4. Kotos

CHAPTER FOUR

KOTOS

I braced my hands against the shower wall, letting my head hang between my shoulders as exhaustion threatened to drag me under. Steam curled around me, bringing scents of the sea and mountain herbs from the soaps. But nothing could chase away the memory of Laramie’s taste.

I groaned, frustrated.

Sleep had eluded me most of the night as thoughts of her tormented me. The shape of her lips. The softness of her skin. The way her eyes had darkened with desire right before I kissed her.

Fuck.

The mate bond pulsed between us, an invisible tether I couldn’t ignore no matter how hard I tried. And gods, had I tried. After she’d fled from our kiss, Laramie had ghosted me completely. She answered work-related messages with clipped professionalism and ignored everything edging toward the personal, then ordered room service to avoid me at dinner.

It was driving me insane.

I groaned, pressing my forehead against the cool tile. I’d spent centuries thinking I was the last of my kind. That I’d never experience the soul-deep connection my parents had shared. Now here she was, and my mate wanted nothing to do with me. It was almost laughable. If it didn’t hurt so damn much.

Despite my best efforts, images of Laramie flooded my mind. The swell of her breasts barely contained by that tiny bikini top. The curve of her ass in those criminally short shorts. The way she’d felt pressed against me, soft and warm and perfect .

My cock twitched, hardening against my thigh. I growled in frustration. This was the last thing I needed right now. We had an important meeting with Andreas. I needed to focus on business, not my burning desire to bend Laramie over the nearest flat surface and?—

No. I couldn’t think like that. That idiot asshole of an ex hurt her. She was my employee. There were lines that shouldn’t be crossed.

But gods, how I wanted to cross them.

Before I could stop myself, my hand wrapped around my aching length. I hissed at the contact, pleasure shooting through me like lightning.

Just this once, I told myself. To take the edge off.

I stroked myself slowly, savoring the building pressure. In my mind’s eye, she was on her knees before me. Those delicate fingers wrapped around me, her green eyes looking up at me through thick lashes. I’d fist my hands in her hair, guiding her movements as she sucked and licked.

My hips jerked, thrusting into my fist as the fantasy shifted. Now Laramie was bent over my desk, skirt hiked up around her waist. I’d spread her legs wider, admiring the glistening folds of her pussy before burying myself inside her tight heat.

“Fuck,” I grunted, increasing my pace.

I imagined the sounds she’d make. Little whimpers and gasps of pleasure as I pounded into her. The way she’d cry out my name when she came.

My balls tightened, release coiling at the base of my spine. With a roar, I came hard, imagining emptying myself inside her. Marking her as my own.

For a blissful moment, my mind went blank. No thoughts of mate bonds or professional ethics. Just sweet, mindless ecstasy and the lingering echo of Laramie’s name on my lips.

Then reality came crashing back.

I sagged against the wall, shame and guilt warring with lingering satisfaction. What the fuck was wrong with me? Jacking off to fantasies of my marketing strategist like some horny teenager?

I was better than this. I had to be.

I shut off the water with more force than necessary, nearly ripping the handle from the wall. Stepping out of the shower, I wrapped a towel around my waist and padded into the bedroom.

My movements were mechanical as I dressed for the day. Tailored slacks. Crisp white shirt. The weight of my medallion settled against my chest, a constant reminder of duty and legacy.

A legacy I failed every day without my mate at my side.

I growled, yanking my tie into place. I tried to focus on the upcoming meeting. We needed this deal with Elysia. The partnership would give us a foothold in the luxury travel market, opening up a whole new demographic of potential users.

Taking a deep breath, I shrugged into my jacket and grabbed my phone. Time to face the day. To be the leader my company needed. The last of my kind.

To pretend I hadn’t just jerked off thinking about one of my employees.

The resort’s pathways were mercifully empty as I made my way to the conference room. Good. The last thing I needed was to deal with adoring fans or nosy paparazzi. Not when my control was hanging by a thread.

I’d prepared extensively for this meeting. I knew exactly how to address each of Andreas’ concerns. How to highlight the benefits of partnering with MythMatch. How to?—

My train of thought derailed spectacularly as I rounded the corner and nearly collided with Laramie.

“Oh!” She stumbled back, startled. “Uh... sorry, I wasn’t?—”

I opened my mouth to reassure her, but the words died in my throat. She looked... incredible. Her hair was swept up in an elegant twist, exposing the graceful curve of her neck. She wore a crisp white blouse—the one I’d bought?—and a pencil skirt that hugged her curves in ways that made my mouth go dry.

And her scent. Gods, her scent.

That enticing blend of vanilla and jasmine wrapped around me like a caress. Underneath it all was a hint of something new. Something distinctly female that made my nostrils flare and my pulse quicken.

The unmistakable tang of arousal.

She wanted me, too.

Pure, primal satisfaction coursed through my veins. Part of me wanted to drag her into the nearest empty room, consequences be damned. To fuck her senseless and claim what was mine.

I took a step closer. Laramie’s breath hitched, pupils dilating.

All I had to do was lean in. Close that final bit of distance. From the way her gaze dropped to my lips, I knew she’d welcome it.

“We should talk,” I began, voice low. “About what happened on the skiff.”

Laramie took a step back, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. “There’s nothing to talk about, Mr. Mavridis. It was a mistake. One that won’t be repeated.”

No, it wasn’t a mistake. It was destiny. Fate. The bond thrummed between us, growing stronger by the minute. Even now, it demanded I press her against the wall. To sink my teeth into the tender flesh of her neck and mark her as mine.

“Was it?” I challenged. “Because I seem to remember you enjoying yourself.”

Her cheeks flushed an adorable shade of pink, and her pulse fluttered at the base of her throat. Her tongue darted over her lower lip, then she shot her eyes upward to meet mine.

The conference room door swung open, and Laramie jumped back, startled. I swore quietly as I turned.

And froze.

Devlin fucking Thorpe, in all her purple-skinned, yellow-eyed, unholy glory.

Rage and betrayal crashed over me in a suffocating wave. How dare she? How fucking dare she show up here? After everything she’d done?

Devlin’s lips curved into a smug smile. “Well, well. If it isn’t the great Kotos Mavridis.”

Memories of our falling out flooded my mind. Late nights hunched over laptops, arguing about MythMatch’s direction. The way she’d looked at me when I rejected her advances, hurt quickly morphing into cold fury. Her parting words as she stormed out of the incubator for the last time.

I forced a neutral expression, refusing to give her the satisfaction of seeing me rattled. “Devlin. What an... unexpected surprise.”

I clenched my jaw, fighting the urge to throw her out the nearest window. It would be so easy. Just a few steps and...

No. I couldn’t let her get to me. Not without looking like a petulant child throwing a tantrum.

“Oh, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to visit paradise. Especially not when there’s business to be done.” She smirked, clearly enjoying my discomfort. “And who’s this? Your new assistant?”

I bristled at the thinly veiled insult, but Laramie beat me to the punch.

“Laramie Scanlon,” she replied, extending her hand and delivering a megawatt smile. “Part of MythMatch’s marketing strategy team. I have to say, your emphasis on kink-specific algorithms is quite innovative. Have you managed to solve that pesky churn issue yet? I’d love to hear how you’re retaining users in such a niche market.”

I stared at Laramie, torn between amusement and disbelief. What the hell was she doing?

Devlin’s composure cracked, if only for a moment. Her eyes narrowed dangerously before her mask of civility slid back into place.

“My, aren’t you... enthusiastic,” she purred. “Perhaps you’d like to see how a real dating app operates? We’re hosting a little soiree this evening. A chance for Elysia’s guests to experience Shadow Daddies firsthand.” Those unnaturally yellow eyes shifted to me with a malicious glint. “You’re welcome to attend as well, Kotos. For old times’ sake.”

Every instinct screamed at me to refuse. To tell Devlin exactly where she could shove her invitation. But before I could open my mouth, Laramie spoke up.

“We’d be delighted,” she said, her tone so sincere I almost believed it myself. “Wouldn’t we, Mr. Mavridis?”

“I—”

My mind was too busy short-circuiting at the thought of Laramie at a Shadow Daddies event. Did she have any idea what kind of debauchery went on at those things?

“It’ll give us a chance to talk pain points in onboarding,” Laramie continued with her precision strikes. “I’m sure Shadow Daddies has made huge strides in solving those privacy complaints from last year. A year or so of complimentary dark web search protection did the trick, didn’t it?”

Devlin’s eyes narrowed. “You seem quite well-informed, Ms. Scanlon.”

“Oh, I try to keep up with industry trends,” Laramie said airily. “Knowledge is power, after all.”

Devlin’s answering grin was all teeth. “Excellent. I’ll have my assistant send over the details. Now, if you’ll excuse me...”

She sauntered away, leaving the scent of brine and betrayal in her wake. I waited until she was out of earshot before rounding on Laramie.

I wanted to yell at her.

I wanted to kiss her.

“What the hell was that?” I hissed.

But Laramie was already sliding around me towards the door. I hurried after her, hissing her name and shooting tight looks at Andreas and his team gathered on the other side of the room.

“Ms. Scanlon,” I called, trying to keep my voice low. When she didn’t slow, I reached out and caught her arm. “ Laramie. ”

She whirled to face me with fire in her eyes. “What?”

I swallowed hard, momentarily at a loss for words. The heat of her skin beneath my palm sent sparks racing up my arm. The mate bond hummed between us, urging me to pull her closer. To claim her right here on the table in front of Andreas and anyone who passed.

With Herculean effort, I pushed those thoughts aside. “You’ve scheduled my evening, Ms. Scanlon. I believe I’m entitled to some details.”

“Such as?” One delicate eyebrow lifted in a smooth arch.

“Such as...” I leaned in closer, acutely aware of Andreas watching us with open curiosity. “Is tonight wise?”

The question hung between us, loaded with unspoken meaning. I wasn’t just asking about tangling with Devlin. I was asking about us. About whatever this thing was between us. About going to what was essentially a sex party after that kiss on the skiff.

“None of this is wise,” Laramie snapped, her voice barely above a whisper. “But we’re here to do a job, Mr. Mavridis. I’m willing to forget anything that might... complicate that in order to get this deal done.” Her gaze flickered to my lips for the briefest moment before snapping back to my eyes. “Aren’t you?”

“No.” A growl rumbled in my chest before I could stop it. “I don’t want to forget anything.”

The words hung in the air between us. Vanilla and jasmine and want filled the air. It took every ounce of willpower not to bury my face in her neck and just breathe.

A faint blush stained her cheeks, and her slim throat worked with a hard swallow. “Write me a letter of recommendation.”

I blinked, thrown by the sudden change of subject. “What?”

“And then,” she paused, then bravely met my eyes. “And then convince me to stay.”

Without waiting for a reply, she tugged free of my grasp and strode for her seat. My gaze traveled down the length of her body, noting every dip and curve. Every subtle sway of her hips.

I had to find a way to keep her. Not just at MythMatch, but in my life. The way she’d felt in my arms. The spark in her eyes when she stood up to Devlin. I wanted to uncover every brilliant thought and hidden desire. Preferably involving multiple orgasms and long, lazy mornings spent tangled together in bed.

I’d write Laramie the most glowing letter of recommendation anyone had ever seen.

And then I’d move heaven and earth to convince her to stay.