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When the knock came on Rhys’s door, he was fully expecting one of his men. Turns out, this was the day he would have his first private sit down with two people he hadn’t expected.
“Hello, Rhys,” Beverly greeted as she walked into his office.
“Mrs. Moore.” Glancing over at Hyacinth’s father, he nodded. “Isaac.”
“Rhys,” the older man returned the gesture.
He motioned to the chairs in front of his desk. “Please have a seat. Or would you be more comfortable on the couch?” His office was big enough to have a full sitting area where he could relax, look over business papers, or simply be more comfortable.
“This is fine,” Beverly said after getting a nod from her husband.
So this was her play? A private meeting to feel out the man in her daughter’s life. Rhys was surprised it had taken her this long to approach him. Then again, Hyacinth’s parents seemed to be smart people who knew how to play in this world. They wouldn’t do anything without a plan. “Would you like a drink?”
She nodded. “Yes, thank you.”
He glanced over at Isaac, who shook his head. “Nothing for me.”
Rhys got up and retrieved a glass and poured two fingers of whiskey. He handed the glass to Beverly before sitting back down behind his desk. “So, how can I help you?”
As he waited for Hyacinth’s mother to settle in for their talk, Rhys took in her appearance. If Hyacinth aged as gracefully as her mother, she would remain beautiful for the rest of her life. Although he knew the woman in front of him was the mother of a twenty-eight-year-old daughter, she still looked to be in her 20’s. Her sepia skin glowed with youth. Thick hair covered her head, but she had it pulled into a graceful topknot. Brown eyes stared back at him with intelligence and a bit of defiance.
Ah, so this is where Hyacinth gets it from.
Beverly sat her drink down on a coaster on the small table next to her. “Rhys, I want to talk with you about my daughter.”
He nodded. “Yes, I figured that’s why you’re here. Does Hyacinth know you’re here?” The one thing Rhys did not want to do was keep secrets, but he also knew that her parents meant a lot to Hyacinth. He hoped like hell there would never be a reason for that to change.
“No, she doesn’t. But I plan to tell her we visited you when we leave here.”
Another tic in the ‘good parent’ column. “Fair enough. How can I help you?”
She cleared her throat. “Have your men figured out who it is that came after our daughter?”
Although Rhys had an idea about who it was, he wasn’t ready to talk about it just yet. He needed to speak with Hyacinth first. “Not yet. We’re still working on it.”
Beverly nodded as Isaac spoke. “We will do whatever it takes to protect our daughter. She knows enough about our life to understand the world we live in and the dangers that can come from that.”
Rhys nodded. He figured that was the case. She always seemed a bit too calm when things popped off. Other women would have been screaming, shaking, and crying uncontrollably. Hyacinth became angry. She wanted to act. Never cowered or cried. He stayed silent as his future in-laws spoke.
Yes, he was planning to marry Hyacinth as soon as they cleared this mess up. He hadn’t spoken with her about, but he was positive that it was the next step for them. Not only did he want her to have his last name, but he wanted her to have his babies. A few little light-skinned mini-Hyacinth’s running around would be good for him. Grandchildren would give his father a reason to keep going, while showing his brothers that it was time for them to move on and find their special someone. After their mother had died of breast cancer years ago, their father had become a shell of a man. No other woman had earned the right to bear his last name. Rhys was sure he had his dalliances, but no woman could take the place of his only true love.
It was a sad situation, but Rhys had no qualms about going all in with Hyacinth. She would be by his side for as long as this life granted them happiness. A smile came over his lips as he pictured her stomach big and round with his child.
“Rhys. Did you hear anything I just said?” Beverly was speaking to him when he came out of his daydream. He hadn’t heard a word she said, but he wasn’t going to admit it.
“Beverly, the only thing you need to know is that your daughter is meant for me. Nothing will get in the way of that. You don’t have to worry about my family interfering. I’m outside of the direct line. My father gave me and my brothers different options. Just as you did for Hyacinth.” He paused, letting his words sink in. “She loves you and respects you both. You want only the best for your daughter. That’s me. It will always be me. I will always keep her safe. And if that safety is threatened, I have enough resources to make sure we take care of anything or anyone that’s trying to harm her.”
He could see the couple in front of him relax at his words. “Our daughter,” Beverly began before looking over at her husband with a smile. Turning back to Rhys, she continued. “She’s strong enough to take care of herself.”
Rhys nodded. “I figured it was something like that. So, is there anything else you’re concerned about?”
Isaac spoke up, his tone strong and confident. “My connections have scoured the streets in Vegas. This isn’t blowback from me. No one is holding a grudge against me, and no one is looking to teach me a lesson.”
As Rhys himself had already figured out, this was something personal against Hyacinth. He had done his own checking around and had come to the same conclusion. This had nothing to do with Hyacinth’s father. It also had nothing to do with her to connect to him or the Mannetti family.
This was all about Hyacinth.
Standing, he picked up his phone and pressed a button. “Carlos, come grab me out front. I’m done here.”
