Page 22 of Horns for the Holidays

“And if I refuse?” I asked, though I already knew the answer.

“Then your little human’s career goes up in flames,” Devlin said sweetly. “Along with MythMatch’s reputation. I’m sure your board wouldloveto see their CEO fucking an employee at a competitor’s event.”

I glanced back inside where Laramie still slept peacefully. The sight of her filled me with a fierce protectiveness.

She’d worked hard to land an interview with my company, and then worked even harder to carve out her spot in the ranks. Her accomplishments had been why I dragged her along to Elysia with me.

And more than that, Laramie’s career was important toher. She wanted something to call her own, without interference from anyone else. She wanted to keep her fate firmly in her hands.

The thought of shattering that, of watching the light drain from her eyes as her reputation was dragged through the mud...

I couldn’t let Devlin hurt her, all because I couldn’t keep my hands to myself.

“Fine,” I spat. “I’ll do it. Just... leave Laramie out of this.”

“Oh, Kotos,” Devlin sighed. “When will you learn? Love makes you weak. Makes you vulnerable.” There was a pause, and when she spoke again, her voice dripped with venom. “I look forward to watching you squirm.”

The line went dead, leaving me with nothing but the sound of my own ragged breathing.

The negotiationswith Andreas loomed before me like an executioner’s ax. My stomach churned as I entered the conference room, Laramie close behind. Her scent—vanillaand jasmine with a hint of sex—enveloped me, a bittersweet reminder of what I stood to lose.

Andreas greeted us with his usual exuberance, pulling me into a bone-crushing hug. “Kotos, my friend! And the lovely Ms. Scanlon! I trust you both enjoyed last night’s festivities?”

The scent of brine irritated my nostrils. Fucking Devlin.

I forced a smile, hoping it didn’t look as strained as it felt. “It was... enlightening.”

Laramie’s eyes narrowed slightly at my tone, but she quickly covered it with a dazzling smile of her own. “It certainly gave us some interesting insights into the competition.”

As we settled around the table, I caught myself staring at Laramie. The way she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. The determined set of her jaw as she reviewed her notes. Gods, how could I do this to her?

But Devlin’s threat echoed in my mind. If I didn’t sabotage this deal, Laramie would pay the heaviest price. And it would be my fault.

“Shall we begin?” Andreas’ booming voice snapped me back to the present. He gestured for us to join his team already seated around the conference table. “I must say, I’m quite excited about the possibilities of this partnership.”

I nodded, my mouth dry. “Yes, let’s... let’s get started.”

As Andreas launched into his vision for integrating MythMatch into Elysia’s offerings, I found myself searching for ways to undermine the deal. It felt like betraying a piece of my soul.

“While I appreciate your enthusiasm,” I heard myself saying, “I have some concerns about the logistics of implementation.”

Laramie’s head snapped up, surprise evident in her eyes. We’d gone over every detail of this proposal. She knew as well as I did that the logistics were airtight.

I forged ahead, grasping at straws. “The, uh, the server load during peak season could be problematic. We might need to consider scaling back some of the more ambitious features.”

Andreas’ bushy eyebrows shot together. “But surely your infrastructure can handle?—”

“It’s not just about infrastructure,” I interrupted, hating myself with every word. “It’s about user experience. We don’t want to overwhelm guests with too many options.”

Laramie’s eyes narrowed, a mix of confusion and suspicion clouding her features. I could practically see the gears turning in that brilliant mind of hers, trying to make sense of my sudden change in attitude.

“With all due respect, Mr. Mavridis,” Laramie interjected, her voice steady and professional, “I believe you’re underestimating our capabilities.” She turned to Andreas with a winning smile. “If I may?”

I nodded, relief and dread warring within me as Laramie took control of the conversation. She launched into a detailed explanation of our server capacity and load-balancing capabilities, complete with charts and projections to account for user acquisition from her planned marketing campaigns.

As Laramie spoke, I caught a flash of movement from the corner of my eye. One of Andreas’ team—a severe-looking woman with steel-gray hair—smirked at me. There was something unsettlingly familiar about that expression...

“You see,” Laramie concluded, “not only can we handle the increased traffic, but we’ve actually built in room for surges for holidays and special events. This partnership has the potential to revolutionize both our businesses.”

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