Chapter 6: Filthy Rich Bosses: Chapter 6

I freeze, caught between Grayson’s thunderous scowl and Chase’s carefree grin. The tension in the air is thick enough to cut with a knife. My wine buzz has instantly disappeared.

Grayson’s piercing blue eyes narrow as he flicks them toward Chase before focusing his attention on me. ‘I hired you to train the dog, not the man-child,’ he snaps, his voice low and controlled but laced with anger.

Chase throws his hands up, that easy smile still playing on his lips. ‘It’s like…ten at night, dude. She’s not on the clock anymore,’ he drawls, seemingly unfazed by Grayson’s fury.

I can’t help but admire Chase’s ability to stay so relaxed in the face of Grayson’s intensity. But then again, he doesn’t seem to take anything seriously.

Grayson’s jaw clenches, and I swear I can hear his teeth grinding from here. ‘That’s not an excuse for—’

‘Welp, I’m beat,’ I interject, forcing a yawn. ‘Long day of moving into your ridiculous mansion and all that. Night, boys!’

I don’t wait for a response, slipping into the darker part of the pool and snatching up the towel that Douglas holds out. I’m well aware of all eyes on my naked backside as I get out of the pool. I quickly wrap the towel around me and don’t look back, practically sprinting up the stairs to escape the brewing storm. My heart’s pounding as I slip into my room, closing the door with a soft click.

I lean against it, letting out a long breath. ‘Smooth, Tessa. Real smooth,’ I mutter to myself.

The room around me is cozy, if a bit bland. There’s a huge mahogany bed with two nightstands and a dresser to match. I’ve never had matchy furniture like this—it’s so incredibly boring. Off the main part of the room is a nook with an ivory overstuffed chair and a lamp. I guess rich people like to read in a spot like this. Not me—I preferred to be sprawled out on my bed.

It all feels very sterile but I did add a couple of homey touches. My favorite fleece blanket is draped over the bed, and a few framed photos of past rescue dogs sit on the nightstand.

I flop onto the bed, burying my face in my pillow. It smells faintly of lavender—fancy rich people detergent, I guess.

‘What have I gotten myself into?’ I groan, rolling onto my back to stare at the ceiling. Between Zeus, the apparent demon dog, Chase, the overgrown frat boy with magic fingers, and Grayson the brooding billionaire, I’m starting to wonder if I’ve bitten off more than I can chew.

But then I think of all the dogs I could help with this fat paycheck. I can’t give up now. I’ve faced worse than this.

I push myself off the bed with a sigh, rummaging through my suitcase for my favorite pajamas—an oversized T-shirt with a cartoon dog on it and some soft, flannel bottoms. As I change, I hit play on my phone, letting the soothing tones of my favorite true crime podcast fill the room.

‘Come here, girl,’ I call softly to Lulu, patting the bed beside me. My loyal companion hops up, curling into my side with a contented huff.

I scratch behind her ears, murmuring, ‘Thank God you’re here with me. We’ll get through this together.’

Grabbing my phone, I open the messaging app from the rescue. My heart skips a beat when I see a new message from Mia.

‘Oh no,’ I whisper, opening it quickly. ‘Please be okay, Buddy…’

There’s a photo of a scruffy terrier mix, looking much perkier than when I last saw him. The message reads: ‘Buddy’s fever broke! He’s eating again and should be ready for foster care by next week.’

I let out a relieved laugh, showing Lulu the screen. ‘Look at that! Our little fighter pulled through.’ Lulu wags her tail excitedly like she knows exactly what I’m saying.

As I scroll through more updates, my mind wanders back to earlier. Chase’s touch, followed by Grayson’s piercing gaze.

‘What if I can’t do this?’ I whisper to Lulu, who looks up at me with trusting eyes. ‘What if I’m not good enough to help Zeus? And Grayson…he’s so…’ I trail off, not even sure how to describe that man’s level of intensity. “I already know I’m in trouble with Chase.”

My eyelids grow heavy as I snuggle deeper into the plush pillows. ‘Tomorrow,’ I mumble, ‘tomorrow we’ll figure it out…’

And with that, I drift off to sleep, Lulu’s steady breathing a comforting lullaby.

The insistent beeping of my alarm drags me from sleep. I fumble for my phone, squinting at the too-bright screen. Five-thirty a.m. Ugh.

But as I remember why I set it so early, a surge of determination pushes me out of bed. Today, I’m going to make progress with Zeus, no matter what.

Lulu pops her head out from beneath the blanket she commandeered last night. “Oh, no, girl. You’re staying here. I don’t know how Zeus will react to you yet.”

I check Lulu’s water bowl, throw on some clothes, and head downstairs. The house is still quiet in the early morning light. As I round the corner into the kitchen, I nearly collide with a shirtless Chase.

‘Whoa there, Tessa,’ he says, carrying an armful of food. ‘Didn’t expect to see anyone else up at the ass-crack of dawn.’

I can’t help but notice the colorful tattoos snaking across his arms and chest. ‘Early bird gets the worm,’ I quip, trying to keep my eyes on his face. ‘Or in your case, the entire contents of the fridge?’

He grins, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. ‘Gotta fuel up before I go into hiding.’

‘Hiding?’ I ask, raising an eyebrow.

Chase leans in conspiratorially, his voice lowered. ‘Let’s just say Grayson wasn’t thrilled with our little adventure yesterday. I need to keep a low profile for a few days, unless I want him to remove my balls with a rusty knife.’

I can’t help but snort at that. ‘Ouch. Sounds like Grayson’s not a fan of spontaneous play dates.’

‘You have no idea,’ Chase mutters, grabbing a banana. ‘So, uh, how’s everything else? Any regrets?’

Before I can answer, the kitchen door swings open and a flurry of activity bursts in. Staff members bustle around, prepping for the day. I feel their curious glances, but try to focus on grabbing some toast and fruit.

‘Guess that’s my cue,’ Chase says, backing away with his food hoard. ‘Good luck with Zeus. Try not to let Grayson intimidate you too much.’

As he disappears, I can’t help but wonder if I should be more worried about Zeus or his intense owner.

I finish my breakfast quickly, eager to get started with Zeus. But as I scan the kitchen and nearby rooms, there’s no sign of Grayson. Typical. I need his permission to work with Zeus, but the man’s nowhere to be found.

With a sigh, I decide to track down Douglas. He seems to know everything that goes on in this house. I wander through the sprawling hallways, my footsteps echoing on the polished floors.

‘Douglas?’ I call out, poking my head into various rooms.

I finally spot him in what looks like a study, but he’s…dancing? To no music? His back is to me as he sways, arms waving in the air like he’s conducting an invisible orchestra.

I clear my throat. ‘Uh, Douglas?’

He whirls around, face flushing. ‘Miss Morrow! I was just, ah, practicing my tai chi.’

‘Right,’ I say, fighting back a grin. ‘Very…energetic tai chi.’

Douglas straightens his tie, composing himself. ‘How can I assist you?’

‘I’m looking for Grayson. I need to start working with Zeus.’

His expression softens. ‘Ah, I’m afraid Mr. Harrington had an early meeting. But I can introduce you to Zeus if you’d like?’

I nod, following him out to the back of the house. As we walk, I can’t help but ask, ‘So…does Grayson often disappear like this?’

Douglas’s pause is telling. ‘Mr. Harrington is a very busy man, Miss Morrow. But I assure you, Zeus’s welfare is of utmost importance to him.’

We reach a spacious kennel area, and I see him—a gorgeous German Shepherd, his ears perked up at our approach. But there’s wariness in his eyes that makes my heart ache.

‘This is Zeus,’ Douglas says softly. ‘He was…he was Sarah’s dog.’

The name hangs in the air, loaded with unspoken meaning. I want to ask who Sarah is—was?—but something in Douglas’s tone stops me.

Instead, I crouch down, speaking gently to Zeus. ‘Hey there, handsome. Want to go for a walk?’

I lead Zeus out to the sprawling backyard, my pocket heavy with treats. The morning sun warms my skin as I observe him, noting how he moves with a mix of caution and curiosity.

‘All right, buddy,’ I murmur, ‘let’s see what you’re all about.’

Zeus’ ears prick up at my voice, but he keeps his distance. I sit cross-legged on the grass, letting him approach on his own terms. As I watch, I notice how his tail twitches when a bird chirps nearby and how his posture stiffens when he hears a car in the distance.

‘You’re a sensitive soul, aren’t you?’ I say softly, more to myself than to Zeus.

I pull out a treat, holding it where he can see. His nose twitches, interest sparking in those soulful brown eyes.

‘Come on, handsome. It’s okay.’

For a moment, Zeus takes a step forward, then hesitates. I hold my breath, willing him to trust me. Then, miracle of miracles, he inches closer.

‘Good boy,’ I whisper, my heart soaring. ‘That’s it.’

Encouraged, I decide to try a simple command. ‘Zeus, sit.’

To my amazement, he lowers his haunches for a split second before popping back up. It’s not perfect, but it’s progress.

‘Yes!’ I exclaim, tossing him the treat. ‘Good boy, Zeus! What a smart boy!’

As I praise him, I notice movement out of the corner of my eye. A few of the household staff have paused in their morning routines, watching us with undisguised surprise.

‘Did you see that?’ I call out, unable to contain my excitement. ‘He almost had it!’

One of the maids, an older woman with kind eyes, smiles warmly. ‘It’s been a long time since we’ve seen Zeus respond like that to anyone,’ she says. ‘You must have the magic touch, Miss Morrow.’

I feel a blush creep up my cheeks, but I can’t help the pride swelling in my chest. ‘We’ve got a long way to go,’ I admit, ‘but this is a great start.’

As I turn back to Zeus, I catch a glimpse of movement in an upstairs window. For just a moment, I swear I see Grayson watching us. But when I blink, he’s gone.

‘Well, Zeus,’ I say, reaching for another treat, ‘shall we try again?’