Wreck Me (Savage Bosses)

Chapter Thirteen

Tahani

Give Me Grace

The next morning, I expect to see Contessa sitting at her old desk, but I’m greeted by the sight of Grace Thompson sitting in her chair. She’s answering phones and greeting clients, but I know she’s not here to handle reception duties. She’s waiting for me.

"Miss Stevens, a moment please," her cool voice slices through the air, stopping me in my tracks.

I turn to face her, the knot in my stomach tightening as our eyes meet. Her sharp gray eyes don’t waver. "Of course, Grace," I reply, trying to sound composed. "How can I help you?"

"Walk with me," she orders, rising from her seat, her statuesque form towering as she begins to stride briskly down the hall.

I follow, my pulse racing. What now?

"I’ve been hearing... more rumors about your involvement with Mr. Gates." Her words are clipped, cutting straight to the point.

"Rumors?" My heart sinks. Again with these damn rumors.

"Indeed," she continues, her tone unyielding. "And this time, they’re more specific. There’s talk that your relationship with him has become... intimate."

"Grace, I assure you—" I start, but she raises her hand, silencing me with a single gesture.

"Please, Tahani," she says, her voice laced with steel. "Don’t insult my intelligence. I’m not here to lecture you or pass judgment. I simply need to know if there’s truth to these allegations. If there is, we must consider the potential impact on the company’s reputation."

I feel the heat rise in my chest, but I push it down, keeping my voice steady. "Archer and I are professionals. Our personal lives have never interfered with our work. We are committed to our projects and to Iconic’s success. Besides, Archer owns Iconic. He stands to lose the most if something goes wrong."

Grace stops abruptly, turning to face me, her eyes narrowing. "Do I have to remind you that Zeenith is a high-stakes project? If there’s an affair scandal, it could derail everything, including your licensing deal. Glitches have been reported, and people will start questioning your focus and whether or not you were given preference because of your relationship with the owner. The fallout could be catastrophic."

I straighten my posture, refusing to let Grace's words weigh me down. “With all due respect, Grace, let me make something clear,” I say, my voice steady and unwavering. She turns back to face me, her eyebrows raised in surprise. “I understand your responsibility to Iconic, and I respect that,” I continue, keeping my gaze locked with hers. “But I have a responsibility too. To myself, to my work, and to this company. And I’ve poured my heart and soul into Zeenith long before Archer arrived. I won’t let my personal life interfere with my professional one, but I also won’t apologize for being in love with someone who respects me, who sees my value.”

Grace blinks, her unreadable expression faltering just slightly.

I take a deep breath and step forward, holding my ground. “I’m a damn good engineer, Grace. You know that. And I’m not going to let rumors or office politics jeopardize what I’ve worked so hard to build.”

The silence between us thickens as my words hang in the air. Grace’s eyes narrow, but there’s no mistaking the flicker of respect beneath her steely gaze. She crosses her arms, considering me for a moment longer than necessary.

“Very well,” she finally says, her tone losing some of its edge. “But you must understand, Tahani. If this escalates, if it starts to affect the company, I will have to step in.”

I nod, my heart steady now. “I get that. But trust me, there won’t be any problems. Archer and I can handle our personal lives without it affecting Iconic. You have my word.”

Her lips press into a thin line, but she doesn’t challenge me further. Instead, she gives a curt nod. “Good. See that there aren’t.” With that, she turns on her heel and walks away.

I don’t slump against the wall when she leaves. Instead, I stand tall, my heart pounding, but for a different reason now. This day may be spiraling out of control, but I’m not letting anyone control me.

I barely have time to catch my breath when Archer appears in front of me, his brows furrowed with concern. "Tahani," he says softly, his voice a lifeline. "Are you okay?"

"No," I admit, my voice trembling despite my efforts to hold it together. "I just had a tough conversation with Grace."

His expression darkens immediately. "Grace? What did she say?"

"She’s worried about the potential consequences for the company… about us being together," I say, avoiding his gaze as I try to keep my composure. "But I told her we’re committed to our work and that we’re not letting this affect anything at Iconic."

His jaw tightens, the muscles working as frustration simmers just beneath the surface. "I have already told her to drop this topic. She has no right to question you. I will get Regina to schedule a meeting with her immediately!"

"Archer, calm down—" I begin, but he’s already launching into action, the protective edge in his voice hardening. "And Mason. That snake’s been after you since the start," he growls. "I’m done with him. I’ll have the tech team dig through his computer history today. If he’s touched Zeenith—if he’s even thought about tampering with it—I’ll make sure he regrets ever coming after you."

He starts to stalk away from me, and I know he’s only trying to protect me, but I don’t want him to overreact.

"Archer, stop," I say, stepping in front of him. My hands land on his chest, trying to calm the storm raging inside him. "Remember, last night you agreed to handle this strategically. You can’t blow this up into something bigger."

His eyes flash with fury, but he pauses, searching my face. "Why not? They’ve crossed the line, Tahani. Grace, Mason—they’re both trying to undermine you, and I won’t stand for it."

"I know it’s frustrating," I whisper, my voice thick with emotion. "But you can’t do this right now. Please. I don’t want things to get worse before we can figure out who’s really behind the glitches."

His chest rises and falls as he tries to rein in his anger, his hands coming up to gently grip my arms. "I don’t like this, Tahani. I don’t like seeing you upset and knowing they’re coming after you."

"I’ll be okay," I promise, though my own doubts linger. "Just give me a little time. If we rush into this, we might miss something."

His jaw clenches again, but after a moment, he exhales sharply, nodding. "Fine. I’ll back off—for now. But whoever is behind this won’t get away with it."

"I know," I say softly, relief flooding through me. "Thank you."

Archer pulls me close, pressing a kiss to my forehead with no regard for who might be watching. I can still feel the tension in his body. He’s not letting this go. Not completely.

"I’m serious, Tahani," he murmurs against my hair. "The second you need me to step in, I will. Just say the word."

"I will," I promise, pulling back to look him in the eyes. "But for now, let’s focus on the project and see what we can find out."

"Okay." He nods, though the fire in his eyes still burns hot. "But I am not going to wait too long before I let them both know what’s between us is not for them to judge or concern themselves with."

With that, he turns and walks away, leaving me standing there wondering, what have I gotten myself into?

As I finally step into my office, setting my purse down, I let out a shaky breath. Contessa will be here today. That’s something to look forward to.

But in the back of my mind, I can’t help but wonder how much longer I can hold off Archer’s need for retaliation. And when he finally lets loose, there’s no telling what kind of chaos will follow.