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

by JA Low

  “Well, I’m sorry about that.”

  “You and Anderson seem to be doing well.”

  “Yeah. Who knew?” I let out a laugh.

  “I think you two are a perfect match,” she adds.

  “He’s not so bad.” Smiling, I think about that big hunk of a man still lying naked in bed. “It helps he has a big dick.”

  “Emma,” Lenna groans.

  “I’m very satisfied.”

  “I can hear it in your voice,” she states. “I’m happy for you. You deserve it. I’ll let you go, I have to pee.”

  “Okay, fine, and thanks for the oversharing.”

  Lenna laughs. “Thanks again for the job. I don’t know how I can ever repay you.”

  “You don’t have to. Just be your awesome self, that’s all I ask.”

  “Have a great weekend.”

  “Oh, I will.”

  Lenna groans as I hang up the phone.

  Logan has sent us a couple of apology presents for him being an asshole the other day—I appreciate it, but I wouldn’t mind more crawling to make up for what he said.

  Anderson’s phone rings while we’re at home, and he flashes me the screen, which shows me Logan is calling and places it on speaker.

  “Yes,” he answers gruffly.

  “I’m sorry,” Logan tells him.

  “Good. So, you should be.” He sighs. “You’re going to have to apologize to Emma. But I warn you now, she’s going to be tougher than me to convince.”

  Damn right, I will be.

  “Is she there?” Logan asks.

  Anderson gives me a grin. “You’re on speaker.”

  “Hey, Emma…”

  “Stone,” I reply curtly. “I appreciate the gifts.”

  “I’m truly sorry for the things I said to you, Emma. On that day, I… I was a little taken aback by everything that happened.” Logan sounds a little uneasy, awkward even, which is out of character because every time I’ve met him, he’s always seemed like such a cocky piece of shit. Sounds like he’s having a big old slice of humble pie.

  “Do you really think I’m a gold digger, Logan?” I just need to know for my own sanity. Logan doesn’t usually bullshit. He’s like me in that respect, so maybe that’s why we butt heads.

  “No, I definitely don’t. Honestly, I think you might be good for my friend.”

  “Let’s not go crazy,” Anderson adds.

  “I took my frustration with Lenna out on you guys, and I shouldn’t have done that.”

  Wow, I was not expecting him to be so open about Lenna.

  “What happened, Logan?” I ask. “Lenna’s tight-lipped over your relationship.”

  “I don’t know. I asked her to give me a chance, she agreed. Something has happened to change her mind because she broke it off after I asked her to go public with our relationship.”

  What did he just say?

  Anderson and I look at each other, somewhat confused because this is not at all what Lenna has been painting the situation to be.

  “You wanted to go public?” I am just double-checking I’ve heard him correctly.

  “Yes, I’ve started seeing a therapist who’s helping me to work through some… stuff—”

  “What?” Anderson interrupts, then he looks over at me, his eyes wide with shock. “You went to a therapist?”

  “Yeah. Lenna suggested that I have residual issues over my father’s death that I need to work through. She was right. He’s made me think about things differently. I need to keep going to therapy, but life has gotten in the way of that lately, but I will be going back.”

  “I’m proud of you,” Anderson tells him, and I can see it on his face by the soft, genuine smile he has for his friend.

  “I wanted to do it for me, but even more so for Lenna. I wanted to make myself better for her.”

  “I’m so confused, Logan.” This is not at all the way Lenna has been portraying things between them. “I had no idea this is how you felt.”

  “I can’t make someone want me,” Logan tells us.

  “I accept your apology, Logan.” My heart has melted a little listening to Logan. Who would have thought this was the case?

  “Thank you.”

  “Have you given up on her?” I ask.

  “I think I have to. Maybe time will heal, but she’s not going to give me that time. I’m not usually a quitter, but you have to know when to take a step back, and I am more than aware now is the time.”

  Anderson and I look at each other. Logan sounds so sad, heartbroken even. This is not at all the way I thought he would be about Lenna leaving.

  “You know she’s coming to work for me,” I tell him. He deserves to know that. “I’ll look after her.”

  “Thanks. She’s going to be a great asset to your business.” He sounds so sad, I feel like I’m kicking a puppy. This wasn’t supposed to go down like this—the man’s supposed to be a douche canoe.

  “She will be. But you can be upset she’s leaving, Logan,” I tell him.

  “It’s her choice.”

  What the hell has happened between the two of them?

  “Well, leave it with me. I’m going to get to the bottom of what’s going on, and if I think you should know, I’ll tell you.”

  “Thanks, Ems. But it is what it is,” he tells us on a long sigh.

  Urgh, I feel for the guy. Dammit.

  “Again, I’m sorry for being a dick. I’ll let you guys go.” And with those last few words, he’s gone.

  “Well, that was…” Anderson starts.

  “He seems heartbroken.” Looking over at my husband, I know we need to do something about it.

  “No.” Anderson’s eyes narrow on me. “I can see it on your face… you’re going to meddle in our friends’ lives, aren’t you?”

  “Just a little.” Holding up my hand, I show him just how much with my fingers that I’m going to interfere.

  “Emma,” he warns me.

  “Andy, you heard him. He sounded so sad, I can’t not try and do something to help them.” Moving over to the sofa where he’s sitting, I straddle him. “I want them to be happy. They both deserve happiness. Don’t you want your best friend to be happy?” His hand grips my ass as he holds me tightly against him.

  “Of course, I do.”

  “Don’t you want them to be as happy as we are?” Raising a brow at him, he gives me a look of, ‘of course, I do.’ “I think there’s been some miscommunication between them, and you know that the key to a great relationship is communication.”

  “I would love to shove my cock down your throat, so we can stop communicating about this subject.” His dirty words make me grin.

  “You think that big ol’ thing is going to stop me from talking?”

  “How about we try and see… you know, science.” Anderson grins before he flips me over onto the sofa and conducts his own research on the matter.

  37

  Anderson

  “Oh, my fucking God.” Emma walks into the apartment, looking a little shell-shocked, and she’s also home early.

  “Babe, is everything okay?” Rushing toward her, she looks pale even.

  “You need to sit the fuck down because you’re going to lose your mind when you hear the news I’m about to drop on you.”

  Now I am worried—Emma isn’t usually this dramatic. So, I do as I am told and take a seat. She walks toward the bar, grabs the bottle of vodka, unscrews the cap, takes a swig, and places it back.

  Shit! Now, I’m really concerned.

  “Lenna is pregnant.” Her eyes are wide as she tells me.

  “Okay. Well, that is… I mean… might explain why she’s… oh shit!”

  “Now, you get it.” Emma grins as she sees the lightbulb moment go off in my head.

  “Nooo.” Looking over at her, I continue, “There’s no way it’s his?”

  Emma nods her head, animatedly. “Lenna broke down and told me today.” Emma sits beside me. “She’s a mess.”

  “Why didn’t
Logan tell us?” I turn my head to question Emma.

  “That’s the thing… he doesn’t know.”

  “What!” my voice raises.

  “I know. I’m pretty angry with Lenna right now about it, but she’s a mess, and I don’t think she’s thinking straight.”

  “I don’t care. Logan needs to know he’s having a baby. You can’t keep something like that from him. That’s not right.”

  “I agree with you.” Emma reaches out and places a calming hand on my thigh. “That’s why we are hosting a dinner this weekend where Lenna can tell Logan.”

  Okay. Yeah. That’s a good idea—neutral ground.

  “Do you think Logan is going to be okay hearing the news?” Emma tentatively asks.

  “Fuck, no. He’s going to freak the fuck out, and it’s probably going to be a cluster fuck of a dinner,” I tell her.

  Knowing Logan the way I do, he is going to ‘freak the fuck out’ as Anderson so eloquently put it. Actually, he might even run.

  “I am worried that this might set back his progress with therapy.” My stomach tightens into knots.

  Emma’s hand squeezes my leg. “We are going to be here for both of them, okay?” she reassures me.

  Fuck, I’m a lucky bastard to have her by my side. Reaching out, I pull her into my side. She curls under my arm and rests her head on my chest as she wraps her arm around me tightly.

  “This is going to change things in our group.” I kiss the top of her head. Her shampoo smells like coconuts, taking me back to the night when we met. It’s incredible how much things have changed since that vacation.

  Noah and Chloe are living together, practically a step away from an engagement.

  Lenna and Logan are having a baby.

  Emma and I are married.

  This is not at all what I thought the year was going to turn out like, but I guess we have all grow up.

  Emma and I sit there in silence for a good while soaking in this news. I feel like shit that I’ve found out before Logan has about his child. I know I would feel pretty bad if the roles were reversed, and Emma didn’t tell me about her being knocked up, and everyone else knew. Her gorgeous rounded belly, her luscious tits, and why does that image make my dick twitch at the idea of Emma being knocked up.

  “Do you want kids?” I ask Emma, trying to still the crazy thoughts suddenly racing through my mind. I know we spoke about it months ago, but our relationship has changed now.

  She tenses underneath me. “I… I don’t know. I’m focused on my business right now.” Of course, she is. “Why, do you?”

  “God, no,” I answer her quickly. “But…” I trail off.

  Emma stills against me, then she pushes away out of my arms to look at me.

  “But what, Anderson?” She’s giving me a strange look, those green eyes narrow, her forehead is crinkled, her hands are clasped firmly together.

  “I don’t know…” Shrugging, I feel like I’m under an intense spotlight. “We’d probably make pretty cool parents, and our kids would be adorable.”

  “Kids? As in more than one?” Panic laces her question, and there is a deep-seated frown set against her forehead.

  “Or maybe I’m drunk…” I give her a bullshit grin, hoping to hide from the stupidest thing I’ve ever thought and said out loud.

  Emma shakes her head. “You’re not drunk.” Those eyebrows draw together so tightly.

  Kind of wish I was at this moment.

  “Anyway, shit, Logan’s having a baby.” Standing up rather quickly, I make my way into the kitchen.

  “Andy,” Emma calls after me, her hand wraps around my forearm and tries to slow me down. I turn around and look at her. “Do you see a future… a future with me?” she asks.

  We’ve been together nearly six months now, and I guess it’s been pretty good so far, and I think the next six months will be pretty good, and then it will all be over, and she’ll no longer be tied to me.

  “You’re as close as I have ever become to seeing a future with someone,” I tell her honestly. Those bright jade-green eyes blink slowly as she takes in my words.

  “Me, too.”

  The wind has been knocked out of me that someone as amazing as Emma can see herself with someone like me.

  “You serious, baby?” My voice drops low as I move toward her. The air between has shifted, and heat now swirls around us. Biting her lower lip, she nods her head. “You and me for the long haul.” She nods her head, and her vulnerability is shining through. “Past the one year?” I ask just to be sure.

  She wraps her arms around my neck and pulls me to her. “For as long as you’ll have me. I’m yours.”

  Well, fuck me dead.

  Yes.

  Picking her up, she wraps her long legs around my waist, giggling as she moves into place against me. My long strides eat up the kitchen’s distance to the bedroom until we’re tumbling onto our bed.

  38

  Emma

  Tonight is the night Lenna tells her ex-boss that he knocked her up. This should be interesting.

  “Why do I feel so nervous?” Anderson rubs his sweaty palms down his jeans.

  “Because you have a heart.” Stepping up onto my tippy toes, I plant a kiss on his rough cheek. “And you care about your friends.” I take one last sweep around our apartment to check for anything out of place or messy. Thankfully, Mel, our chef, has cooked dinner tonight, and I don’t have to worry about it, but maybe that wasn’t the best plan because if things don’t turn out right, I could hide in there and pretend I’m doing something.

  Downstairs has buzzed to let us know that Lenna’s on her way up.

  “It’s showtime, babe.”

  Entwining our fingers together, he leans down and gives me a heated kiss. We pull away just as the doors open, and Lenna steps out. She’s wearing a gorgeous tight-fitting green wrap dress and looks fantastic. I can see the tiny bump that’s pressed against the fabric. Her chocolate eyes light up when she sees me, her shoulders relaxing a little as I let go of Anderson’s hand and pull her into a reassuring hug.

  “Thank you so much for doing this.” Lenna hugs me tightly.

  “Of course,” I try to reassure her.

  “I got you this.” She hands me a bottle of tequila. “At least one of us will be drunk for the shit show that’s about to happen.” Lenna gives me a self-deprecating laugh.

  “Come on… it’s not going to be that bad.”

  An hour later, it was not okay.

  I was wrong. It is that bad, maybe worse than bad.

  “It’s going to be okay,” I try and soothe Lenna.

  “You saw his face.” Lenna looks between Anderson and me. “He hates me. Like… really hates me.”

  “Give him time, he’s in shock,” Anderson tells her as he shoves his hands into his pockets.

  “I’ve fucked everything up. Not telling him as soon as I found out makes me a selfish fucking bitch, and the problem is I knew that all along.” Tears stream down Lenna’s cheeks, and she swipes them away.

  “Leens…” Wrapping my arms around her, I say, “Don’t be so hard on yourself.” Trying to reassure her, I don’t think this amount of stress is good for the baby, not that I know the first thing about babies.

  “It’s true, Ems. Don’t sugarcoat it. Me not pulling up my big girl panties and dealing with this head-on instead of sticking my head in the damn fucking sand like a stupid ostrich, I have messed up any semblance of amicable co-parenting.”

  “Yes. You have fucked up,” Anderson answers.

  I shoot daggers at my husband. What the hell is he thinking? The poor girl is having a bad enough time as it is, he sure as shit doesn’t need to add to it.

  “What, babe? She has.” Anderson shrugs.

  Typical male logic right there! He ignores me and continues down his foot-in-the-mouth path. “Okay, you made some decisions that, with hindsight, may not have been the right ones.” His face softens as he explains whatever fucked-up theory is going on in his hea
d. “It’s hard for men because we’re on the outside of pregnancy. We don’t know what it’s like to have a parasite move inside of us…”

  I elbow him in the ribs—you can’t call a baby a parasite.

  “Ouch.” Anderson glares at me but continues on, “We don’t know what it’s like to have our bodies change every day… is that better?”

  Okay, that sounded sweet, so I nod.

  “All we know is that when you’re sick, we hold your hair back while you hurl into the bowl. All we know how to do is… when it’s two in the morning, we call out to get pickles and ice cream. Or when you need it, we rub your feet or cook a meal…” He frowns. “Shit, no, I mean… pay someone to cook you a meal.” He shakes his head. “All I’m saying is it must be hard for a man to watch his woman go through so much and not be a part of it. Men are fixers… we need to fix shit. So, when you’re pregnant, the only thing we can do is fix, and that means being there on the sidelines as your biggest cheerleader.”

  I stare at him in awe. “Fuck, Anderson, that speech was hot.” I am looking at my husband in an all-new light after that.

  “Thanks,” he whispers. “I know Logan can come off as aloof, grumpy, or Mr. Playboy, but deep down inside, he’s a simple man. Noah may be the flamboyant romantic of the two, but just because Logan doesn’t show it the same way Noah does doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a heart.”

  “I heard him talking to you at The Hamptons opening,” Lenna tells Anderson. “Logan said he only ever saw us as friends, and there wasn’t anything else there.”

  Anderson frowns as he tries to recollect the conversation. “You might not realize this, but we are guys.” He chuckles. “And guys don’t talk about their feelings. You had just called time on whatever was going on between the two of you. He was probably trying to save face in front of me. Us men have egos the size of our dicks.” Anderson bursts out laughing.

  “We know how big your ego is.” I grin at my husband as my eyes dip to his crotch.

  “Oh, for fuck’s sake, I’m out of here. I’m leaving you two alone before you decide to rip each other’s clothes off in front of me.” Lenna quickly gathers her things as I’m seconds away from launching myself at my husband.