Page 149 of Receiving His Mercy
“Monsters?” she whispered, feeling ill.
She knew that they weren’t good people. But she’d let Aadan touch her. At one stage she’d thought she loved him.
Until she’d witnessed what an awful person he could be. The things that he was capable of.
“I saw him slap one of the servants. He struck the younger man and he fell and he seemed so . . . uncaring. So cold. He stood there and didn’t react. I felt ill. He didn’t realize I was there . . . I wasn’t meant to be there. I ran off and packed my stuff and told him I was going. Told him that I couldn’t be with someone who thought it was all right to just . . . to just hit someone like that. I asked him how long it would be before he hit me.” She shook her head. Nausea bubbled in her stomach.
She still couldn’t believe how stupid she’d been.
An attractive, charming man paid attention to her and it had gone to her head . . . making her do things she normally wouldn’t.
Shouldn’t.
She guessed that’s what happened when you were starved of love and affection as a child. You grew up to crave it and when you experienced it . . . well, it went to your head.
It made her feel so . . . pathetic and ridiculous. How did she get to her age and still have the wool pulled over her eyes? How had he fooled her so easily?
“It was like a switch flipping. I could see it. He went from loving and infatuated to infuriated. I thought he might hit me. He cornered me against a wall. Told me that I would never leave. He laid his hand around my throat, not pressing in, but the threat was there.”
“Motherfucking bastard!” Travis snarled.
“I was so damn stupid. How could I let myself be fooled like that? And I’m so . . . so damn embarrassed. Bollocks. I’m going to cry now.”
Which made her feel even more pathetic.
This was all her fault. She’d done this. She’d gotten involved with that monster and she didn’t deserve to cry over it. Just because she was a pathetic loser.
“Stop,” Travis said firmly, drawing her away from him so she couldn’t hide. He cupped her chin, tilting her head back. “You are not to blame for this.”
“How could any of this be your fault?” Tyler said. “The things these assholes have done wasn’t your fault. You didn’t do it.”
“No, but I fell for his charming act,” she said. “I was such an idiot. I’d been in relationships before, but nothing like this. He made me feel special and loved. Wanted. I hadn’t really felt those things before. Grammy tried her best to make me feel good about myself, but I was still an awkward teenager back then. I was too . . . too scarred by my parents to believe her. But I believed him.”
“That is not your fault,” Travis told her. “From all accounts, Aadan Joseph is exceptionally charming and smooth. You weren’t a fool to believe him. You are sweet and kind and you shouldn’t have to guard yourself against evil.”
“I’m naive and an idiot.”
“Do you want a spanking?” Travis growled.
“Uh-oh,” Tyler said.
She knew she had to be bright red by this stage, but she still glared at him. “You can’t threaten to spank me for that! And not in front of Tyler!”
“Why not in front of Tyler? He’s your bodyguard and my brother, probably won’t be the last time he hears me threaten you with a spanking.”
“It will be! You can’t just threaten to spank me when I say something you don’t like.”
“I can when you’re breaking a rule.”
Oh shoot.
“I’m not putting myself down. I’m speaking the truth.”
“Nope. Your parents abused you. They made you think that you were unlovable and forgettable when you’re the most beautiful, amazing woman I’ve ever met. And you might still believe their bullshit, but I know it’s never been true. And I will spend the rest of my life proving that to you.”
She sucked in a breath at the declaration in those words. At the utter confidence in them.
“And that’s my cue to go,” Tyler said, standing. “Don’t want to be here when things get down and dirty.”
