Page 1 of Receiving His Mercy
PROLOGUE
She was watching him.
Again.
Caren couldn’t help it. He was just so . . . magnificent. Gorgeous.
A sigh escaped her as she peered through the bushes at him playing around with his brothers in the pool.
Maybe you should try talking to him.
Right.
Like a twenty-one-year-old man was going to be interested in a stupid fifteen-year-old girl like her.
Especially not a man like Travis Andrews. Even at twenty-one, he was all grown up. Strong and responsible. A bit bossy. Lacey often complained that he was always telling her what to do. When he was at home, that was. He’d joined the Marines. Which she thought was just . . . awesome.
He was a defender of their country. A hero. And so darn cute.
And he really doesn’t like you that much.
No. She knew that he still thought she was a nuisance. The strange girl that didn’t talk and followed his cousin around, mooching off her.
Caren hunched her shoulders.
She should just go. No one really wanted her here. Even though Lacey had invited her sometimes Caren still didn’t feel like she belonged.
Why did Lacey even want to be friends with her? She wasn’t fun or interesting. She was just . . . weird.
“Thought I might find you here.”
Caren jumped, letting out a muffled cry. Lacey grimaced in regret. “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.”
Caren waved her hand through the air and gave her best friend a wry smile.
Her only friend.
“What are you doing? Why are you hiding back here? I invited you to come swimming with us. You’re allowed to be here.”
Caren twisted her fingers nervously together and glanced back at the pool. Lacey’s cousins were all so handsome and popular. Confident.
And she knew she wasn’t actually welcome.
Turning to Lacey, she gave her a hug. Lacey was the only person who ever touched her with kindness, who’d hugged her in years.
Caren knew that change was coming . . . she just hoped that it meant a better life for her. One where she’d no longer be the weird kid. The outcast. Maybe she’d finally become someone that Travis Andrews might notice.
Yeah, she couldn’t see that ever happening.
In no universe would a girl like her ever be lucky enough to be with a man like Travis Andrews.
1
Travis Andrews plotted ways to kill the groom.
He could shoot him, but it was risky considering how he was always standing so close to his cousin.
He could strangle him. But Travis would still have to get him away from his cousin. Hmm, poison might be a better option, however that seemed a bit like cheating to him.
