Page 21 of Stalked By Santa

My oldest friend frowns. “Well, I came hoping you’d introduce me to the broad everyone is saying ruined Christmas. But going by the scowl on your face…”

Sighing, I toss the ring onto the bar. “Too late.”

“Rudolph claimed you onlyjustproposed.” Letting out a low whistle, he shakes his head. “Do I even want to know how you fucked things up so fast?”

I’m about to tell him to go to hell, but at his question, something clicks.

“I killed her belief in Christmas,” I admit, defeated.

Blitzen holds up a hand. “Whoa, back up, buddy. Rumor has it that you fell for a chick who was somehowstill on the believer’s listdespite being an adult. The elves aren’t lying—are they? This chickislegal?”

I roll my eyes. “I’m not a perv, asshole. Madelyn is twenty-two.”

“Chill. My point was that this woman, despite being an adultandnot eligible for the syndicate, still believes. Has wearing the red suit made your egothatfucking huge that you thinkyoursorry ass is enough to crush that level of fanaticism?”

Ignoring his insult, I shake my head. “You don’t get it. IknowMadelyn Marsden. Her belief in Santa is more intense than most people’s belief in God. Christmas is her fucking religion.”

“Hold on. Which is it? Because a minute ago, you were claiming to have killed that belief.”

“I did!” I slam my glass down onto the bar. “If Maddie left me, that means that she stopped believing in Santa. There’s no other explanation.”

He raises an eyebrow. “Did she tell you that?”

“She didn’t tell me shit. She just fucking snuck out of my office while I was meeting with the board and left the ring behind. So it’s pretty obvious if you ask me.”

“Well, there’s an easy enough way to settle this,” Blitzen says, voice mild. “Just check the surveillance squares. If you’re right, she won’t be on them.”

“Fine. If that’s what it takes to get you off my case.”

Sighing, I take out my phone. Pulling up the surveillance app, I type in the code for Maddie’s feed. But instead of the inevitable black square, my angel’s tearstained face fills the screen.

“Told you so,” Blitzen says, peering over my shoulder, voice way too smug. “Now stop standing there staring like some sad sack and fucking man up and go fight for your girl.”

THIRTEEN

MADELYN

The gorgeous dressNick gave me is no match for the cold December wind. Inside the compound and on the sleigh, the dress had been fine. Even on the short trip from the landing pad to the executive elevator, its impracticality hadn’t registered because Nick had draped his suit jacket over my shoulders.

But as I walk dejectedly down the street, the skimpy dress only serves as a reminder of how alone I am. Alone and helpless andstupid.

Because my purse? The one that contains my wallet and keys? It’s still back at my parents’ house in Scarsdale. In other words, an hour’s drive from the city.

Barry and my parents are the only people who have spare keys to my apartment. My parents are too far away to help, and the thought of Barry seeing me in this state makes me sick.

Mentally, I run through my list of friends and try to remember who was planning to stay in the city for Christmas. They won’t be able to help me get into my apartment, but they’d at least give me a place to stay.

But then I realize that won’t work, either. Because my phone? That’s still in Scarsdale, too. I have exactly two numbers memorized: Barry and my mom. I don’t even know mydad’snumber by heart. Calling either of them isn’t an option.

Even if I could somehow find one of the city’s increasingly rare pay phones, there’s no freaking way that I’m callingBarry.

What was I thinking, running away without telling anyone where I was going? The smart thing would have been to find that elf, Nick’s assistant, and ask her to help me get back to my parents’ house. Or at least to help me find a way to break into my own apartment.

Yet the thought didn’t even occur to me. And honestly, if it had, would I have actually had the nerve to ask her—oranyoneat Polar Enterprises—for help? She’d made it pretty clear how low of an opinion the elves have of me.

The elf Nick had asked to guard me hadn’t even stuck around. Absolutely no one tried to stop me from leaving. And why should they have? They were probably relieved to get rid of the girl who was ruining Christmas.

Ugh, Barry was right. I’m a spoiled, selfish child. I nearly ruined Nick’s life, and now I’m going to freeze to death because I’m too dumb to live.

---