Page 32 of Claimed Gem

“I will have adequate protection and I’m used to being careful,” he countered back.

Stephanie turned away, not sure she was able to keep the hurt from showing on her face.

Does he not trust that I’m able to take care of myself? Or is he just trying to find a way to keep me from leaving?

She steeled her spine and then faced him again, “I want to go with you.”

“No. I need to know that you’re safe and that means you need to stay here.” Ries’ gaze was cold as she argued with him.

“If you will be safe, then I will be safe if I’m with you…”

“Out of the question.”

Stephanie bit her lip as her temper flared. Gone was the Ries who’d been so caring and loving before breakfast. In his place was a cold and impersonal man who did not seem to hear what she was saying.

“Why don’t you go back upstairs and take a hot bath?” Ries suggested, tossing his napkin down and rising from the table. “I have some business to take care of and will stop by yourapartment and get your things. Where are your keys?”

Stephanie watched him, seething inside, but having no idea of how to convince him that she should be the one going to get her things. His suggestion that she go take a bath was just another way for him to get rid of her.

She left the room, doubts plaguing her mind and her joy of being with Ries fading with each step. She reached the bedroom she’d been sharing with Ries and finally gave free rein to the anger over his highhandedness.

Ries hadn’t even tried to accommodate her desire to retrieve her own belongings. He’d told her he couldn’t imagine living without her, and yet, he’d just taken great steps to distance himself from her.

She huffed out an angry breath and headed for the shower, stripping off her clothing as she went. She stood beneath the hot water moments later, her shoulders tense.

She washed her hair, forced to use Ries’ shampoo and conditioner because she didn’t have her own. She tried to remain upset over smelling like him but found it hard to do.

She exited the shower, combed out her hair and then entered the bedroom, standing there in a towel as she tried to figure out what she was supposed to wear. She finally grabbed another of Ries’ shirts from the closet and then retreated to the bed and flipped through the television channels.

Ries came looking for her twenty minutes later. Stephanie hoped he was going to apologize and invite her to go with him, but instead he gave her a stare she couldn’t interpret and then retrieved something from his dresser and left the room with a terse, “I’ll see you for supper. Stay inside.”

Stephanie stared after him, fighting the urge to scream in her frustration.

Over the next few days,Stephanie only grew more frustrated with Ries and his behavior. Each morning they started as friends, but the minute she talked about leaving the apartment and venturing out into town, he shot her down and demanded she remain inside.

Each morning after breakfast, Ries and Chris left to take care of business.

Stephanie had come close to begging him to take her with him but she’d noticed that when she didn’t immediately acquiesce to his wishes, he grew cold and distant with her.

After the first morning he’d refused to let her leave the apartment, she’d tried to sneak out after he and Chris had left. She was quickly made aware that he’d not left her unprotected; he’d been prepared for her to try and thwart his attempts to keep her safe. He’d left Carlos in charge of her protection.

Stephanie was furious when Carlos met her at the exit of the elevator, refusing to allow her to get off and going so far as to escort her back up to the penthouse. He’d told her she needed to remain upstairs until further notice.

There was something about Carlos that just seemed off to her, but Chris and Ries werecomfortable with his ability to protect her, so any complaints she might have made would have fallen on deaf ears. Stephanie refused to fight with Carlos in a battle she knew she couldn’t win.

Instead, she merely waited for Ries to come back home.

On the fourth day of her confinement, Ries declared that he was staying in for the day. The closeness they’d experienced right after the shootout seemed to have mellowed somewhat.

Stephanie settled in the living room with a book, once again amazed at how the rich seemed to take so many things for granted

She was reading in a large overstuffed chair, her feet shoved in her fluffy slippers and her hair haphazardly pulled up on top of her head while Ries was sitting in front of his computer, going over something he obviously didn’t want to include her in.

Chris was standing over his shoulder and every once in a while, they pointed to something on the screen but their words were low and she assumed they didn’t want her to know what they were doing.

Carlos entered shortly before the evening meal, skirting around her and heading for the other two men.

“Was there something you needed?” she asked.