Chapter 30: Filthy Rich Bosses: Chapter 30

Grayson’s lap feels like the safest place in the world right now, even with the chaos swirling around us. The soft brush of fabric against my skin startles me for a moment before I realize Chase is draping a throw blanket around my shoulders.

His fingers brush my arm as he leans back, but his steady presence stays in my peripheral vision.

‘Thanks,’ I murmur, pulling the blanket tighter. The living room suddenly feels chilly, or maybe it’s the tension crackling in the air.

Chase winks at me. ‘Can’t have our girl catching a cold, can we?’

His playful tone doesn’t quite mask the concern in his eyes as he glances toward the doorway.

Juniper stands in the doorway, her usual perfect composure crumbling under the weight of her fury. Her lips curl like she’s just swallowed something bitter, but it’s not her that holds my attention.

The woman next to her snags it. She’s perfectly put together, with sharp features twisted in an expression of disgust that rivals Juniper’s. Something about her prickles at the back of my brain—like I should know her—but I can’t place her.

Grayson shifts beneath me, trying to stand, only to pause when he realizes I’m still there. His hands steady me instinctively, and when our eyes meet, my chest squeezes. There’s something in his gaze—so open, so affectionate—that it should scare me. But it doesn’t.

“You okay?” he murmurs, low enough that only I can hear.

I nod, swallowing hard, but whatever is building between us breaks when the unfamiliar woman takes a step forward and snaps, “How could you let this happen, Cole?”

Her voice is like nails on a chalkboard, shrill and unrelenting. My head whips toward Cole, whose face is an unreadable mask, but his grip on the back of the couch betrays the tension rolling off him.

“Get out, Morgan. Right now,” he says, his voice low and lethal, though his calm only seems to stoke her anger.

Morgan. The name hits me like a bucket of cold water. Oh, God. Cole’s psycho ex. It clicks just as she storms further into the room, hands gesturing wildly, her voice escalating.

“You’re not even going to listen to me? After everything?!”

Her words blur into the background noise of my pulse pounding in my ears. Before I can react, a blur of black and tan fur shoots into the room.

Zeus.

He skids to a stop in front of Morgan, a low, menacing growl vibrating in his chest. His teeth are bared, hackles raised, every inch the terrifying protector he’s trained to be.

Morgan freezes, her face a mask of fury and fear.

Grayson shifts beneath me, and I’m now perched on his lap like some oversized kid. His hands move to my waist, and for a moment, I think he’s going to push me away. Instead, his blue eyes lock onto mine, filled with a warmth that sends a shiver down my spine.

‘Tessa,’ he murmurs, his voice low and gentle. ‘I need to stand up. Are you okay?’

I nod, unable to form words. The affection in his gaze should send me running for the hills, but instead, it wraps around me like a comforting blanket.

Grayson’s hands tighten on my waist, and he gently lifts me to my feet. The loss of his warmth is immediate, but before I can dwell on it, Chase is there, his arm wrapping around my shoulders and pulling me back against his chest.

‘You okay, sweetheart?’ Chase murmurs, his breath tickling my ear.

I nod, grateful for his steadying presence. ‘Yeah, I’m fine. Just…confused.’

My eyes are drawn back to Zeus, still growling at the agitated woman. Grayson steps forward, his voice firm but calm. ‘Zeus, stand down.’

To my amazement, Zeus immediately responds. He backs up, his muscular body still tense, until he’s right in front of me. His protective stance doesn’t waver, and occasional low growls rumble from his chest, but he’s listening. He’s actually listening.

I can’t help but stare at Grayson in wonder. And when Grayson turns to look at me, the pride and joy shining in his eyes makes my heart skip a beat.

‘Good boy, Zeus,’ I whisper, fighting the urge to reach out and pet him. Now’s not the time, but God, I want to.

Grayson’s lips quirk up in a small smile, and I feel a warmth spread through my chest. It’s ridiculous how much his approval means to me already. I should be terrified by how much these men mean to me, but somehow, I’m not.

Chase’s arm tightens around me slightly. ‘You’ve got quite the way with animals, Tessa,’ he says, a note of admiration in his voice.

I shrug, trying to play it cool despite the flush I can feel creeping up my neck. ‘It’s nothing special. I just…understand them, I guess.’

‘What the hell is going on here?’ Juniper’s voice could cut glass.

I almost laugh. Because really, what does it look like? A grown woman curled up in her boss’s lap while his friends look on? Yeah, that’s exactly what it is.

‘Juniper,’ Grayson says, his tone careful. ‘I think the better question is what are you doing here?’

Chase chimes in, his usual carefree demeanor replaced by something more protective. ‘Ladies, why don’t we all take a breath and—’

‘Shut up, Chase,’ Juniper snaps, cutting him off. Her eyes never leave me, and I feel myself shrinking under her glare. ‘I knew you were trouble the moment you walked in.’

I want to defend myself, to explain that I have no idea what’s happening either, but the words stick in my throat. Instead, I find myself pressing closer to Chase, seeking comfort in his solid presence.

‘That’s enough,’ Grayson’s voice rumbles through his chest. ‘Juniper, Morgan I think it’s best if you both leave. We can discuss this later.’

The tension in the room ratchets up another notch, and I wonder absently if this is what it feels like to be in the eye of a storm. Calm for now, but with chaos swirling just beyond reach.

Before anyone can respond, Morgan’s shrill voice cuts through the air like a knife. ‘You!’ she screams, her eyes locking onto me with venomous intensity. I flinch instinctively, pressing back against Chase’s chest.

‘Did you stalk me and find out where my boyfriend was living so you could try to steal him, you homewrecking slut?’ The woman’s face is contorted with rage, her words dripping with venom.

I blink, completely blindsided. ‘What? I…I don’t even know who you are,’ I stammer, my mind reeling. Chase’s arm tightens protectively around me, and I’m grateful for the support.

Cole’s brows knit together in confusion, his usual calm slipping. He glances at me, clearly searching for answers I don’t have. But when his eyes land on my bewildered expression, something shifts. His posture straightens, his jaw tightens, and the storm brewing in his gaze suggests he’s beginning to piece something together.

“She doesn’t know you, Morgan,” Cole says, his voice like steel. “What the hell are you even talking about?”

But then it clicks. The memory slams into me like a freight train, and I gasp. My heart pounds against my ribcage as the realization sinks in.

I do know this woman.

It’s the same sharp features, the same perfect hair, the same icy demeanor. She’s the bitch who got me fired.

“You,” I whisper, my voice trembling with a mix of shock and anger.

Morgan’s face twists into a self-satisfied smirk, clearly interpreting my recognition as guilt. “Oh, so you do remember me,” she sneers.

“I remember you,” I say, stepping slightly out of Chase’s protective hold, even though my legs feel like jelly. ‘You’re the woman who got me fired.’

“You deserved it, you bitch.”

“You were abusing your dog, and I called you out for it.”

Morgan’s face darkens, her carefully curated mask slipping. “I was not—”

Morgan’s lips curl into a sneer, but before she can respond, Juniper steps forward, her sharp heels clicking against the hardwood.

“Enough!” Grayson growls.