Hidden Secrets: Billionaire Boss, #3

By Lisa M. Miller

I've been in love with Kate ever since she walked into my bar six years ago, needing a job to help her through college. Unfortunately for Kate, bad things happen to the women I love but even this isn't enough for me to keep my distance. I've not been able to get our night in Vegas out of my head and I'm done tormenting us both. Like I need my next breath, I need Kate.

Mike is my boss. My super broody, handsome boss. The guy gets me on so many levels, right down to the kinky stuff. He's given me every opportunity since I started working for him. I'm his right hand. He depends on me for so much. Why will he not let me incompletely? Into his bed. Into his heart.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lisa M. Miller
• Release date: Jan 31, 2023
• ISBN: 9781739838249

Lisa M. Miller

Lisa M. Miller is a UK based contemporary romance author. She loves her Billionaire boys best. Lisa loves to read when she is not busy writing. You can follow her on social media on the following: IG @lmmillerbooks TikTok @lisammillerbooks

Book preview

PROLOGUE

MIKE

VEGAS - OPENING NIGHT

My friends think I can’t see what’s right in front of me. Case in point, tonight celebrating the opening of two of my best friends' Vegas hotel. Everyone has spent the whole day trying to get Kate and me closer together. Like I’m blind or something. I know how hot she is. I’m not an idiot, despite what my friends might think. I see the way she looks at me. Sleeping with Kate was always going to be a line I was unwilling to cross. I depend on her way too much. She’s my better half, my right hand, and the best employee I have by a long shot.

Unfortunately, after a few too many whiskeys and Kate wearing a dress, I’d never in a million years think I’d see her in. Yes, I’ve seen her in a hell of a lot less at the clubs I own. But something about the dress she wore tonight made me break the ONLY rule I ever cared about not breaking.

It’s also been the single most explosive night of my life. Her body reacted to me perfectly, like Beethoven playing the piano. I know she will hate my guts when she wakes up in the morning. But I know it’s for the best. I do the only thing I can and leave her bedroom and a note on the bedside table.

I was too messed up for her.

I love and respect her too much to see her get hurt.

Because I know she will.

They always end up dying. It started with my birth and the death of my mom.

It was always my fault.

1

MIKE

PRESENT DAY

I’m sitting in the conference room one floor below the rooftop bar–Sunset Bar–is my base of operations. This was the first bar I owned in LA, and it will always be near and dear to me. It is also the place my friends come to hang out. Or have post-work drinks. It’s located on the roof of a fancy hotel I own. When the owner of the hotel was looking at selling six years ago, I took him up on the opportunity. Nobody else knows I own the hotel except her. She knows all my secrets. All my deals, good and bad.

I’m the King of my empire, and Kate is my Queen. I’m never going to get married again. I’m never going to have kids.

She’s the only person in the conference room with me. I shouldn’t be surprised. She’s never once been late for a meeting, even after Vegas. Every Monday, we start with lunch, which Kate always orders, and all of the managers from my clubs and bars come. They might all think Kate has the same job as them, but they’d be wrong. Kate’s paycheck is more than double what most of these guys make. Why? Because Kate saved my ass when she was just a waitress at this place, and I’ve never forgotten it.

Kate’s been different since Vegas. I don’t know what I was expecting. Her to be pining after me? No, that's not her style. I think about that night a lot. Every. Single. Night. To be exact. Before Vegas, I even tried to sleep with a carbon copy of her; I know I’m a real Prince Charming. That didn’t help. Most of our interactions now happen while she’s working, and I swear she wears the tightest and shortest clothes to get under my skin. The Monday morning staff meeting is a casual affair. Kate has taken to coming to the Monday meeting in yoga pants and a tank top that shows off all the parts of her body I worshiped that night. My cock is rock hard watching her walk around the room getting stuff ready.

Hello, she says. By the tone of her speech, I can assume that she has been trying to grab my attention for some time.

Yeah?

Where did you go?

Nothing, just thinking about something, I say, adjusting myself.

She gives me a once-over. Mike, you’re gross. Who was the poor woman? Or girl? Her face turns a slight shade of red when she’s either turned on or pissed off. I’m guessing this is because of the latter.

Why, you jealous? I’m a dick. I know this.

No. She says way too quickly. Her eyes stay on me longer, probably more than she’d like.

Oh, she’s definitely jealous; I wiggle my eyebrows at her.

She rolls her eyes and sits down in a chair across from me. She opens her iPad, and I see her typing away. God, she can be so transparent sometimes.

People filter in from the elevator over the next twenty minutes, and everyone laughs and jokes around the table. She goes over the upcoming events at some of my businesses, such as which nights we have VIPs booked. Two hours later and everyone leaves to get ready to either open the businesses they’re managing or go home.

Once the room clears, I notice Kate putting her stuff in her bag, avoiding eye contact. She’s done that a lot in the last few months. Sure we still have a laugh and a joke, but she no longer looks me in the eye. I know that’s all my fault. I hurt her with my note. There was a time I thought she’d not seen it, which got me panicking.

I’m gonna get changed, and I’ll be upstairs. She says, heading towards the door.

I’ve not confided in Kate recently, and I usually tell her everything. Well, everything that is business related. Not about my random hook-ups; that definitely stopped after Vegas. Well, technically, before. She probably won’t believe me. But there has been no one since her.

Before you head up, I want to talk to you about something.

She stops what she’s doing and sits back down.

I’m finally doing it, I say, letting what I’ve just said sink in.

She sits back in her chair, and a huge smile spreads over her face. Her eyes light up. I’ve not been on the receiving end of that smile for too long.

When? She asks, and I know I have her full attention now.

Well, I found a space. Do you want to check it out with me?

Mike, if you’re serious, I need to talk to you about something.

Okay, I say, a little puzzled.

She looks at me nervously. I know you don’t like going into business with other people. You like to keep things simple. I know you have more money than you’ll ever need in this lifetime, she waffles on. But I want in.

This shocks me. I know it shouldn’t, but it does. When Kate started working for me, she was still getting her business degree; it’s how she naturally became my number two. We’ve joked about this for years, but I never thought she’d want to go into business with me.

I have capital, she says, and now I’m really fucking surprised. She stares at me for a long moment, and I know she’s trying to get a read on me.

I go to open my mouth and then close it again. Okay!

Kate’s eyes bug out as she swallows. Then the biggest smile I’ve ever seen on her face make’s me realize I’ve made the right decision.

Get your day covered tomorrow. We’ll meet here and go over some things; then I’ll take you over to the space.

She pulls out her phone and starts typing. Before I can remind her of the importance of business staying business, I hear her talking to someone from the other bar she manages.

I park my car in the parking garage, and we both head toward the elevator. She is dressed in a tight black pantsuit that clings to her and enhances all her greatest features. I can’t help but follow her and stare at her ass.

My jaw tightens as I follow her into the elevator. A memory from the last time we were in one flashed before my eyes. Vegas!

Her body tenses up, her skin flushes in arousal, and I know she’s thinking the same thing. She looks down at her feet, and I try my hardest not to look at her, but I can’t take my eyes off her.

It feels like the slowest elevator ride in history, with sexual tension in the air.

I’ll get the forms signed this afternoon, she says, her voice sounding as dry as mine feels.

Yeah, that sounds good, I mumble, my hands in my pockets, feet crossed at the ankle.

Finally, the doors open, and neither one of us can get out quickly enough. Juliet is waiting for us and eyes us suspiciously while she finishes her call.

Kate walks around some of the space, and my eyes go straight to her ass again. Those tailored pants are tight; her heels click on the floors. This building used to be office space, I saw it had gone up for sale and bought it within an hour. The previous owner needed to sell quickly.

Juliet clears her throat next to me; I need to stop ogling Kate in front of people. Juliet is definitely going to tell Josh about this. I look her in the eye and stare her down. It’s a look I’ve managed to hone that makes my staff know instantly they’ve pushed too far. Well, except Kate, she laughs a good percentage of the time. Juliet doesn’t seem affected by it either.

What do you think? I ask as I see her doing something on her iPad.

I like it. We’d have to change a couple of plans we originally had for this place.

I’m gob-smacked when she passes me her iPad, and I see she has our old sketches and designs from a few years ago. I look at her, but she moves away from me and walks around the space more. I sit on the windowsill, slowly swiping through pages and pages of every idea we’ve had about this place for the last couple of years. I get lost in the images and see she’s put her own ideas in here too. She sits next to me and rests her head on my shoulder; she’s not been this relaxed around me for so long.

I clicked on some more images, and her designs for some of the rooms are amazing. I finally look up and see Juliet is nowhere in sight.

She left a while ago. She has a meeting that she doesn’t want to be late for.

Okay, I say. Can you send me all of these?

Oh, course, she whispers as I hand it back.

Do you want me to show you the rest of the building? I ask her to stand up, and I hold my hand out to her to help her down.

I’d love you too.

I spent the next couple of hours showing her everything and my plans for the place. We pull the iPad out, and she makes notes on everything. She’d have made an amazing assistant if she’d wanted to, but Kate was made to lead. She was meant to rule her own kingdom. Here’s hoping we can do this…together.

2

KATE

I lower myself into my bath, full to the brim with bubbles. Spending the last couple of hours with Mike and looking around the new building was both the most amazing and stressful feeling. My poor body was on alert the whole time.

As soon as we set foot in the elevator, my mind took me back to the last time we were so close to each other, the night of the hotel opening. My pussy clenches just at the thought of that night. It was the single most amazing night of my life. I’ve had good, hell, even great sex in the past. But that one night with Mike was amazing. I snake my hand down my body, opening my legs slightly. My finger finds the one small part of my body that needs some attention. I put pressure on my clit, remembering how he first pushed me up against the mirrored elevator and closed in on me so I could feel his already rock-hard erection rubbing against me. The water sloshes around me, my nipples playing peek-a-boo through the bubbles. I moan, not caring how loud I am, I live alone, so I can scream to my heart's content if I want to.

I push two fingers through my center and know it’s no substitute for the guy who rocked my world in Vegas. The guy who smelled sexy as hell this afternoon in his dress pants and shirt with rolled-up sleeves, showing off the ink on his arms. It took all the power I had not to push him today, and it’s the main reason I wore pants and not a skirt or a dress. I needed to wear my armor around the guy. The last four months have been hell, and his note is a constant reminder of that. It’s in my toy drawer, my top drawer. The reminder of him torments me every time I open it.

I continue to fuck myself with my fingers, his body, and face on a loop. I scream in climax as I cum on my fingers and feel my gooey stickiness on my fingers. Thank god I was in my bath.

I love this apartment, and when Alex told me he was selling it, he asked me if I wanted to buy it. I jumped at the chance. He knows I love this place. It’s in a great location and has a doorman, so it’s safe, and it helps that Josh owns the building.

A little later, I curl up on the couch, music playing through the sound system and a glass of whiskey on the coffee table.

On my iPad, I open the app and sort out the rotas for the two places I manage. Spending all afternoon with him looking at the space for the new club meant I didn't have time to do my admin stuff this afternoon.

A notification comes up on my screen, and I see Mike is also working late.

Mike: Can you send me those plans?

Kate: Document attached.

Mike: Stop by my apartment when you get to work tomorrow.

Kate: I can’t; I’m not at Sunset tomorrow.

Today was way too intense. I need some distance from him tomorrow and maybe the rest of the week. Mike lives at The Sunset, and everyone thinks it’s because he’s a control freak and can’t stay away from his baby. The truth is he loves that place. It’s the reason he bought the hotel when the last owner was selling. He’s always owned the rooftop bar, at least as long as I’ve known him. Of course, none of the guys know he owns the hotel; I’m not sure why. He’s always been vague on that. When we got back from Vegas, it took me a whole month before I could go back there and run the risk of bumping into him. Who am I kidding? You can almost guarantee he’ll make an appearance on the nights I'm working. The staff thinks we’ve been screwing for years. If only they knew the guy had been able to stay away from me for almost all of the six years he’d known me.

I’m shutting the bar tonight, so Issy asked if we could hang out this afternoon. Since she, Alex, and Josh all moved in together, I’m getting to see my friend a lot more. Her ex was a real shit-stain, and now she can work as much, or little, as she wants.

I’m sitting on a towel, propping myself up on my elbows and looking toward Issy.

You’re gonna make me drag it out of you, aren’t you?

I let my sunglasses fall down my nose to look at her over the top of them. After the Vegas debacle, Issy has just started to treat Mike the way she used to, and I don’t want to mess that up for them.

I’ll ask Mike then, she says, trying unsuccessfully to pull off confidence.

Ha, I’d love to see her try. I take a sip of my bottled water.

I’m waiting, says Issy.

Her confidence has been restored thanks to Josh and Alex, but she’s getting on my nerves.

Fine. We had a moment yesterday. The first time in months.

I look up and see Issy smiling from ear to ear.

I need to watch what I say here. "Yeah, we were looking at a location