Chapter 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.
“Careful,” a cheerful voice said from behind him. “If you keep scowling at the groom like that people are going to think you’re plotting his murder.”
Travis turned his glare on the small woman standing behind him.
Fuck. His eyes widened in shock.
It was her.
Caren Stanford.
What the hell was she doing here? He hadn’t seen her in probably twenty years. She’d been Lacey’s best friend before she had suddenly left without a goodbye. Lacey had been sixteen and devastated.
As far as he was aware Lacey hadn’t heard from her since, so why would she be at Lacey’s wedding rehearsal dinner?
Then again, part of him wondered why he was at a wedding rehearsal dinner. What the heck was there to rehearse? Eating? Drinking? He’d been able to do that on his own since he was around two.
Nope. He didn’t get it.
Then again, he wasn’t in the best mood. In two days’ time, he’d have to watch his baby cousin get married off to . . . that man.
Gray Mathers.
Okay, Gray wasn’t a terrible guy. In fact, he was smart and protective. Most importantly, he took good care of Lacey. But Travis didn’t like the idea of anyone being with his cousin.
“Unless you are actually plotting his murder. In which case, well, I’m afraid I’d have to stop you.”
He snorted. Caren would be lucky if she reached five-feet-tall. When she was around twelve years old, she’d stopped growing and everyone else had shot up past her. She’d been this skinny thing with big eyes who’d followed Lacey everywhere.
“What are you doing here?” he barked.
“Oh, so you do remember me? Cool. I wasn’t sure if you would.” She grinned up at him.
Why was she so happy? It was weird. He didn’t trust people that smiled this much.
Travis crossed his arms over his chest. “Why’re you here? I didn’t know that you and Lacey were friends anymore. You know, since you disappeared without a word n.”
Why that still bothered him, he had no idea.
It just did.
Something passed through her face. “Actually, I moved to Dallas a while ago and when I realized Lacey lived here too, we reconnected.”
Lacey hadn’t told him that.
Why would she tell you about meeting up with an old school friend?
“Still surprised you’re here.” The wedding was supposed to be close family and friends. Not old acquaintances you happened to bump into.
“Ah, well, I guess maybe because ?”
“He’s not coming, Travis.” Lacey raced up to him, clearly upset and pale. He automatically reached for her, placing his hands on her shoulders. “What is it? What’s wrong? Where’s Gray? Don’t worry, I’ll make him pay for upsetting you.”
It would be his pleasure.
“Not Gray! Dad!” Lacey told him.
What the fuck had that bastard done now? His uncle was an asshole. Why Lacey even gave him the time of day, he didn’t know. In fact, he’d thought that she’d severed all ties with him a while ago. Seemed that getting married had given her a change of heart.
Nearly two years ago, her father had gotten remarried to a woman called Brandi. Travis had hoped that might change the selfish bastard.
But no.
He was still a jerk to his only daughter. For years, he’d blamed Lacey for her brother’s death, even though she’d only been seven when Brax had snuck out of the house to go to a party and died while driving under the influence. His uncle still idolized Brax and continuously put Lacey down.
Travis knew his uncle didn’t like Gray, mainly because Gray wouldn’t put up with him speaking badly to Lacey.
Something to admire about Gray.
Like he said, Gray wasn’t a bad guy. But sometimes he still wished she was that little girl who’d looked up to him, who’d turned to him for protection.
“What did he do? Did he say something? Where has he gone?” Actually, he hadn’t even arrived tonight, had he?
“He’s gone back home!” Lacey cried. “He told me that he didn’t want to be part of this wedding and that Gray was an asshole and he didn’t want to deal with him.
So he’s gone! I should have known this would happen.
He called me and begged for an invitation and now he does this?
Gray warned me and I should have listened. ”
That motherfucking prick!
“Oh no,” a quiet voice said.
Shit. He’d forgotten Caren was there. Someone with manners would have moved away. But then she’d never had manners, had she? He could remember her snatching up cookies before everyone else and stuffing them in her mouth without a word of thanks to his aunt.
Who was another waste of space. Thankfully, Lacey hadn’t invited her. Travis wished his own mom was alive to help support Lacey. But she’d died fifteen years ago of cancer.
Didn’t matter. He and his brothers were the only family that Lacey needed.
“I’m sorry, honey,” Travis told her.
“I feel sorry for him,” Caren said.
He turned his head to scowl at her. What sort of garbage was she about to spout? This was why she shouldn’t be here. She wasn’t a good friend to Lacey.
Travis took a moment to properly look at her.
She was wearing a bright pink dress. It had layers of some sort of material at the bottom, sort of like a tutu and she wore this huge orange cardigan which seemed completely unnecessary considering that it was seventy-five degrees outside.
Although the air conditioning was on in here.
And were those orange sneakers on her feet?
Bizarre choice. As were the orange feathers dangling from her ears.
Her blonde, curly hair had streaks of pink in it and was pulled up into a high ponytail, but some curls had escaped, falling around her face. Those blue eyes peered up at him curiously, and he didn’t like it.
The last thing he needed was for her to be curious about him.
“Why the hell would you say that?” he snapped.
She took a half-step back and he immediately felt like a dick. Just because she was self-absorbed and rude didn’t mean that he got to scare her. He knew he was intimidating. He’d had a lot of people tell him that.
It was the vibe he was going for.
Of course, some women really liked that vibe. They wanted to tame him or some shit. He usually only interacted with women at the club where there were set rules and boundaries. Out in the wild most people didn’t stick to rules.
Like this woman.
Instead of moving away as any sane person would do, she stepped closer and wrapped her arm around Lacey’s waist. Her hand touched his hip. He shifted so he couldn’t feel her touch against him.
A strange look filled her face before she smiled at Lacey who was sniffling.
“You know why?” Caren asked.
“She doesn’t need to hear this mumbo-jumbo,” Travis muttered.
“Hush, Travis,” Lacey said. “Why do you feel sorry for him?”
“Because he’s a giant dickhead who is missing out on watching his beautiful, amazing, smart daughter walk down the aisle to marry her gorgeous, loving fiancé. He’ll never see that now. And he’ll probably never repair this tear in your relationship. And he’s the one who misses out. The prick.”
Lacey actually let out a small giggle as he gaped at Caren. That wasn’t what he was expecting from her.
“Prick?” Travis asked.
“I picked that up in England,” Caren told her. “They have the best swear words.”
That’s why her voice sounded kind of strange? Was that a slight accent? Was that where she’d moved to after leaving here?
He felt a wave of gratitude toward her as Lacey relaxed slightly.
“You’re right,” Lacey said. “He is a prick.”
Caren nodded enthusiastically. “A gormless bloody wanker.”
Travis gaped at her. Unfortunately, so did most of the people in the room since she’d somehow managed to say that very loudly and very enthusiastically right at a time that the room had grown silent.
Her cheeks went red and a look of mortification filled her face. He could have sworn she looked like she was going to cry. Which couldn’t be right. He knew she didn’t care what other people thought of her. At least she hadn’t when she was younger.
People change.
A small tendril of shame filled him. He was still thinking of her as that self-absorbed, rude teenager.
Then Lacey started giggling again and people around them smiled. Everyone here loved his cousin. As they should.
She was completely lovable.
“You’re right,” Lacey said.
“So stop letting him ruin your big day, okay?” Caren said gently. “Don’t give him that power.”
“Hey, who is the psychologist here,” Lacey joked.
“You are, you nerd.”
Travis bristled at the insult to his cousin, but Lacey just laughed again.
Stand down.
He knew he was overprotective, but he couldn’t help it. Especially when it came to his cousin and her asshole parents. They’d neglected Lacey so badly after Brax’s death that she’d stopped eating and her hair had started falling out.
His dad had brought her home to live with them for a while. He wished they’d been able to keep her. But eventually she’d had to return home.
Something he and his brothers had hated.
“Thanks, Caren,” Lacey said quietly. “I know you’re right. I have to move past thinking that I need him in my life.”
“Hey! I’ve only been trying to tell you that for years!” Travis said. “She says it and you listen to her?”
“Maybe I just said it in normal-speak instead of Alpha caveman,” Caren said with a twinkle in her eye.
And what was wrong with speaking Alpha caveman? Most of the time it worked well for him. People tended to listen to an Alpha caveman.
“I’m sorry, Travis,” Lacey told him. “You’re right, you’ve been trying to tell me for years. I just always had this stupid hope . . .”
He drew her close again, hugging her tight. “I know, honey.”
“He’s my father, you know? I thought he might care just a bit, but he doesn’t.”