Chapter 94 Stay safe for me
CHICAGO, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
RIA ROBERT COUTURE
ONE WEEK LATER
Ria looked down at her phone when it beeped. A message from Ethan. She picked up the phone and clicked on the screen to read the message.
‘Chad found Derrick. And he is going to his place to talk to him.’
‘Okay. I will inform Ian about it.’ Ria sent it back to him.
She heard a knock on the door. “Come in.” The phone buzzed again. Another message from Ethan.
‘How are you doing?’ She asked Ethan.
‘I am fine. I can guess you are doing great too. Is Ian there with you?’ Ethan texted back.
‘He should be on his way.’ Ria smiled at the mention of Ian.
“Chatting with someone?”
Ria looked up and Ian was there.
“Good morning.” Ria greeted with a bright smile on her face.
Ian was holding the two in one coffee pack. She stood up and went to him.
“Good morning, my love.” He said.
“Good to see you.” Ria placed kisses on his cheeks.
Ian frowned immediately.
“What’s wrong?” She asked him.
“You know that I am never satisfied with kisses on the cheeks.” He wrapped his arms around her waist and and she hit his chest gently.
“Don’t be -”
He pressed his lips on her and cut off her words. Ria opened her mouth to his welcoming invasion and she was desperate to taste him too. Her body trembled as he kissed her slowly and then deeper.
“I missed you.” He slowed his motion and pulled back pressing kisses on her cheeks and then forehead. “Now that’s better.” He said.
Ria smiled back at him. “Let us have coffee.” He held her hand and led them to the couch. He sat on the couch and motioned to her to sit on his laps.
Ria hesitated. “What is it?” He questioned.
Ria shook her head. “Okay. You can sit on the couch if you don’t want to sit on my laps.” He said with a half smile. “But no coffee for you.” He blurted out.
“That’s not a fair deal.” Ria pouted.
“Of course! It is a fair deal.” Ian pulled her wrist and she fell on his laps. “Well calculated. This is good. Now tell me what’s going on with you?” He handed her a coffee.
“Nothing.”
“Nothing? You were smiling at your phone when I came in and didn’t even look up to see who was at the door.”
“No. I wasn’t smiling like that.” Ria countered when he opened all his teeth to show her how she was smiling.
“Of course! You smiled this way.” He rolled his eyes.
“Okay if that is it, then it is not called smiling.” Ria argued.
“So what is it called?”
“You are just showing off your teeth. I mean… your prefect dentition.” Ria teased him.
Ian laughed. “Well I was kidding. Now tell me what I need to know.”
(Tell me what I need to know) Ria was used to those words now. The day after Ria and Ian confessed to each other, he always ask her what he needed to know. No more secrets. Ria had promised herself.
“I was chatting with Ethan before you came in.”
Ian stared at her. “You were chatting with Ethan.” He repeated.
Ria nodded. “Yes.”
“About… what? Why were you texting with so much smiles on your face?” Ian asked.
Was that jealousy in his tone?
“Come on, Ian, don’t get too jealous.” Ria smiled.
“Oh! You think so? I am not jealous.” Ian countered.
“Really?” Ria asked.
Ian avoided her gaze. “Fine. I am jealous. Do you smile that way anytime I am texting you?”
Ria giggled as she adjusted herself on his laps. “I do more than smiling. Everyone around here always think I am crazy anytime I laugh out all of a sudden. You know that I am crazy about you.”
Ian smiled broadly. He liked the fact that he was having a great effect on his woman. “A kiss.” He touched his right cheek.
“You deserve it.” She gave him her coffee. She leaned in and pressed kisses to his cheeks and then forehead.
“It feels good. I should probably get jealous always.” Ian grinned.
“Don’t make it a routine.” Ria cautioned him.
“Sure.”
Then they lapsed into silence. Ian gets jealous each time he sees Ria with Ethan, anytime she is on phone with Ethan and whenever she is chatting with Ethan. And that pisses Ethan off. Two days ago, Ethan blurted that Ian was being too possessive of her. And Ian on the other hand grounded it out that he was just trying to protect his territory; his woman and that it was none of his business. He even went as far as saying that Ethan should stay away from her.
Ethan laughed about it and told Ian to be a good boyfriend not a possessive boyfriend. Those two won’t stop fighting at every chance they get!
To be honest, Ian is always the one bringing up the fights most times. He can’t seem to control his emotions especially jealousy anytime he sees Ria with Ethan. He still thinks Ethan would try to win Ria’s heart and steal her away from him. And Ria had done a great job at telling Ian several times that her heart belongs to one man. His name is Ian Bryant.
Ria sighed and drank her coffee. “Ethan sent a message that Chad found Derrick. And I told him that I was going to inform you about it.” She said.
Ian knows everything now and he is determined to make Frederick pay for his crimes.
“Okay.” Ian nodded.
“So what about the attorney?”
“We spoke last night and she already filed in for reinvestigation. She is currently on the plane to Idaho to tender it.”
Attorney Ava Powell is the best attorney in the state and she happened to be the Bryant’s family lawyer. Ria met her few days ago and explained her case to the attorney and she agreed to take it on.
“Will she be fine alone? I mean, very soon Frederick will find out that someone wants to reinvestigate the case and he might go after her.”
“You don’t have to worry about Ava. Two armed bodyguards accompanied her to Idaho and she will meet Chad too. And I think three armed men is enough protection for her. Moreover she won’t be there for too long. A day or two if Derrick agrees to work with us.” Ian explained.
Ethan said Derrick has the evidences to the case from eight years ago although he hasn’t heard him. And Ria hopes that Derrick agrees to work with them now.
“I gave Ava some money to give to Derrick in case he refuses to help.”
“Ian, do you think Derrick will accept the money? Ethan said he is an incorruptible cop.”
“Offering him money isn’t corruption. I am just seeking his help to help us out on this case. I know money is the language we all understand. He won’t decline it. But if he doesn’t want to work on the case then we won’t pressure him. We can always find other ways.”
“Thank you.” Ria said to him.
“Ria, don’t thank me. I am doing what I have to do to make sure that Frederick pays for what he did to you and your parents. And as matter of fact I hired two bodyguards for you too.”
Ria’s eyes widened in shock. “Why?!”
“To protect you from Frederick. That bastard can show up anytime. He might come after you. The bodyguards will be here anytime I am not around to watch you.” Ian answered.
“Perhaps will they move into my house too?” Ria demanded.
“Yes.” Ian shook his head.
“What?!”
“Relax Ria, not the male bodyguards. A female bodyguard will move into your home to watch you at night.”
“No.” She declined.
“Listen Ria, this is for your own good. I am doing everything to protect you and the kids too.”
Ria stood up from his laps. “I don’t want any bodyguard.”
Ian stood up too. “Can you stand Frederick anytime he shows up at your doorstep?” He asked.
Ria was silent. The question made her terrified and Ian noticed the fear in her eyes. He leaned in closely and his hands cupped her face.
“I am only trying to protect you.” He mumbled.
“I just don’t want any bodyguard moving into my home to watch me at night. It is like intruding in my privacy.”
“What about during the day? They will only be around to guard the area.” He persuaded.
“Okay.” Ria said reluctantly.
The truth is Ria doesn’t want anyone risking their lives for her or anyone getting hurt for her sake.
“Can I get a gun?” Ria blurted out.
Ian eyes widened. “A gun? For what?!”
“For protection during the night.” Ria answered.
“Can you fire a gun?” He asked.
“No.”
“Then you don’t need one.”
“But I can always learn to pull the trigger.” Ria said with a shrug.
Ian rolled his eyes. “You don’t have a license to own a gun.”
“Well I can get the license. I mean, Ava can help.”
He shook his head impatiently. “You are not a mafia, my love. It is not that easy to get such license. And you don’t need a gun because your bodyguards are fully armed.” He placed his forehead on hers.
“Ria, I don’t want you to get hurt. I need you to be alive even after putting Frederick behind bars.”
He placed a kiss on her forehead.
“That’s reminds me…” He stepped backward. “I stopped partnering with Limos Company.” He added quickly.
“Why?”
“Why? I don’t want to be associated with them after what Frederick did to you.” Ian responded.
“But… what about your current deal with Drake? The one you signed.”
“I cancelled the deal.”
Ian had told Ria about the deal with Drake and the promissory note he asked him to sign just to make him stay away from her.
“Ian, Drake will be mad at you. He might come for me again… and I don’t want to see him.” Ria stuttered.
“Don’t be concerned about Drake. He called me to ask why I cancelled the deal and I told him to ask his father.” Ian tucked her hair behind her ears.Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.
“What if he sues you for breach of agreement, contract or deal? Why are you so calm as if nothing would go wrong?” Ria demanded.
“Nothing will go wrong. I have everything planned out. I am ready for him and I am sure he won’t go to court after he finds out what his dad did to you.” Ian kissed their locked hands.
“Ian, this is business. And I don’t want you getting into trouble with Drake. Ian, you can go on with the deal and-”
“My company is yet to ship the goods to Idaho. If Drake wants to go to court for it, the least they will ask of me is to give him sixty percentage payment of the deal.”
Ria heaved a sigh. “Ian, that’s a whole lot of money.”
“Don’t worry, my love. I can handle it. Please just stay safe for me okay?” He embraced her.
Ria hummed a positive response as she sniffed in the sweet scent of him.