Page 132 of Studs Up
“And you decided to tell no one?” Max accused. I flinched.
“That was my right,” I said, finding a bit of fight.
“This was an important piece of information you withheld,” Benedict said. “Now someone is using it to fuck with our chances at a title.”
I swallowed and wished I had brought the water from the car.
“You were on International call ups and using it to meet men.”
My eyes slid to Benedict. There was still a little bit of fight in me.
“And how many straight guys have been caught with women other than their wives?” I asked. “Did they have to sit in a meeting like this or did pr reps just deal with it?”
There was silence and Frank shifted. Yeah. The only reason we were here was because I was a man with another man. Fucking bullshit.
“Is the other man going to be a problem?” Frank asked.
“No,” I shook my head.
“Do you even know who he is?” The tone in Benedict’s voice was incredibly insulting.
“Yes, I do. And he’s not going to be a problem.”
“How well do you know him,” Frank asked gently. “I just need to be aware.”
“None of any of your businesses,” I snapped. “I know him. He’s not going to be a problem.”
I stood up and marched out of the room. Frank and Alex hot on my heels. I didn’t know where to go. I wanted out but standing there waiting for the elevator as I made a dramatic exit was not my idea of a good time. I looked for a door that looked like it could lead to a stair case. But Frank had other ideas.
His hand closed around my arm and he steered me into his office. I knew it was his office because it was crisp, organized, and had a picture of him with his arms around a handsome man and a lovely woman on a beach on his desk.
Alex closed the door behind us and then stood in front of it, like a bodyguard.
“Look,” Frank started and leaned against his desk. “I know you said he won’t be a problem. And I get why you wouldn’t want to tell those assholes, but I need to know.”
“I won’t put him in the same position I’m in,” I said, without thinking. Fuck. Frank’s eyes widened and he glanced to Alex who was looking like he wanted to be anywhere else for this conversation. To Alex, the ceiling was very interesting. Frank’s eyes grew large and I could see the answer come to him through those hazel eyes.
This was not a battle I needed to fight right now. I needed Frank to understand and let that go so I could deal with the rest of the shit.
“Okay,” he said slowly, putting the pieces together. “His PR rep should know.”
I shook my head. The least I could do was protect Nolan.
“Absolutely not. He’s not going to be apart of this,” I said. It was the only thing I could say with confidence. “If he’s identified all of this,” I waved my hands at the world in general. “Gets ten times worse.”
Frank peaked an eyebrow at me.
“How does this get worse?”
“The fans may or may not have a problem with my sexuality. But they’ll definitely have a problem with who I was fucking that night.”
Frank’s mouth dropped and his eyes slid unfocused as he mentally scanned through the call up roster.
“Um,” Frank shifted. “Like how big of a problem?”
“Rivalry problems,” Alex said and I glared at him. I appreciated he was here but I didn’t need him giving up crucial information.
“Please, please tell me it wasn’t a Guardian,” Frank’s eyes begged me. But I didn’t have the energy to make up a lie, and I felt that if there was one person in this whole fucking building that could understand, it was Frank.
