Page 501 of Savage Bosses

“All right, sis. Just let me know if he gets out of pocket. Don’t make me break my size thirteens off in his ass.”

Shayla scowls and shakes her head. “She’s right, Bray. You can’t keep running to her rescue.”

“What exactly is the issue?” he asks.

“He’s rude, Brayden. Honestly, he’s worse than he used to be. I don’t know how he could be a friend of yours, let alone your best friend. He’s changed.”

“Interesting. He said the same thing about you.”

“He called you?”

“No. I called him to see how you were doing on your first day.”

“Bray!”

“I just wanted to make sure everything was going well.”

“So, you knew that he was my boss?” I ask, leaving the dining table, walking to his couch, and plopping down.

“Found out Monday, just like you. I knew he would be in town working this week and not traveling. I asked him to drop in and check on you. That’s when he told me. I know you both have this in common; you’re hard workers with a great work ethic, and you’ve excelled rapidly in your careers. Besides, I’m happy about it. Now I have someone else to look out for my little sister when I’m not around.”

That was the one thing that drove me crazy when I did work for my sister’s cosmetics company. Brayden scared every potential man away from me at work, not that I was interested. No one dared cross me up or piss me off because they were scared of him. It made it difficult to have workplace friendships, let alone relationships.

I shake my head. “You don’t understand. The guy is hard and callous. If he’s like that on my first day and hasn’t had a chance to show his true colors, I don’t want to imagine what he’s like to work for. It was a battle not to walk out today and tell him to kiss my ass and shove his job where the sun don’t shine,” I grumble, pulling my feet up on the couch as Brayden’s dog, Macchiato, jumps beside me.

I pat my lap, and the little brown toy poodle jumps into my lap and snuggles up as I rub his head.

“And do what, Brynn? Run back to Layla Amara?”

“Be careful, Bray. She just might,” Shayla mumbles.

Turning my gaze to her, I point my finger at her. “And you, you don’t get to judge,” I warn Shayla.

Holding her hands out, Shayla says, “You’re right, I don’t, but I know Ro, too, Bryn. He’s a decent man who’s kind, loving, and patient so the man you’re referencing may be just his professional persona, and I’m sure he didn’t get to where he is being soft and easy. The fact that he’s now the CEO of a major corporation at the age of thirty-seven is a testament to his hard work ethic. You haven’t even given him a chance, and you’re ready to call it quits.”

“I didn’t quit. I just said the asshole makes me want to. I’m hoping that I’ll be successful here.”

“I don’t see that happening if you keep calling him an asshole,” Shayla says.

Rolling my eyes, I turn to Brayden. “Your friend is an asshole.”

“I promise you he’s not. If he acted like that, there was a reason he did.”

“Take his side, why don’t you?”

“Not taking his side, just pointing out obvious facts. Give him the benefit of the doubt.”

“I’ve got my closing tomorrow at six,” I say, changing the subject.

I lift Macchiato into my arms and bury my face in his soft fur.

“Brayden, maybe you can go with her,” Shayla suggests.

“Why do you care?”

She smirks and says, “Just interested in my man’s sister having her best shot at life, that’s all. I can’t wait for you to get moved in. You need something bigger and worthy of your new salary.”

“Hey, she made a pretty penny at Layla Amara,” Brayden defends.

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