Page 24 of Broken Promises
“Okay,” I replied and stood from my chair before grabbing our empty cups.
Rhys beckoned me with his finger, and I leaned forward until I was directly in front of him. He pushed forward and kissed me, softly gripping the back of my neck as he held me, not allowing me to break the embrace. He kept the kiss chaste, but it went on for at least a minute before he finally released me.
“I’ll be right back,” I said and licked my lips before turning and walking into the house.
I’m glad he suggested I come inside while he called whoever he needed to speak with. Going through everything was tougher than I expected, and while I was waiting for the coffee to finish, I propped my hands against the counter and leaned my head down, taking a minute to focus myself.
The biggest fear I had where Rhys was concerned was wiped away when he comforted me about my involuntary actions during the attack. I felt better and knew it was all thanks to him. I wanted to call Rylee and speak with her, but knowing she was with my brother made communication difficult. There were things I believed she could help me deal with, but I didn’t know if she would keep my secrets from Lucian. The last thing I wanted was my brother knowing all the gory details of what I’d survived.
Switching out the cups, I watched the second cup finish brewing before topping them with cream. I walked to the back door, and Rhys jumped from his seat to open it. He kissed me softly before taking his cup from me and returning to his seat.
I sat down and looked at him before asking, “Did you get your call made?”
He took a swallow and placed his cup on the table before he answered. “My cousin, James, will be here in about an hour, if that’s okay. He’s got some photos he wants you to look at, and he has some additional questions that may help us get to the bottom of all this.”
“Do I know James?” I asked, and he nodded.
“James was the quiet bastard who stood at the back of the room and took notes while your brothers . . . dealt with things,” Rhys explained, and I thought back, trying to remember him.
“And he’s on his way here?” I asked, thinking how bad I must look after my night of drinking.
When I woke, I found pain relievers and a bottle of water waiting for me, and I smiled as I took two tablets. After wiping the streaked makeup from under my eyes, I’d walked out to find Rhys, and I’d been here ever since.
“He’s going to see my sister but asked if he could stop by on his way to my house.”
“Your sister lives with you?”
Rhys sighed deeply before he responded. I could tell he was guarded by his posture. “Regan was born when I was twelve, but I didn’t know about her until she was almost eight years old.”
“And she and James are close?”
“James was the one who discovered my mother had another child after she’d abandoned me. The only thing I know about her is she died twelve years ago, when Regan was sixteen.”
“Your sister is older than me? Won’t she be upset about you and me?”
“My sister’s going to love you since you’re the first person I’ve shown any interest in, well, ever,” Rhys reasoned, and I smiled across at him. “Don’t be surprised if she talks your ear off.”
“I look forward to meeting her,” I said. “I’m going to take a quick shower before James gets here, if that’s okay.”
“Baby, you never have to ask my permission for anything. I don’t want to control you. I want to protect you as you learn to spread your wings.”
“You really know how to make a girl feel special,” I joked, and he leaned over and kissed me gently, making my toes curl.
“All I want to do is show you how amazing you are,” Rhys explained when he broke the embrace, and I couldn’t help but reach over and brush my hand down the five o’clock shadow he had growing.
“You’re going to spoil me.”
“Good. That’s the plan,” he replied, and I kissed him one more time before walking inside and going into my bathroom.
I showered, fixed my hair, put on simple makeup, and grabbed a pair of jeans and a nice shirt to wear before exiting my bedroom. Rhys was sitting on the couch in a pair of jeans and a black T-shirt, and I gave him a confused look.
“I always keep a change of clothes in my vehicle,” he replied to my unasked question, and I gave a nod of understanding. “James will be here in about ten minutes. He offered to grab some breakfast for us on his way.”
I sat next to Rhys and said, “He didn’t have to do that.”
“Of course, he did,” Rhys explained with smile. “He’s interrupting our time together, so the least he can do is feed us.”
“Are you close with him?” I inquired and saw hesitation in Rhys’s demeanor. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.”
