Page 13 of Filthy Rich Bosses

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 forthe 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?"

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