Taking Control: A Billionaire Boss Romance (Playboys of New York Book 4) Read online

  “You need to rest. I’m going to go check on the others and then organize Dan’s stay for you.” Ariana stands and kisses me on the cheek before leaving the hospital room.

  My eyelids grow heavy, and before I know it, I’m asleep again.

  3

  Stella

  “Oh my God, babe. Look at you…” Dan rushes into the hospital room, and my eyes light up when I see him.

  EJ scowls from his side of the hospital room, and his large tanned arms are folded in front of him. Those green eyes laser-focused on my boyfriend as he enters the room.

  Dan leans down and kisses my cheek chastely. I can smell the stale alcohol on him. Did he go out partying last night?

  “Wow. You really were in an accident.” Dan stares down at me.

  Earlier, I was able to get myself to the bathroom to shower and to use the facilities. I saw my face for the first time—it’s black and blue. There’s a cut at the top of my forehead, where the nurse helped me wipe away the dried blood. My skin is lackluster, and my hair is a mess. I’m hungry, in pain, and feel completely sorry for myself. I’m hoping Dan being here with me will pull me out of the funk I am finding myself in.

  “You look like shit, babe.”

  Gee, thanks for that fantastic assessment.

  EJ grunts from his side of the room.

  “Can you walk?” Dan looks down at me.

  “She has a broken leg. Of course, she can’t walk,” EJ adds. “You idiot,” he mumbles the last bit under his breath.

  Dan completely ignores EJ and sits beside me.

  I reach out and grab his hand and entwine it with mine. “Thanks for coming, babe.”

  “Of course. I couldn’t let my best girl be all alone in this hospital bed.” He grins.

  “Best girl? She had better be your only girl,” EJ mumbles again under his breath. “Stella hasn’t been alone. The people who love her have been here all along,” EJ tells Dan, anger lacing his tone. His green eyes glare into the back of Dan’s head.

  What the hell is going on?

  Dan ignores him.

  What has gotten into EJ today? He’s not usually this aggressive toward Dan.

  “Right, well… I think we should go check on the others,” Ariana adds, sensing the tension escalating in the room. She grabs EJ by the arm and pulls him out of the door, leaving us alone.

  “What’s his problem?” Dan asks, pointing his thumb over his shoulder in the direction EJ just left.

  “I don’t know,” I tell him honestly.

  “Don’t think he likes me much,” Dan states with a shrug.

  “I think it’s the stress of everything that’s put him in a mood.” I try to smooth things over because I don’t need my boss and boyfriend not getting along. “I didn’t hear from you when you got in last night?”

  “I got in late, babe. I didn’t want to wake you. Thought you would need your rest.” He’s right. I did pass out early. Still, I’m a little upset that he wasn’t here when visiting hours started. He’s rolled in late, and that doesn’t sit right with me.

  “Did you go out?” The stale smell of alcohol, the dark circles under his eyes, and his being late to visit me tells me the answer to a question I know I probably shouldn’t have asked if I don’t want the truth.

  “You’re never going to believe it. I ran into some old friends on the plane, and they were staying next door, and so we caught up.” He shakes his head in bewilderment.

  “Did you have a big night?”

  “It’s Vegas, babe. Of course, it got a little crazy.”

  As if that explains everything.

  My stomach sinks as unease filters through my veins.

  “Were you even concerned I was in the hospital while you were partying?” Anger bubbles to the surface—I simply cannot help it. He was out having a great time while I’m stuck in a hospital bed after nearly dying, and I paid for him to fly out here to see me.

  “Of course, I was.” Dan gives me an honest look as he kisses my knuckles. “I knew you were in safe hands here.”

  “I would have been here the moment the doors opened this morning, not lunchtime,” I tell him.

  “Babe, the time change killed me.”

  Bullshit. As if that explains why he was this late coming to see me.

  “I’m sorry if I made you feel like I wasn’t concerned over what happened to you because I am.” He kisses my hands again. “I was worried sick the entire way here. I needed to let off some steam last night because I was so worried. I slept in, and that was inconsiderate of me.”

  My anger softens a smidgen. “I’ve missed you.”

  Dan stands and leans over the bed before bending and giving me a searing kiss, which makes me forget what I was angry about instantly.

  “I’m sorry, Stella.”

  4

  EJ

  “He’s a dick, that kid.” Sitting angrily in the waiting room with Logan and Noah, I vent my frustrations.

  “I see Dan’s made it into town.” Noah grins.

  “What the hell does Stella see in that guy?” I look between Noah and Logan.

  “Might be the fact that he has a six-pack and can dance?” Logan adds.

  “And I don’t?” Running my hand over my taut stomach, I continue, “Plus, I can cook. I’m rich. I—”

  “Fuck around with heaps of women in front of her,” Noah cuts me off.

  “Hey…” I state while sending a ‘what the fuck, dude’ look to my friend.

  “Girls don’t like guys who flaunt their sexual history in front of them.” He continues to pile his thoughts on me.

  “Um, hello. Dan is a stripper.”

  “But, is he sleeping with all those women?” Logan adds.

  Probably, I know I would if I was him. All those women throwing themselves at you would be hard to resist.

  “He went out partying last night as soon as he got in,” I tell them as if that explains the way I’m feeling. The moment I heard the words ‘car accident, Stella’s hurt’, I haven’t been able to get rid of this sinking feeling inside my stomach. This sense of anxiety over her. The thought that I was so close to losing her, and I…

  You what, EJ? I don’t know.

  It doesn’t matter now, anyway.

  She’s with the stripper, Douchebag Dan, and he is the one in there comforting her. Being the person she needs.

  “And?” Logan questions.

  “And what?” I glare back at my friend. “He flew in because his ‘supposed’…” I air quote the shit out of the word, “… girlfriend is in the hospital after a near-death experience, and he rocks on up at lunchtime smelling like a fucking brewery.”

  Noah and Logan look between each other, having some secret twin conversation I’m not privy to.

  “It’s okay for you to feel upset that this has happened to Stella,” Noah advises me. “She has been a part of your life for years now… your right-hand person. You care for her. She’s important to you.”

  “She’s more than an employee,” I tell them.

  “I know,” Logan adds. “Believe me… I know what it’s like to want someone you can’t have. But Lenna and I worked out in the end.”

  Turning my head, I stare at Logan. I think he’s forgotten the shit that happened between him and Lenna, now that they are all loved-up and are a little family.

  “If your feelings have changed toward Stella, then you’re going to have to fight for her. But…” Logan points his finger at me, “… only if you are ready for it. Don’t you dare fuck that girl around.” he declares sternly.

  “Stella is a beautiful human being. She deserves happiness, and if you are not willing to put your lifestyle aside for her, then don’t do it,” Noah adds.

  “Am I that bad of a guy?” Honestly, I am genuinely confused that my friends think I’m such a douche.

  “You’re not a bad guy,” Noah starts tentatively. “You just like women. A lot of women.” He emphasizes the words.

  I’m young. Single. Why shouldn�
��t I enjoy what the city has to offer?

  “Do you even want something with Stella?” Noah questions.

  “I don’t know…” I shrug my shoulders, “… I always thought she would be there. Then this accident happened, and my feelings are very confused all of a sudden.” I try to be as honest as I can with my friends.

  “Seems like the shock over nearly losing Stella might have triggered how you truly feel about her?” Logan grins.

  Maybe he’s right.

  I’m just in shock.

  “And how do you truly feel about her?” Noah asks.

  When the hell did these guys get so deep into their feelings? When they fell in love, dude.

  “That I don’t want to lose her.” Those words are the truth. Anything else outside of that I don’t know what I am feeling. Logan and Noah look at each other again, being freaky with their twin glances.

  “As a friend? Or as something more?” Noah pushes.

  “I don’t know.” Looking at them both, I sigh. “I just don’t know.”

  “Then you leave her alone if you’re not sure,” Noah adds. “She has someone, and as much as you think he’s a douche, I can assure you Stella doesn’t.”

  “I just want to wipe that slimy grin off his face every time I see him.” My hands clench beside me into fists while thinking about the satisfaction I would get from punching Dan in the face.

  “You do that, and I guarantee you’ll lose Stella.” Noah gives me an intense look.

  “Sounds like you’re jealous,” Logan adds with a grin.

  “Of that dickhead.” I give Logan a gruff huff. “He and I aren’t even competition.”

  “Not of who he is but because of who he’s with.” Logan raises a brow at me.

  “Because he gets to be with the one girl you can’t,” Noah adds.

  These fuckers are tag-teaming me. I glare at them both because they just might be right.

  “Fuck you both,” I express, which makes them both burst out laughing at me. Fuckers.

  “The doctor is coming to see Stella if you want to come in,” Ariana advises. Getting up, I follow after her down the halls toward Stella’s room. We wait for a little while the doctor explains to Stella what happens when she gets home to New York before I step in. The doctor looks up and acknowledges us as we enter the room.

  “Can you repeat what you just said to them, please, doc,” Stella adds.

  Her face is pale. Is everything okay?

  “So, what I was just telling Stella here was that when she gets back to New York, she is going to need someone to help her for the first six to eight weeks of her recovery. She needs to wear the cast all of that time. Then once it’s off, she’s going to need physiotherapy to get back the muscle mass that she has lost from being bedridden for weeks.” The doctor looks around the room at us all.

  “Bedridden?” Stella’s voice rises. “I can’t be bedridden for that long. I have work and a life,” she tells the doctor.

  “I understand, but like I said, that’s why I suggested you either move in with someone who can look after you fulltime or have someone move in with you.” The doctor gives her a stern look, and I can tell he means business.

  “My apartment is a studio,” she mumbles into the room to no one in particular.

  “I won’t be able to discharge you unless I know you have someone to care for you,” the doctor tells her, then turns and looks at Ariana and me. “Let me know once you’ve found a solution.” And with that little bombshell, he leaves the room.

  Stella has crossed her arms and is pouting and brooding.

  Dan is nervously sitting beside her.

  Why the hell is he not stepping up and taking care of his girlfriend?

  Ariana gives me a small grin.

  “Stells, we might give you a minute, okay?” Ariana tells her.

  Stella nods but barely acknowledges her. Ariana pulls me from the hospital room and into the hall.

  “I live in a studio like Stella. I will take her, but I don’t think there’s going to be enough space.” Ariana’s eyes narrow on me.

  “Spit it out, Ari.”

  “I was waiting for you to stand up and suggest she stay with you.” She folds her arms across her chest.

  “I was waiting for her dickhead of a boyfriend to find the courage and say he will care for her before I did,” I reply, defending myself.

  “You were?” Ariana’s brows raise high on her forehead at my admission.

  “Of course. I’m not heartless. I have space. Plus, Stella’s my employee, and I feel responsible for her. I mean, she was here for the first anniversary of my restaurant, so technically, it is a work trip.”

  Ariana’s eyes narrow on me again. “Okay.”

  I can see she wants to say more but doesn’t.

  “I’ll wait till Douchebag Dan leaves, and then I’ll broach the subject, but I know she isn’t going to go for it.”

  “Tell her she can work from her bed,” Ariana states.

  “I have a feeling it’s the me factor, not the work factor.” Letting out a heavy sigh, I simply don’t know how to bring up the subject with Stella right now.

  5

  Stella

  “Stella…” Dan looks at me. We have been left alone in the room after the doctor just dropped a diagnosis bomb. “I think we need to talk.” His voice is solemn. “What the doctor just said…” His words fall away.

  “What about it?” My heart begins beating a million miles a minute.

  A sense of foreboding has appeared.

  Dan’s going to break up with me, isn’t he?

  “I want to help, but I can’t,” he declares.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I can’t look after you,” he adds while twisting his hands together.

  “I wouldn’t expect you to, Dan,” I reply. Reaching out, I take his hands in mine. “We have only been dating seriously for a little while. This…” waving my head over my leg, “… is a lot to deal with. I wouldn’t do that to you.” His face takes on a relieved look. “Plus, you have two other housemates who I don’t think would be keen on the patient being there twenty-four-seven.”

  “I just feel bad, Stella, that’s all.”

  “It’s not your fault. It is what it is,” I tell him. “I’ll work it out.” He leans over and kisses me deeply.

  A throat clears, and Dan sits back down and turns to look at Ariana and EJ standing at the doorway.

  “Everything all good?” Ariana asks, looking between Dan and me.

  “Sure.” Trying to sound upbeat, but really, I have no idea where I’m going to live or what’s going to happen.

  “I’m heading downstairs to the cafeteria to grab a coffee.” Dan stands. “I’ll leave you guys to it.” He smiles at me as he walks out of the hospital room. EJ’s eyes narrow on him as Dan walks past.

  “I’m taking it by the smile on your face that you’re moving in with Dan?” Ariana asks.

  “Nope. He doesn’t have the room. Plus, I couldn’t do that to him,” I explain to her.

  “Wait, your boyfriend isn’t going to look after you?” EJ questions. I can see the frown on his forehead deepen.

  “Dan has roommates. Plus, we haven’t been dating that long, and you know… I couldn’t do that to him.” Not that I need to explain my reasoning to EJ, but I still feel the need to do so.

  “What are you going to do?” Ariana asks.

  “Guess I’m going to be staying in Vegas a little longer than I anticipated. I’m sure it’s nice here.”

  “Stella.” EJ glares at me. “You are not staying in Vegas.”

  “You heard the doctor. He won’t sign me out unless I have somewhere to live, and at the moment, I don’t have anywhere to go.” I can feel my throat closing over as my emotions get the better of me. Ariana turns and looks at EJ, and they have some sort of silent conversation between the two of them.

  “I think you should stay with me,” EJ announces.

  I burst out laughing. However, t
he room is silent, and as I look between Ariana and EJ, I think they can’t be serious. “This is a joke, isn’t it?”

  “No. Why would I joke about something like this?” EJ answers.

  “Because it’s you.” I didn’t mean for my comment to come out as harsh as it sounded.

  “And?” EJ crosses his muscular arms across his broad chest, and those velvety green eyes narrow in on me. There’s the beginning of a five o’clock shadow across his square jaw, and his brown hair is a stylish mess.

  “You’re my boss.” My voice raises.

  “And I would also hope a friend,” he adds, those green eyes narrow in on me.

  “It makes sense. You two work together so closely already,” Ariana explains to me.

  “But… but what about all your female friends? Don’t you think I would be cramping your style?” I add.

  “The women will still be there once I’ve finished looking after you. Don’t you worry about that?” He gives me a cocky wink.

  I’m sure they will be.

  Ariana rolls her eyes at him.

  “I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

  “Don’t think you could handle it, Stella?” A grin stretches across EJ’s handsome face. Of course, I could handle it. I am in a happy relationship now. I’m not the girl with a crush on her boss anymore, the one who would have been happy with whatever crumbs Elliot Jones threw my way. I feel like this accident rejigged my brain, and now I see EJ for what he is, a playboy who has no intention of settling down nor sticking with one woman.

  “Of course, I can handle it. I just don’t think you can.” My eyes narrow on him. “Have you ever lived with a girl?”

  “Um, yeah. Chloe,” he answers as if that explains everything.

  “You’re related to her. That doesn’t count,” I reply.

  “Then, no.” He shrugs his shoulders as if it’s no big deal.

  Ariana stifles a laugh. I shoot her a look, and she stops.

  “But we’ve worked together closely for years, Stell. It would be just like living with my sister.”