“The same goes for you, too.”
“What do you mean? I’m speaking to you right now. You’re the one who’s being stubborn.”
My mouth snapped open. I almost felt bad for Davis, that he had to listen to us arguing in the back seat. “Me? I’m stubborn? You’re the one who’s not telling me what’s going on. What did you mean back in my dad’s house when you said that you already had it taken care of?”
“I meant I am concerned for your safety just like you’re concerned for your father. And I’ve already put things into place to make sure that you’re not alone.”
“Without asking me? I have a life despite what you might think. And people I like to spend time with. You can’t just go around deciding where I should live and who I spend time with.”
Declan’s eyes narrowed on mine. “Didn’t you just do the exact same thing to your dad?”
“What? No, that’s not—I mean, it’s not the same thing,” I sputtered.
He arched an eyebrow. “Really?”
I frowned.
“So, if I just told you that I was going to station a few men outside your apartment, it would be fine, because that’s what you just did to your dad,” he said.
Now he was getting me riled up. Especially because he just made a decent point. But still, he needed to talk to me. “It’s not the same thing,” I argued lamely. “And besides, I have Xander there with me. And security at the front desk. I’m safer where I am than where my dad’s at. Besides, you’re the one who told him that you were going to station people outside his apartment—”
“Because he refused to stay at your place,” Declan argued. “It seemed like a solution he would go for, and he did. I solved the problem so it worked for everyone.”
I rolled my eyes. If he was going to keep being logical about this, it was going to be a problem trying to fight with him.
When we pulled on to the street where my apartment was, I prepared to hop out. “I guess, if you’re not going to work, I’ll see you…?”
“I’m not going to work because you’re not going to work,” Declan said, looking confused.
“That’s not necessary,” I told him. “I’m going to get ready and I’ll be at the office in an hour. I’ll call an Uber.”
“Royal—”
“Thanks for the ride,” I told Davis.
I opened the door as fast as I could and hopped out. I tried to shut it and heard it thud behind me. I winced when I glanced back and saw Declan’s dark look.
“Sorry,” I muttered but didn’t stop to see that he was okay. I knew he was. He couldn’t get hurt anyway.
I barely made it inside the door to the building before I felt his hand close over my elbow with a grip like steel.
I smiled and nodded at the man at the desk, but my teeth were gritted.
“Let me go,” I hissed at him.
Declan gave a curt shake of his head. “We’re going upstairs, and we’re going to figure this out. It would be beneficial to both of us if you don’t make a scene.”
With a sigh, I pressed the elevator button and when we stepped inside, I pulled my arm away.
At this point, I couldn’t even really remember why I was mad anymore. It was just frustrating that he wouldn’t hear me out and understand my side of things.
When the elevator dinged, I strode out and went straight to the door, shoving my keys in the lock and stepping inside.
Declan followed me in, closed the door behind us, and locked it. “Where is Xander?” he asked.
I looked around for a minute before I remembered. “He had to go into work.”
“Work?” Declan asked. “I thought he worked from home.”
“He does. And he doesn’t like going in for those meetings—he actually doesn’t like going outside at all that much either. But he has to go in for an actual meeting every month or so just to make sure things are running smoothly.”
Declan walked into the kitchen, making himself at home. He opened the refrigerator and pulled out two bottles of water. He passed one over to me across the island. “Here. Cool yourself off.”
I glared at him. But I was thirsty, so I opened the bottle and drank almost half of it at once.
“Why doesn’t he like to go out?” Declan asked. “He seemed fine at dinner the other night.”
“He just isn’t good around people—or so he says. And, really, most people are jerks. I think it was because he got bullied a lot in high school and college before we met. Anyway, he likes to be at home.” I looked around with fondness at our apartment. “I like to be at home.”
“Ah.” Declan came around the counter and stood in front of me. “Is that what this is about? You wanting to be at home, in the place you’re comfortable in.”
“It’s about me wanting to have a say about what happens in my life. I like to be in control…” I pushed my hands into my hair and sighed, surprised that I’d revealed that to him. “I like to know what’s going on and I don’t want a man to be in charge of it.”
Declan caught both of my hands in his, and because my anger was fading, I let him. “What happened?”
“What do you mean?”
Declan gave my hands a purposeful squeeze. “You know what I’m talking about. There must be something that’s made you start thinking this way. Don’t get me wrong, I understand you not wanting anybody to tell you what to do. But it seems like it’s more than that.”
“It
