Taming the Playboy (Dickerman/Moretti Novels)

by MJ Carnal

  The front door opened and Jena tripped into the house. Seeing everyone gathered around, she knew she was just in time. Ryan had asked that she be there so she had cut her shift short. “I am so sorry I’m late.” She took a seat in front of Ryan on the floor and leaned back against his legs.

  Ryan put one hand on her shoulder. “It’s ok. Thank you for coming.”

  He looked into the faces of the people he loved most. They were full of concern and confusion. He held Layla’s hand tighter and sighed. “I haven’t been feeling well for awhile. I had a hunch but put Jena in a terrible position and not only asked her to run some tests, but to keep it from all of you. Kevin, Aria and I went to see Dr. Lahti today.”

  “No.” Caleb sat forward and rubbed his hand down his face. “No man.” Tears formed in the corners of his eyes and Jena rubbed his arm.

  Ryan shook his head. “It’s Acute Myelo Leukemia. And it is aggressive. And I am going to need every single one of you by my side while I fight this.”

  Layla crumbled. A sob broke from her throat and she put her head down between her knees. Her body shook as her tears came faster.

  “Lay. I have something to live for. You make me want to fight. And I will. I will do it so we have a future.” He pulled her into him. “You don’t deserve a sick boyfriend. You deserve everything. But selfishly, I can’t let you go. I need you like I need to breathe. I love you.”

  She shook her head and wiped her tears. “I will be by your side through this whole thing. There is no one else I want. I will take you whatever way I can have you.”

  “I am here. I will not leave you through this. I will do whatever you need.” Aria interrupted and shot Layla a nasty look.

  “So when do we start?” Caleb’s eyes were full of tears but his brave expression remained fixed on his face.

  “Right now,” Mark stood on wobbly legs. “Come on C. Looks like we both need a haircut.”

  ****

  Layla stood in the shower. The hot water pelted her shoulders like a thousand needles hitting her skin. But her whole body felt numb. She had let her guard down and fallen in love with the most amazing man she had ever met. And now, a sick twist of fate threatened to destroy all they had. A sob broke free of her throat. Her body sagged against the tile wall. Her head spun.

  Her sobs drew Ryan’s attention. He stepped into the bathroom and watched the love of his life destroyed by his news. Tears invaded his eyes but he blinked them away. He loved her and there was no way he would let her be broken by this news. He would stay strong for her.

  He stripped his clothes in a pile on the bathroom floor and opened the shower door. The steam poured into the small room. The water was scalding and Layla’s skin was bright red. He pulled her into his arms and she crumbled into him. She sobbed and her entire body shook. Ryan brushed the wet strands from her face. “Layla, baby. It’s ok. I’m here. We are going to be alright.”

  Trembling, Layla dropped to her knees and covered her face. Ryan knelt beside her and took her face in his large hands. Her eyes seemed to reach into his soul. She covered his hands with hers and took a deep, shaking breath. “I love you so much, Lay. I never thought I would find you. God knows I don’t deserve you but I will be damned if I will ever let you go.”

  “Even now you are burning up. I don’t know what to do. I don’t know how to help you.” Layla dove into his arms and buried her face in his chest.

  “Just love me, Lay. That is all I need.”

  Chapter 16

  Layla crushed her lips against his. She breathed in his scent, felt the warmth of his feverish skin, felt the slick water drenched lines of his muscled back. She whimpered into his mouth as his tongue joined hers. Her hands traced down his back and dug her nails into his firm ass. His arms tightened on her hips and pulled her body against his. His erection brushed against her stomach and she felt the familiar quiver in her stomach.

  His arm reached around her back and spread her legs. Her breath hitched as two fingers dove into her core. As he pumped his fingers into her, she bit his shoulder. She moaned and arched her back to deepen his touch. His mouth found her breast, sucking hard on her nipple. Moisture flooded his fingers as her orgasm neared. He growled feeling her excitement. He ground his erection through her slick folds and against her bundle of nerves begging for release. Her head fell back. “Please Ryan. I need you so much right now.”

  He stood and pulled her up with him. He lifted her and pressed her into the tile. He held her still with his weight against her and shoved into her. His pace was frantic, both of them racing toward their release. She clawed at his shoulders and bit his neck. His heart pounded against his ribcage as he looked into her eyes. Her lids were hooded and her mouth was slightly opened. Her moaning made him impossibly hard and ready to explode. “Come for me baby. I can’t hold back.”

  His thumb dropped to her clit and with just one stroke, she shattered. She screamed his name as wave after wave pulsed through her body. She tightened around him and sent him over the edge. He moaned as he took her mouth in a frenzy. He sucked her tongue into his mouth and she shuttered.

  Leaning back, he smiled at her. She was everything to him. Her dark hair was soaked and clung to her face and shoulders. Her makeup was smeared down her face and she had never looked so beautiful. Her chocolate eyes were lazy and sparkled back at him. He traced the tattoos on her arms and sighed. He had fallen for her. Hard. Gone were his shameful days of one night stands. Gone was the playboy. And for the first time in his life, love didn’t scare him. “I’m gonna marry you someday, Layla Barringer. Mark my words.”

  ****

  Layla watched Ryan sleep. His first chemo treatment had gone well but the twenty-four hours after had been rough. Ryan’s body had been completely depleted and his mask of strength had faltered. Now asleep, his body was at peace. She rubbed slow circles on his back as her need to be close to him overtook her. She had been by his side every second since the diagnosis. And there was nowhere she would rather be.

  Ryan shifted onto his side and pulled her into him. A small moan escaped him as she settled against his hard body. “I love you.” He whispered before giving into sleep once more.

  Her heart pounded in her ribcage. While sitting next to him during his chemotherapy, she had realized that he was everything to her. She couldn’t breathe when they weren’t together. Without him, there was nothing. It wasn’t a feeling she had experienced before. Even her love for her sister, and her newfound love for Mark and the rest of her new family, didn’t even come close to the intensity with which she loved Ryan West.

  A light knock sounded at the door and Aria entered quietly. “Hey Lay. Can I get him anything? Do you need something?”

  Layla looked at the redheaded beauty that Ryan thought of as a sister. Something about her just didn’t sit well in the pit of her stomach. She had arrived during Mark’s accident, consoling Ryan when he needed it and be the doting best friend. Ryan had asked her to stay through his illness but something about Aria gave her the chills. Regardless, she loved Ryan and when Layla couldn’t be here, she knew Aria would do everything to keep him safe. “We are OK for right now.” She whispered. “But I have a client to meet in a few hours and I am going to need some help with him. Will you be around?”

  Aria smiled. “Whatever you need.” She closed the door lightly just after looking over her shoulder at Ryan.

  “Relax,” Ryan whispered feeling Layla’s body tense. “I can’t see past you, Lay. You are mine.” He kissed her temple as she turned to hold him. Nuzzling into his neck, they drifted to sleep.

  ****

  Hands ran up his sweat soaked, weak body. The fever had taken over about an hour ago and Ryan shivered. He moaned, not sure if it was because the caress felt nice or the sickness was winning. He felt his boxers being pulled down and he struggled to open his eyes. He hissed as warm lips surrounded his thickening shaft. His back arched off the bed as the suction increased, drawing his entire length into her throat. This time,
he knew the moan was from pleasure. He gripped the sheets in his fists and the speed increased. “Shit, Layla. Slow down baby.”

  She moaned. Something wasn’t right. Ryan struggled to pull her up from under the covers but she didn’t budge. He was so weak and he cursed himself for not being stronger. Thoughts swarmed his fevered brain. He grabbed at her hair. Red. “Stop! Holy shit, stop.”

  She sagged against him and moaned. “Please let me finish. I want you so much.”

  “What the hell are you doing, Aria? Get off me. Jesus Christ. Get off me.” Rage filled Ryan’s eyes. This was the ultimate betrayal. The thought hit him like a brick wall. He was cheating on Layla. “Oh my God what have we done?”

  “Ryan, relax. No one will know.” Aria lifted her head from under the covers.

  “I’ll know. That is enough. I thought you were Layla. How could you do this to me?” Ryan shoved his body out of the bed and grabbed his sweat pants that were hanging on the back of his chair.

  “It should be me sharing this bed with you. Not her. It has always been us. I have loved you my whole life. I have waited and waited for you to give up on the one night stands. I have stood by and watched you destroy the lives of so many women who wanted more from you. Every single one of them fell hard and you never spared them a second glance. But you are different now. You are ready. It’s my turn to make you happy.” Aria reached for him but he jumped out of her grasp.

  His hands clenched into fists. “Aria, you cannot force love. One night stands were all I ever wanted. Meeting Layla is what changed me. She made me ready.” His body slumped onto the mattress. He burned with fever, his body aching and his heart broken. “You need to go. We can talk about it another time. But you need to leave my house.”

  “Don’t ruin us Ryan. Please.” Aria dropped to the floor in front of him, begging him.

  “I didn’t ruin us. You did. I don’t know if we can come back from this. Oh my God. What if Layla finds out? That is what will ruin me. Get out.”

  “Ryan, please don’t do this. I’m sorry.”

  The bedroom door slammed open and Layla stood rigid and red faced. “You heard him, you bitch, get out.”

  Ryan jumped to his feet. “Layla. I know this looks bad. Let me explain.”

  “You don’t need to. I witnessed the whole thing. Get up off the floor now, Aria. I swear I will yank you up by your hair if you don’t. Were you waiting until I got home to make your move? Waiting on me to walk in on you? Did you think he would choose you?”

  “Give me a break.” Aria laughed. “He needs me. You can’t run me off. I match his bone marrow and he won’t let me walk out of his life. You don’t get to waltz into his life during the eleventh hour and get everything I worked so hard for. I gave him life once. I intend to do it again. Then what, Layla? You honestly think he will choose you after I save him again?”

  “Aria, get your shit and get out of my house. I have loved you like a sister for as long as I can remember. I have trusted you and confided in you. That is over. You broke us. Why would you do that? Why?”

  “Because I love you. And you need me. Choose me, Ryan. I have always been here. Please.”

  “It will always be her. I will always choose her. What you just did was unforgivable. I am asking you to walk away before more damage is done.”

  Aria straightened her back and lifted her head. “You will die without me, Ryan.”

  “Maybe.” He pulled Layla into his side. “But I will have nothing to live for without her.”

  With that, Aria stormed out of the room. Ryan turned to Layla and tears began to fall. “Layla, I don’t know what to say. Please forgive me. I never wanted to hurt you.”

  She took his hand and led him to the bed. “You didn’t do anything. I heard you say my name. You thought it was me.” He put his head in her lap. “It killed me to see it happening. I was frozen. My heart is torn in two. But when you realized it wasn’t me, God Ryan, I fell in love with you even more.”

  “I don’t know what I did to deserve you but I am going to spend the rest of my life proving that I do.” Ryan kissed her and the rest of the world fell away.

  Chapter 17

  Ryan braced himself against the door jam in the kitchen. His deep breath did nothing to calm his nerves. The oncologist’s voice was muffled in the background as his world spun out of control.

  “I’m sorry Ryan. Your body just isn’t responding.” Dr. Lahti shuffled some papers on his desk and cussed. “It is time to consider what you want to do. We can look for a marrow donor or look into stem cell treatment. But I strongly advise we stop the chemotherapy. I think we look at quality of life now. I’m available any time. Think about how you want to proceed.”

  “Yes sir. Thank you for calling. I will be in touch.” Ryan ended the call and looked at the blank screen. It wasn’t working. It wasn’t working. The words echoed through his head.

  “Ryan? Everything ok?” Layla stepped behind him and hugged him.

  “Yes baby. That was Dr. Lahti. He just wanted to tell me about some options. It will all be ok.”

  ****

  Mark shuffled through the dark house to answer the soft knock on the door. “Layla? What’s the matter? Is Ryan OK?”

  She hugged him and cried into his shoulder. “I forgot my key.”

  Caleb yawned and walked up behind them. Seeing Layla’s tears, he grabbed her hand and pulled her gently into the house. “Come on Lay. Tell us what’s happening.”

  She followed Caleb into the living room. One small light illuminated the hospital bed where Mark was still sleeping. His injuries were slow to heal but he was making progress each day. Dr. Turner sat in the chair next to the bed making notes in Mark’s chart. Noticing Layla, she gave her a small smile and put away the paperwork.

  “He’s had three chemotherapy treatments. His body is destroyed.” Layla sobbed as she fell into the couch. “He has lost his hair and his body is swollen from the steroids. He does nothing but sleep. And today, Dr. Lahti called and said it isn’t working. Nothing is helping. What are we going to do?”

  Mark settled into the couch next to her and took her hands. “Lay, I am so sorry but we aren’t just giving up. We have to have options. What did the doctor say?”

  “He wouldn’t let me talk to him. He is so defeated.” And by her body language and her voice, everyone knew Layla was defeated too.

  “What about Aria? Can’t we use her for marrow?” Caleb rubbed his tired eyes.

  “You haven’t heard? Ryan sent her packing. After the first chemo treatment, he was totally out of it, exhausted with fever. Aria climbed into bed with him and started..” Layla took a breath to steady her voice. “She was under the covers. I can’t talk about it.”

  “What?” Caleb and Mark said in unison.

  “Ryan trains so many people, some of which are celebrities. We could get some good publicity and organize a bone marrow drive. We can talk to the hospital and do it there in the auditorium. We’ve done it before.” Dr. Turner grabbed her cell phone from the table and started to dial her boss.

  “I can use our advertising department to get some interest. We will do everything we can, Layla. I promise you we will not lose him.” Caleb pulled her into his lap and she instantly relaxed. “Ryan is the strongest person I know. He won’t give up without a fight. Defeated or not, he will not leave you if there is any other option at all.”

  “I have some favors I can call in with some of my clients. I’ll head into the office tomorrow for a few hours. And don’t even give me a look J Dog. I will take the morning shift nurse so don’t panic.” Mark smiled at Jena. “You are seriously cramping my style. Just so we are clear.”

  “I am looking out for your best interests. And Mark, don’t call me J Dog. Ever.” Jena laughed.

  Layla looked at her best friends. She would be lost without them. She knew her sister, Sophie, was only weeks from delivering their first child and she thanked God for Mark every day. He had not only changed Sophie’s life, but cha
nged hers as well.

  “We have the auditorium next weekend.” Jena closed her phone and smiled. “If there is a match to be found, we will find it. Ryan is a fighter. I may not know him that well. But I know that to be fact. What he needs from you is strength. It is what he needs from all of us. No panicking. Just be there for him. Treat him the same way you did before. Don’t let this illness define him.”

  ****

  Ryan awoke and reached to pull Layla toward him. All he felt were cold sheets. He focused on the alarm clock. 4 AM. He checked the bathroom, the kitchen and finally the driveway. Her car was gone. Panic shot through his body. It had been far too long since he had made love to her. He had been destroyed by the chemotherapy. He had resigned from the gym, turning his manager title over to Kevin. He hoped to one day be able to return but his gut told him differently.

  He stepped into the kitchen and poured a glass of juice. Everything tasted of metal but he knew he had to keep his strength up. His muscles screamed at him to use them.