Page 111 of The Game We Played

I growl as notification after notification comes through on my phone.

The video is out there. There’s no way Alaia leaked the video. Not after the article she wrote, basically calling Sam a backstabbing asshole for betraying my trust.

And Sam isn’t answering my calls. He’s completely ghosted me. In the middle of the biggest PR scandal of my life, he isn’t to be found.

Which isn’t suspicious at all.

I’m such a dumbass. I defended him to Alaia and called her a liar. I wouldn’t listen to her explanation – the truth. I believed in my agent.

I try calling Sam again. I don’t bother with his private number. He won’t answer it. I call the reception instead.

“This is Vanguard Player Management. How may I direct your call?”

“I want to speak to Sam Voss.”

“Who may I say is calling?”

“This is Tanner Long. And before you say Sam isn’t available to me. Let him know I will send a pineapple pizza to his house every hour of every day until he accepts my call.”

Sam hates pineapple on pizza. The smell makes him feel nauseous. Good. He makes me feel nauseous.

“Hold please.”

I pace the living room of my hotel suite as I wait for him to answer. And he will answer. I wasn’t kidding about the pineapple pizza. I can be as ruthless as he is.

“Tanner. Sorry, we haven’t connected in the last day. Things have been crazy.”

“Cut the shit. I know you leaked the video. What I don’t know is why.” I have my assumptions, but I want to hear the truth out of this bastard’s mouth.

“Ahem. What do you mean?”

“We’ve known each other a long time, Sam. I can tell when you’re lying.”

“Look, Tanner. You’re a liability – plain and simple.”

“A liability you earn a shit ton of money off of.”

“I don’t deny it, but you also cause me the most work. Dealing with the scandals. Blowing out the fires. The list goes on and on.”

“Are you complaining about having to work for the millions you’ve earned off my back?”

“I’m trying to explain how you’re a difficult client.”

“And you’d prefer clients who aren’t difficult. Clients such as Victor Saunders.”

“You heard.”

“You literally did a press release.”

“You never read those press releases.”

True. I don’t. But my teammates do. And they look out for me. More proof there are people I can trust in this world. Sam just isn’t one of them.

“To sum up. Victor Saunders is your latest client and you leaked the video so you could get rid of me. Fine by me. You’re fired.”

“You can’t fire me,” he sputters. “I’m firing you.”

“Whatever. I deserve better than an agent who sells me out because I’m too much work.”