Page 175 of Receiving His Mercy
Her mother shrugged. “I did better by you than my mother did by me.” She shuddered. “Every time I looked at you, I’d see her and it would make me feel ill. It would bring all those memories back of how she’d hurt and berate me.”
So she hadn’t thought to break the cycle? To do something different?
“I went easy on you. Barely touched you. I tried everything to help you and you were always ungrateful. If your father had wanted you, then he should have taken care of you. Always a regret, a burden.”
Awesome.
Well, she wasn’t sure if this was closure or just more pain. But she was certain she could walk away this time, knowing she’d have no regrets if she never saw this woman again.
“Goodbye, Martha,” she said again.
Martha started screeching and Travis turned back.
“Just so you know, daughter is amazing. Her life is filled with love and laughter, not sour bitterness and abuse. I’m going to take care of her for the rest of her life and give her the affectionand care you never did. Her life will be bright and happy, which is just what she deserves.”
They ignored Martha’s yells for her to come back and she grimaced at Brenna as they left the room. “Sorry about that.”
“Don’t be. This isn’t your responsibility anymore. Live your life like you deserve. And please take this the right way, but I hope I don’t see you again.” Brenna smiled at her as she led her to the waiting area. They sat and Brenna pointed at a door. “That’s where Mr. Peterson’s office is.”
“Good.” Travis smiled savagely. “I’ll be back soon.”
They layin bed in a cute bed-and-breakfast on the outskirts of Albany. She was half-reclined against a mound of pillows which was the only comfortable position for her to sleep in.
Travis was playing with her fingers.
“What did you say to him?” she asked. “To Mr. Peterson?”
“I just made some things very clear to him. That he’s not to bother you again or I will make his life a living hell.”
“Travis! What if you get into trouble?”
“Then I’ll make his life a living hell.” He grinned up at her before his face grew sober. “You are not to worry about him. Or her. From now on, she doesn’t exist for you. Understand?”
He moved so he was sitting facing her.
“Are you sure you’re okay dealing with anything that might come up?” she asked worriedly.
He cupped her face. “The lawyer should do most of it. But, baby, I want to take every burden, every worry you have. All I want is for you to be happy, and safe, and loved. Forever.”
“With you, I know I will be.”
EPILOGUE
“How does that feel, Mrs. Andrews?” Travis murmured in her ear. “Not too tight?”
“No, husband,” she replied as she tugged at her restraints.
Despite the fact that she was about to be punished, she was also extremely turned on.
Possibly because she loved it every time that he called her Mrs. Andrews.
And she knew he felt the same way when she called him husband.
Ten weeks had passed since her kidnapping. The nightmares had stopped becoming a nightly occurrence and she hadn’t had one in a week. She’d also stopped panicking at the thought of flying and had gone to Vegas to get married.
They’d finally gotten word that one of the bodies in the compound was Aadan Joseph. She had felt a bit weird learning that. He had been a terrible person . . . but for a while she’d also loved him. Or, been infatuated, anyway. What she felt for him wasn’t anything like what she felt for Travis.
That consumed her.
