The Rebel’s Redemption: Mershano Empire Series

by Foss, Lexi C.

  I licked my lips, floored, yet again, by his words. “Are you staying here? With us? For the next month, I mean.”

  “That’s my plan, unless you kick me out. Maybe even longer, if you’ll allow it. Although, I have a two-week wedding to attend in May. Which reminds me—”

  “A two-week wedding?” I interjected, my eyebrows flying upward. “Seriously?”

  He chuckled. “That was my thought when I saw the invitation. Apparently, Sarah feels Evan needs a vacation from work. And I agree with her.”

  “Sarah,” I repeated, recalling the name from Jamie. “Wait, Sarah is your, uh…?” I tried to recall my research from a few weeks ago but drew a blank on his sister’s name. I just remembered he had a brother and a sister.

  “Evan’s fiancée,” Wyatt replied helpfully. “She met Evan on The Prince’s Game.”

  “The what?”

  “A dating show.” He arched a brow. “You didn’t watch it, either? Oh, then you’re the perfect date for this nonsense because I have no idea what actually happened. But apparently, Sarah’s identical twin auditioned under Sarah’s name as a practical joke. Which, I guess, ended well, because honestly, Evan and Sarah are perfect for each other.”

  “Her sister auditioned as a joke?” Holy shit. “That’s horrible!”

  “Well, I’d argue your sister is more of a bitch, but I’m biased.”

  “She must hate her sister.”

  “Not enough, in my opinion. Abby—Sarah’s sister—is one of the bridesmaids.”

  “Shut up.” After everything Jean had put me through, there was no way in hell I’d invite her to my future wedding, let alone into the wedding party. Well, my fictional future wedding. Because yeah, that was likely never happening.

  “Yeah, so, do you want to go? I’m sure it’ll be fun. And my sister, Mia, will be there. I haven’t seen her in a few years, but I really want her to meet Jamie.” His eyes crinkled at the sides as he smiled. “You’ll love her. She’s feisty as fuck, and she hates Garrett.”

  “She hates your lawyer? Sounds like my new best friend.”

  Wyatt chuckled. “Sarah hates him, too.”

  “I’m sensing a theme.”

  “He’s an ass.”

  “Yes,” I agreed. “He is.”

  Wyatt’s lips curled. “So, is that a yes, then? You’ll go?”

  “I’ll have to figure out work.” My mouth twisted to the side. “I’ve used a lot of vacation time recently.”

  “I suspected as much and already told Evan you might not be able to go for the full two weeks.”

  “A week would be better,” I admitted. “I’ll look at my schedule tomorrow.”

  “Good.” His palm slid to my shoulder, nudging me to my back and shifting to his elbow at my side. “Now, I have something important to discuss with you, Miss Perry. Assuming we’re done with everything else?”

  I swallowed. “Uh, yeah, I think so?” My brain short-circuited as his muscular thigh slid between my legs. “Wh-what do you want to talk about?”

  “Well, Jamie mentioned your screams from this morning. He thought you had a nightmare.”

  Oh, crap… “That’s why—”

  “Shh.” He pressed his finger to my mouth. “I understand now. So I have a proposition for you. I’m going to make you come again. What I need you to tell me is, do you prefer to scream around my cock or my tongue? Because I fully intend to come, too. Either down your beautiful throat or deep inside your hot, wet pussy. Which would you like more?”

  23

  Wyatt

  Avery’s pupils flared with interest, but her lips remained parted on an “Oh” with no further sound escaping.

  “Have I rendered you speechless, sweetheart?” I wondered aloud, tilting my head to the side. “Does that mean I get to choose? Because I already locked the door.” There would be no interruptions this time. And Jamie was sound asleep anyway.

  I warned Avery I wanted adult time later, and I considered myself a man of my word.

  Her tongue slipped out to dampen her lower lip, giving me all sorts of ideas for her mouth. Hmm, for a later time. Because I wanted to feel her legs wrapped around my hips. To slide deep inside her and hear her moan my name while I kissed her.

  I palmed her breast, loving her lack of a bra, and flicked her erect nipple with my thumb.

  “I’m about to decide for us both,” I warned, pinching her stiff peak. She arched into my hand on a needy whimper, her eyes taking on the glazed appeal of a woman thoroughly aroused. “I want to fuck you, Avery.”

  “Yes…” It came out on a hiss as I tweaked the hard tip.

  “Good,” I whispered, leaning down to kiss her neck. Her skin tasted clean and fresh, as if she had just come from a shower. It made me want to lick every inch of her, to claim and brand her as mine.

  I traced her collarbone with my tongue and shifted my weight to my knees. Straddling one of her thighs, I sat up just enough to grab the hem of her tank top and lift it over her head to reveal her perfect tits. I hadn’t worshipped them enough this morning, too eager to taste.

  I rectified that oversight now, nipping and licking and memorizing her skin with my mouth while she writhed beneath me. “Mmm, I could do this for hours, Avery.”

  She threaded her fingers through my hair, her nails digging into my scalp. “I need more.”

  “I know.” I did, too. But for now, I wanted to torment her in the best way. My thigh pressed into the apex between her legs, applying just enough friction to tease without letting her tumble over the edge. I tugged her nipple between my teeth, causing her to groan my name. “Careful, sweetheart. We don’t want to wake the house.”

  She let out a frustrated sound that resembled a curse.

  I chuckled against her supple breast. “So needy…”

  Her grip in my hair tightened, her body bowing off the bed. I caught her hips, pushed her back down, and hooked my thumbs in her yoga pants.

  Avery squirmed as I moved to pull the fabric down.

  And I groaned at what I found. “No panties?” Fuck, that was hot. Almost as hot as the slick pussy waiting for my cock. “You’re so wet, Avery. When was the last time someone fucked you?” I almost didn’t want the answer, but I needed it. If it’d been too long, then I needed to prime her to take me.

  “I…” She shivered as I bent to blow against her weeping sex.

  “How long, Avery?” I asked again, my lips brushing her clit. “I need to know if you’re ready for me.” I slid a finger inside her tight channel while I spoke, finding the answer before she voiced it.

  “A few years.” She clutched the sheets beside her hips, her thighs quivering. “Can’t… date…”

  “Mmm, we’re going to change that,” I vowed, licking her swollen bud. My words referred to both her lack of dating and prolonged abstention from sex. I intended to fix both. We were just doing them out of order, but I never followed traditional rules. And it seemed Avery felt similarly.

  I added another digit, slowly and gently expanding her.

  Her legs tensed around me, her breathing coming in pants. Not from pain but from eagerness. So I slid a third finger into the mix while sucking her sensitive nub into my mouth. She vibrated beneath me, her orgasm edging closer by the second.

  But I didn’t want her to come yet.

  No.

  That, I wanted to feel around my shaft.

  She growled as I moved, her blue-green irises flaring with a mix of ire and arousal that lit my blood on fire for her. “Hold that thought.”

  “You better be coming back,” she said as I slid off the bed.

  “Oh, we’ll both be coming.” I pulled a condom from my pocket before losing my sweatpants.

  Her gorgeous eyes zeroed in on my package, the not-so-subtle parting of her lips giving my ego a thorough stroke. I never doubted my size or my looks—I knew I’d been blessed in both areas—but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the appreciation in her expression now.

  “You look like you nee
d to touch me first.” I handed her the condom before kneeling on the bed. “Explore at your leisure, Avery.”

  “You came in with a condom,” she whispered, going up on one elbow.

  “I did.”

  “So damn arrogant,” she accused while lifting her opposite hand to wrap it around the base of my dick.

  “You’ve wanted me to fuck you for weeks.” My abs tightened as she intensified her grip, sending a shiver of want down my spine. “That’s called being prepared, sweetheart. Nothing arrogant about it.”

  “Yeah, you’re a regular Boy Scout,” she teased, sitting up. “Lie down.”

  I arched an eyebrow. “Now who is being presumptuous?” It should be clear to her that I preferred to be in charge in the bedroom. However, the desire radiating from her had me complying. Anything to encourage her to keep touching me like that.

  I fell to my back beside her and folded my arms behind my head. “Do your worst,” I dared.

  She smiled as she shifted to her knees, essentially trading positions with me. Her hold on my erection never wavered, leaving me eager and hard in her palm. She gave me a tentative stroke, then bent to lick the head.

  “Fuck,” I breathed, shocked to hell and back by that bold little move. She repeated the motion, then took me into her mouth and sucked me deep into the back of her throat.

  It took physical restraint not to grab her head and keep her there. But I wanted to give her the semblance of control and allow her to explore to her heart’s content before I fucked her into the mattress.

  She set the condom to the side and cupped my balls, her other hand still wrapped around my base as her mouth worked me in hypnotic, wet strokes.

  “If you’ve decided this is how you want to make me come, then I need you to straddle my face, Avery. Because I want to lick that sweet cunt of yours to completion.”

  Her responding groan reverberated against my shaft, making me impossibly harder in response. Fuck, I was going to come if she didn’t stop.

  My fingers itched to wrap themselves in her hair, either to force myself deeper or to pull her off completely, I wasn’t sure. Thankfully, she moved before I had to decide. The foil of the condom appeared, and she ripped it open with her teeth.

  I arched a brow. “You might be the first woman in my existence to ever make a condom look sexy.”

  She ignored me and focused on covering me with the rubber, then moved to straddle me.

  A woman who wanted to be on top.

  Could she be any more perfect?

  Her nimble fingers guided me into her entrance, stirring all sorts of sensations in my gut. Most of them hot and volatile, the need to take over causing perspiration to dance across my skin. But I let her lead, allowed her to take me slowly inside her until she was seated on top of me, her expression etched into one of yearning mingling with pain. She swallowed, her palms pressing into my chest, her eyes squeezed shut.

  Then she moved just the slightest inch, and a breath escaped her luscious lips on a sigh. “More,” she whispered. “I need more.”

  Me, too.

  I flipped her to her back without breaking the contact between our legs and stared down into her heated gaze. “You ready to scream into my mouth, Avery?”

  “Yes.” She licked her lips. “Fuck me, Wyatt.”

  I didn’t need to be told twice.

  Her body readily received my thrusts, her walls tight around me, hugging me deep as if she never wanted me to leave.

  And oh, how I longed to stay forever. Moving in and out of her, feeling her slick heat kissing me intimately. My only regret was the damn condom, but we would discuss that another time.

  Her lips parted for my tongue, allowing me to fuck her mouth the way I took her body.

  Punishing.

  Rigorous.

  Thorough.

  It was quite literally the perfect fit. Tight, but not painful. And fuck, I was going to explode if she shifted her hips like that again.

  She repeated the action as if hearing my thoughts, or maybe she just knew.

  “Avery,” I whispered against her mouth. “Fuck, Avery…”

  “Harder,” she begged. “Don’t hold back.”

  Mmm, I wasn’t, but I gave her what she craved, driving into her with a force that would shock most women. Avery merely moaned, accepting the pace and meeting me halfway, her body a work of art as it danced with mine.

  Perfection.

  I’d entered this bedroom with the idea of changing the course of history for her, yet she’d managed to mangle mine. Because no one had ever been this responsive, this addictive, in bed. And something told me there would never be another.

  I kissed her with everything I owned, giving her my soul and shifting my hips at the angle I knew she needed. She shook beneath me, her orgasm mounting.

  One more…

  There…

  She exploded, her scream delicious in my mouth and sending me right over the cliff with her. My orgasm shot down my spine with a force that caused me to growl her name. So fucking intense. Consuming. Blackening my vision, tightening my limbs, and tingling through every muscle.

  But I never stopped kissing her, our tongues engaged in a slow, rhythmic song that didn’t want to end. And so, it didn’t. Even through our heavy breathing, the subtle spasms rocking us below, we didn’t stop tasting each other.

  A new experience, one I’d never thought to desire or want but, with Avery, was so perfect. As if vows were being whispered, a promise of a future we both desired and weren’t ready to name. Of living in the moment without words, just feeling.

  Her hands slid from my shoulders to my neck, holding me to her as her legs tightened around my waist, and a slower tempo began, my arousal still rock hard inside her.

  This wasn’t fucking.

  This was… something else. Something with feeling. Something I craved without understanding what it meant.

  And I gave in.

  Reveled in it.

  Adored her.

  With my tongue. My body. My cock.

  “Avery,” I whispered, feeling her tightening around me again, her body lifting up off the bed on an eruption I felt to my very soul.

  Her pleasure seemed to live within me, warming my heart in a way I didn’t know it could be.

  I didn’t come with her, not this time, but it wasn’t needed. Her euphoria pulled me into a different cloak of sensation that rivaled the most intense orgasms of my life. And I would happily live there forever—with her.

  She kissed me with the laziness of a woman well sated, her pupils dilated with ecstasy as she gazed into my eyes. “I think you just destroyed me for any other man, Wyatt Mershano.”

  Pride unfurled in my chest, causing my lips to curl. “Good.” I nuzzled her nose. “Because I intend to be the only one to ever hear you moan like that, Avery Perry.”

  And by that, I meant I’d be the only man to swallow her cries of passion. Hmm, damn, they’d been so hot. I refused to share them with anyone else.

  “Yeah?” Her eyes twinkled.

  “Yeah,” I replied, smiling against her mouth. “And for what it’s worth, I think you just destroyed me for any other woman, too.” I licked her bottom lip before dipping inside to kiss her soundly, claiming her, marking her, redefining her as mine. “I want to do it again.”

  “We’ll need more condoms,” Avery whispered.

  “I have a box in my room.”

  She lifted her hips into mine. “That’s too far away. Use the box in my nightstand instead.”

  I shifted to stare down at her. “Now who is being cocky?”

  Her mouth curled into a sassy little smirk. “A girl has to be prepared with Wyatt Mershano living in her house.”

  “Why, Miss Perry, I’m impressed.” I reached over to open her drawer. Sure enough, there was an unopened box of condoms waiting to be used. “Oh, Avery. I might just have to fuck you again. Right now.”

  “I was hoping you might,” she said, her gaze glittering with intent. “As yo
u said, I’ve wanted you to take me for weeks.”

  “Are you implying that we need to make up for lost time?”

  “Maybe.” The coy look she gave me did not match the gush of heat against my dick.

  “Mmm.” I picked up the box of condoms and discarded the used one into the bin beside the bed. “I hope you weren’t planning to catch up on sleep tonight, Avery.”

  Because she wasn’t the only one who had fought these cravings for weeks. And now that we’d opened the door, every sordid, dirty thing I wanted to do to her was leaping forward with a vengeance.

  “Sleep is overrated,” she whispered.

  “Yes.” We’d be creating our own dreams tonight. Wicked, wet, and fun. “Open your mouth, Avery. I want to kiss you again before you take my cock.”

  “You say the most explicit things to me.”

  I smiled against her mouth. “Oh, sweetheart. We’ve only skimmed the surface. Now stop talking and part those beautiful lips for me. The only sounds I want to hear from you are ones of pleasure.”

  24

  Avery

  “He’s in a mood,” Wyatt warned softly as he joined me in the kitchen. His warm lips brushed my cheek, sending a shiver across my skin. We’d grown closer over the last month—much, much closer. Including him practically moving into my room, something Jamie hadn’t commented on aside from the one time he asked if he could join our sleepover party.

  “Any idea what’s caused it?” I asked, referring to his comment about Jamie.

  “Gretchen mentioned the kids were supposed to draw a family portrait today.” He reached around me to pluck a raw pepper from my cutting board. “Jamie drew one with four people and what I think might be a pizza.”