this room with us they would use it against her.

It wasn't impossible and if any Trenton lawyer could get her off with a confession it would be mine, as he was the best, but I just didn't want to have that level of complexity added if she hadn't already confessed.

A few minutes later in walked Mrs. Mazur her hands cuffed behind her and I was pissed. She was an old lady and they felt the need to cuff her to walk her from the holding tank to the interrogation room. I knew that the only reason they were letting us meet her was because I was the head of Rangeman and Stephanie was a Rangeman employee. Anyone else would have been denied access until after the arraignment hearing.

He walked her in and sat her down in the chair across from us and proceeded to hook her hands to the bar on the table. "Is that necessary" my Babe asked the cop and I could tell the tone of her voice she wasn't happy either. The cop nodded.

"Grandma how are you?" she asked

"I am okay my head hurts a little but I am fine. When the officer put me in the car he hit my head on the top of the car and then when he jerked me out of the car he hit the other side of my head. He then walked so fast into the station that he made me trip. Thank fully he caught me before I hit the ground I could have broken a hip. You know when people my age break a hip it is just all downhill from there. I mean they go have surgery and they are never right, and that is provided they survive the surgery." She went on.

My lip quivered I couldn't stop it from happening. She had set these poor dumb fuckers up and they didn't even know it.

"Grandma you need someone to look at your injuries?" Stephanie asked then she looked at me "I want you to call Bobby I want him here and I want him looking at her for injuries she could have a concussion if he hit her hard enough." She told me. Your wish is my command I thought as I pulled my phone from my hip.

"Yo" he answered

"Brown, grab your gear Police Station, now. Stephanie needs you to look at her Grandmother." I told him. I could feel him pale over the phone none of us wanted to get that close, within reach, but this was necessary. "Oh and Brown bring a camera we need some documentation done." I told him and hung up.

I didn't wait for a response I just hung up.

"Yeah I tried to tell them that I have been dizzy and sick feeling sincee but they wouldn't listen to me they just took me and put me in a room like this. They wanted to ask me a bunch of questions and even brought in the pictures they believed I hung up on the walls but I told them I wanted my phone call and my lawyer." She said and once again my lip quivered. Never let it be said this old woman wasn't on top of her game.

"I saw the pictures, I touched the pictures looking at them, but I don't know who hung them up." She said. She knew they were recording this I could see it in her eyes. I was enjoying this.

"Once I made my phone call I was put in a cell in the back and you will never guess who my cell mate is." She said her eyes sparkling. "Well he isn't in the same cell he is across the room from me but none other than Trenton's own Italian Stallion; Joseph Morelli. However, after seeing those pictures I can attest that he isn't really so much a Stallion as everyone says; such a disappointment." She said shaking her head and it was only my years of training my years of service my years of keeping my emotions in check that I didn't fucking loose it and laugh in that room.

"He's been going on and on about how you ruined his life. How you killed his grandma, personally I say good riddance to the psycho crazy bitch of a witch, because she had a heart attack when he saw the pictures. I told him that was nonsense I was an old woman and I didn't have a heart attack when I saw them. I told him she was just old she had a bad heart, she obviously didn't have our good genes, and she just died pictures or no pictures she would have had that heart attack and died. The woman was old as dirt she had seen dicks and pussies before in her life and has had sex after all she had those worthless kids it wasn't like she didn't know how to get down under the covers. The pictures they didn't kill her she would have had that heart attack anyway and died." She said and even I wouldn't have known how to respond to that logic and reasoning she was defending.

She continued. "I don't think he wanted to believe me as he kept screaming how he was going to get even. So watch your back baby girl." She said and I gave a Hector a look. He nodded and slipped out of the room. I had no doubt to pay a particular officer a visit and remind him exactly who and what he was threatening.

"Grandma we are going to get you out of here." My Babe said and I nodded. She stood up "I need to go talk to someone I will be right back. I stood following her giving Lester a look that said stay put and keep an eye on her. He nodded he got it.

I followed my Babe to the police chief's office where she knocked on the door. An officer opened the door.

"How can we help you?" She asked.

"My name is Stephanie and I am with Rangeman I need to speak to the chief it's a matter of urgent nature that I speak to him now." She said.

"I am sorry Stephanie but he isn't here he is at home during this hour." She said. My Babe rolled her eyes.

"Yes, I figured he would be but I need to speak to him and I need to speak to him now so if you don't mind, please call him for me or I can ask someone else to do it if it is too much trouble for you." She said and I could sense anger rising in her but her forcefulness and take no prisoners attitude had the blood flowing south.

The officer nodded and walked back in the office with us following. She picked up the phone and dialed the number after she got he chief on the phone she went to hand my Babe the receiver but she shook her head no "put him on speaker phone." She said and by her tone she left no other possibilities so the officer pressed the button then sat the receiver down on the desk.

"Chief this is Stephanie with Rangeman Security. I am here with Ranger the owner of Rangeman Security and I wanted to bring something to your attention. My Grandmother, Mrs. Mazur, was arrested this afternoon because someone believed she hung pictures up in the VFW." She said pausing briefly, just long enough for the chief to begin speaking.

"Stephanie while that is disturbing I don't see why you are calling me. You know there will be an investigation and she will either have to go to court or charges will be dropped. I am certain you will be able to bail her out in the mean time." He said. Oh shit even I knew enough to know that wasn't the correct answer.

"Chief you didn't let me finish. The arresting officer manhandled my elderly grandmother to the point that she may have a concussion he hit her head two times on the car, he then caused her trip in the parking lot. She is an old woman she could have been seriously injured. Is this conduct that you condone?" She asked him her voice ice cold.

"Stephanie I am sorry that happened. I will have to speak to the officer who brought her in. If he was out of line then he will be dealt with." He said. Wrong answer was all I could think.

"Chief that is fine but what are you going to do about my Grandmother. They don't even have proof it was her that hung the pictures in the first place. I demand she is released and I further demand that this little investigation get forgotten about. You have no idea how close I am to filing brutality charges. You also have no idea how close I am to calling the mayor and pulling Rangeman service to this department. It isn't as if you pay us enough to make it worth our while. We have only been doing it for the residents of this town so they can have a safe community but you know when the police don't act with a certain conduct to its citizens then that is less motivating to continue our services." She said and my dick was so hard I could drill holes in the cinderblock walls hearing her controlling the chief and knowing just how much pressure to apply to get what she want.

"Stephanie I am sure we can work something out where those things won't be necessary." He said back peddling. She had him; hook, line and sinker.

"Yes chief we can." She said smiling she knew she had him. "You can release my Grandmother and drop the investigation. Anything less is unacceptable terms; your call. Either you make the necessary phone call or I make the call the choice is yours." She said. I was cussing that she was going to spending the night with her grandmother instead of coming back to Rangeman with me. Shit this was going to be a long night.

"Alright Stephanie have it your way. I will make the call." He said conceding to her wishes. I just shook my head. My Babe was fucking amazing.

"Thank you chief I knew we would see eye to eye. Have a good night." She said allowing the sweetness that is normal for her voice back in from the hardened icy tones that were there prior. There was no doubt who my Babe took after in her family. That was both a beautiful and an extremely scary thought.

We made our way out of the office and back to the room where her Grandmother and Lester were waiting for us. Lester hadn't moved from his spot against the wall. We had barely walked in the room before the officer was in the room releasing her.

I pulled my Babe into my arms "You are amazing. I am going to miss you tonight." I told her and I heard her groan.

"I love you" she said to me and I couldn't prevent the smile. Hector joined us a few seconds later and we walked out of the station. I smiled when Hector and Lester realized that they had to ride in the back with Grandma. I laughed even harder when she called out she had filling.

Meaning she was the filling between Lester and Hector. I didn't think anything scared Hector but at this moment he was scared. I could see it. A little old burg woman had scared Hector. Lester just shrugged and went with it. I think he was so use to having his ass pinched and his package felt up by Babe's grandma that nothing fazed him anymore.

Luckily it wasn't too far from the station to the apartment.

Once we got there we swept the apartment all was safe. I hugged my Babe gave her a kiss and we left. I hadn't even cleared the building before I had setup surveillance I wasn't going to leave her unprotected. Her building was about as secure as a card board box under the freeway. Even the cardboard was harder to access than this apartment.

SPOV

I was never so grateful for my partner picking me up at my Grandmother's apartment. It had been a long night. She said that her partying had been interrupted and she wasn't done and she didn't want to stay in the apartment. She wanted to hang out in Thomas' apartment because she had already primed him for their evening of fun.

She confessed to me once we were behind closed doors that she had been the one to blow the pictures up and hang them up but the only person who knew it was Betty her best friend next door and according to their code she would never say a word.

After all Best friends were the ones that helped you hide the bodies not rat you out. I had to laugh. Only my Grandmother would do something like this. Everyone knew it but I guess it wasn't a case of what you knew but what you could prove. She also confessed to hitting her head both times on purpose and tripping on purpose. Where she learned this crap I had no idea but I had to give her credit it wasn't a bad plan it had gotten her a free get out of jail card.

My partner had picked me up at seven this morning and I think I was still up at four this morning trying to wrestle my Grandmother back in her apartment. I had decided to stay just in case there was any fallout from the pictures.

I was a little happier knowing that Joe was in jail at least we didn't have to worry about him but I worried about others. I had my gun with me but I learned quickly that I had to hide it as my Grandmother wanted to see if she could shoot it again as good as she did the first time when she shot the chicken in rump at the dining room table.

Other than my Grandmother running wild, and neither of us getting any sleep all was quite all was well and I was happy to see my grandma fitting in so well in my building. I had no doubt she wouldn't make friends I just wasn't certain what they would think of her. She can be a little out there at time.

I left Grandma snoring away when Slyder sent me a text that he was outside. I slipped out and smiled. Carlos had told him to bring my new to me vehicle. A 2006 red Ford Explorer. Lester had helped me pick it out. Red was his favorite color so he convinced me it was also my favorite color and made me buy it.

Well he didn't make me buy it but the vehicle was in excellent shape and the price was right and now that I have safe parking and other vehicles to use when I am on official business maybe this one will last me a long time; at least that is the hope.

Heading to Rangeman I couldn't help but wonder why every day had to start so butt ass early. I mean who really was up and moving at seven in the morning?

As I drive I can't help but reminisce how my life has changed. I have been working for Rangeman for almost two weeks now on my own with my own partner. This was the second week. I really didn't count the prior time as I was paired with a core team member and was on probation.

In my mind my time started when I was officially a Rangeman or I guess you could technically say Rangewoman.

In some perverse sort of way I had Joe to thank for this. Had he not done what he had done I would have probably been in the same holding pattern running back and forth to Joe while being madly in love with Carlos.

Even calling him Carlos was different. In some ways it seemed unreal all the changes I had gone through in this relatively short time and then on the other hand looking back I couldn't believe that was my life and I thought I was happy. I had no idea what happy was then.

We made it back to Haywood the whole time me reminiscing over my life, my friends, my brothers, my best friend, Carlos and even to some degree Joe, though those thoughts weren't the best.

When I pulled into the lot we got out just as Lester walked out of the stairways. "Beautiful I have been looking for you. We got to roll we got a live one." He said. I knew he was referencing a skip. I was hoping to be able to wrap my arms around Carlos and give him a kiss before having to pull out again.

I held up my hand to tell him to wait a moment when the stairwell door opened again and Carlos came striding out like a vision. It had only been one night but it was a night of hell and no sleep and I missed him.

I launched myself towards him, him catching me effortlessly as though I weighed nothing and I knew that wasn't the case. But it was a good feeling to feel that weightless. My lips landed on his as he pulled me in tight. Feeling his arms band around me mad me feel at home.

"Come on guys damn" Lester gritted out as my legs wrapped around Carlos' waist. I wasn't ready to come up for air. I was just getting started. I let go of Carlos long enough to give Lester the finger which caused Slyder to burst out in laughter.

I finally came up for air. Looking at Carlos I told him "I missed you." I told him and he smiled. "Babe" I knew that meant he missed me too but wasn't going to allow Lester or Slyder the privilege of hearing him say it. He had his bad ass image to uphold after all.

"Lester says we have a live one." I told him and he nodded. "So I will be heading back out with them. Hopefully we will be back by lunch want to eat with me?" I asked him hoping he caught on to the fact I had no intention of actually eating anything that was designated as food. My thoughts were more I along the lines that I would nibble on him.

"Babe" he choked out as Lester and Slyder started howling in laughter. Fuck I had said that out loud. Damn what's wrong with me? I decided nothing that being held in his arms with my legs wrapped around him gave me a free pass for my thoughts to pass my brain as he practically fried my brains when he was this close to me.

He just shook his head. I knew I had said that out loud but the two dumbasses were still laughing and probably not paying any further attention to me.

I finally release my legs from him and lower myself down his body giving him a final kiss I break free and make my way over the SUV where Slyder and Lester were standing by. I give Carlos a finger wave and hop in the front. Lester is driving and Slyder is in the back.

"So who is the live fish?" I asked? Lester smiled.

"Your friend Ronnie Kravitz." He said and I moaned. Fuck. He wasn't my friend. I did have a different feeling towards him since I ran the searches and realized he wasn't really a danger to us only himself. He hated his life and himself too much to be a danger to others. He was his own worst enemy.

"Great. Oh well guess we better get this over with." I said as he pulled out the lot.

We made our way to Sycamore and Trite. I was so tired I wanted to just sit there for a while and nap while they watched but I felt like I couldn't really do that.

"So, Beautiful, you can't even be a night away from boss man without throwing yourself into his arms like a wanton woman." He teased me I could hear the amusement in his voice.

"Whatever, Lester," I said to him not letting him rib me about it.

"Lester if you were a dog you would probably be permanently glued to my leg. The only reason you aren't now is because one you aren't a dog and two if you tried you know Carlos would kill you." I told him.

Slyder started laughing in the back but through his laughter added "man she has your number, only she doesn't know what a dog you can actually be at times." He said laughing even harder. I just shook my head.

"Beautiful I am hurt. You stab deep." He said feigning as though I stabbed him in his heart. I just laughed. He reached into his pocket and pulled out an ipod. He stretched his hand out to me.

"For you beautiful. We dogs that want to hump your leg got you something." He told me and I couldn't help the emotions that washed over me. They had gotten me an ipod. I had broken my weeks ago when me and the treadmill had a somewhat of a misunderstanding.

"We knew you broke yours so we got you another one. We even put some songs on it for you. When you connect it to your computer you will be able to link to your account and synch up the songs you already had on your other device." He said I picked it up going through the playlist seeing what songs had been placed on it for me as I tried to control my emotions to keep the tears that were threatening to fall from actually falling down my face.

I reached over and hugged him to me.

I knew all the guys had gotten it for me, and I would thank them all but it was nice hugging my best friend.

"Beautiful you ready to jump in my arms and throw your legs around me?" He asked joking with me and I shook my head he was incorrigible.

"Well if you aren't up for that how about just letting me hump your leg then? After all you brought that up." He said laughing. Jesus where did he come up with this crap? I just shook my head.

"Thank you" Lester nodded and I looked back and hugged Slyder

"You're my partner, so you can hump my leg." I said laughing him joining in. Lester sighed loudly and mumbled something about never winning.

"I am going to hold you to that Incendia" he teased and I shook my head.

"Thank you" I told him and he nodded.

I continued to browse through the songs and I saw some really great ones. Some I had never heard before some were old favorites. I was beaming. I was just getting ready to hook it up to the stereo system when we saw the skip enter his house.

Giving him a few minutes we got out and got dressed putting on our Kevlar it was protocol. I strapped mine on while the guys got dressed in theirs. I was still holding my ipod so I tucked it in at the top of the vest. Up near my shoulder where the strap goes over my shoulder. I wanted to make sure it wouldn't fall out should I have to run. Which I was hoping wasn't going to be the case.

"Ready" I asked looking at them both and they nodded. I nodded back and we stepped out from around the vehicle heading to the house just a little ways down the side walk.

Walking up to the house I felt eyes on me. I scanned the area and saw nothing. There were several homes up and down both sides of the street so I wrote it off to neighbors starring out the window at us. I mean it wasn't often someone like us, dressed the way we were would be paying someone a visit this early in the morning.

It wasn't a visit for pleasure and everyone in the neighborhood knew it.

Picking up the skip went easier than even I expected. I knocked on the door Lester had made his way around back in case he decided to run. When he opened the door and I told him who we were and explained the situation he agreed to come with us without a problem.

Slyder still cuffed him because you never knew his hands behind his back. He was searched for weapons. I locked up his house even made my way to the back door to ensure it was locked. His house was a complete and total mess but after running the searches on him I wasn't surprised.

I walked back out of the house just a little ahead of Lester as we made our way down the sidewalk back to the SUV. Slyder was at the SUV with the skip getting him in the car when I felt a sick sense come over me.

The feeling made bile rise in the throat and I knew we were in danger. We weren't just being watched we were in trouble. I saw Lester's face flash before me and I almost dropped to my knees the fear grabbing me.

Reactively I spun around looking for Lester behind me when my eyes settled on him I noticed several feet beyond him someone else standing on the sidewalk. I screamed for Lester to watch out and I watched as Lester spun around.

I saw him dropping to the ground as I heard a gunshot and I knew it wasn't from Lester's gun. I had been moving towards Lester and I jumped in the air as he was falling backwards clearing him pulling my gun.

I fired my gun as I heard another shot and saw the man fire the gun. It wasn't seconds later I dropped on top of Lester. I briefly registered where my head landed in his crotch as the fire spread throughout my shoulder and pain clouded my vision.

I briefly heard Lester say "damn beautiful I know you wanted me but we could have waited until we got home." I then felt the sticky wet blood pooling between us and the difficulty I was having catching my breath increased with every second until I couldn't focus my eyes. It felt like slow motion but I knew it was only second and I knew this wasn't good.

I saw images of Carlos and I, Lester and I, My partner, my brothers. Cal singing to me, Sitting in Ram's lap, dancing with Lester and Slyder, Hector smiling at me because I had learned a new cuss word in Spanish, Tank smiling at me and calling me little girl, pulling on Bobby braids making him smile, Hal finally letting me hug him, Woody telling me if it had hair he could ride it and wheels he could drive it, riding the zip lines with Zip screaming at the feeling I was flying.

Zero him working with me and telling about this name. I remember thinking I finally remember what pissed me off so bad about that but that I wouldn't be able to do anything about it. Vince him sitting the car and the worried expression he had for me when Joe held a gun to my head threatening me. Junior, me tracking him in the woods and finding him, Ram flashed again at him laying on top of me after I jumped on his back. These were all images of my family flashing before me. Manny smiling at me calling me his wifey flashed before me. I wanted to cry.

Images and memories that I wasn't sure if I could take with me but my soul was allowing me one last look at all of those I held so close to my heart that I loved more than my life.

I felt as if I was floating and somewhere in my mind it registered that wasn't something I wanted to do but my body couldn't seem to prevent it.

More images flashed of Carlos and I kissing, making love for the first time, holding each other and I wanted to be in his arms. I wanted to smell him the most wonderful smell in the world. I wanted to feel him hold me again.

The images were coming to an end it was sort of like in the movies when it fades to black in the end. I knew the end was close the more vague and lighter the images and memories got. Part of me wanted to fight and hold on for Carlos but no matter how hard I tried I didn't feel like I could. I looked down and saw my partner running to us me still lying on top of Lester. The blood pooled all around us; my blood.

My last thoughts were that I was sorry Carlos that I never intended to you leave. I never meant to leave you but that I had saved Lester. I had had his back when he needed me and I couldn't be sorry for that. I would give my life to save his; gladly. The world around me went dark my final thought was for Carlos not to hate me or Lester for this was my choice and my gift.

The world needed Lester far more than it needed me. I was at peace I could let go.

The End

Before you hang me there will be a Sequel…I don't know when it will start but it won't be extremely long. I have another story (a much shorter story) that I plan on writing between this story and the Sequel.

I want to Thank you all for reading my story, for supporting this story. It has been a true passion of love with every word written. A year ago when I started this I had no idea it would be what it turned out to be but I am very proud of this story. My first Fanfiction. I would have never believed prior to doing this that I was capable of doing it so it really caused me to step out of my comfort zone and I am so thankful I did.

The friends that it brought me I will forever be grateful. Margaret a very special thank you for every encouraging word and all of the support you provided when I was unsure. Barbara I can't tell you how having your support as helped as well. Our funny little emails back and forth playing with the characters in our dreams it is these friendships that I am most grateful for. Thank you both for being there. There are many others that I have shared emails with and real life stories with and I treasure them all. Thank you!

This was the unexpected side of the story and one I will always be grateful for. I am glad you have enjoyed the story and even though this chapter ended a little different that probably some of you were expecting I hope you enjoyed it in spite of it.

Help me celebrate my one year anniversary write a review let me know your thoughts and feelings.

Please take a moment and leave a review. Let me know your thoughts…I love every review it does wonder for my soul and wonders for my fingers! Don't forget to check out the accommodating website and my writer's journal…I put sneak peeks into the chapters in them!

You can find it all at . There are playlists there for the party and songs that are mentioned through the different chapters, pictures of the characters along with their bio as I see them in my head, as they are in my story. There are pictures of some of the clothing, and places that have been in my chapter, as well as pictures of cars, trucks, motorcycles from the Rangeman compound. I hope you enjoy it Leave a comment there as well if you wish!