The Merger: A Billionaire Fake Marriage Romance (Playboys of New York Book 3)

by JA Low

  “Look at you being a guru on relationships.” EJ chuckles.

  “You know, I have to be the best at everything I do, and that includes relationships.”

  “You’re such a dick.” EJ elbows me hard in the ribs, and we both burst out laughing.

  Hours later, we arrive home from the evening.

  “That turned out pretty well,” Emma states as we head into our bedroom and start our evening routine of Emma taking off her makeup and washing her face before bed.

  “Chloe and Noah seem happy,” I add. Grabbing my toothbrush, I clean my teeth, both of us moving around each other with ease.

  “She deserves it so much after the shit Walker put her through,” Emma states as she wipes her makeup off.

  I spit my toothpaste, wipe my face on the hand towel beside me, and say, “Noah is a good guy. He’s going to look after her.” I rest my hip against the bathroom counter.

  “I see that.” Emma turns the faucet on. “I bet they will be married next year.” She grins at me, looking fresh-faced and beautiful.

  “Yeah. Noah is going to lock her down as soon as he can. He’s always wanted a family.”

  Emma nods, resting her hip against the bathroom counter as well.

  “Think they will go public at The Hamptons opening?” Emma asks.

  “Probably. Now that it’s out in the open, I can’t imagine Noah keeping quiet about it.”

  “And what about us?” Emma looks up at me, vulnerability is written across her face as her teeth sink into her lower lip.

  “I’m happy to go public about us. We’re in a relationship now, aren’t we?” I test her.

  “Yep.” She moves closer, running her hand down my bare chest. “Just wanted to make sure you are still okay with that?” Her nails scrape along my skin, making me moan.

  “Of course, I am.”

  “There’s going to be a lot of hot, single women at the opening, and I just thought…”

  Grabbing her wrist, stopping her, my eyes narrow down at her. “I want you and only you.” Pulling her the couple of feet toward me, her chest hits my own. “I know I might be new at all this…” meaning relationships as I pull her tightly against me, “… but no other woman has seeped deep inside me like you.”

  A smile falls across her lips.

  “I don’t see anyone else around me except you. You’re a hard woman to compete against, Emma.” She pulls her wrists free and wraps them around my neck, pulling my lips to hers. Spinning her around, I pick her up and place her ass against the bathroom counter, and nestle myself between her legs—it’s exactly where I belong.

  “I promise I will always be honest with you, Emma. I can give you that.” She nods her head. “I don’t know what the future holds for us, but I like where it’s heading.”

  “I do, too,” she adds, and the tension that I didn’t know I was holding in my shoulders completely disappears.

  35

  Emma

  The opening of The Stone Group’s latest resort in The Hamptons this weekend was a huge success. Even better, they had Dirty Texas and the Sons of Brooklyn boys playing for the entertainment. My mind was blown. My inner groupie was flying free as we sang their hits.

  It was the first weekend away that Anderson and I have had as a couple. Such a weird concept, but it also felt so damn right. It was nice not having to hide our secret anymore.

  Chloe and Noah, too, were looking very loved-up, and I couldn’t be happier for them.

  It was a fantastic weekend until it wasn’t.

  Chloe and Noah went social media official with a photograph of the two of them at the opening. I’m guessing Chloe didn’t think the media would be still interested in what she was doing with her life, and that they would have moved on to watching Walker and Tracey play happy families with their son. She was terribly mistaken.

  A Google alert popped up on my phone, one leftover from after the wedding, and it was an article written about Noah and Chloe, explaining how angry Walker is over them going public. There was a link to a video of a reporter asking Walker about what he thinks regarding Chloe moving on and finding love. Let’s just say Walker lost his goddamn mind in that video.

  After calling Chloe, and she told me that Noah and she were heading to a hotel in the city because they couldn’t go home due to the paparazzi interest in them. I have rallied the troops, and we head to the hotel to be by Chloe’s side.

  “Guys, I’m fine. I had no idea Noah and I going in public would cause so much drama. I was hoping to lessen it. Obviously, I was wrong!” Chloe gives us a self-deprecating laugh.

  “It’s a cute pic,” Stella adds. “Very swoony.”

  We need champagne to relieve everyone’s tension, so I start pouring out the bubbles for everyone, but Lena holds her hand over the glass.

  “Why are you not drinking?” I question. “You never say no to champagne.

  “I just don’t want any,” Lenna says defensively.

  My eyes narrow on her—something’s going on.

  “How are things with…” Chloe asks Lenna while pointing toward the other room where the boys are having a chat.

  “You have enough going on, try not to worry about me.” Lenna’s eyes are glassy as she answers Chloe’s question about Logan.

  “What’s going on?” Chloe moves toward Lenna, grabbing a sandwich on the way.

  “Nothing. It’s no big deal. Don’t worry about me. Really.” Lenna tries to shoo her away.

  Oh yeah, there’s definitely something going on.

  “We can’t do much for Chloe at the moment, but maybe we can help you,” Ariana says gently as tears begin to well in Lenna’s eyes.

  “I love my job, but I can’t work there anymore.” She tries to hold her tears back. “Not with him.”

  My heart breaks for her. “Oh, Lenna bug.” Sitting down beside her, and I pull her into my arms. “No man is worth your tears… especially not one so emotionally stunted like him. No offense, Chlo, but you got the good twin.” Logan is a grump- ass douche nugget.

  “He made it obvious this weekend whatever fleeting thing we had was done and dusted. I can’t turn my feelings off like that. I’m not a robot.”

  Oh, dear, Logan really is an idiot, especially if he can’t see how wonderful Lenna is.

  “I’m sorry, guys. Seriously, Chloe has more important things going on than my stupid crush.” Lenna breaks down.

  Something more is going on with Lenna besides her having the hots for her boss and him not wanting anything to do with her. She’s all jittery as if she’s seconds away from bolting out of this hotel room. Lenna looks scared. Now, I’m worried.

  The boys come back into our space and stop when they see a tearful Lenna in the middle of the room with us girls huddled around her.

  Anderson throws a what-the-fuck look in my direction. Then Lenna wiggles free from our embrace, she stands and faces the boys.

  “Logan, Noah… I want to let you know that I’m giving you two weeks’ notice.”

  Oh shit. I did not see that coming as the room falls silent.

  “Lenna…” Noah steps forward. “No. We don’t want you to leave,” he tries hard to reassure her.

  Logan’s frozen with a scowl on his face.

  “Say something, dickhead.” Anderson elbows Logan.

  “You’re a good employee. We don’t want you to go.” Logan’s words sound so robotic, it’s as if he’s going through the motions but not feeling them.

  Wow, what a dick.

  Lenna’s face turns red. “Urgh… men,” she huffs frustrated. “I have to go.” She grabs her bag. “I can’t be here anymore.” Her eyes glare at Logan, who doesn’t respond.

  We all rally around Lenna, trying to reassure her that she shouldn’t leave.

  “I’m sorry, Chlo. I know I should be here for you right now, but I just…” she trails off.

  We try and reassure her that everything is going to be okay, but she shakes her head and disappears after we say our goodbyes.
<
br />   Walking back into the suite, the boys are talking amongst themselves, but I’m seething. Who treats another human being like that?

  “You’re a dick.” I glare directly at Logan. “You should have begged her to stay. She was waiting for you to grow some balls.” I am hoping my directness will make him see sense.

  “If she wants to move on, then that’s her choice,” Logan tells me with no emotion in his voice at all. Did an alien anal probe him or something because that man doesn’t seem to have a damn heart.

  “Seriously, did you get dropped on your head or something as a child?” I raise my voice at him.

  “This has nothing to do with you,” Logan tells me, his tone indicating I need to mind my own business.

  As if.

  “Like hell, it does. I’m her friend.”

  Logan scoffs quite loudly, which makes me see red.

  “You’re a selfish bastard.”

  “Anderson, control your wife,” Logan snarls at my husband.

  Anderson turns to Logan with a furious glare on his face. Just because he’s my husband doesn’t mean he controls me.

  What century is Logan from?

  “Don’t involve him. Are you not man enough to take on a woman?” Stepping closer to him, Logan’s eyes widen before they narrow in on me.

  “I don’t have time for this bullshit. I never thought you were one for the dramatics.”

  Honestly, I’m seconds away from launching myself at this pompous douchebag.

  “Back the fuck off,” Anderson booms, putting himself between Logan and me. “You will show my wife some respect.” My heart flutters watching Anderson stand up for me against his closest friend.

  “Your fake wife.” Logan throws our relationship back into his face.

  Anderson’s hand comes out at lightning speed and grabs Logan by the front of his shirt.

  Oh shit! He’s going to punch Logan for me.

  “Whoa, hold on…” Noah jumps in, wrestling Anderson away from his twin.

  “Emma’s a part of my life, a permanent part of my life. You better get used to it,” Anderson tells him, his eyes are wild with fire.

  “I don’t get how you can stay with a gold digger like her,” Logan spits.

  The balls of this man.

  “What the fuck, Logan?” Noah turns on his brother.

  EJ restrains Anderson from knocking Logan out, and it takes everything EJ has to keep them apart.

  “I’m not a fucking gold digger,” I scream at Logan. “I have my own shit.” It feels like Logan just stabbed me in the back with that comment.

  Does he seriously think I’m a gold digger?

  Is that what Anderson’s friends really think about me?

  “Ems…” Chloe tugs on my arm, pulling me from the fury that is swirling inside of me, “… leave it.”

  My eyes widen at Chloe’s actions. Is she serious?

  “You’re siding with that dick after the way he’s treated Lenna. Your friend. You do remember that fact?”

  “I’m not siding with anyone. I don’t think hurling insults at each other is going to achieve anything either.”

  “I’m out.” Pulling my arm from Chloe, I’m seconds away from saying something I will probably regret. I grab my bag off the couch and head toward the door. I simply cannot be around these people anymore.

  “Me, too.” I hear Anderson tell the room behind me.

  He catches up, grabs my hand, and we leave the hotel room together. As soon as the door slams behind us, I let go of his hand and stalk toward the elevator.

  “Ems, wait,” Anderson calls after me.

  “You call that man in there a friend?” Tears are welling in my eyes. For some reason, I can’t help it happening, then I think, fuck him. He doesn’t deserve my tears. I try to control them, but I can’t. What he said to me hurt. It hurt like a motherfucker, and I can’t make this feeling going away.

  Anderson reaches out and pulls me into his arms and tries to soothe my tears. “He should never have spoken to you like that. It was out of line, and I will talk to him and make sure he apologizes to you.” He kisses the top of my head. “He needs to understand that you are my wife, and you need to be respected. No matter how our relationship started, it’s real now.”

  As I bury my face into his hard chest, the tears really flow down my cheeks.

  “Hey. Hey.” Anderson lifts up my chin. “Don’t be upset, baby.” His brows crinkle, those turquoise eyes swirl with hurt and compassion.

  “Do you think… I’m a gold digger?” I sniffle my question to him.

  “Baby, no.” Leaning down, he kisses my tears away with his lips. “You are so far from it. Logan knows that, too. I think something’s gone wrong with Lenna, and he’s lashing out.”

  Not feeling one percent convinced in that statement, I continue, “I don’t want your money, Andy.” Looking up at him. “I need you to know that. I don’t want your parents’ money either.” Shaking my head, the emotion thickens in my throat. “I’ll give it all back, every last penny. Even the money I’ve spent.”

  “Emma…” he holds my face in the palm of his hands, “… you don’t have to do that. You don’t have to prove yourself to anyone. I don’t care what anyone outside of us thinks because what matters is you and me.” His voice is calm, rational, and even. “All I care about is you. Do you understand me?” Those turquoise eyes stare at me as if trying to sear that sentiment into my brain. “You and me against the world.”

  “Yeah?” I don’t think I’ve had anyone go into battle for me like that as if we really are a team.

  “Yeah.” He smiles down at me, then leans forward and captures my lips, giving me a searing hot kiss.

  “I’m going to offer Lenna a job working for me.”

  Anderson’s eyes widen, and a slow grin forms across his face. “Now, that sounds like a good idea.”

  Really? He agrees with me.

  “Lenna is fantastic at her job, and she will be sorely missed at The Stone Group, but I think maybe Lenna and Logan need some time apart to right whatever is wrong between them.”

  “What do you think is going on between them?” I’m wondering what his perspective is about the whole situation.

  “It’s hard to say with Logan. I know he has always had a thing for Lenna, but his father’s death really fucked him up,” Anderson explains.

  The ding of the elevator doors opening again catches our attention. Anderson grabs my hand and walks us into the metal box. “Logan is a little complex. He really does try to take the weight of the world on.”

  I do understand how trauma from your past can mess you up, but regardless, I still think he’s a dick.

  “I’ll talk to him, it will all be fixed. I promise,” Anderson reassures me again.

  I squeeze his hand as we step out into the foyer. Our car is waiting for us, and we quickly slide in and head home.

  36

  Emma

  “Morning, LeeLee,” I greet Lenna happily as she picks up her phone.

  “Why are you so happy?” she grumbles through the phone.

  “Because I started the day with a heap of orgasms. That would make anyone happy.” Lenna groans down the line, which makes me laugh. “And because I have a proposition for you.”

  “No, I simply will not have a threesome with you and Anderson.”

  “Wow! Okay. I’m impressed that’s where your mind went when I said that. I mean, totally understandable… we would totally rock your world if we did. But that isn’t why I am calling.” Silence falls between us. “Firstly, I wanted to check to see if you’re okay?”

  “I’m fine,” Lenna tells me, but I can hear the strain in her voice.

  “You don’t sound fine, but I’ll leave it for the moment because my second question is so much better.” Lenna huffs. “I want you to come work for me as my head of HR.”

  There’s silence. I kind of thought there would be like a ticker-tape parade or something when I told her the news. Pulling the phone from
my ear, I look down at the screen to make sure we are still connected. “Lenna?”

  “You want to hire me?” She sounds unconvinced.

  “Yeah, I’m growing really quickly, and I need help.”

  “And you want me?” Why does she keep sounding like it’s the strangest thing in the world that I would want to hire her to come work for me?

  “Unless you are a closet drug addict or your kleptomania is out of control, then yes, Lenna Lund, I want you.”

  “Wow! Well, okay. I just…” She lets out a little breath. “Wow! Thank you for thinking about me.”

  “I wanted to get in first because once the world knows you’re a free agent, I’m going to have competition.”

  She laughs. “Doubt that.”

  “Hey, you are a boss bitch, and I only hire people I think are fucking awesome… and you, Lenna Lund, are fucking awesome.”

  Lenna laughs again. “I don’t know what to say. You are serious right now, aren’t you?” she questions me.

  “Hell, yeah, I am.”

  “Yes.”

  Wait, what? She said that so quickly I almost missed it. “You said yes?”

  “Yep. Fuck it. I’m in.”

  We both scream down the phone while I do a little dance in the kitchen. We are going to kick ass working together.

  “You aren’t going to regret this, Lenna,” I tell her.

  “You’re not going to regret hiring me either, Emma.”

  “You need a new beginning, Lenna. I don’t know what has happened between you and Logan, but I imagine it’s something big to leave your job. I’m not going to pry if you don’t want me to.” Leaving it up to her to tell me, she lets out a heavy sigh.

  “We’re just better off as friends,” she tells me.

  Okay. That’s kind of a broad statement, and I also don’t think that is the reason either, but Lenna has always been a loner. Well, that’s what she’s told us. Even after all this time that we have been friends, I know it will take time for her to open up more than she already has. I get it, and I’m not going to push.