She said, “None of my boys are restricted from having relationships. Don’t be inhumane.”
“Oh, no.” Manu waved a hand in a way Reno knew was supposed to be calming, but it made Kandi bristle. “We aren’t saying he can’t date. Just that the combination of things here is making our situation difficult.”
“Why?” Reno tried to keep his voice level. “Because I’m dating a man?”
“Let’s not jump to conclusions,” Tomas said. “You’ve had issues in the past with jealous fans doing irrational and dangerous things.”
Reno could feel his palms sweating. It always circled back toher.
“Now that your name is international, a smear campaign likethatcould be theendof your career. It wouldn’t be unexpectedfor those old rumors and accusations to resurface with the announcement of you dating someone new.”
“Mess things up for me?” Reno was trying and failing not to dig his nails into his thigh. “You mean, mess up your investment?”
“Do you need a moment?” Tomas asked, and Reno fought back a scowl. Truthfully, he did need a moment. He was getting dangerously close to losing his temper. It always disgusted him when he had to deal with a person who only sawmoneywhen they looked at him.
“No, I am fine,” Reno said calmly. “So what do you expect of me? To move, to hide my relationship?”
“Yes,” Manu said outright, and Reno felt like someone had slapped him across the face. “We need you, for your own safety, to maintain the image of being a single person. We have seen this pattern over and over, with past stars—once a relationship becomes public, there is adramaticincrease in violence and harassment. We are still at the point where we can sweep this under the rug. If you allow us to do this, then you won’t have to experience those things. The world is still unkind to people like you.”
“People like me?” Reno tasted bile in the back of his throat.
Manu looked uncomfortable as he said, “We expect that if you come out in a relationship with a man?—”
“So you mean gay people?” Reno interrupted, and Kandi gave him a warning look.
“We"—Manu waved between himself and Tomas—“do not have a problem with who you choose to sleep with, but we are trying to protect you from a reality?—”
“You’re wrong,” Reno said over him. “This is wrong.”
“Reno," Kandi said in her calmest voice.
“No.” Reno pushed away from the table. “You aren’t worried about me. You’re worried about your numbers and your ratings,and you think if I was out of the closet, then Voltage’s ranking would plummet.”
“We are worried?—”
“Do you think the quality of my music changes because of who I love?” The wordlovestuck to his tongue like ash. “People who listen to my music will still enjoy it, and if someone doesn’t anymore because of who I am, then I don’t want their money anyway.”
“They’re not suggesting that," Kandi said, and suddenly he felt so betrayed by her that it made him sick. “There’s been a big uptick of negative activity since you started seeing Luka?—”
“Don’t you dare talk about him,” Reno snapped, standing. “I’ll be back.”
He stormed out of the conference room, ignoring Kandi’s pleas to stay. He ignored his bandmates' confused looks as he grabbed his bag, fuming, from the practice room and left without a word. He ignored Jasmine’s concerned frown as he rushed by the front desk and out the building’s doors.
He could feel it so clearly as he looked up to the top of the skyscraper—the crushing weight of what just happened, too heavy on his shoulders. The rush of traffic behind him left him feeling too warm and in the near distance, a police siren went off. He felt his entire life narrowing to a pinpoint made of money—it looked like the black, narrow peak of Sterling’s building—a careful balance of performance and popularity that kept him in line.
He needed to walk away.
He left in an aimless direction, tearing his gaze away from the way the skyscraper cut such an aggressive shape into the clear, blue sky. He’d text his band later, explain. He’d call Kandi, apologize for storming out, and maybe have the courage to ask her what would happen to him if he fought against the PR team’s demands.
He’d talk to Luka—maybe cry.
Luka needed to know what just happened, but Reno didn’t know where to begin. How could he go home to a sick Luka and tell him that the label wanted him tochoose?
Would you fight for me, though?—I won’t let you.
Reno bit back a frustrated noise. Luka didn’t get to decide whether or not Reno fought for him. He was quickly learning that Luka’s self-sacrificing ways came from a place of insecurity, a feeling of unworthiness.
But if there was one thing Reno was determined to prove to Luka since they’d met, it was that Lukawasworthy of Reno’s love.
