Protection is Best Served With Benefits: MM DDlb Romance

Chapter Nine

Not edited or proofread.

Max

Griffin tugged me to a stop before I could rush off to my office. Quickly, his hand latched around my other elbow, keeping me from spilling Axel's coffee all over myself. "Easy, baby," he rumbled, stepping closer to me. Leaning down, he pressed his lips to mine. "I know you're in a hurry, but Axel can wait two fucking minutes for his coffee."

A sheepish smile tilted my lips. "Sorry, Papa." I glanced toward Axel's closed door. I knew he wouldn't actually ever get mad at me for being late, but I didn't like feeling like I might disappoint him. Axel went out of his way to keep me employed, even though I was critically ill from my migraines more often than not and couldn't actually do my job. I didn't want him feeling like I didn't appreciate the fact that he kept me hired on instead of replacing me with someone more reliable.

Griffin cupped my cheek, stroking his thumb beneath my eye. "Make sure you take your migraine medicine if you start feeling one come on. And you come find me if you do, understand? I don't give a fuck if you're in the middle of a meeting with Axel. What happened the other day will not be happening again. Understand, baby boy?"

Warmth slid through my veins at the concern in his voice and that addictive Papa-voice he used on me. I nodded my head. "I understand, Papa." Leaning up, I pressed a kiss to his cheek. "I really need to go though. Axel has a meeting soon, and I need to debrief him."

Griffin sighed and released me. Unable to help myself, I leaned up to press a kiss to his cheek before I spun back around and rushed for Axel's closed office door. I knocked lightly, and when Kyle, Novella's brother and bodyguard, opened the door, I stepped inside. I cast him a small, wary smile before rushing over to Axel's desk to set his coffee down.

Kyle was an okay guy, but he freaked me out of a bit. He wasn't... normal. He never smiled unless he was around Novella, and even then, it almost felt like he just put on a show for her. Otherwise, he was just... blank. Like his brain worked but he didn't... feel things. It set me on edge.

"Good morning, Max," Axel greeted.

"Good morning, sir. I'm so sorry I'm late. I—"

He held up a hand. I snapped my jaw shut, my teeth clacking together. Swallowing thickly, I took a step back, linking my hands together tightly in front of me. Axel leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. "Griffin told me you're staying with him. Is everything okay, Max?"

Novella popped out of the bathroom, and she waved at me with a small smile before walking over to the crib, where Warren, her and Axel's son, was apparently sleeping. I looked back at Axel, forcing a smile to my lips. "Everything's okay," I told him.

He sighed. "I feel like you're lying to me, kid, but I'll let it go. I trust Griffin to take care of you." Leaning forward, he grabbed his iPad, spinning it around to face me. I stepped forward again, relaxing now that I was back in element, which was laying out his day for him and showing him where the files and notes were for his meeting in fifteen minutes.

"You and Novella also have an appointment for Warren at two fifteen this afternoon for a wellness check," I told him. "Your schedule has already been cleared, so you can have the rest of the afternoon off."

Axel nodded. "Good thinking, kid. Knew I hired you for a reason." He spun the iPad back around to face him. "I'll meet you at the elevators in..." he glanced at his watch, "ten minutes. Sound good?"

"Yes, sir." I spun on my heel and headed for the door. Silently, Kyle opened it for me. I murmured a small, "Thank you," before scurrying to my office to gather what I needed for the meeting. Griffin's door was closed when I passed by it to head for the elevators, and I sighed. I wanted to see him before I went downstairs with Axel, but seeing him could wait. Since his door was closed, he was probably on important calls. I didn't want to disturb him, even if he told me I could.

"Ready?" Axel asked, striding toward where I was standing, adjusting his suit jacket, his iPad in his other hand.

I nodded and pressed the button to take us down. "Ready as I'll ever be."

Axel snorted. "Meetings are a pain in the ass."

I bit back a smile because honestly, he wasn't wrong.

~*~*~

My fingers stilled on my keyboard when my personal phone pinged. I knew it wasn't Griffin because if he wanted to talk to me, he'd just come barge into my office like he'd done twice already to check on me. Which only meant one thing.

It was my parents.

My gut churned, and the appetite I'd just had vanished, leaving me feeling hollow and empty. My heart slammed against my chest bone hard and painfully as I grabbed my phone and unlocked it, tapping on the messaging app to read their latest message.

Mom: Your bank account is empty.

What?

No, no, no. That wasn't right. That couldn't be right. I just got paid this morning. I got the email with my paystub two days ago. She had to just be messing with me.

I quickly backed back out of the messaging app and pulled up my banking app. I pressed my thumb to the screen to unlock it, and vomit rushed up my esophagus when I saw the balance.

Zero.

Dot.

Zero.

Zero.

I snatched up my trashcan and puked into it, my phone falling from my hand. There had to be some mistake. Axel could fix this, right? He could find out what happened, right? He was the boss. The CEO. He could put a foot up HR's ass and figure out what had happened to my check, couldn't he?

My office door opened, and I looked up through watery eyes at Griffin. He was holding two styrofoam contains and two drinks, but upon seeing the state I was in, he quickly set them down and rushed around my desk, sinking to his knees in front of me. He pulled me out of my chair and onto his lap, pushing the trashcan away from us.

"Papa's here, baby," he rasped. "I'm here. It's okay. Whatever happened, baby boy, I'll take care of it."

"I didn't get paid!" I wailed, terrified and panicking. I clawed at my shirt, breaking one of the buttons. Griffin gripped my hands, holding them to his chest. "They—They—"

"Breathe." Griffin cupped my cheek with his free hand, resting his forehead on mine. My lips trembled. "Breathe, baby. It's okay. I promise it's okay. Just breathe for me, my precious boy."

I sniffled, forcing myself to focus on his blue eyes and the steady rise and fall of his chest beneath my balled-up fists. He smiled at me encouragingly, and it eased some of my hysteria. "That's it. That's my good, sweet boy. Just keep breathing for me, baby."

When my breathing slowed and I was no longer crying, Griffin softly kissed me, not even caring about my vomit breath. "Do you trust me, baby?"

I nodded. "Yes." My voice was raspy from crying. "You know I do, Papa."

He kissed the tip of my nose, making me smile a little. "Good boy. Then trust me when I say I know what I'm doing and that you're safe. You're always safe with me, baby. I won't let them hurt you."

I ran my eyes over his face. "What did you do?" I croaked.

He nuzzled his nose along mine in an Eskimo kiss that had my belly erupting in butterflies. "I opened a bank account for you and put myself as secondary on it so they can't try to take it from you. Your check was safely deposited into it last night. I'm sorry I forgot to tell you, baby." Tears welled in my eyes again, and I squeezed them tightly shut, sinking into him, my head resting on his chest. Griffin bound his arms around me, stroking his big hands up and down my back. "Your money is yours now. No one can ever take it from you again," he promised me.

I squeezed my arms around him, silently crying. "I love you, Papa," I croaked. "Thank you."

He sighed, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. "I love you too, my precious boy. I'll always take care of you. You don't have to thank me."

I snuggled in closer to him, my eyes shutting, sleep tugging at me. Silently, Griffin stood and carried me from my office to his. My eyes were still shut as he laid us on his couch, the office cool and dark. He tucked me close. "Sleep, my boy. Let Papa handle all the adult stuff for a while."

I pressed a kiss to his chest before letting sleep claim me.