Epilogue

Jack- One Year Later

T he steps of the brownstone office building felt oddly monumental as Laura and I climbed them together. I still wasn’t used to seeing our business name, “Boys On Film Media & Management,” etched into the frosted glass door. It was surreal, almost like I’d wandered into someone else’s life.

“Did you get sunburned at all?” Laura asked, her tone teasing. She adjusted her sunglasses, glancing sideways at me.

I grinned. “Not as much as Liam. The first day, he underestimated the sun and refused to wear more sunscreen because he wanted to ‘tan like a local.’” I shook my head, the memory bringing a fond warmth. “By that night, he looked like a lobster. We spent half the honeymoon rubbing aloe vera on him.”

Laura laughed. “Sounds like Liam. How was Cancun otherwise? Romantic? Trashy? A little of both?”

“Perfect,” I said simply, letting the word hang in the air. “The beaches were gorgeous, the food was incredible, and Liam couldn’t stop smiling the whole time. Honestly, it was hard to come back.”

She bumped my shoulder playfully. “Well, you had to come back sometime. Your empire awaits, Emperor Jack.”

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t help smiling.

The elevator doors opened, and we stepped inside. As I reached for the button to our floor, a familiar voice called out.

“Hold the elevator!”

I stuck my hand between the closing doors, forcing them to reopen. Moira rushed in, slightly breathless but grinning as always.

“Thanks, boss!” she grinned. “I was running late from my meeting with the storyboard artist, but oh my god, you’re going to flip when you see what we’ve got for the feature.”

“First full-length adult film,” I smiled as the elevator began its smooth ascent. “How’s it coming along?”

Moira’s face lit up like a kid on Christmas morning. “Amazing. The boys are looking flawless. Lola’s styling is next level—like she’s practically a magician. She’s making the performers look both sexy and classy, which is so hard to pull off.”

Laura arched a brow, turning to me with a smirk. “Wait. Lola? You mean the crazy old lady who waxed nearly every hair off my body before my one-woman show on Broadway?”

I chuckled, nodding. “That’s the one. Liam hired her last year after she quit her job at that cheesy spa. She’s been working her magic here ever since. Claims she ‘found her calling’ helping us.”

Laura gave a theatrical shudder, but she was laughing. “Well, I’ll give her credit where it’s due. She’s a beauty genius. My skin had never been smoother, even if I wanted to kill her.”

The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open, revealing the chaos of our office. The hum of voices, the clatter of keyboards, and the occasional burst of laughter filled the space. It wasn’t your typical office environment, but that was part of its charm.

As we stepped out, Dimitri was the first face we saw. He stood by the entrance, his expression as stern as ever.

“Morning,” he grunted, giving us a once-over before stepping aside.

“Good morning, Dimitri!” Moira pecked him on the cheek and ran off. Dimitri frowned.

“Morning, Dimitri,” I replied, biting back a smile. He’d been a great addition to the team, though his no-nonsense attitude still intimidated half the staff.

We wove through the bustling desks, past the editing bays and wardrobe racks, until we reached the door to the office Liam and I shared. I paused for a second, watching the life we’d built play out around me.

“Your porn empire,” Laura said under her breath, nudging me with her elbow again.

I just smiled and opened the door.

Walking into the office I shared with Liam always gave me a rush of pride. The sleek walnut desk we’d picked out together, the framed photos of us and our team, the whiteboard filled with ideas and schedules—it was a space that felt alive with ambition and creativity.

But today, it also had Nessa.

“Finally!” she exclaimed, throwing her arms wide as if we’d just walked in from a month-long expedition. She perched on the edge of our desk, her cherry-red bob gleaming under the fluorescent lights. “I’ve been waiting forever. What took you two so long? Jack, I sent you a detailed email about a couple of new boys that would be perfect for us.”

“Good to see you too, Nessa.” I smiled. Nessa hopped up, clutching her phone like it was a live grenade. “Okay, okay, I can’t stay. I’ve got a meeting with Stretch Stone—don’t ask. He’s double-jointed and very well endowed. I’ve already got a platform in mind for him, and trust me, this guy’s gonna be huge. Like, he’s able to do things to himself most men would kill to do.”

She paused dramatically, waiting for one of us to react.

“Stretch Stone?” I repeated, raising an eyebrow. “That’s his name?”

“Well, his stage name,” Nessa said with a grin. “It’s memorable, right? Anyway, gotta run!” She dashed toward the door, then stopped and pointed a finger at Laura. “Don’t forget! We need to brainstorm that TikTok series for Laura’s stand-up tour. I’ll pencil us in for next week!”

Before I could respond, she was gone, her heels clicking down the hall like firecrackers. I shut the door behind her and sighed, shaking my head.

“She’s a whirlwind,” Laura said, settling into the chair across from me.

“She’s also brilliant,” I said, dropping into my seat. “She’s completely transformed how we find and promote talent. I don’t know what we’d do without her.”

“Hire someone quieter?”

I chuckled, leaning back. “Probably not as fun, though.”

I was about to launch into the agenda for the meeting when Laura tilted her head, giving me a look that I recognized all too well.

“Enough shop talk for a minute,” she said. “How’s life treating you, Mr. Big Shot?”

I blinked, caught off guard. I wasn’t used to talking about myself—it wasn’t my style. But Laura had a way of prying things out of people.

“It’s... good,” I admitted, a grin creeping onto my face. “Really good. I mean, I’m surrounded by people I love. I get to do a job that’s fun and creative. And you’ll love this—I ran into my old boss Evelyn on the street a few weeks ago.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “Evelyn Evelyn? The Dragon Lady you told me about?”

“Oh yeah,” I said, leaning forward. “She saw me coming, and I could tell she was ready to pounce. She snarled something about me being a ‘low-rent hustler’ or whatever. So, I got right in her face and showed her this.” I held up my wrist, flashing the gold Rolex Liam surprised me with after one of our biggest deals. “I’ve never seen someone’s face twist like that. It was like Christmas morning—if Christmas involved taking down your former boss.”

Laura burst out laughing, her head tipping back. “Jack, you devil. Revenge is better than Christmas.”

“Damn right.”

The door opened, and Liam walked in, his face lighting up when he saw us.

“There’s my handsome husband,” I said, standing to greet him.

Laura stood too, pulling Liam into a hug. “You’re back just in time,” she said. “I was about to tell Jack how much of a nightmare he is to work with.”

“Liar,” Liam teased, his arm slipping around my waist.

Laura picked up her bag and slung it over her shoulder. “Well, boys, I’ve got a comedy writer to meet. Stand-up’s the next big thing for me, and I need someone to help me punch up my material. Wish me luck!”

“You don’t need luck,” Liam said. “You’ll kill it.”

Laura winked at us both before heading out, her heels clicking against the polished floor.

As the door closed behind her, Liam turned to me, his smile softening. “So, what’d I miss?”

I grinned, pulling him close. “Nothing you don’t already know. Just me, realizing for the hundredth time how lucky I am.”

And I meant it.

Liam stepped closer, his hands sliding up my chest as his lips brushed mine. The kiss was soft at first, then deepened, a slow reminder of everything we’d built together. When he pulled back, though, his forehead creased, and I caught a flicker of hesitation in his eyes.

“Sit down,” he breathed, motioning to my chair.

I frowned, but did as he asked. “What’s going on?”

Liam dragged the other chair closer, but instead of sitting, he perched on the edge of my desk, running a hand through his hair. “Okay, first, I need you not to be jealous.”

That set off every alarm in my brain. My spine straightened, and I fixed him with a look. “Why are you telling me not to be jealous?”

He sighed and sat forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Because we’re signing Cam.”

It took a second for the name to register, but when it did, the memory slammed into me: Cam, the guy I threw out of our apartment a year ago after I walked in on him and Liam, about to film a scene. My jaw tightened instinctively, but I forced myself to stay calm.

“Go on,” I said, my voice even though my stomach churned.

Liam leaned closer, his expression earnest. “His FantasyFans business is thriving, but Cam could be huge—like really huge—if we put the full marketing team behind him. He’s got the look, he’s sweet, and he connects with fans in a way that could bring in serious money.” He paused, searching my face. “And you know I have a knack for spotting potential.”

If there was one thing I couldn’t argue with, it was that. Liam had an uncanny ability to see opportunities where others saw obstacles. I took a breath, forcing myself to look at this the way he did: objectively.

“If you think he can add something to the team,” I said finally, “I’m all for it.”

Relief washed over Liam’s face, and he slipped off the desk to straddle my lap. His hands cupped my face, thumbs brushing over my cheeks.

“You’re the best, you know that?” he murmured, leaning down to kiss me again.

I smiled against his lips, but when he pulled back, there was a glint in his eyes that immediately put me on alert.

“What now?” I asked, arching an eyebrow.

“So,” he began, drawing the word out, “our fans have been asking for one more video of us together.”

My stomach sank. “Liam…”

“I know,” he cut in quickly, pressing a finger to my lips. “I know we agreed to stay behind the camera. And I know you promised your dad you wouldn’t perform anymore. But just one more video, Jack.”

I groaned, tipping my head back against the chair. “You’re killing me, you know that?”

He grinned, his hands sliding down to rest on my shoulders. “You can’t say no to me.”

“Yeah, well, that’s the problem,” I muttered.

“Is that a yes?” he asked, his voice hopeful.

I sighed, wrapping my arms around his waist and pulling him closer. “Yes. But you’re the one explaining this to our parents.”

Liam laughed, a sound that always lit me up inside, and he leaned in to kiss me again.

“I love you,” he said against my lips.

And just like that, whatever reservations I had melted away. Because if there was one thing I loved more than anything else in the world, it was Liam.