A Dangerous Gift

Chapter 25

Ryder held the door open for me to get in the car. Seeing Dahlia come out, she held her hand out for a cab. She was probably going home.

"Actually, I think I should catch a ride with Dahlia."I felt Ryder's eyes bore into me.

"She's not going back to the penthouse. She's going home." He gestured for me to get in the car again.

"I told you Ryder, I am not staying with you." I noticed we had caught a few people's attention. Ryder and I were standing too close for anyone to hear. "I already told you, I stayed with you in Italy because I had to, but now that I am back home I have a choice."

"Jada, we talked about this last night. It's not safe for you to be living at your place," he sighed out.

"No, I talked about it and you seduced me. Which I hate to say this Ryder but great sex is just great sex. It's not like it's going to change my mind."

Ryder let out a small chuckle and looked around for a brief moment.

"We are having a baby, Jada. That makes you a bigger target." He sighed out, his eyes blazing with passion. "Until I find out who is doing this and how they know who I am I think it's best for you to stay with me."

"If that's the case then why can't we stay at my place? Why do we have to stay at yours?"

"My place has state of the art security and over fifty men guarding it. Your building doesn't even have a doorman."

"But it does have a Dahlia," I smiled triumphantly.

Knowing I had bested him I was filled with so much pride, until he spoke again. "Yes, but she's on my payroll."

"Look we could go back and forth all night, but this isn't some movie where the girl gets kidnapped and falls for the hot guy like she has Stockholm syndrome. This is the real world and one day of you showing me around Italy does not constitute for you sleeping with me then leaving for three months. Kidnapping me and then sleeping with me  and ignoring me  again. I've met douche bag Ryder and now I want to meet starting over Ryder like we agreed to in the plane. So no I am not staying at your place until I have been asked properly  and woo'd. In Italy it was nonnegotiable but we are in New York, I have a say now."

"Do you now?"

I could tell that he was going to debate this, but then I remembered what my aunt used to tell me. Whenever her and my uncle would fight, she would always tell me the only way to get over it would be compromising. I'm pretty sure that Ryder and I could come to some type of agreement

"Okay, how about this, you can let one of your most trusted men stay at my place. He can watch over the place to make sure nothing bad happens. Plus, you'll be visiting me in order to woo me, so my safety shouldn't be an issue."

"I wouldn't have to visit you if you'd just stay at my place," he grumbled under his breath. "Fine, you can stay at your place, but I will have four men watching you."

"No, four is way too many. My neighbors will start to notice. Probably think I'm running a whore house. Also, the press is always following me. How about one and I have Dahlia as well."

"Three and that's my final offer."

"How about this is not your final offer and we come to an actual agreement before this whole deal is off the table?" I arch a devious brow as I watch his jaw clench in anger.

"Two and that is really my final offer. No more negotiating, Tesoro."

"Deal," I smile victoriously. Placing my hands on either side of his face I place a chaste kiss there. "Thank you for trying."