Love Deserved (Rock N Roll Heiress Book 3) Page 24

  She nodded, seemingly satisfied by my suggestion. After a moment of silence, she gazed at me again. Her expression turned somber as her eyes fell toward the bed.

  “Have you heard anything about my sister?”

  “Your father messaged me a couple hours ago. He left to meet Gary once he knew you were out of surgery. Gary needed him to fill out a report. Izzy is in the county jail and will be arraigned in the morning.” As Mia chewed on her bottom lip, I tried to ease her fears. “Your father spoke with your family lawyer. He is going to do his best to make sure Izzy doesn’t get bail. If that’s the case, we won’t have to see her until the trial, and that’s only if she pleads not guilty.”

  “I hope I never lay eyes on her again.”

  “That makes two of us.” Easing onto the edge of the bed, I cupped the back of our daughter’s head. “Let’s discuss something more positive. I’ve been anxious for you to wake. It’s time we give this beautiful little girl a name. What do you think?”

  Her smile made my heart soar. She gave me a nod then gazed at our daughter. “Your mother told me that she combined the last part of her name and your father’s name to create your name.”

  “Yeah, Kay and Holden. How the hell she saw Ayden in those two names is beyond me.”

  Mia playfully smacked my arm and shook her head. “I thought it was a great idea, so I sorta thought of doing the same thing just a little different.”

  I frowned at her. “What do you mean?”

  “Instead of combining parts of our names, I thought about combining our middle names. Since mine is Shae and yours is Lee, what do you think about Shaelee?”

  Repeating the name in my head, I liked the way it sounded. Knowing our daughter would be named after both her parents filled me with pride. “I like it, but what about a middle name?”

  “That’s optional. Is there something in particular you like?”

  As I gazed at both Mia and our daughter, I couldn’t help but feel giddy. For once in my life, something good was happening. I was making smart choices and living out my dreams. I had Mia to thank for every bit of it. It was my time to honor her.

  “Actually, there is a name I like, and I think it will be perfect.”

  “What is it?”

  Leaning in to kiss our daughter’s head, I stared at her a moment before I answered Mia. “What do you think of Shaelee Morgan McAllister?”

  Mia covered her mouth. Tears welled in her eyes just as she began nodding her head. I had her approval, but I didn’t doubt I would get it. Our baby girl was named after us and Mia’s mother. It was perfect just like the tiny bundle of joy that Mia and I created.

  Life couldn’t get any better.

  Epilogue

  ~Mia~

  My knee bounced as I sat on the sofa inside my family’s lawyer’s office. I wasn’t nervous about speaking with Jarrett Michaels. He had been the family lawyer since I turned sixteen. What had me on the edge of my seat anxiously waiting to see him was the fact that he wouldn’t divulge the information he had to share over the phone. Whatever news he had, it was colossal.

  Shaelee’s whimper drew my attention to her and Ayden. He sat beside me holding our daughter as he tried to rock her to sleep. It was hard to believe she was already two and a half months old. She still looked tiny when she was in her daddy’s hands.

  Across the room, Andi and Bentley chatted with my father. She’d come with me on several occasions to speak with Jarrett about work-related legal matters. Bentley and Ayden were just along for the ride. We planned to go out to lunch once we finished here.

  I gazed at my father again as my heart pinched. The man had lost so much in his lifetime. Losing my mother was the hardest thing. To think she’d been taken from him over a pack of lies.

  My stomach flipped.

  The door to Jarrett’s office opened as he walked into the waiting room. “Hello, everyone. Thank you for patience. I was on a phone call verifying the last bit of information I have to discuss with you. Would you all please follow me into the conference room?”

  One by one, we stood and made our way to the room. Inside, we found seats around the large oval table. Ayden kept Shaelee in his arms as we sat beside each other. I assumed he wanted me to be free to sign papers if Jarrett had something that needed my signature.

  Andi sat beside me as Bentley took the seat beside her and my father. Once everyone was seated, we focused on Jarrett, who opened a file in front of him.

  “Before we begin, let me just say that I have verified as much of this information as possible. What I’m about to tell you is, without a doubt, true and undeniable.”

  “You’re beginning to worry me, Jarrett.” My father had humor in his voice, but I knew it was just a cover-up to how he really felt. He was nervous. I could tell by the way he twisted his wedding ring on his finger. Even though it had been years since my mother passed, he never removed his ring.

  “Trust me, Shane. The information I’m about to hand you is far better than you could hope to receive.”

  “Okay then. Out with it, man. You have us on the edge of our seats.”

  Jarrett nodded. “Approximately one month ago, Selena Giles met her fate. She passed away in the Arizona Correctional Complex around seven a.m.”

  “That is . . . unfortunate.” My father’s gaze moved to the table as he placed his hands atop it. “What does her death have to do with us?”

  Jarret peeked over the paper in his hands and glanced toward my dad and then me. “According to the letter I received from her lawyer, Selena Giles made some deathbed confessions.”

  “If this is about Izzy, let me stop you from going any further.” Dad regarded me before he looked at Jarrett. “The results of the DNA test I had performed a couple months ago came back in April. I know I’m not biologically Izzy’s father.”

  “That’s correct. It was one of Selena’s confessions before she died.”

  My dad’s forehead wrinkled as he frowned at Jarrett. “You said it was one of her confessions. What else did she share?”

  “After you brought the paternity issue to me a few months ago, I decided to search into this situation further.” Handing my father one of the papers from the file he had, Jarrett cleared his throat before he continued, “It appears that Selena was ready for you if you asked for a DNA test. She had a way to cheat the tests if you ever asked for proof.”

  “How?” Dad waited for Jarrett to answer.

  “It seems that Selena kept your wife doped up so she wouldn’t know what was happening. In fact, she drugged your wife the night she gave birth. Your wife had no idea what really happened.”

  “And you do?” I didn’t mean to sound rude with my question, but the news Jarrett delivered to us was hard to process. I was skeptical of everything.

  Jarrett tapped his fingers against the folder in front of him. He observed me a moment before nodding his head. “Selena confessed that the night you were born, your mother delivered you, but she delivered another baby too.”

  Every nerve in my body tingled. “Are you saying I have a twin?”

  “Yes. Selena sold the child to a couple on the black market. They couldn’t have children, and due to the husband’s previous suicide attempts, they couldn’t adopt. After getting in contact with Selena, she promised them a child and said it would be available in a few weeks.”

  “Morgan never said anything about knowing she was pregnant with twins. She couldn’t have known.” My father raked his fingers through his hair and released a breath. “So you’re saying I have another child out there who was adopted by this couple?”

  “Yes. Selena made a deal with them to have access to the child’s DNA. She had been planning to claim you as her child’s father all along, and this was the way she could fake a test,” Jarrett answered.

  My father gripped the arms of his chair and leaned forward. “Are you sure about this?”

  “It’s why you’re here. I had one of the private investigators I work with track down this coupl
e and interview them. Unfortunately, both the husband and wife have died. After some digging, we were able to locate the file they kept on the adoption. Shane, we tracked down the child they received from Selena.”

  “Did you tell this person who they are?” Dad folded his hands in his lap and spun his thumbs in a circle. I wanted to tell him everything would be okay, but I was as stunned as he was to learn the truth.

  “I haven’t spoken with this person. They have no clue about this because my investigator was able to collect some DNA without their knowledge. We tested it against yours.”

  Jarrett’s explanation had my dad snorting. “Are you talking about the sample I used for the DNA test I had performed on Izzy and me?”

  “Yes. The results came in yesterday, so I spent yesterday and today confirming everything. You can have another test done to double-check that the information is correct, but I was thorough.”

  “So I have another child out there. Who? Is it a girl or boy? Do they know I’m their father?”

  Jarrett laughed as my dad shot off one question after the next. It was easy to see how excited he was to learn he had another child. I couldn’t deny being any less thrilled. Izzy hated me all of her life. Was it possible that I had a sibling who might actually care about me as much as I did them?

  “Shane, I need you to take a deep breath. In fact, everyone in the room should take one.” As we all did as he asked, Jarrett pointed to the paper he handed my father. “The name of your child is in that letter.”

  My father lifted the sheet of paper and began reading it. We sat in silence as anticipation built inside me. I couldn’t wait to find out who my sibling was. More than that, I was about to find out if I had a twin brother or sister.

  A few seconds later, the paper fell from my father’s hands. He covered his mouth with the other and stared blankly. “I can’t believe this.”

  “Dad? What’s wrong?”

  He tried to answer me, but no words came out of his mouth. After several seconds of trying to respond to me, he finally stood and walked over to the chair where I was seated. Then he handed me the letter.

  “You won’t believe this unless you read it yourself.”

  Taking the letter in my hand, I began reading the regular jargon the letter contained. It was similar to the one Ayden received. When I came to the part where the child was announced, I had to flip to the second page. As soon as I read the name, it hit me.

  “Oh, My God.” Covering my mouth, I glanced at my father. “This is real?” Once he nodded, we both glanced at the person beside me. Andi’s brows knitted as confusion covered her face.

  “What’s wrong? Do I know this person?”

  “Better than anyone.” I laughed at the thought. No wonder we were always close. “It’s you, Andi. According to the DNA test, you’re my twin sister—fraternal—but a twin nonetheless.”

  It took a minute for the news to sink in, but once it did, Andi’s eyes welled with tears. My father handed her the letter that verified the information we just learned. As she read it, she covered her mouth with a shaking hand.

  “Bernadette and Alan Williams were my adoptive parents. I knew I was adopted, but I never knew who my birth mother was. I always assumed it was some woman who was too young to care for me.”

  Dad placed his hand on her shoulder as she gazed at him. “You were a victim like we were, Andi.”

  A wide range of emotions hit my best friend. I could see how excited she was to learn the truth. We’d always felt like sisters more than Izzy and me. Guess this explained why. Still, I knew the news had to upset her to a point. It wasn’t that she didn’t want it to be true. Andi’s entire life had been a lie.

  “I can’t believe this. I wish . . .” Her voice cracked as tears formed. “If only I had known Morgan was my mother. I would have spent more time with her before she died.”

  “At least you had a chance to meet her and get to know her. She loved you, Andi. It’s why she asked Dad if you could live with us when you were younger.”

  “Do you think my adoptive mom knew where I came from? After all, she was one of Morgan’s dancers.”

  “Both of your parents were good people.” My father placed his hand on Andi’s back and patted it. “If they had known, they would have returned you.”

  “I guess in a way they did. It’s why I ended up at Music Haven after they died.” Andi gazed at our father just as he motioned her to stand. As soon as she did, he wrapped his arms around her, crushing her to his chest. “I may have gone through hell when I lost your mother, and I went through a lot of hell while raising a child that wasn’t mine. But to find out I have a daughter as kind and wonderful as you. . . The pain and suffering were worth it.”

  Andi hugged our father just as tightly as he did her. They had a special moment that I admired. Nothing about it made me jealous. If anything, I was happy to share my father with my best friend.

  As soon as they broke their embrace, Andi’s arms went around my neck. “I guess this is why we’ve always felt more like sisters than friends. We really are related.”

  “I’m glad it’s you, Andi. You’ve always been more than a friend. You’ve been by my side for as long as I can remember. That’s what a real sister does.”

  We hugged for what seemed like forever, just crying and laughing about the many things we’d experienced over the years and how we should have known back then that we were related. None of it mattered now. The one person who’d caused so much pain in my life was finally out of it. The child she lost wasn’t my niece or nephew, but it had been Wesley’s kid. I felt sorry for him in that aspect, but I wouldn’t dwell on it.

  I smiled as Ayden and Bentley joined our celebration. My life was finally complete. I had a sister I adored, a father who was back in my life, and a husband that loved me. Best of all, I had a beautiful baby girl to raise. One day she would inherit Music Haven, and I would be the one teaching her how to run the business. It was everything I ever wanted.

  Music Haven was a place where dreams came true. I made sure it happened for others. Fate made sure it happened for me.

  The End

  Coming Soon: Rock-N-Roll Heiress Prequel. Visit www.kellimccracken.com/lovedefined for details.

  Afterword

  Dear Reader,

  Thank you for taking the time to read Love Deserved. I hope you enjoyed the story. If you did, please consider telling your friends or posting a short review. Word of mouth is an author’s best friend and much appreciated.

  This is the end of Mia and Ayden’s journey . . . for now. You’ll see them again in a spin off novel I have planned for Darius Stone. I’ll be sharing more about this story in my newsletter and on social media, so be sure you’re subscribed and following.

  I am also writing a prequel story to this trilogy which I hope to release in 2019. There will be some short stories as well. Stay tuned for more interesting tales ahead, but rest assured, Mia and Ayden have found their happily every after.

  If you’d like to connect with me or keep up on my latest news, you can find me all over the web. I have a newsletter filled with goodies too. You can find the link to the signup form, as well as links to my social media, under the “Contact Information” section of this book. Also, I have other books available. To learn about those, please visit the section: “Also by Kelli McCracken”.

  As always, thank you for your continued support.

  Acknowledgments

  This is a special shoutout to the people that helped make this books possible, as well as the people who encourage and inspire me. Your time, dedication, and compassion are priceless. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

  To Rhonda, for your keen eyes, skills, and for always taking my projects.

  To my beta readers, Renee, Karie, Andrea, Sharon, Tiffany, Jackie, Michelle, Kim, Danille, Wendie, Lisa, Karen, and Tracy, for your feedback, encouragement, and inspiring emails.

  To my Street Team, those wonderful readers who tell people about my books, for the
ones who leave reviews, and those who dedicate time to promoting me.

  To my Backstage Pass Team, for the continuous love and support you give me. Thank you for believing in me.

  To Elena, my closest and dearest friend, the person who I could never do this without. Thank you for everything you do, and for being you, my soul sister.

  To my children, the most amazing people on the planet who love me unconditionally and keep me full of life. I love each of you with all of my heart.

  To my husband, my best friend, my hero, and the love of my life. Thank you for everything. I can’t describe what you mean to me in words, but you are the key to my heart. I love you, babe. Always and forever.

  About the Author

  Kelli McCracken is an author of rock star-themed contemporary and paranormal romance. She loves penning a good, sexy story that stirs emotions and tantalizes the senses. Kelli Currently has four published series with many projects outlined and ready to be penned.

  When she’s not writing, chatting with readers, or plotting her next story, Kelli loves to read, listen to music, and enjoy time with her family.

  She resides in Northeast Kentucky, is the mother of four, and has been happily married to her husband, James, for fourteen years.

  Catch up with Kelli on the web or email her at:

  kelli.mccracken.books@gmail.com

  *Additional links under ‘Contact Information’.

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  Also by Kelli McCracken