Thank you for all the wonderful reviews! For those that have Private messages turned off that left Reviews thank you for the reviews! I love reading every one of them so keep them coming.

I want to Thank Margaret Fowler for encouraging this story out of me. When I mentioned it to you 6 – 7 months ago you didn't let it die in my head. You kept pressing for it so here it is finally being written! I hope it is everything you thought it would be.

Standard Disclaimer: The characters aren't mine. They belong to JE I just take them out of the box and play with them a little. I have begged to keep Ranger and Lester for myself but I have yet to get a response…

I must apologize for the delay in posting the final chapter. I had a tough time letting this story go to write the final chapter. I hope you enjoy the final chapter of Opening of Closed Hearts.

Chapter 47: A Opened Heart

SPOV

"Yes." I exclaimed as the excitement bubbled out of me before I could stop it. I quickly glanced around to see who was around me.

"Steph, what's got you so excited this morning?" Ram asked me and I shrugged, shit.

"Nothing really I think I found some information that I had been asked to track down." I lied hoping it was good enough that he wouldn't ask too many questions. He looked at me narrowing his eyes slightly but then shook his head and turned back around. Whew, I think I pulled that little white lie off.

I had finally found it, the perfect rhinestone collar. I had been looking for weeks but I wasn't about to give up on looking I knew I would eventually find one. There had to be one out there and I had found it. I stole a look at him wondering how big his neck was.

I pulled out my cell phone going through the directory and sent a quick text message.

'I found it. Do you know the size?' I sent it and was anxiously waiting for a response. I was trying my best to disguise my excitement because my squeal had already given away my excitement. I had covered it somewhat. Even if it wasn't believed it wasn't challenged so I had gotten away with it but anymore outbursts and I would be busted.

I quickly remembered to kill the sound on my phone it wouldn't do any good to hear the little chirp of a text message received. I looked over my shoulder to see if anyone was watching me. No one was standing there and Ram was facing his computer. It was all good.

'How am I supposed to know?' Was the response from my text message that I received. Great did they not know how to do anything? I looked at Ram again he was so going to catch me if I continued.

'What's the size of your neck?' I quickly typed and sent back to him.

'My neck size is 20.' He sent me back. I stole another look over my shoulder it looked like Ram's neck size might be slightly bigger. Ram was bigger bodied but shorter than Lester. I wondered how big Cal's and Hal's neck were. I needed to do a little recon.

I got up from my desk pretending to stretch making sure I locked my machine so no one could see what I had found. It was going to be my secret, well mine and Lester's but I knew he wouldn't say anything. I picked my phone up because I didn't want anyone seeing the text messages and I needed to be able to text Lester.

I sent him another quick text. 'You think Ram's neck is the same as Hal or Cal?' I walked out of my cubicle. Ram turned around looking at me smiling.

"Just going to stretch my legs for a little bit." I told him and he nodded.

I made my way out of our cubicle area taking another glance at my phone. Lester was being slow at texting me back, or maybe I was just being impatient.

'Maybe I don't know closer than mine.' Was his reply, a lot of good that was going to do me. I mean sometimes when you want something done you just need to do it yourself. I went in search of Cal.

He was sitting at his desk and I happen to notice a chain around his neck. I got excited. I walked over and gave Cal a hug from the back. He jumped a little when I grabbed him and I smiled. I had just snuck up on a Merry Man for the first time. I was so use to them startling me and now I had finally gotten my first one. I couldn't help but smile.

"I am not going to say it…but you know what you need to do." I told him my voice sounding as serious as I could make it without bursting out in laughter. He just shook his head turning in his chair towards me.

I took advantage of the long legs and just sat down on his knee. I picked up his necklace looking at it, it was a skull, I could have guessed that much. It almost matched the one on his forehead minus the flames.

I would have said it was cute or something like that, but really what do you say about a skull pendant? So I just dropped it. "What size chain is that?" I asked Cal and he just shrugged. I really wanted to shake my head at these men. I didn't want to just come out and ask him how big his neck is because I knew it would lead to other questions. I started to take it off of his neck and put it on mine and see the difference but that wouldn't have really told me what I wanted to know as the chain didn't really fit him as a choker.

"How is your day going?" I asked figuring I would make a little small talk as I was there and didn't want to draw too much attention to why I was there. He looked at me and I could see the question in his eyes but he smiled and answered.

"It's okay, better now that you are here." He said smiling. I smiled back at him.

"Well I am glad I could help make your day better, but I guess I got to get back. I was just stretching my legs for a little bit and saw you here thought I would say hi." I said standing up I kissed the skull on his forehead and made my way out of his cubicle. I needed another way to measure his neck. I made my way to Lester's office.

"Hey Lester" I said walking in without bothering to knock, I looked up and there was Carlos in his office.

"Babe" he said when I came up short frozen and embarrassed from just walking into his office.

"Hey Beautiful, what's up?" He asked me and I turned to look at Lester.

"Well you are busy, I will come back." I said starting to retreat and he shook his head no.

"It's okay we were just shooting the shit, nothing important. What's up?" He asked and I smiled. I was busted no way was I getting out of this office without Carlos knowing what I was up to. Shit.

"Well I am still trying to figure out how to get Ram's neck measurement. I tried Cal but he didn't know how big his own neck was." I said and Lester looked weird.

"He didn't know his dress shirt size?" Carlos spoke up asking and I shrugged.

"Well I didn't ask him that, I just asked him how long the chain around his neck was and he didn't know. I was trying to ask him under the table without specifically asking neck size." I confessed.

"Babe, hold on." Carlos said as he pulled his phone from his waist and started dialing. "Hi, fine, I need Ram's neck size." He said waited for a minute then continued. "Thank you, that will be fine." He said and hung up. He looked at me smiled and said "Babe his neck size is twenty-two inches, if you need to know his shirts have to be custom tailored, according to Ella." So he had called Ella, I should have thought about that. Ella knew everything.

I had to control myself to keep from squealing from the excitement of now being able to order his rhinestone collar.

"Is there a reason you needed to know that, Babe?" Carlos asked me and I knew he was fishing but I just looked at him unsure if I should answer him or not.

"If I tell you, are you going to keep from doing what I have planned?" I asked him trying to decide if I should tell him.

"It depends on what it is you have planned." He said smiling at me. I could tell by his eyes he was having fun trying to get me to confess. I looked at Lester hoping maybe he would have the inside scoop on whether or not to tell him the actual truth. He shrugged his shoulders smiling at me once again being mister over helpful.

"Well I was going to buy Ram something and I needed to know his neck size." I told him part of the truth just not divulging what it was I was actually going to buy. Carlos' lips twitched into what it looked like to be a smile.

"What are you buying him?" He asked me and I know my eyebrow's shot up into my hairline. Damn what was I going to say?

"Huh?" I asked which sounded so intelligent.

"Babe" he said knowing he didn't need to repeat his question. He knew I had heard him.

"A collar." I said, once again only telling him part of it.

"A collar?" He said, repeating what I said his lips bending up into a smile. It was sort of the equivalent of someone handing me birthday cake. Carlos was having fun at my expense.

"Yeah a rhinestone collar." I finally confessed. And if I hadn't seen it for my own eyes I would have said it never happened, Carlos barked in laughter. His laughter was like wonderful music to my ears and I couldn't help but join him in his laughter.

"Babe" He said grabbing ahold of me and pulling me to him hugging me. I wrapped my arms around him and held him to me. He gave me a kiss which I quickly returned but before we could deepen it Lester had to spoil the moment by whistling.

"Whew you two need cool it down you are heating up my office." Lester said fanning himself and I wanted to smack him but I settled for sticking my tongue out at him and giving him the finger causing Lester to laugh shaking his head.

"Anytime beautiful, you name the time and the place I will be there. Just leave this lump behind." He said laughing.

"Santos, zero five hundred." Carlos said wiping the smile off of his face and the laughter from his voice as he just nodded his head. I shook my head wondering if he would ever learn. The thought that he would never learn made me laugh out loud.

"Somehow I sense that laugh is because of me?" Lester said and I nodded my head.

"Don't you know it isn't nice to laugh at people?" He asked me trying to sound as though he was upset with me, I could see the laughter behind his eyes.

"Well normally I would say I was laughing with you but in this case I am definitely laughing at you." I said to him laughing even more. He grabbed his heart.

"Oh Beautiful, you wound me." He said I just shook my head at his theatrics. I threw my hands up beside my head and tilted it to the side for his answer.

"Well I got to go you know things to do places to go and people to see." I said in a sing song sort of voice as I made my way out of Lester's office I heard the one word that made my heart swell and butterflies swirl in my stomach.

"Babe" I couldn't help but smile. I raced back to my desk to place my order.

I had finally agreed about a week ago to collect a paycheck from Rangeman. It was the result of our first argument as a couple. I didn't feel like I had paid back the money I had cost him and I wanted to continue to work without pay but he insisted after he got back from speaking with his handler that I draw a paycheck. My first paycheck was deposited in my account that Friday. I wasn't even sure if I had agreed before the deposit was made but regardless by the time I found it I had agreed so I wasn't going to further push the issue.

I disagreed with the amount of money that was deposited but I was told that was the starting pay rate for new employees. I sort of felt like that wasn't the entire truth but when I asked Tank, Lester, and Bobbie separately they all said that was the starting salary. I was just glad that today I had the money to order Ram's collar. So I wouldn't complain at least not today.

I practically ran back to my office rounding the cubicle forgetting about Ram I crashed right into his chest.

"Ow." I exclaimed as strong hands reached to grab me succeeding just before my ass hit would have hit the floor.

"Wowah there Steph, you okay?" I heard Ram say I opened my eyes as he brought me back to my feet. I nodded my head. I was okay.

"How is the arm and leg? Did you twist or hurt anything?" He asked and I shook my head no. I was fine. I had just gotten the cast off of my arm and was able to remove the walking cast from my leg.

"Ram I am fine. Thanks for keeping me from falling. I am sorry I crashed into you. I was just in a hurry to get back to my desk…" I said realizing I almost gave away why I was in such a hurry. "I just remembered I had something running that I needed to check on." I said quickly trying to finish my sentence as though that was what I was going to say.

I was never good at covering stuff up. I really needed to quit the whole keeping secrets thing. The thought made me want to laugh at my current life. Living in a building full of men that specialized in keeping secrets life could be completely ironic at times. I shook my head to clear those thoughts as I stepped around Ram, apologizing once again for just about running him down and walked into my cubicle sitting down in my chair. I look behind me just be sure that Ram had cleared out before I pulled up the webpage and added the Rhinestone collar in his size to my cart. I glanced once more just to make sure no one was behind me as I completed the sale.

Now I just needed to figure out how I was going to give it to him.

"Steph" Bobby said as he grabbed the back of my chair which caused me to scream in surprise.

"Bobby, what the hell? You want me to have a heart attack?" I exclaimed grabbing my chest my breath coming quickly.

"I am sorry Steph, but you …" I glared at him.

"Don't you dare say it!" I said my voice getting slightly louder than I intended. "I was sitting here doing my work and you just walk up behind me grab my chair and call my name and expect me not to react." I said stating the obvious causing him to smile and laugh.

As I caught my breath I noticed Lester, Cal, and Ram all standing behind Bobby. I smiled at them.

"You okay there Beautiful?" Lester asked and I nodded my head.

"Yeah heart is still ticking although I am pretty sure it just had a few years shaved off of it." I told them smiling. They didn't laugh or smile at my attempt to be the comedian. They were a tough crowd.

"Angel, please don't joke about your life being shortened. " Cal said and I once again felt that overwhelming feeling rise in me. I found myself unable to respond so I nodded letting him know that I understood.

Bobby spoke up "Steph, Ram said that you almost fell down when you ran into him. I just came by to see if you were okay." He said.

"I am fine. I ran into Ram but he caught me before I fell and there was no pain in my arm or leg. I am okay." I told him. He looked at me and nodded.

"Okay well let me know if something starts to bother you." He said and I nodded.

"Okay but from now on let me hear you coming or say something before you grab me or my chair." I warned him he smiled and nodded before standing up turning and walking out of my cubicle.

I couldn't help but think of all the commotion one collar has caused. I wanted to laugh but I decided there had been enough laughter and weirdness for the day and settle down to do some work. I needed to earn the paycheck that would be deposited into my account on Friday.

I had been sitting in my chair engulfed in the search I was doing. I had a feeling about this person that something wasn't adding up but I wasn't able to find out what about the information was unsettling. I keep digging into the person's life. His finances, his history, his family, where he had lived, where he had gone to school I had scanned it all. However, there was something about the information that just didn't add up.

I felt frustration rise within me as each search completed only showing nothing seedy yet when I looked at him I just got the feeling he was seedy that something wasn't right about him. He had secrets and I was determined to find out what those secrets were.

I was deep within reading a report following money can get tedious. Tracing to see where the money in his accounts came from, was the money was accounted for, taxes paid on the money, etc. It was detailed work that took patience and an eye that picked up on patterns both normal and abnormal.

I was looking for that one piece of detail that would stand out, that one piece that would tell me I was right. I knew I was right; I could feel it. "Avaro Stravos" was hiding something and he was going way out of his way to ensure that it wouldn't be found. Was it drugs, was it money laundering, was it something else? I picked the picture up again looking at him. I picked the news articles I have found up about his businesses, his volunteer work, his pledges to charities and good cause foundations he looked like the perfect American philanthropist. He was highly educated graduating from the most prestigious schools with the highest of honors obtainable. Reading about him he was the kind of guy that others should look up to someone others should aspire to be but I saw something else when I looked at his pictures I just couldn't put my finger on what it was.

He was our client, well our to be client, we had been contracted to design a security system for his business and his incredibly ostentatious home or I should say mansion at twelve thousand square feet. It came equipped with two kitchens, an indoor pool, a state of art theater room, there were servant quarters. If you could imagine something being in a house this house had it.

I picked up a picture of the house huffed and tossed it back down. The money seemed legit the businesses seemed legit. The income from the businesses all accounted for. Deposits, withdrawals from all accounts all accounted for. The money within the different businesses and his personal accounts were all legit. I blew out a breath of frustration. This would be a big account for Rangeman but I had this unnerving feeling that Rangeman shouldn't be in business with this man, or any of his businesses but I had nothing to go on other than my feeling.

I couldn't go look at Carlos and say I have this feeling we shouldn't setup a system for this man or his businesses because I have a feeling. I needed something concrete, yet I had nothing.

I picked up his picture again and looked at it willing myself to figure out what it was about this man that set me on such an edge. I had never seen him before in my life. I had never even heard his name before today.

I clicked to my email sending Lester and email asking him when we were supposed to meet with Avaro. It didn't take him but a minute two to answer me and I blew out another breath of frustration when I read that the meeting was for tomorrow morning and I was going to be meeting with him by myself. I cursed under my breath.

Looking back at his picture I had to admit he wasn't a bad looking man. He had chiseled features a strong jawline, lines that would rival that of a model. I could see where the women would like him he was tall, broad, and while I couldn't see beneath his expensive tailored suit you could tell he had a muscular frame one that would make women fall at his feet and make other men envy; if men did that.

I thought about Carlos and the men here at Rangeman and I decided none of them would have a reason to be envious of him but then again these men weren't normal men. There weren't men like the Rangeman in the world well unless they were Rangeman. At least I was beginning to believe that. The more I met the more they fit that statement.

I tossed his picture back on my desk along with all the other reports I had printed the notes I had made the links I had made all for nothing. I pushed away from my desk. I needed air. I hadn't even noticed the time until I moved out of my cubicle and noticed Ram's desk empty his machine dark. I looked around the office and it seemed like it was bare boned.

I looked into Cal's cubicle, it was dark. How late was it? What time was it? Where was Carlos? I made my way down the hallway where the offices were. Tank's door was closed so I wasn't sure if he was in his office or not. Carlos' office door was open and I could tell there was a light on. I walked up and tapped on the door frame. I wouldn't just barrel into his office the way I had Lester's earlier.

"Babe, everything okay?" Carlos asked me and I smiled and nodded. I could see his eyes knit together as he pushed his chair back from his desk standing.

I walked into his office and plopped down on the sofa. "Yeah everything is okay, just frustrated" I said and he walked over putting his arm around me as he sat down beside me.

"What has you frustrated, Babe?" He asked me I could hear a little uncertainty in his voice.

"I am running a background search on the client I have meeting with tomorrow and something just feels off." I told him.

"Babe, are you still working? You been upstairs at all?" He asked me and I looked up at him I shook my head, no.

"Babe when is the last time you ate something, or drank anything?" He asked me and I looked at him I had no idea. I didn't even know what time it was right now.

"What time is it?"

"Babe it is twenty one hundred hours." He said and I crunched my nose and eyebrows together piercing my lips trying to figure out exactly what time that was. This military time telling was kicking my ass couldn't they just say the time like every other normal American?

"Nine o'clock Babe, it's nine o'clock. I was just finishing up. I was looking forward to meeting you up in our apartment." He said as he pulled me toward him. He started kneading my shoulders and it felt so great releasing the tension I had been feeling while I was researching Avaro.

His lips met my neck and felt that tingle of desire coil deep within my belly. My head fell back against him as his hands skimmed around my sides to my front. The feel of his large strong hands on me had bolts of electric running through out me all ending deep within my core. I felt the muscles clench within me and release as I felt his hands skim over my clothed breasts. I felt my nipples harden and pebble with desire. They wanted his tongue, his mouth, the feel of his teeth clinch down on them just to the point that pleasure met pain.

My breath quickened with desire as my heart started racing the blood pumping through every vein within my body had set me on fire.

I shifted so I could turn towards him I needed to taste him. I needed to have him in my arms, touch him hold him, feel him. He stood up taking me with him. My legs raising up to wrap his hips I wasn't ready to let go of the man within my reach.

He walked a few steps and I heard the door shut and lock as my lips had sealed against his. I felt my back hit the wall with a thud his hand at the back of my head kept my head from hitting the wall. His strong body pressing me further into the wall had flames of desire flaring from my body to the point that it heated the room.

I could feel him hard as he pressed further into my core. I needed these clothes to be gone. It was as if he read my mind and he loosened his grip on me and stepped back dropping my legs to the ground. I wanted to protest but I needed to shed these layers between us. I pulled at his t-shirt releasing it from his pants. He quickly jerked it over his head using one hand. Soon as I think this man couldn't get any sexier he proves me wrong that single move has me fanning my face to cool myself.

My hands plaster themselves on his beautiful tight muscles that bulge and ripple with my touch. His eight pack abs his beautiful chest muscles. So lickable so beautiful that God would be envious of Carlos. He had to be a demi-god. He was certainly carved from pure perfection like that of a God.

I felt my shirt leave my body and I could only think faster, please God faster before I self-combust. He dropped down to his knees his tongue working its way across my belly and down had me knotting my fingers in his hair holding him to me. I felt the button my pants give way and my eyes rolled back in my head as my head pressed back against the wall to keep me on my feet.

I felt my boots being undone as his tongued worked his way across my lower belly to my hip where he sucked in some skin between his lips and teeth sucking that had me gasping for much needed oxygen. I was ready to cut the boots off, cut the clothes off. I just needed this man buried deep within me; now.

"Carlos, please." I begged you could hear the begging in my voice. The need, the desire, the want all in my voice echoing off the walls or maybe that was me saying it over and over I wasn't sure. My brain had long checked out due to the desire that was boiling up within me and flowing over.

I felt my bare feet hit the floor and I wanted to scream halleluiah from the top of my lungs. I grasped at him pulling him up my body feeling his tongue swipe up my body had me trembling and burning I wanted that tongue as much as I wanted his hard dick encased within me. I clawed at him to get him up to the point I could reach his belt releasing it I quickly undid his button and zipper I couldn't help but open my eyes looking down to watch his hard beautiful dick spring forward out of his pants.

I had the desire to drop to my knees to taste him. I knew the taste of him, I knew the smell of him and I could never have enough of either of them. My mouth watered at the thought I started to drop letting my knees give out but he caught me lifting me as he pushed me harder into the wall as my legs came up wrapping around his hips. I felt him pushing against my center and a moan escaped my lips just before his lips fused with mine. My tongue seeking out the recesses of his mouth wanting to relish in his taste I flattened my tongued swiping it against his mouth.

I gasped when he pushed all the way into me reaching deep within me in a single thrust. Oh god he was so big, so hard and my body quivered with the feel of him. Nothing felt better than having him buried deep within me. I tightened my hold on him not wanting him to retreat from my body I wanted to keep him exactly where he was forever.

Even with my protest he started moving pumping in and out and my head swirled with what every move was doing to my body. White light bursting behind my eyes and white heat filled me working its way from my toes slowly taking over my body. I was ready to explode come to pieces at every seam. My breathing was in forms of gasps of air as my mouth and tongue devoured every inch of his delectable skin I could reach.

There were moments when all I could do was just hold on as he pounded into me his breathing eradicate I felt the sweat on both of our bodies as they came together and retreated the heat between us reaching a degree that I knew would end up consuming us as we came together grinding against each other grasping and clawing at each other. Everything had been forgotten but what was in our hands, what our mouths were devouring, and what our bodies were doing to each other. I heard the cries of ecstasy before I realized that they were coming from my mouth my lungs my body.

I have no idea what else was flowing from my lips but I am pretty sure it was something along the lines of Carlos being a God among men and how I never wanted him to stop. My voice was thick and deep with the lust that was flowing through my body like water through Nile.

My muscles tightening down on him holding him inside me as my body convulsed around him had my vision going dark I fought for conscious as every muscle in my body screamed for more my nerves heightened to a point that I thought I would fall to pieces if he moved another inch. My muscles throughout my body rigid hardened holding and quivering yet the muscles deep in my core pulling him in milking him.

He attempted to move pushing in and trying to retreat but with little to no success explosions were sounding off behind my eyes throughout my body. I vaguely heard echoes of my name bouncing off of the wall as I felt him explode within me. Liquid heat filling me as his incredibly hardened dick pulsated and quacked against the walls deep within me.

We dropped to the floor as his legs gave out but always thinking about me it felt more like we just sat down my body still wrapped around him, him still buried deep within me. I felt my body go lax around him as my head rested on his shoulder. I was gasping for air fighting to keep my eyes open. I had never in my life experienced anything so intense in my life.

I am not sure how long we had sat there my eyes had long lost the battle and closed as sleep had claimed me. I was brought to consciousness by the ringing of a cell phone. I looked up just as Carlos pulled the phone to his ear. I laid my head back on his shoulder turned to face him. His arm wrapped around me holding me to him.

I knew it was a man on the phone as I could hear a man's voice but I couldn't tell what was being said or who it was. I couldn't hear the voice well enough to know if it was someone that I knew or not but I felt him tense up under me and not in a good way. I knew something was wrong.

"Let me know what you find out." I heard him say as he disconnected the call.

I rose up from his shoulder searching his face and eyes which were hardened. "Hey what's wrong?" I asked him. Believing I wasn't the cause of the sudden hardness I was seeing. His eyes no longer soft though when he looked at me they softened to the point that had me smiling.

"Santos was shot at." He said and panic rose up in me.

"Is he okay? Did he get hurt?" I quickly fired questions back to him finding the strength that wasn't there two minutes ago to stand and start retrieving my clothing from the floor.

Carlos following my lead shook his head no. "He is okay, they missed him. He got lucky." He said and I stopped and looked at him.

"So you think he was a target of an attack?" He shook his head no. So what did that mean he went after a skip and got shot at, he got caught in cross gunfire? I needed more information.

"Carlos you have to tell me something I am going out of my mind here." I confessed to him. Lester was my best friend I needed to know why someone was attacking him. Did Lester get the guy?

"Babe, calm down he is okay, we will figure out everything else in a little bit." Carlos said way to calm and collected for me. I wanted to scream I didn't want to be calm. I didn't want figure it out in a little bit I wanted to figure it out now. I needed to know now. I was ready to hunt the bastard down who had tried to hurt my friend.

"Carlos what aren't you telling me?" I knew there was more. There had to be more he knew that he wasn't sharing. Could he not share the information was it something secret.

"What was Lester doing?" I asked him thinking I would maybe need to tackle this in a different way. "Where is he? Is he coming back here? Can he make it back here?" I said my brain firing question after question as the adrenaline pumping through my veins had everything working at super speed timing.

"Babe he was in my car. You have a meeting tomorrow and I wanted for there to be a few more safety features on my car before you went out in it. He was shot at. They didn't hit him, he is fine the car took a few bullets that busted the back window, as well as rear view mirror and another passenger window." He told me and if he hadn't included that Lester hadn't been hit I think I would have passed out from fear his words had caused within me.

"So were they after Lester? Or you?" I said my brain once again just firing questions but soon as the question left my lips panic rose in me and I grasped him tight holding him to me. It could have been him. What would have happened had it been him? What if he hadn't been so lucky? I felt him pull me to him as I starting gasping once again for air but this time in quick successions I couldn't get air into my lungs no matter how hard I was sucking in. I felt him move me to the couch lower me down and push my head between my legs. Very much like Lester had done he told me push against his hand as if I had the energy to do that I was frozen with my fear that it could have been Carlos in that car.

"Babe I am okay, I am here. Nothing is going to happen." I peered at him from the side of my eye my thoughts I knew he could clearly read. "Babe I am not crazy. We will take care of this." He said as if this was everyday life. Was this everyday life? I mean it was only matter of days since the hit was supposedly removed from being on me. What if it was Carlos that now had the hit placed on him? Was it is handler? An enemy? Who the hell would want to put a hit on Carlos? Okay I didn't really want an answer to that question. I somehow felt like the list would be much longer than anything I would have been comfortable to hear or know.

"Babe Lester should be back in a few minutes." He told me and I felt myself calming down a little bit so he released the pressure on my head allowing me to sit back up. He picked his phone up dialed a number.

"Man, I need you, Bobby, Cal and Hector in my office, ten minutes." He said and disconnected the call. I didn't need to ask to know that he had called Tank.

I checked to make sure I was dressed, he was dressed it wouldn't be good to have them coming in here and I had forgotten my bra or god forbid my underwear in my hurry to dress. Guess Carlos didn't have to worry about forgetting his underwear as he didn't wear any.

"Babe" I heard Carlos say and I smiled at him, which he returned.

Time seemed to go slow but it wasn't too long before there was a knock at the door followed by the door opening and the men he requested walking through the door. I smiled when I saw them and when I saw Lester step through the door I was on my feet running towards him. I launched myself just before I reached him and landed against him hugging him to me. There were few times in life I had ever been this grateful.

The man that I had come to consider one my best friends was safe, unharmed, and back at home.

"Beautiful if this is the reception I get when I get shot at, I think I will get shot at more often." He said his voice light and fun filled with humor but there was no humor for me so I smacked his shoulder.

"Don't say that." I said worry filling my voice. I felt tears burn my eyes but I fought to keep them within. I mean he was okay he hadn't gotten hurt, he was okay. He had been lucky. I wasn't much for luck in my life usually the bad thing happened in my life. So I said a quick thank you to God for the one time allowing me to be lucky in keeping my best friend safe.

I finally let go and retreated back across the room to Carlos who opened his arms to me allowing me to perch myself on his lap. As he held me they began to talk.

Tank spoke up "Boss it seems like there is another hit out. This time the hit is you. I am not sure as I just got the information but we will find out more." Carlos nodded his head as though that news had no affect on him. I closed my eyes tight burying my head into Carlos chest trying to pretend I didn't hear the words Tank had just said.

"Okay, find out who is behind this. Do not discount anyone including Michaels. For now we all will step up security. Cal and Hector you know what I want you to do." He said not spelling it out but when I peeked out I saw both of them nodding their heads so it was no question that they understood what it was he expected. I wanted to ask but I didn't I refrained.

"Santos, you okay?" I watched as he smiled.

"Yeah boss never better. You know it's a good day when bullets are flying. Though I usually like it more when I am doing the shooting." He said again with the humor and I just shook my head as they bumped fists as though they had a round of drinks and were toasting something. I rolled my eyes thinking men.

I looked around the room seeing the men standing there and I sent another thank you to the heavens above. Had we not run into each other I had no idea where my life would be right now. But because we had, my life would forever be changed. I had a family I loved, a man I loved, a best friend that I loved, even a badass attack "Chinese crested" who would soon have a rhinestone bling collar.

There would definitely be dangers in this life. Things I had never faced in my life before them but having them in my life was worth facing every danger. It was worth giving all. I looked at them in the room and I couldn't help the tear that trailed down my cheek.

I saw looks of concern as well as questions within the different names that they called me but I couldn't speak I was overwhelmed. I just shook my head no letting them know I was okay. I hope they could read my mind that the tear they saw was a happy tear, a tear of love, a tear of being emotionally overwhelmed by the love and family that was surrounding me. They had become a part of me as they all held a place within my heart.

The End

Let me know what you think…..leave a review.

I want to once again thank everyone of the dedicated readers and reviewers of this story! I am glad you have enjoyed it! I too am sorry to see it come to an end that is why this chapter was so late in the delivery I didn't want to give up the story, the characters. It was very difficult saying bye.

Anyway I hope you have enjoyed this story, please take a moment to leave a review I would love to hear your thoughts.

For those that have read my other story What does it mean to trust the sequel will begin after a break. I am taking a break clearing my head and then will be back with the sequel to What Does it Mean to Trust. I have yet to come up with a name for the sequel but once I know I will post something to the original story telling all the details. Story name, posting date, etc. I suspect it will be at least mid September before I start posting.

Thank you once again for coming on this journey with me through Opening of Closed Hearts. I truly hope you enjoyed the story.

Amanda