Page 101 of Sapphire

“Why? How? I don’t understand—I thought we were careful? I thought our security was tight?” Tomas paces then his face drops. “That motherfucker,” he screams.

“I bet it was Nikolai!” Sophie says.

I look at her, confused.

“He knew where Zoe was all this time,” Tomas says through gritted teeth.

“He played the long game. Got as much intel as he could about everyone and used it when he could. He’s using this as a distraction so that you two will be worried about your personal lives and not about Zoe,” Sophie explains.

She’s right.

“What the hell are we going to do?” I ask them both.

“You do an interview and put all the attention back on Nikolai. You bring him out onto the world stage. Fuck him, he thinks this is going to stop you?” Like I said, Sophie is scary. “Look, I’m sure your publicist will probably advise against it, but are you two sick of living a lie?”

“What about your father, Tomas?”

“He has never supported us and he never will. It’s not like I see him anyway. My whole family has shunned me, so nothing will change. He can deal with the fallout, I don’t care. I want Zoe back, and I will do anything to get her back,” Tomas says confidently.

Jumping up out of bed, I grab him and kiss him passionately. He smiles back and my heart wants to explode with happiness.

“I love you, Mateo, and I am sick of hiding.”

“I’m sick of hiding as well. I want Zoe back with us, the three of us.” I press my forehead against his.

“Okay,” Sophie says, “let me sort it out with your publicist, and let’s fuck up Nikolai’s plans.”

Hours later, we are sitting in front of a makeshift studio.

Sophie called up a cameraman friend, and Enrique has cleared it with Interpol for us to talk about the case. We just can’t mention anything about Marrakesh and the sales. We’re turning the media attention back onto Nikolai, taking the focus off our sex tapes. Of course, Tomas’s father had a coronary when he saw the news. I think Tomas handled himself well when he phoned. He told him to watch the interview as the story is not what he thinks. He also had to deal with the guilt trip of his mother’s tears on the phone. God, I hate his family. Luckily his brother Dario called him with support and told him he wasn’t ashamed of the world knowing he and I are in a relationship. He’s back in Barcelona holding down the business while we are in Morocco finding Zoe.

I’m so lucky I have the most amazing family. My mother called me in a panic, worried that my career was going to be over, worried about what people will say about me, but I just told her to watch the interview tonight.

My brothers and sisters sent texts of support.

“Welcome, tonight we will be speaking with Mateo Vilaro and property tycoon Tomas Ramirez,” Sophie says in her reporter’s voice. “Thank you both for taking the time to talk to me tonight, amid all of the scandal today after the release of what some believe to be sex tapes.”

I tense at her words, but I know she is just doing her job.

“Could you tell us, is it true that you are together?” Sophie’s blue eyes look at us, and she gives us a genuine smile.

I take a deep breath and reach out for Tomas’s hand, taking it in mine. “Yes, Tomas and I are together. He is not only my best friend and roommate, but also the love of my life.” I turn and give him a reassuring smile, and the look he gives me makes me realize it’s going to be okay. We are going to be okay.

“How long have you been a couple?” Sophie asks.

“We met at a party years ago, we were both with other people and we started off as friends until our feelings evolved.” The public version of what happened to us; we’re not sure if the public is ready for us to say we met at a sex party and fucked straight away along with numerous women.

“Is that when you knew you were both gay?”

Tomas shakes his head. “Mateo and I are bisexual—we enjoy women just as much as we enjoy the company of men. We have each had relationships with both sexes, but this time we happen to have fallen for the same sex.” Tomas’s face shows me exactly how much he loves me.

“So, why did you think you needed to hide your sexuality?”

I take a deep breath. “I was advised that it would be better for my career if I was straight, like my character.”

“And I …” Tomas starts and stumbles over his words.

I squeeze his hand in support.

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