LOGINThe moment they stepped backstage, the atmosphere changed like a switch had been flipped. “You took longer than I expected.”Eric said to Lena, as she approached him. Lena sighed heavily, rubbing her temples. “Sorry about that.” Eric glanced toward Tarzan, who returned the look with a blank, unreadable expression. *Why does he keep making that face at me?* Eric thought, brow furrowing as he glared back. The silent exchange was deeply uncomfortable. “Anyway.” Eric cleared his throat awkwardly. “I’ll be on my way—I have something to run for Mr. Reynolds. You can take over now, right?” He was already backing away, eager to escape the invisible daggers Tarzan was sending with his eyes. Before Lena could reply, the director rushed toward them. “Mr. Silver, you should be ready in twelve minutes. Twelve.” Lena’s heart skipped a beat. *Twelve?* She turned and caught Tarzan staring at her and Eric. “Well, good luck, Lena. I should get going now,” Eric said, throwing a
Lena turned and walked back to the car, then rapped her knuckles against the tinted window.The glass rolled down slowly, revealing Tarzan’s chiseled profile. He didn’t bother looking at her. His jaw was tight, his eyes fixed on some invisible point in the distance.“What are you still doing in there, Mr. Silver?” Lena asked, her voice edged with barely concealed frustration.“Sulking,” he replied flatly.“Su—what? What?!” She let out a disbelieving laugh. “How old are you? Mr Silver! You have to get in there and do your job. There are dozens of people waiting for you. Cameras, producers, a live audience—”“I don’t care about that show.” He finally turned to look at her. His gaze was smoldering and unyielding. “But if you don’t kiss me, I’m not stepping in there.”Lena’s jaw dropped.“You’re acting like this because I refused to kiss you?!” Her voice cracked with disbelief, heat rising in her cheeks.Tarzan shrugged, completely unmoved. The casual indifference on his face only made he
Lena noticed the alternating headlights of the police cruiser and the car behind them.“Seems like Scar’s causing trouble again,” she muttered, fingers tightening around the wheel. “I hope they handle it peacefully. But first… I have to lose them.”She yanked the wheel hard to the right, cutting across two lanes. Horns blared. Her pulse hammered in her throat as she threaded the car through a narrow gap, the engine snarling under the sudden demand.In the passenger seat, Tarzan twisted around to watch through the rear window. After a long second he faced forward again and settled deeper into the leather, the tension in his shoulders easing.“You lost them,” he said, voice low and warm. “I was worried for a second… but I’m proud of you.”Lena’s mouth curved. “Thanks, babe.”The next few minutes of driving were smooth—until a white car sliced directly across their path, tires screeching. Lena slammed the brakes so hard the seatbelt locked across her chest. Her heart leaped into her thro
George's flush deepened, spreading all the way to his ears.He squirmed in his seat, avoiding Scar's gaze entirely."Well... you do have that commanding presence. The whole 'alpha male' thing. And you're always so... intense. And you never talk about women. Not really. You just... you know, stand there looking all... powerful. You treat everyone with kindness and softness, even though we're all men." He was rambling now, the words tumbling out in a frantic rush. "I just assumed...""What the fuck, dude!" Scar cut him off. "Stop making assumptions. You know what? Let's not talk about this again. Ever. I think I'm getting sick to my stomach now. Actually, I think I might throw up in this car.""Geez, you're overreacting, sir," George muttered, his voice softer now, almost wounded. "It's not a bad thing, you know... to like men. It's perfectly normal. Some of my best friends are..." He paused, his voice catching slightly. "Some people just... prefer... certain things.""Stop it!" Scar ye
Suddenly her phone chirped through the car’s speakers. A voice-command alert flashed across the screen.**Incoming call: Eric.**“Eric! Hi!” Lena chirped.“Lena, please—for the love of all that is holy—tell me you’re close.” Eric’s voice was raw with desperation. “The fans are getting restless, and his social-media handler is having a full-blown meltdown. The comments are brutal. You need to get him here in fifteen minutes or we’re going to have a riot on our hands.”“Noted.” Lena’s brows drew tight with determination. “You’ll see us there. Very soon.”She ended the call and her foot slammed back down on the accelerator. The car surged forward with a throaty growl. Tarzan yelped as his head snapped against the headrest and the force pressed them both into their seats.A moment later a familiar wail cut through the air. Red and blue lights swirled in the rear-view mirror.“Wait… is that the police?” Lena’s eyes widened. “Oh my goodness. You warned me.”“Don’t panic!” Tarzan shouted, ha
"Whoa, whoa, slow down, babe!" Tarzan's voice hit a squeaky, panicked octave as he gripped the "oh-shit" handle above the passenger door. His knuckles were bone-white. "Don't you think you're moving a bit—too fast?" Lena didn't even flinch. Her eyes were glued to the road like a fighter pilot locked onto a target. "If you hadn't seduced me to have sex," she shot back, "we wouldn't be in this mad dash. So, for the record? This is your fault. Better hang on to your pretty-boy butt." "Wow.. that's intense". Tarzan chuckled. Without warning, Lena wrenched the wheel, executing a screeching U-turn that sent a stray soda can in the cupholder flying across the dashboard. A burly truck driver leaned out his window and yelled curses at her even assuming she was a dude.. Tarzan rubbed the back of his neck, feeling a tendon twitch like a trapped snake. "Okay, okay, my fault. Totally my fault. I accept," he babbled, his voice strained. "But maybe we can negotiate a ceasefire with t
LENA'S POVMy cheeks were still warm long after we pulled apart.The kiss had been soft, almost reverent, yet it left my racing in a wild, joyful rhythm I couldn’t quite tame. I buried my face deeper into the enormous bouquet he’d brought me, inhaling the sweet, heady fragrance of fresh roses and
I swallowed hard, my pulse hammering against my ribs.Tarzan just sat there, arms crossed over that broad chest, the black nose mask and cap making him look more like a celebrity dodging paparazzi than a cousin paying a visit.Oh God, make him play along. Please.My marriage is about to be restored
LENA'S POV What a day... I drifted through the rest of my shift like a shadow, barely present. Julia and the girls noticed. They gently pulled me aside and told me to take a break—they'd cover for me, they wouldn't say anything to the boss since she's still on maternity leave. I whispered a sh
The first guard blinked at him, then let out a short, disbelieving laugh under his breath. "No," he said flatly. "No way." The second didn't even turn his head. "You're in denial," he whispered back. "I'm realistic," the first shot back. "You're telling me him—the young master" he jerked his c







