wants to go home.”
“Do you?” I asked.
“I don't know. I know I want Freya to be happy. If that means taking her home, I guess I'm just going to have to. Even if I lose out on all the money. And even though I’ll really miss you.”
She looked up at me as she said this, and it seemed as if she was going to try.
“I’m not sure what else I can work out. I managed to put an end to Bateman's reign of terror, but there is still Murdoch to deal with.”
“Who?”
“Sorry, insider information. Murdoch is the boss at the studio running the show. At least he was until recently. Bateman was the piece of shit who ran the faked promo. I already had an investment in the studio. Something Bateman would remind me of, clearly not gasping the significance himself. It was simply a matter of buying enough available shares to get controlling interest. Murdoch is protected and cannot be moved. Bateman was easy enough to get rid of.”
“You fired someone because they hurt my feelings?” Morgan asked, seeming both stunned and touched.
“Pretty much, yeah.”
“But don't you need him? I mean, wasn't he important if he was running a show?”
“He was a wastrel. Besides which, I've already replaced him with someone far more agreeable. But still. You can't leave without losing the money.”
“I already know that and said that. I'm really sick of having that held over my head,” she said with anger.
“I know. I’m just saying that I would change it if I could. But it's in the contract. Even I can't change that. The terms are clear and not made entirely by me. I wrote some of it and approved others, but much of it was the brainchild of the studio lawyers.”
“I wish I could just get her away, even for a while.”
“But…”
“But I don't want to leave you. Fuck the money. I don't give a shit anymore. I love my daughter, and I love my friend, and I, um, care about you. There, I fucking said it. I can't believe I said it, but there it is. I care about you. I love the way you look. I love the way you smell. I love the way you talk. I love how you don't give a shit about what anyone thinks. I love how you have all these cool talents no one person should have at once. I love your cooking. I love how you touch me, even when it's rough. I love how you make me feel. So, yes, I care about you very much and I don’t want to leave.”
She sobbed softly into my chest. I held her gently, stroking her hair. I was shocked, but also insanely happy. It was time for a confession of my own.
“I care about you, too.”
“You do?” Morgan asked, trying to look at me, wiping a tear from her eye.
“Of course I do. How could I not? You're perfect. Or, at least perfect for me, in every way that really matters. Someone with my philosophy really needs to have their priorities in order. You meet all the big ones. You have for a while now. I first felt something when I saw your application. It sounds silly. It wasn't love at first sight, but I was certainly interested and the more I got to know you, the more my interest grew until I came to feel this way about you. I have just come to care about you even more ever since. I want you. I want to take care of you and Freya.”
“Should we tell the studio where to go?”
“Is that what you want? I really do want you to be happy and take care of you. You don't have to worry about the million. I am willing to devote my entire fortune to you if it would make you happy or even make your life just a little easier. It's kind of an accident that I have it any way. I really don't care what happens to it. It is really only a means to an end, anyway. You are the best end I can think of. If that doesn't sound too pompous. If there is one thing I cannot stand, it is people who get above themselves. Really, we are all the same in-”
She kissed me passionately. Not the way we usually did when we were playing, but a strong, ferocious kiss with the burning power of true love behind it. It actually knocked me