It stuns me that they haven’t thought of this. They exchange glances as though learning some new physics theory.
“Here’s how it’s going to be,” I tell them. “I’ll be continuing to pay our creative teams, the lifeblood of this company, the money they deserve. This financial year, regardless of Empire’s Fall’s performance, I will take no bonus. And if the OT continues beyond what I expect, I’ll use my own salary to fund it. Beyond that, you’ll have to eat the cost.”
“But—”
I interrupt Jacquiline. “If you have problems, I suggest you stage a hostile takeover of the company. You all have much, much more experience with that kind of thing, I’m sure. Otherwise, get the fuck out of my way and let me do my job.” I’m about to leave when another thought occurs to me. “Or you could hold a vote of no confidence. Just remember, folks, that Pete and I still have majority voting power. So, unless you can persuade my best goddamn friend to betray me, good luck!”
Pete snorts. “Yeah, good luck,” he reiterates sarcastically.
I turn, striding from the room. Before I storm out, I hear Rajesh angrily tell Pete, “We need him, but you better keep him in line! No more media blunders!”
No more media blunders—like sleeping with a streamer and making her crawl around on the floor. Just imagine if that went public…
I return to my office. On the way there, I walk past Elena. She smiles strangely at me. “I hope you’re feeling better, sir,” she says, then ducks her head and keeps walking.
CHAPTER 17
DAKOTA
“Maybe you could just look at it as a fun experience,” Mara murmurs, blowing on her coffee.
We’re at a café we’ve been coming to since we were kids. It’s the weekend, and this week has been… more than difficult. I haven’t missed a single stream, but it’s like I’m split down the middle. Dakky, bright, carefree, and happy. And Dakota, anxiously checking my phone, reliving the intensity of the office, then the awkwardness of kneeling behind that cabinet—the loop refusing to close.
“True,” I agree, taking a sip of coffee. “It’s been almost a week, and he hasn’t texted me.”
“Youdidsay to give you space…”
“True again,” I say with a sigh.
Mara noticed something was up at the barbecue. Our families hold one once or twice a month during the warmer months. It’s the sort of thing we never would’ve done when Dad was still in the picture. Not to mention being home always reminds us of Noah, but that wasn’t why I was so quiet and withdrawn. Marasaw me checking my phone and knew instantly what was going on.
“But you don’t want to do that,” Mara says, reading me like a book.
“He warned me we had to keep it a secret. He’s got a lot of pressure on his shoulders. Other women might find it fun, exciting, hiding, crawling around.”
“But you don’t,” Mara says. “So don’t worry about what other women would like.”
“It was so… amazing. That doesn’t even do it justice. It was like he already knew my body, every button to press, when to be fierce and when to be gentle. And when we were interrupted, I was… well, let’s just say I wasn’tstanding. And let’s just say he was ready, like, right away.”
“He must be really attracted to you,” Mara says.
A familiar tingle dances over me. “It’s not just the physical stuff. I miss knowing he’s watching my streams. I want to go to the Cove with him again. I want him to notice when I’m anxious or angry, even when ten thousand other people are looking right at me and have no idea.”
“Can you forgive him?”
“I already have. Or, no, it’s not really about that. What right do I have to be angry? What else was he supposed to do? And he just said to hide. It isn’t like he snapped at the floor and said,Down, girl.”
“You don’t like being told what to do,” Mara mutters. “You’ve been self-employed since you were twenty. It’s not your fault. But let’s face it, you’ve got a problem with authority. And I getit. Your dad… before you and your mom told him to kick rocks, sorry, he was a tyrant.”
“Sorry?” I scoff, shaking my head. “I agree, Mara. Obviously.”
“Well, he’s still your dad,” she murmurs.
“By blood only. I never want to talk to him again. Noah taught me too much about self-esteem to ever put up with that crap.”
Mara grins, eyes shining. “That kid sure knew how to boost an ego.”
“Yes, he did.”