Page 104 of Santa's Baby

“Ella,” I say, and tip my head. She smiles at me – no malice there, at least.

But as for Josh, his face is a picture of hatred as I meet his eyes.

“Why the fuck did you get her caught up in this shit?” he asks me. “Now look at her.”

He gestures to poor Tiffany, whose cheeks are swollen from tears, eyes red from crying. My heart pangs to see her pain.

“He didn’t get me caught up in this shit,” she says to him. “It was me who rocked up at the grotto, Josh. It’s my fault.”

I shake my head at that.

“No, Tiffany, it’s not your fault. It’s mine.” I look at Josh. “I apologise, and take full accountability for my actions. I assure you, there will be adone and safefrom Tiffany when we’ve resolved things. She isn’t going to come to any harm.”

His eyes dig into mine, and I get why he’s such an asset to the business. The guy is stunning, with his perfectly unkempt dark hair with a streak of purple. It’s clear why people pay thousands for him. Just as they do with the gothic goddess, Ella.

“You’re going to bring her back here, are you?” he says. “Not force her out of her home and shift her away from the city somewhere. I know how powerful you are, even in a fucking Santa suit.”

“Stop it, Josh!” Tiff snaps. “If you know how powerful he is, then keep your trap shut and head back upstairs, for Ella’s sake as well as yours!”

He flinches as she says Ella’s name, and I see the pain of the conflict. He wants to protect his best friend, and would do so at the cost of himself, but as for his girlfriend.

“I’ll be fine,” Tiff says. “I’ll see you later, alright? I’ll D&S when I’m finished. I’ll come to yours.”

He glares at me once more before he heeds Ella’s tug on his arm and steps away.

“Don’t fuck her over any more than you already have done,” he says. “Don’t use your founder power to turf her out of her home. She belongs here. With us.”

“I won’t be using myfounder powerto abuse Tiffany, Josh. She’ll be fine to send you a message whenever she wants to.”

He doesn’t sayalrightbefore he walks away. Sweet Ella gives me a wave and I raise a hand in return as she leads her boyfriend back to the tower, leaving a broken looking Tiffany standing before me, with her arms still folded across her chest.

“Get in the car,” I say. “Let’s go.”

“Go where?”

“Wherever we need to go to talk. I was thinking my place.”

Her bottom lip trembles. “Your place? Are we safe to go there?”

I smile at her, such a beautiful princess in her vulnerability. I hold out my hand.

“You’re safe, Tiffany. Come along, please, before your best friend comes charging back out again. He might be bringing a machete with him next time.”

She smiles. “Yeah, he’s, um… protective. It’s cool. Usually.”

“Yes, it is.”

It’s a relief to have her in the passenger seat as I pull the car out of the courtyard. I drove straight here from the mall, hoping this would be where I found her.

“I’m sorry,” she says. “I had no idea, Reuben. I should have noticed, or checked, and been more careful before I barged into the grotto. I should never have flaunted myself around the place as an elf. I should’ve stayed out of sight, and not cancelled the founders’ proposal, and kept some common fucking sense about me.”

“And so should I. The blame is not on your shoulders. It’s all on mine.”

“No, it isn’t.” She shakes her head. “No, no, no. I’m the one who goofed up, over a snow globe. A fucking snow globe.”

“It was already goofed up, Tiff. They were at the mall for a reason.”

“Probably becauseIcancelled the bastard proposal!”