Page 44 of Rivals and Liars

"According to him, I'm throwing my career away by risking being seen with Kate when I have a signed contract with Costel. He says they could sue me for breach of contract and ruin me. He said he did it for my own good."

Isaac's eyebrows shoot up, and then he lets out a short, ironic laugh.

"Why are you laughing?"

"Because I thought your father was smarter than that. Turns out he's more clueless than I gave him credit for."

Leire shifts in her seat, uncomfortable, because she doesn't follow.

"Costel can't touch you if it comes out that you're sleeping with Brogan, or ten women every night, for that matter. I took care of that—it's one of the clauses I insisted on during the last round of negotiations. That's why it took so long to officially sign."

"What do you mean they can't touch me?"

"Think of it this way," Isaac begins. "Say a photo of you and Brogan goes public somehow, or it leaks and people find out you're sleeping with women. The clause allows Costel to terminate the contract without having to make any public statement—but they'd have to pay you three million dollars to do it. They'd never have to publicly admit they're homophobic assholes, and in exchange, they can't screw you over."

Leire's eyebrows fly up.

"How did you pull that off?"

"Because I'm your agent and that's my job—protecting your interests, and by extension, mine. Ever since I found out about you and Brogan, I've dealt with a lot of crap and shut down more than a few people. I didn't know it was Valle who had the photo that guy mentioned, but she wasn't the only one who knew. Over the past year or so I've paid three different people to keep the story quiet. Pardon my bluntness, but you two might've kept things behind closed doors in bed, everywhere else you were painfully obvious. The way you'd brush against each other, the looks you'd exchange when you crossed paths on the court or in the hallways—it was way too incriminating. And that bad habit Brogan had of coming to see you in the locker room after matches has cost me a serious amount of money."

Leire is stunned, her heart hammering so hard she's afraid she might get dizzy.

"I don't understand—you mean to say—"

"Have people seen you?" Isaac shakes his head, almost amused. "Come on, I can't believe you're that naive. The locker rooms are big. Someone can be in any corner without you noticing. Did you ever actually bother to check?"

"I never—" she starts, flustered, searching her memory for those moments, but there are too many, and her judgment always goes out the window when Kate is around.

"I figured. Anyway, it doesn't matter—I've got it under control for now, so don't worry. When you're ready, just say the word and we'll put together a quick statement, no questions. Two minutes and it's done," he says, and she feels the room tilting around her.

She still can't quite make sense of Isaac's reaction. She'd assumed he was as old-fashioned as her father, as the brand that sponsors her—but he doesn't look scandalized. Not even worried.

"Isaac, I'm sorry for thinking you—"

"Knew about it?" he offers. "Don't worry about it. I get it—sometimes I act like an arrogant ass. And maybe sometimes I am one, and maybe I love money a little too much, let's not kid ourselves." She manages a small smile. "But I care about you, Leire, and as long as I can help it, the wolves aren't going to come for you until you're ready to take them on yourself."

"I don't think it matters anymore." Leire looks down at her hands, surprised to find herself having this conversation with him.

"What do you mean?"

"Kate ended things with me. And I don't blame her. So you can relax—I don't think anyone's going to be blackmailing you over this going forward."

He sighs—not with relief, but with something closer to understanding.

"And are you okay with that? Without her?"

Her eyes fill instantly, and she can't hold back the tears.

"No." She smiles sadly. "But I brought it on myself. I kept Kate in the shadows for three years, proving to her every single day that she wasn't enough—that I cared more about what other people thought than about what I felt for her."

He shifts, uncomfortable. He can handle just about anything, but comforting a woman with a broken heart is not something he has much experience with.

"I don't really know what to say. I'm not great with matters of the heart—if I were, I'd be married by now—but you should ask yourself what actually matters to you, and stop letting what other people think run the show."

"I always used Costel as a shield, you know? I clung to that contract to justify how scared I am of putting myself out there—of becoming the center of attention, of people pointing fingers, of my sexuality becoming a bigger story than my results on the court."

"Brogan is openly lesbian and I don't see anyone going after her for it—not even when she came out."