Chapter 33 Logan
LOGAN
After months of prep, late-night test runs, and back-to-back strategy sessions, pitch day is finally here.
As we soar above the Mojave on our short flight, in the comfort of a chartered jet, the weight of this deal settles firmly on my shoulders.
If this meeting goes as planned, Olympus Resorts & Gaming will sign an exclusive five-year partnership with us.
I’ve been calling this deal a game-changer, but honestly, that sells it short.
Securing this contract could be legacy-defining.
Ryan sits across the table, flipping through the final version of our presentation deck on his laptop. Jared’s across the aisle, scrolling through notes, lips moving as he mentally runs through the demo for probably the hundredth time.
It took the whole team to get us here, but the three of us will be the ones in that room. Showing up with a full entourage might look more like posturing than a partnership, and we want to project confidence, not overwhelm them.
Ryan closes his laptop. “You nervous?”
I nod. “Of course I am. There’s so much on the line.”
“Well, lucky for you, I’m awesome under pressure, so the Olympus team will likely never even notice you have the jitters.” He grins.
Cocky little shit.
I scrub a hand down my face, not-so-accidentally flipping him off. “I’ll be fine. Just worry about your part.”
Ryan ‘scratches’ the bridge of his nose using his middle finger. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’ve got it covered.”
My lips twitch, fighting a smile at the familiar ribbing.
Ryan might not be ready to talk yet, but he keeps showing me in subtle ways he’s not planning to throw our friendship away.
I’m not sure if he realizes he’s doing it—and I’m sure as shit not going to point it out—but it’s reassuring nonetheless.
I can breathe easier knowing I haven’t lost my best friend simply because I fell in love with his sister.
After less than an hour in the air, the tires squeal softly against the runway, and in the distance, the skyline shimmers in the late morning sun, glass towers flashing like polished mirrors. My pulse kicks up as it always does when I land in this city.
Day or night, Vegas never fails to hit different for me.
Every time I’m here, there’s extra energy buzzing beneath my skin.
It’s the same feeling I had when I first decided to launch BetMasters, and it hasn’t faded no matter how often I’m in town.
Our executive offices are in Los Angeles because that’ll always be home to me, but we’re incorporated in Nevada for the favorable tax laws and business regulations.
Since California still hasn’t legalized sports betting or online casinos, it made sense to establish a satellite office in Vegas, as it’s one of the biggest gambling hubs in the world.
I’ve always believed knowledge is power, which is why Ryan and I fly out here regularly to keep tabs on what the major players in the casino business are up to. Like his cousin Sylvie, Ryan graduated from UNLV, so he’s got roots here—connections that occasionally work to our advantage.
After taxiing toward the private hangers, I sling my laptop bag over my shoulder just as the cabin door opens and the dry desert heat spills inside.
Imani—Barry’s Vegas counterpart and the glue holding our satellite office together—is already waiting on the tarmac, tablet in hand and a smile that could outshine the damn sun.
Her braids are pulled into a sleek bun, diamond stud earrings glinting in the sunlight.
“Welcome back to Vegas, gentlemen,” she says, handing each of us a hotel key card before turning back to me.
“You’re all checked in at the Olympus Grand in adjacent suites.
The town car behind me will take you directly to the hotel so you can freshen up before your meeting.
You’ll meet with Mr. Takahashi and his team in the same hotel.
Their executive offices are located on the top floor of the Zeus tower.
” She hands me another card, but this one is slim without any hotel branding on it.
“This keycard will give you access to that floor through the tower’s elevator.
” She hands me a business card. “Your usual driver is unavailable this week, so Kyle will be her replacement. Here’s his contact information.
He’ll be on call whenever you need him. Just text him at that number. ”
“Thanks, Imani. Appreciate you handling everything,” I say. “You’re on top of it, as always.”
“Remember that when it’s time for my annual bonus.” She smiles.
No wonder Barry calls her his evil twin.
I smirk. “I swear, I’m knee-deep in smartasses these days.”
Her sculpted brows lift. “Sounds like you’re the common denominator in that scenario, bossman. Maybe you need to look inward to figure out why that is.”
I laugh. “Touché.”
Imani tucks her stylus behind her ear. “You have just over two hours before the meeting begins. When you get to your suites, you should each find a light snack platter—per Barry’s specifications—along with hard copies of each presentation deck, just in case.
The concierge is on standby if you need anything pressed. ”
“Thank you,” Ryan, Jared, and I all say at relatively the same time.
“Is there anything else you need?”
I look to the guys as they shake their heads. “No. I think we’re good for now. I’ll touch base with you after the meeting.”
She nods. “Sounds good. I’m heading back to the office, so you know where to find me. Good luck, gentlemen.”
“Thank you,” we repeat.
Imani gives a final nod and turns toward the private hangar, her heels clicking with purpose as she disappears inside.
We pivot toward the waiting car just in time to see our driver—a tall, broad-shouldered man dressed in a crisp black uniform—closing the trunk after loading our bags. He steps forward and opens the back door for us with a practiced smile.
“Good morning, gentlemen. I’m Kyle, and I’ll be your dedicated chauffeur while you’re in town.
I know I’ve got some big shoes to fill, but I can assure you that you’re in good hands.
There’s a minibar inside the vehicle. Help yourself to anything you’d like, and I’ll have you at the Olympus Grand in under twenty. ”
“Appreciate it,” I reply, climbing in behind Jared and Ryan.
As the car pulls away from the tarmac, I lean my head back against the seat, watching the skyline blur past the window.
In two hours, it’s go time. And our next move, the next era of BetMasters, rides on what happens in that conference room.
It’s one meeting. A mere moment in time.
But for me, it’s the culmination of every risk, every sleepless night, every damn reason I built this company in the first place.
It’s the proof that every gamble I ever made was worth it.
The conference room at Olympus screams power, but in that kind of understated flex only serious money can pull off.
Black-and-white marble floors. Chrome accents.
Floor-to-ceiling windows that turn the Strip into a centerpiece.
The twelve-person table looks like something out of a billionaire boardroom fantasy.
Sculpted, glossy, and flanked by leather chairs that say you can sit here, but only if you can afford it.
Jared clocks the projector setup right away and heads over to hook in his laptop like he owns the place. After a quick systems check, he gives me a subtle nod.
Showtime.
I take one last look out the window, ground myself with a breath, then turn back to the table.
A moment later, the glass door glides open, and the Olympus team steps in. Greg Takahashi, Olympus’s CEO, leads the pack with a firm handshake and a measured smile, followed by a handful of well-dressed executives.
“Gentlemen.” He grips each of our hands in turn as his team claims their seats. “We appreciate you flying out for this.”
I flash a smooth, controlled grin. “Our pleasure. We appreciate the opportunity.”
Greg runs through introductions on his side, then takes the seat at the head of the table. “I’m excited to see what you’ve got. Shall we?”
I nod, keeping my tone smooth but confident. “Absolutely. Before we dive in, let me briefly introduce my team.”
I gesture to my left. “This is Ryan Morales, our VP of Acquisitions. He’s been with BetMasters since the beginning and played a major role in structuring the proposal we’ll walk you through today.”
Then I motion to my right. “And this is Jared Chen, our Head of Product and Innovation. He’s leading the integration of our predictive analytics engine, the backbone of what we’re proposing with this partnership.”
Greg nods, interest flickering behind his glasses. “Good to meet you both.”
Ryan and Jared echo the sentiment.
I cue the first slide. “Okay, ladies and gentlemen. I know your time is valuable, so let’s dive in.”
Since Ryan could charm the granny panties off a nun, we decided he’d be the one to kick things off, and, as expected, he doesn’t disappoint. His warm-up is so smooth, it could practically be its own TED Talk.
“This isn’t just about enhancing the customer experience,” he says, voice steady, confident. “It’s about redefining what’s possible in sports betting. It’s the kind of advantage that will give Olympus Gaming & Resorts a lead your competitors can’t touch, no matter how hard they try…”
As Ryan wraps, Jared steps forward, offers a quick nod to the room, and advances the slide.
“What we’re proposing isn’t hypothetical. Our model is sharp enough to adjust odds mid-game with near-flawless accuracy. It’s passed every stress test we’ve thrown at it, and integration is ready to go the moment you give us the green light.”
He clicks to a clean, minimal slide showing key milestones.
“You’ll see the rollout phases here, but the bottom line is this: we’re delivering predictive accuracy that holds up under pressure. It’s fast, stable, and scalable, no matter how many users are on the platform. It’s the kind of edge that keeps players engaged and your competitors scrambling.”
Then he steps back, letting the data speak for itself.
All eyes shift to me as I rise and grab the clicker, advancing to the next slide. On the screen is a mockup of a personalized fantasy dashboard with charts, player stats, win projections, and the like. It’s the stuff that makes a fantasy junkie feel like a goddamn Wall Street analyst.
“You’ve seen what our predictive model can do for your existing players, now let me show you how it’ll help you gain new ones.”
Every Olympus executive sits up taller, leaning closer, showing me I’ve got their undivided attention.
Ryan and I share a look, mentally high-fiving one another.
“Odds are, at least three people in this room are in more than one fantasy football league each season.” I raise my hand. “I’m one of them. Anyone else?”
I quickly glance at Greg, whose sheepish grin and raised index finger confirms the intel Ryan had is dead-on. Ryan, along with three more Olympus execs, also raise their hands, prompting a round of quiet chuckles throughout the room.
“Well, I suspect you’ll be especially interested in this next part, both personally and professionally.”
I click to the next slide, where our fantasy league simulation begins its flow—player performance forecasts, weekly matchup insights, live stat shifts, all tailored in real time.
“This model pulls from actual league data and overlays our predictive engine to generate customized recommendations: draft picks, trade suggestions, weekly starters, sleeper alerts. At the start of each season, users input their league’s structure and scoring rules.
Whether it’s PPR, dynasty, standard, or something entirely custom, our tool adapts.
It automatically tailors predictions, player rankings, and trade advice to fit. ”
I pause for dramatic effect, then grin.
“And it updates every second.”
Click.
The final slide appears—a projection graph showing player growth and retention over time.
“But this isn’t about tossing more features at users. It’s about building smarter systems that meet them where they already are…then pulling them deeper into the ecosystem. Give a player a win, and they’ll come back. Give them an edge, and you’ve got them for life.”
I take a beat.
“Fantasy is the gateway, if you will, where casual fans become loyal users, and where untapped demographics enter the sports betting world for the first time. For Olympus, that means player growth and retention, two of your core objectives.”
I step back, remote still in hand, the final graph glowing behind me.
“If our model can do that for fantasy football—something people obsess over for free—imagine what it can do across your entire gaming platform. Partnering with BetMasters doesn’t just raise the ceiling. It revolutionizes it.”
A few beats of silence follow while the Olympus team processes everything we just laid out. My pulse is jacked, nervous energy buzzing so hard, I feel like Rosie. I have to consciously remind myself not to pace.
After what feels like an hour—but is probably less than a minute—Takahashi leans forward, fingers steepled, eyes fixed on the graph behind me.
“This,” he says slowly, “is exactly what we were hoping for.”
Beside him, Olympus’s CFO—a sharp-eyed woman with a no-nonsense bob—taps her pen once against her legal pad. “Let’s talk terms.”
I don’t let my grin show. Not yet. But when I glance at Ryan, he’s already looking at me with that spark in his eye.
The one that says: We did it, brother.
He gives me the smallest of nods.
I return it.
Yeah. We fucking did.