Category: CITW: Side Story

Chapter 48.7: The Housekeepers’ War, Part IV

Atlanta, Part II

Maria’s POV

I’m beginning to see, more and more, that I’m not treated fairly at RangeMan Miami and I wonder how I allowed it to happen. More importantly, how am I going to fix it?

The Atlanta men are sweethearts. Again, I’m picked up at the airport by the XO and the strategist, Danny and Chase. Danny is an incredibly handsome man and Chase is pretty good looking too. Problem is, standing next to Danny, he looks somewhat ordinary, but he reminds me so much of Bobby. Same dimples, same beautiful brown eyes, same impish grin.

“Hello, Ms. Maria!” Danny says. He kisses my hand and steps back to allow Chase to do the same. I’m star struck by the attention.

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Chapter 48.5: The Housekeepers’ War, Part III

Atlanta, Part I

Rose’s POV

I’ve been waiting at Miami International for 20 minutes. This is unacceptable. I’ve called the Miami office twice since landing and been told that my escort is on his way. My husband, Chris, is quietly furious on the phone. Finally, I walk out the building and run directly into a familiar face.

“You’re a RangeMan, aren’t you?”

He nods. “I’m Armando, the XO. I was just informed you were here and since I was close by, I swung by. I’m sorry that your escort hasn’t arrived, and I apologize for that. Can I take your bags?”

I look at him suspiciously. That sounds like bullshit to me, but I hand him the bags. He escorts me to the waiting SUV and tucks my bag in the back. He climbs into the driver’s seat before he realizes that I’m still waiting outside.

I’m a lady. I don’t open my own doors.

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Chapter 47.5: Good News Gets Around

A/N: This starts from the end of “Yes, I MEANT It.”

Bobby’s POV

San Antonio, 8p.m. CST

I’m grinning like an idiot and I can’t stop. Lula looks so happy. She and Mrs. Carol Jean are examining her ring, cooing over the diamonds and the inscription Tank put in. My Love is Forever Yours. I’d tease him about that but hell, I’m jealous. Lula’s the right woman for Tank. She livens his dour ass up, and I’m thrilled she’s here. He’s been in a much better mood since he found out she was coming.

“So, strippers at the bachelor party?” I murmur. Tank raises an eyebrow and I grin. Hey, you and Ranger may be taken (oh please God let Ranger get his shit together) but Les and I aren’t. “Come on, we’re looking forward to celebrating the end of your bachelorhood.”

“Not with strippers, you don’t,” Lula says, looking up. Her face is fierce and Mrs. Carol Jean is smiling at me. “You can celebrate with strippers if you wanna, but no Tankie at that party.” She leans over to him and whispers something that makes Tank blush red. Like, literally, red. Mrs. Carol Jean hoots and laughs loudly and I join her. Whatever it was, it must have been good for Tank to turn colors.

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Chapter 45.5: Yes, I MEANT It

Tank’s POV

Shiiiit! That’s not how I wanted that to go down. I envisioned a nice lunch on Saturday afternoon with just my momma and Lula. Somewhere nice and quiet and peaceful, where they could sit and get to know each other. Not a trial by fire, complete with my nosy ass sisters and brother and none of my hellion nieces and nephews. I knew I shoulda called ahead and let her know I was bringing Lula to see her.

Ranger has Steph as the woman in his life that attracts mayhem, but my mother is the master of the three-ring circus.

My sisters and brother are already in the van, ready to head back to Lafayette Parish, when Momma turns to me.

“I like her. Hold on to her, Pierre. She’s a good woman, no matter what her past. And it’s clear she loves you, but I’m telling you baby, something in her past got her scared. You need to talk to her. You wanna marry her and have babies, you gon’ have to get past whatever it is that’s got her spooked.”

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Chapter 44.5: The Housekeepers’ War, Part II

Trenton, Part II

Maria’s POV

The past three weeks in Trenton have been an eye opener. A few days after Stephanie returned from NYC, I went to talk to her, to try to get to know her. I was surprised by her conversation.

I poked my head into the ‘Lion’s Den’. The Trenton boys’ nickname for Stephanie’s office is amusing. “Stephanie?”

She looked up and smiled. “Steph, please. Maria, I want you to know that you’re already being considered a hero by the men.” She motioned for me to come in.

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Chapter 43.5 I Guess You Did Mean It

A/N: This chapter begins the Monday after “Come Talk to Me”.

Lula’s POV

The envelope is sitting on Connie’s desk when I walk in, and she’s smiling to beat the band.

“Special delivery. Just for you.”

I blink. Who in the hell would be sending me shit, especially to the bonds office? I take the envelope from her and open it.

A first class ticket from Newark to San Antonio. Leaving in one week.

Tank.

He meant it. He actually meant what he said.

I’m looking at the ticket, dumbfounded, when Connie speaks.

“You wanna know the value of that ticket?”

I nod.

“About $1500.”

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Chapter 39.5: The Housekeepers’ War, Part I

Trenton, Part I

Ella’s POV

Luis declared that there was absolutely no way I would take on the Miami men on my own. My husband is my partner in everything, and I didn’t blame him. Every time I’ve come back from Miami I’ve been tempted to throw things. So I informed Hal that Luis and I were headed to Miami and he agreed.

Hector picked us up from the airport on Monday morning.

“Stephanie is offline,” he said with a significant look. I frowned. Where could she be, especially without Hector at her back and . . . oh! I beam at Hector. Nothing more need be said. Wonderful! He’s surprised her with a romantic getaway, just the two of them. That’s more like it.

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Side Story: Girls’ Night Out

Connie’s POV

Uncle Jimmy did a great job of keeping everyone off my back at dinner tonight. Thank god. If Steph ever asks why I don’t accompany her to dinner at her house, the simple reason is I don’t need to. I get it at home too. Why go experience her craziness?

Friday night and I’m bored out my skull. My sister had her kids over at dinner, which reminded me to look into tubal ligation again. Lula is back at her apartment, probably staring at the walls and missing Tank. She keeps denying it, but she hasn’t been the same since he left. I wonder what Steph’s up to.

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Side Story: Rebellion

A/N: This is for everyone who wants to know how the Boston office views Mark! This takes place after Chapter 30 in Change in the Wind.

Patrick’s POV

Rodney and I leave Mark’s office and walk to mine.

“It’s past time, man. Round up the troops,” Rodney says. I nod and send a quick text message to the leadership of RangeMan Boston, minus Mark. We’ll meet at Legal Sea Foods and talk.

Twenty minutes later, the leadership of RMBoston is seated at LSF. We’ve ordered and the men are waiting. No knows why they’re here except me and Rodney.

“Let’s get down to business. You’re here today because we, Rodney and I, are taking executive action against Mark.”

The men are shocked and they look at the two of us suspiciously. I don’t blame them. This has never before been done at RangeMan and we could all hang if this goes wrong.

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Side Story: Congratulations!!!

A/N: This chapter is men being men. Don’t read if you are easily offended.

Hal’s POV

I’m currently bound, gagged and blindfolded. I have no idea what’s going on or why. I just know who’s going to pay for it.

Ram.

I trusted that man with my back, and the moment I turn it, I get hit with something that knocks me out. That’s the last thing I remember. This would never have happened with Junior at my back.

It’s been a hard month. Steph and I went through the duties assigned to the XO and CO and we realized (to my detriment and Steph’s happiness) that a lot of the work that Ranger was doing at RMTrenton is work that is eventually taken on by the XO when the Leadership Core leaves. Just for verification, I called Danny to ask him about his workload and he confirmed that assumption.

It’s a good thing I did. I would have been stuck with it on my own had I not, because Steph was determined to offload part of her workload somewhere and I was the likely target. Remembering Danny’s advice, I called a meeting of the Core Team and we took a weekend to determine who was going to have which duties. So now, Steph has a lot less work and gets the fun of being responsible for the global picture of RangeMan while the Core Team gets the rest of the (not!) fun work of the branch. Continue reading →