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She looked at him for a long second before nodding. “Okay. I’ll tell you everything. Let’s go.” Hyacinth grabbed her purse and stepped around to the front of the hostess station. A handful of employees said goodbye to them with smiles on their faces. A couple of others shook their head. But no one said a word. She couldn’t worry about what people thought about her, because it wouldn’t change the facts.
When she was growing up in Las Vegas, her parents lived on the west side of the city. They got quite a few looks out in public because her father was white, and her mother was black. Some kids thought she was too light-skinned and accused her of thinking she was better than them. Other kids made fun of her tanned skin and kinky-curly hair.
Even now, she remembers her mother talking to her after she’d gotten suspended for fighting. Again.
“Hyacinth, no matter what people say about you, know that their hateful words are said only for a few reasons. Jealousy. Envy. Low self-confidence. You can’t worry about how someone else perceives you. Only worry about how you see yourself. No one has the right to disrespect you, no matter who they are. You hold your head high and remember that you are strong, powerful, and one day, you will leave all these people behind. If someone judges you, just remember that the wolf doesn’t concern itself with the sheep’s feelings. Now, tell me what happened again when that girl pushed you. I hope you whooped her ass.”
Thinking about her mother made her smile. Her family was unconventional, but her parents always showed her love. Her father ran the streets from a young age, getting into trouble, and was a local drug-dealer. Nothing big, but he had enough street connections to do well. When her parents met, they were at a house-party in North Las Vegas. Her father was apparently on a date with another woman. He denies it was a date and says it was just a hook-up. Hyacinth believed her mother’s version of events—it was a date. They both agreed that from the moment their eyes met across the room, her father was after her mother like a hound dog. From what her mother and aunts told her, her father was down bad for her mom from jump.
After a bunch of shenanigans when they were dating, including jealous ex-girlfriends, a few close calls with the police, and some people not believing they should be together, they got married two years after meeting. Hyacinth showed up exactly ten months later. Married for twenty-nine years, her parents showed her what real love was like. That having the right partner, even when others didn’t believe in your relationship, could make all the difference. Even after all these years, they were still very much in love. It was funny how sickeningly sweet they were. Her father would leave her mother little love notes around the house, they would go out on a date every month, and he treated her like a Queen.
While he left the streets behind and went back to school for plumbing and electrical, eventually opening his own successful business, he never forgot who he was. Hyacinth’s mother also was no wallflower. Anyone who crossed her would soon find out just how much alike she and her husband actually were.
Carlos opened the door for them to climb into the car. Once settled, she turned to look at Rhys. “Are you ready for the entire story?”
“I don’t want to have this conversation in the car. Tell me when we get to your home.”
“But I didn’t invite you into my home,” she snarked. The smile on her face letting him know there was no real bite behind her words.
He lifted one hand and cradled her face. “Invite me home with you, Cin. Let me into your private domain so we can… talk about what happened today.”
Her lungs simply stopped functioning and her breathing halted at his words. The touch of his hand on her face. His soft words. The needy tone of his voice. It almost made her forget the most important thing. “Wait. I have a roommate. I just don’t want…”
A slow smile came over his face. “That’s okay. Do you trust me?”
Without a fucking doubt. “Yes.”
“Come back to my place. Carlos can bring you back home later.”
As they both stared into each other’s eyes, there was a subtle acknowledgment that neither of them wanted her to avail Carlos of his services anymore that night.
Rhys wanted her in his bed, moaning his name, and begging for more.
Hyacinth wanted to be underneath Rhys as she finally made her very vivid, nightly dreams come true.
Leaning over, Rhys pressed the button to speak with Carlos. “Change of plans. Head to the house.”
“Yes, sir,” came through in response. The car slowed and made a U-turn.
Rhys wanted to press closer and capture her soft lips in a kiss. Instead, he dropped his hand from her face. “We’ll get to my place in about fifteen minutes.”
Chapter 9
“This place is amazing.” Hyacinth walked through the large entrance, with Rhys close behind her. His large, warm hand pressed against her lower back.
“Thanks. It was built in the 1950’s, but I had everything modernized. When I saw this place, I knew it was where I wanted to live. It’s big enough to fit all my family when they visit, but also not so big that I would get lost.”
Entering the sitting room off to the side, she sat down on the couch he directed her toward. “You live here all by yourself?”
“You already know I’m not married.” Rhys removed his suit jacket and threw it over the side of a long couch. “There aren’t any hidden kids running around here. I have a small staff that helps around the place, but other than that, I live here alone.” He filled a glass with whiskey. “Want a drink?”
She nodded. “Yes, please,” her tone was tentative and shaky as her eyes continued to flit and float around the room.
“You okay, Cin? Scared?”
“No.” Her response came out a bit too fast.
Rhys chuckled. “Okay. Are you nervous?”
