Page 77 of Until the Sea Runs Dry

As a minion rushed to do the bodiless voice’s bidding, Logan’s own cut through the silence like a knife. “Touch her and you will live to regret it!”

The minion froze, unsure who to obey.

Logan sprinted to Jane, daggers flying out of his eyes at the suit who had dared to shout at her.

“She’s my girlfriend and that’s my dog. I told her to bring him, so if you have a problem with that, then I’m the one you should be talking to.”

Seeing him so close sent Loki into another round of barking. He jumped up at Logan, delighted to see him.

POP!

A flashbulb went off, blinding them all. The photographer pointed his camera at the commotion, recording the moment with wicked speed as his ID swung from the chain around his neck.

The reaction by the man in the suit, who had started this, was stunning. The rage he had exhibited only a second ago vanished in the blink of an eye. He laughed uproariously, as if this was all a big joke.

“Only a man in love could have taken me so seriously!”

He waved the confused crew member away, smiling at Logan and Jane, who, Logan was relieved to see, seemed to have come out of her shock. The color was returning to her face. That stone gray visage had gone.

“Of course, we won’t be throwing anyone off the set. I was being facetious and I apologize if my words were taken literally.” He reached out, started pumping Logan’s hand. “Ira Cohen, VP of the Motion Picture Department, Cerberus Studios. Great to meet you. There’s no problem here, Logan. I’m a big fan of yours. Big fan.”

The look Logan gave him was usually reserved for something he would scrap off the bottom of his shoe. Cohen acted as if he couldn’t see it. He turned to Jane with a toothy, shark-like grin. “Your lady — what’s her name?”

Neither Jane nor Logan intended to reply, but the answer came from behind them.

“Jane Smith. Her name is Jane Smith.” Stomping forward on those terrifying heels of hers, Adele appeared holding a phone in each hand. To the photographer, she informed loudly, “They met several weeks ago on a beach and have been inseparable since.”

“Which beach?” The photographer asked, noting it for the upcoming article.

“A private one.”

So much for having time to approve her story. The whole thing was turning into a circus. Picking up on Jane’s uneasiness, Logan took charge. “Can you give us a moment?”

He addressed the question to the director, though it was meant for everyone around them.

“Two minutes, then we’re back to work,” the AD called on the director’s nod.

Steering the photographer away, Adele filled him in on the backstory she and her team had devised for them, sticking as close to the truth as possible. Cohen followed after them, eager to get away from Logan’s glare.

“I couldn’t stop him. I’m sorry for disturbing the filming! I guess we’d been here too long, and he got bored. I’ll take him out right now. It won’t happen again.”

She started to leave when Logan’s hand landed on her shoulder. The heat of it singed her skin beneath.

“It was an accident, Jane. I’m not worried about that.”

“You look angry…”

And he was.

“At that idiot, not you. When he was talking to you like that, why didn’t you defend yourself? Why didn’t you stand up to him? You should never let anyone talk to you like that.”

“I don’t know. When it was happening, all I could think was that it was all my fault. It never even crossed my mind to deny it.”

His eyes grew troubled. She could drown in the dark depths of them.

“We’re almost done. Are you OK to wait or should I have Daryl take you home?”

Warmth spread through her body. He cared about her! Her heart did a dance when she noticed the many faces still staring at them.

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