Page 19 of Claimed Gem
“Sure,” Stephanie followed him. She seemed shaken by the conversation downstairs. “What are you going to do now?” She asked.
“Nail the bastard who thought he could kill me. He couldn’t even do his own investigative work; he hired a bunch of kids for it.”
Stephanie nodded and took a seat at the bar, watching Ries move around the small kitchen. He got two mugs down from the cabinet and then retrieved milk and sugar. Ries turned around to face her.
“I think you should probably head back to your place.”
Stephanie looked puzzled, “Why?”
“You’re welcome to remain here, if you’d rather. But I won’t be here in the morning. Which is...” he checked his watch, “an hour and a half from now.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Where are you going to be?”
“The docks, of course.”
“I’m going with you.”
“No. You’re not. I don’t want you anywhere near the docks. In fact, I forbid it.”
“You forbid it?” she asked him with a raised brow.
Ries nodded and folded his arms across his chest. “I don’t want you anywhere near the docks. I don’t want you anywhere near me or the bust when it is about to happen. We don’t know that the man you saw isn’t working with others. If they see you with me, you also become a target. It wouldn’t be safe for you to walk the streets without armed guards.”
“There’s no way I’m staying behind,” Stephanie protested. “You don’t even know if the man who hired Piotr is the same man I followed! I know what he looks like, and I can identify him.”
“You’re not going. It’s too dangerous.”
Stephanie narrowed her eyes at him as he turned away to pour coffee. Ries handed her one of the cups and braced himself for her response.
It was obvious she was upset with him, and he enjoyed watching the emotions flash across her perceptible face. But he so much enjoyed the thought that she might get exasperated and leave – or worse, put herself in danger.
Finally, she found her voice and tried to argue once more.
“I need to go with you,” she pressed. “You need me there. What if this is a different man? What if you and your brothers have angered more than one person?”
Ries had to give her marks for trying but nothing would move him. “I don’t want you anywhere near the danger. If any harm were to come to you…” he stopped, surprised to find himself unable to complete the sentence.
“You’re saying you don’t want me there because it’s too dangerous?”
“Exactly.”
Stephanie gave him a tight smile and then crossed her own arms. “Very well. Since this man wants to kill you, I will stay behind with you.”
“I’m not staying behind,” Ries retorted, shocked. “No way.”
“Then I will not be staying behind, either. If it’s safe enough for you...”
“I have something to prove! I am not passing this problem off to other people.”
Stephanie met his eyes levelly. “So do I.”
“Look, Stephanie. There’s no reason for you to put yourself in danger. This is about me. I am already a target. You are not.”
“You can’t make me stay here,” she informed him quietly.
Ries looked at her contemplatively. He was secretly pleased that Stephanie was steadfast in her manner. Her stubborn behavior was a novelty for him.
Most women he knew were willing to cater to his every whim and never disagreed with him. They wanted to please him because they thought it to be the best way to gain access to his wealth. Stephanie was not driven by the desire to get on his good side. That somehow made her more attractive.