Mate me at Hollywood

Fuck Hollywood. The sun is always shining, but the people are ice-cold and fake like plastic. It’s fast, hungry, and it chews girls like me for breakfast. “Leave me alone, you creep. Or I’ll call 911!” In the dead of a hot summer night, my blood runs cold as the footsteps stalking me home grow louder. My pace quickens, breath ragged. I can’t see him, but I feel his presence all around, lurking, circling, inching further. “Don’t come near me. Don’t! I’ve got a pepper spray in my purse. And a knife. I’ll cut off your dick,” I bluff, squeezing my fist. Truth? My purse holds exactly two crumpled dollars. “I’m bigger than you, little human,” he snarls. “I could swallow you whole.” Out of the shadows, he steps. Eight feet of nightmare—fur, claws, and teeth that glint in the streetlight. He is not a man to be outrun. He is not a beast to be fought. He is far worse. Even if I had a knife, it would barely make a scratch. “Please… please don’t kill me,” I whisper, sinking down, heartb

Leonardo's POV. "We're screwed! Completely screwed!" My manager wails for the third time that morning, collapsing dramatically onto my couch. "How could you do something so stupid, Leo?" "Roman Sinclair deserved it! I had to put him in his place. He even had the audacity to mention my girlfriend, Lena." "But this isn't just about Lena, is it? You two fought about something else," she says, watching me with a scrutinizing anger. Mickie Russo frowns when I refuse to tell her the truth. She is a quirky, loud, over-the-top manager. The type of person you want on your side in this cut-throat Hollywood world. "Nothing happened. I just hate the bastard," I say, but it's a lie and Mickie knows. She shakes her head, unbelieving. "Hatred is a trait I've never seen on you. You always love people, even when you shouldn't." I clear my throat awkwardly. "Roman Sinclair is the exception. He not only threatened Lena, he was also being an asshole to a kind waiter I met. "A waiter? Was it a gi

"I'm here to drink away my sorrows. This is a bar, isn't it?" Leo says, cocking his head.I look around and notice that the bar is empty as usual. Thanks to Silas and his bad attitude, most of the regulars don’t bother showing up anymore. Silas let out an awkward laughter. "It is, but I'm surprised. We never have any customers, talk less of celebrities, and an A-lister for that matter!" he says, practically bouncing on his feet."Oh. I'm sorry," Leo mutters, fiddling with his fingers."It's okay! It's okay!" Silas rambles, dusting a bar stool for him. "Please, sit."Leo obliges and smiles enthusiastically as he watches me go behind the counter, wearing my apron.I smirk. "You're smiling? You seem a little too excited for someone whose career —according to my roommate — is about to be destroyed.""Should I jump over a bridge instead?" he jokes."Please, don't. Your fans cannot bear you getting injured," I tease as I wipe the counter."Well, all my fans hate me now so..""I'm sorry, Le

Gold digging bitch? I glare at the fool who called me that. "Why do people like you always act like this? Leonardo is a celebrity but he's also a human being with feelings. Yet you gather around him like he's pure entertainment. You don't care if he's having a hard time or not."There's dead silence in the alley, except the shutter of cameras still going off."Roman Sinclair deserved to be punched. Ask any waiter in Hollywood, and they'll tell you how much of an arrogant asshole he is! We all know him and we don't like him. He treats people like trash! And threatens to get us fired. He was insulting me when Leo came to my defense like a knight in shining armor."That's when I realize how grateful to Leo I am. No one has ever defended me the way he did, not even Alyssa.Mickie Russo breaks through the horde of paparazzi with some big bodyguards. "Get lost!" she orders them. "Or I'll sue for invasion of privacy!"The paparazzi start moving farther, but still taking pictures. The bodygu

Leonardo's POVWhen an actor wins an award as important as an Oscar, it's customary to throw a big, lavish party. Mickie is not one to ignore customs, despite the scandals that almost ruined everything.The party is full of plastic Hollywood faces. People who had unfollowed me and condemned me online after the Oscar punch are suddenly on my side. Now, their designer heels click against my marble floor as they strut around, adorned with their hypocrisy."Leonardo, congratulations on the Oscar. The movie, Gunshot was so good. Made me cry. You really deserve this," a reality star purrs, smiling like a Cheshire cat.I want to say, "But two days ago, you were the one leading the PunishLeo movement. Take away his Oscar. Ban him for life. Tell me, what changed, Karen?"But Armani and Mickie would kill me. No, that's not an exaggeration. They'd throw me in the Atlantic Ocean and go find a more obedient actor to work for.So I smile. "Thank you. Your love and support means the world to me."Th