Mershano Empire Series
The Prince’s Game
The Charmer’s Gambit
The Rebel’s Redemption
The Devil’s Denial
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
The Rebel’s Redemption
Copyright © 2019 Lexi C. Foss
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. This book may not be redistributed to others for commercial or noncommercial purposes.
Content & Line Editing by: Twitching Pen Editing
Line Editing by: Love2ReadRomance
Proofreading By: Outthink Editing, LLC
Cover Photography: Wander Aguiar Photography
Cover Model: Nick C.
Cover Design: Black Widow Designs
Published by: Ninja Newt Publishing, LLC
Digital Edition
ISBN: 978-1-950694-06-8
Created with Vellum
To Melissa, for always having my back and being an amazing friend. I hereby gift Wyatt Mershano to you for always. <3
Contents
The Rebel’s Redemption
Prologue
1. Avery
2. Avery
3. Wyatt
4. Avery
5. Avery
6. Wyatt
7. Avery
8. Wyatt
9. Avery
10. Avery
11. Wyatt
12. Avery
13. Wyatt
14. Avery
15. Wyatt
16. Avery
17. Wyatt
18. Avery
19. Wyatt
20. Avery
21. Wyatt
22. Avery
23. Wyatt
24. Avery
25. Wyatt
26. Avery
27. Wyatt
28. Avery
29. Wyatt
Epilogue
The Devil’s Denial
Sneak Peek at Scarlet Mark
1. Killian
About the Author
Also by Lexi C. Foss
Prologue
Avery
“Avery Perry?” The slender male in my doorway flashed a badge, as did the woman beside him.
Officers Bradley and Mahoney.
Considering the late hour, I doubted they were here with positive news. “Yes, that’s me. Is everything all right?”
“May we come in?” Officer Mahoney asked, her gray eyes emanating sympathy.
The lack of a commotion in the neighborhood confirmed nothing was wrong nearby, leaving only one real possibility for their visit. “This is about my sister, isn’t it?”
Jean left three days ago without giving an explanation of her intended destination or an anticipated return date. Typical behavior. She expected me to handle everything for her, as per usual. As far as roommates went, she was great, since she never stayed long. But as my only living nuclear-family member, she caused a heck of a lot of trouble.
“What did she do now?” I asked when they didn’t confirm or deny my statement.
The last time she ended up in trouble, she called me for bail money, which I provided because that was what sisters did for each other. Or at least, that was what I did. Jean rarely did anything for me, and when she did, it was always half-assed. Hell, she couldn’t even take care of her own son.
Officer Bradley scratched the red hairs dotting his chin, his mouth twisting into a grimace. “We would really rather do this inside, Miss Perry.”
“Please.” Officer Mahoney implored me with her eyes, leaving me little choice but to comply.
“That bad, huh?” Great. I opened the door and gestured for them to enter. “Jamie’s asleep.” I closed the door softly. “Jean’s son,” I added, in case they required the clarification.
Not that she claimed the role of mother in any shape or form. I raised Jamie, fed him, and loved him as my own. Meanwhile, my sister worked odd jobs and disappeared every other day. She rarely contributed to the mortgage on this place, let alone the other household and childcare bills.
Mahoney shared a look with her partner before saying, “Miss Perry, we have some troubling news. Jamie should probably be present for this, and anyone else who is home.”
I didn’t like the sound of that.
“There’s no one else here.” My parents died a decade ago. Jamie and Jean were all I had. I swallowed and cleared my throat. “Look, whatever you need to say, tell me first.” Because I sensed where this conversation was going. Needing all the family present to deliver news? That could really only mean one thing.
Bradley cleared his throat and glanced sideways at Mahoney. She pinched her lips to the side, her expression clearly calling him out for being a coward, before pinning me with her gaze.
“Miss Perry—Avery—would you like to sit down?”
A shiver rocked my spine at the coaxing note in her tone.
She’s hurt.
Or worse.
Dead.
“I—I’d rather stand.” The words scratched my dry throat. I couldn’t say anything more. Their matching looks of pity already confirmed my worst thought.
She’s gone.
“Avery.” Mahoney’s voice was pitched so low I barely heard it over the blood rushing in my ears. “We’re sorry to have to tell you this, but your sister, Jean Perry, was found this evening in a nightclub bathroom. We regret to inform you that, despite the medic’s best efforts to revive her, she was too far gone. She’s dead.”
1
Avery
I ran my palms over my blouse and black dress pants for the thousandth time.
When Scott Mackenzie called me to request this meeting, I suspected something was wrong with the paperwork. And the frown marring his broad brow confirmed it.
“Scott,” I greeted him, shaking his hand.
“Miss Perry.” His brisk tone did not bode well. “Follow me.” He turned on his heel, his bald head gleaming from the overhead lights.
Okay.
Not a good start.
The jovial man usually welcomed me with a wide grin and sparkling hazel eyes.
Well, damn.
I had combed through all the documents a hundred times, signed all the places he requested, and submitted every detail of my life. What more needed to be done to adopt a four-year-old with no other next of kin?
Scott continued past several glass office doors before stopping at the conference room where we first met. Also a negative sign, since all our previous meetings were held in his office.
Two men waited inside, one clad in an expensive designer suit and the other in a leather jacket wearing a cocky smirk. I studied them both as I entered and tried to put on a placative expression.
“Hello,” I said with an awkward glance at Scott.
He shut the door and pulled out a chair for me before taking one for himself.
“Miss Perry, this is Mister Mershano and his legal representation.”
“Garrett Wilkinson,” the suit added, his stature exuding confidence and superiority. “I’d say it’s a pleasure, but clearly, it’s not.”
My pulse skipped a beat at the decidedly hostile tone. “I beg your pardon?” I focused on Scott. “What the hell is going on?”
&n
bsp; “Oh, that’s cute.” Garrett’s striking blue eyes ran over me in disgust while he spoke. “Continue to play dumb, Miss Perry. See where it gets you.”
“Mister Wilkinson,” Scott growled. “Please refrain from badgering my client. She’s not aware of your purpose here, since I only learned of it this morning myself.”
“Purpose for what?” I demanded. “Why am I here?”
“My son.” The deep voice came from the man across from me—the one with the cocky smile who appeared to be merely amused now. He relaxed into his chair, legs sprawled in a distinctly masculine manner, and spread out his hands in a your move sort of gesture.
“Your son?” The words left my mouth before they registered. Then ice drizzled down my spine. “You can’t mean…?” I couldn’t finish. As much as I tried to say the name, it refused to leave my heart.
“Jamie Mershano.” Garrett passed over a document and cocked a brow. “You must be aware that birth fathers have full custody rights to their children, unless otherwise determined in a court of law. And I can guarantee you that no judge is going to side against my client.”
I gaped at the birth certificate lying before me. It matched the one Jean once gave me, save two major details.
This version included the father’s name.
And it referred to Jamie as Jamie Mershano, not Jamie Perry.
Everything Jean kept on Jamie left the paternity line blank. The one time I had asked her about it, she’d stated it was a one-night stand and claimed not to remember the father’s name, or even what he looked like.
But the official hospital seal and signatures proved that to be a lie.
As did the striking similarities between Jamie and the man before me.
Jesus. I should have noticed the likeness the moment I entered.
The male’s dark chocolate irises, thick brown hair, strong jawline, and chin dimple—Jamie possessed all those traits. The only Perry gene he exuded was our trademark Irish skin—not our ash-blonde-colored hair or greenish-blue eyes. He hardly looked like me or Jean, but he bore a strong resemblance to the tanner man across from me.
“I… I had no idea,” I admitted, looking between the two men and Scott. “I’ve never seen this man before in my life. Jean told me…” I swallowed, trying to finish, but I couldn’t think over the words rattling around in my brain.
If he’s the father… Jamie…
But he can’t.
I’ve… He’s mine.
I raised him as mine.
“He’s four years old,” I said, cutting off whatever the men in the room were saying. “Four. Years. Old. Where the hell have you been?” I locked gazes with the father threatening my child. “Do you even know anything about him? His favorite story? Favorite words? His allergies? How many times he fell trying to learn how to walk?” A hysterical laugh bubbled out of me of its own accord. “Are you serious?”
“Miss Perry, I’m going to need you to calm down.” The suit-clad lawyer sounded so imperious and self-assured that I wanted to introduce my fist to his too-handsome face.
“Calm down,” I repeated. “Seven weeks of unending paperwork, resolving my sister’s death and trying to do right by Jamie. Then you waltz in here and say this man”—I stabbed a finger at the joker across from me—“has full custody of my nephew? He’s never even met him!”
“That’s not true.” The would-be father didn’t move from his lazy sprawl but cocked his head to the side. “I met Jamie briefly during the paternity test that Garrett arranged four years ago.”
Tears prickled my eyes as I laughed. “Oh, that’s fantastic. You didn’t even believe he was yours, but now you want to play dad. Yeah, okay.”
Jesus Christ.
No.
I refused.
Jamie was my responsibility, my only living blood relative. No way would I give him up to a man who didn’t even want him to begin with!
“Can I have a moment alone with my client?” Scott requested softly.
So much for hiring an attorney with a backbone. Not that I knew I needed one until right now.
“Of course.” Garrett closed his portfolio and pushed away from the table. His client sat for a moment longer, his dark eyes assessing me in a lazy manner that bespoke of uncanny confidence. Then he stood and followed his lawyer from the room.
I stared after them in shock.
No words.
Nothing.
“Do you have any idea who that is?” Scott asked, his voice holding an awe I did not understand or return.
“No! I already said I’ve never seen him before in my life. Surely there has to be a law against this. Something that doesn’t allow some deadbeat father to walk back into the life of his son and take him back? I’ve raised him, Scott. Jamie is my son. Perhaps not by birth, but I’ve been the one—”
“Avery.” His sharp tone silenced my rant, but the tears continued to gather in my eyes.
“He can’t…” God, I was losing it. In the middle of my lawyer’s damn conference room. “I need a minute.”
I moved to the windows and wrapped my arms around myself. Midtown Atlanta glimmered back at me in the midday sun, reminding me of the long drive back to Acworth I had ahead of me.
Damn it.
“This can’t be happening,” I muttered and pinched the bridge of my nose. “This really can’t be happening.”
Scott cleared his throat and joined me by the floor-to-ceiling windows. “Avery, I’m sorry, but there is truly nothing I can do. The system grants him full custody automatically. I mean, he is the child’s father. The birth certificate and paternity test prove it, and his name… No judge in the country would ever side against his family.”
I blinked, confused. “What? Why should his name matter?”
“Mershano?” he prompted. At my blank stare, he added, “Mershano Suites.”
“The hotel chain?” What the hell did that…? Ohhhh. “As in, he’s related to the family?”
“He is the family, Avery. Wyatt Mershano is the youngest son. His older brother manages the company—which explains all the documentation his lawyer showed up with today. It seems Jean was very much aware of his paternity to her son, despite the lack of documentation on her side. When doing our due diligence in confirming the birth records, we discovered a discrepancy. And Mister Mershano reacted to our database inquiry accordingly.”
That explained the timing. I returned all the paperwork for Jamie’s adoption five days ago. Between the funeral arrangements, caring for Jamie, working full-time, and sorting through the lack of documentation left by Jean, it’d taken nearly two months to put the affairs in order. I acquired temporary guardianship right after my sister’s death, but adopting him had required a lot more due diligence. And I’d still missed a rather substantial detail.
“What about my version of the birth certificate? The one that shows no father?” Was it even legal to create such a document? One that hid the father’s name?
Scott shrugged. “Money is power, Avery. And it seems Wyatt Mershano struck a deal with your sister to help protect Jamie’s identity. But when my office filed through the appropriate channels, his attorney was notified. Hence…”
Their abrupt appearance, I thought, finishing his sentence.
“He didn’t even know Jean was dead.” Which showed how often he checked up on Jamie.
“No one knew to notify him,” Scott replied.
Because no one knew he existed. Least of all, me.
“Jamie has a father,” I mumbled. Obviously, he did, but I never in my wildest dreams expected him to show up and protest my legal right to adopt Jamie. “There’s nothing I can do?”
“I’m really sorry, Avery. Unless you can prove him to be an unfit father, it’s out of our hands.”
“Meaning, the fact that he was absent for the last four years of Jamie’s life doesn’t qualify as ‘unfit’?” I would have fallen over in laughter if I wasn’t trying so hard not to cry. “There has to be something…” I bit my lip to ke
ep it from wobbling and closed my eyes. “He’s my son.” The words came from the depths of my heart. Birthrights be damned. I loved him unconditionally.
“You could request visitation rights,” Scott suggested. “It’s ultimately up to the father, but he might be willing to grant them. You’ll need to be very apologetic and understanding, though. And it might require some begging, considering who we are dealing with here.”
He kept talking, but I stopped listening.
All my energy went into trying to remain standing under the onslaught of emotions weighing on my shoulders.
How could everything go so wrong so quickly?
My biggest worry three months ago was guaranteeing that Jean would show up to Jamie’s fourth birthday party.
Now, losing Jamie indefinitely loomed over my head. And I’d done nothing wrong, aside from fall in love with a little boy who never actually belonged to me. But I made him mine in every sense of the word, put all my time and devotion into nurturing him, caring for him, and cherishing him.
I swallowed the lump in my throat.
Crying fixed nothing.
Screaming would scare everyone.
I needed a calm, collected approach, not an emotional one. Even if it felt as if my chest had been cracked open for the world to see.
Pull it together, Avery.
The Rebel’s Redemption: Mershano Empire Series Page 1