The Willingness to Burn (6 page)

Mark went around the other side of the car and Jace approached her. She smiled at him.

“Hey,” Jace said with a smile on his face.

“Hey yourself,” she responded. In an instant, the flash of Maddy in so many places in so many scenarios greeting him. Always the same. “Hey yourself.” Jace froze mid-step.

“What’s wrong?” she asked in her sexy accent.

Jace smirked and shook his head.

She stepped forward and threw her arms around his neck. “Mark says were going to go swimming at the hotel. Will you save me if I drown?” She leaned in, pressing her lips on his, but he did not kiss her back.

“I’m afraid I cant. I have to go.”

“Why?”

“I … I just do.”

“Are you sure?” She leaned in closer to him and pushed his wrist down. Jace’s hand moved from her hip down to her perfect ass.
Oh, dear God, this thing is a work of art.

“Yes … Yes … Well … Yes, I have to go.” Jace pulled her arms down. “But I’m sure Dex will keep you safe.”

“Dex, save this woman from drowning,” Jace called out.

“Yeahhh,” came from the limo.

“It was nice meeting you, Natalia, but I got a cab to catch,” Jace said, breaking into a light jog up the alleyway.

“Where the fuck are you going?” Mark cried out from halfway in the limo

“Mark, I’ll see ya Monday!”

Chapter 8

Sometime later…

Jace’s apartment was a quaint place. Not the type of place that you would picture a hedge fund manager living in, but then again, Jace was just another cog in the machine and had only become an account man just over a year ago. He was far from being an actual fund manager. This place, however, would be what you would expect for a junior account man.

Jace lived at the top of a third floor walkup in Hoboken, New Jersey. A city whose name derived from how poor it used to be before someone had the bright idea to make it the newest suburb of NYC. Thirty years before, the place was a dump. But the would-be masters of the universe had to live somewhere, and when the city was too expensive, New Jersey was the next best place. It was a place where a fifteen-minute Path ride might save you a few thousand dollars a month.

And on that night, with a bottle of wine freshly uncorked and the contents emptied into two stemless glasses that were resting on the coffee table, Jace and Maddy relaxed on the couch. Their bodies were overlapping one on top of the other. Her body laid on top of his with her legs up by his head. His legs sat at a similar position spread out underneath her and resting on either side of her head.

The high ceilings of the third-floor apartment did little to spread out the heat despite the cold shudder of fall that was upon them. A large open window allowed in both the cool breeze and the tense energy of the small city looking out over the larger one.

“Here, look at this one,” Maddy said and turned her phone to face Jace. He leaned in and moved his lips to read the caption then started laughing.

“Okay, okay, I gotcha beat.” Jace turned his phone to show Maddy a picture, and after a moment or two, she laughed.

“Oh my God, that’s horrible!”

Jace laughed. “I know, I have the worst sense of humor.”

“Yeah, it’s a good thing I’m as sick as you are,” Maddy said.

He glided his hand up and down her shin bone. “Yeah you are a sick puppy, aren’t cha?”

“Ummm, listen, pot, be careful what you say to the kettle.”

Jace laughed. He leaned in and kissed her ankle, dragging his hand up lightly over her naked thighs and paused at her pelvis squeezing her hips through her lacy black underwear.

“I mean it as a compliment,” Jace said.

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah, if you were normal, I wouldn’t be dating to you.”

“Oh, no?”

“Nope,” Jace said, sitting up and letting her legs fall to his sides. He leaned in and kissed her. “I need to date someone as twisted as I am.”

“Well, I don’t know if I’m
that
twisted.”

Jace laughed. “Hey,” he said and pinched her calf.

“Ow,” Maddy said and made an exaggerated sad face.

“Don’t give me that look.”

“Ow,” she said, keeping her look.

Jace laid back on the two seater couch and shimmied his legs back to their original position pulling Maddy’s hips up on top of his gray boxers. Aside from the bed and desk, it was the only real piece of furniture in the apartment. At least, the only piece that you could sit on. The two-seater couch was part of a set. It came complete with a much larger couch that would have been great for such a lazy night but the three floors of winding staircases had something else to say. Maddy’s legs extended past his chest and her manicured toes dangled just beyond his ears.

She bent her knees and pressed her feet against his chest. He grabbed her ankles and made small rubbing motions with his fingers.

“Do your nipples get hard?”

Jace laughed. “Of course they do. What kinda question is that?”

“I don’t know. Why do you even have nipples?” She pressed her big toe on Jace’s nipple.

“Well, I got them a long time ago, and I was considering getting rid of them but, you know.”

“You grew attached to them?”

Jace smiled. “Yeah, something like that. Why do you have nipples?”

“Well, that’s obvious.”

“Something for me to bite on?”

“Well, that’s the main point, I think they have something to do with children, too, but I’d have to google that.”

“Nah, that’s an old wives tale. They’re pretty much there to just frame out your tits.” Jace paused a moment. “Well, that and they’re fun to play with.”

“Obviously, there’s that too. Are yours fun as well?”

“Nah, not really, they’re kinda just there.”

“Oh, yeah?” Maddy asked then adjusted her feet and tried to squeeze his nipples with her toes. Jace winced and turned.

“Hey, hey!” Jace said, lifting her feet up. “Be careful, Miss Maddy, I have amazing strength in my toes.”

“Is that a threat?”

“Oh, you bet your ass it is.” Jace looked at her with mock sincerity. “I will pull your nipples right off.” Jace lifted his foot up and waved at her with his toes, cracking one of them.

“Wait, watch this,” Maddy said then rolled her foot around at her ankle. The ankle clicked and clacked.

“Oh, god.” Jace’s head jolted back in surprise.

”Yeah, and I can do it with the other one too.” She proceeded to roll her ankle and it cracked once twice then three times. “I can keep doing it.”

“That’s awesome!”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, I can do it with my toes.”

Jace started cracking his toes.

“Ewwww.”

“Hey, kettle.”

Maddy laughed. “Mine actually have different pitches.”

“Do they really?”

“Yeah, listen!” She proudly proceeded to roll both of her ankles again.

“Eww, they do. That one’s higher,” Jace said motioning to her right leg.

“Yup, and I think that means I win.”

“I think you’re right.”

The pair laid there wrapped up in each other. It was how they spent most of their evenings. Discussing the weird, the insignificant, and the importance of the unimportant.

“So, I’ve been thinking …”

“Yeah? Whatcha been thinking?”

“I’m thinking, the next sale I close, I’m going to move to the city.” Jace pulled his body up to a sitting position, still facing Maddy on the couch and grabbed his wine glass, taking a sip.

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah.”

“Had enough of Jersey?”

“Nah, never, but I feel like it would be more convenient.“

“Yeah, especially with how far you have to walk once you get there.”

“Yeah, and I don’t mind the walking so much in the summer, but come February that is not fun at all.” Jace took another big swig of his glass and put the cup down. “And in all honesty, the only reason I ever come to Jersey is because this is where I live. Literally every other part of my life is in the city.”

“Every part?” Maddy asked, forcing a frown.

“Well, except you—” Jace squeezed her feet “—but you work in the city and whenever we go out it’s usually in the city.”

“That’s true.”

“And wouldn’t it be so much nicer if we had a place to go back and cuddle up in the city?” Jace pulled her body back on top of him.

“Hey, don’t sell me, Mister.”

Jace put his hand to his chest. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

“Plus, that way when I have to have dinner with clients, I can stop home and shower first.”

“Yeah, that definitely makes it an advantage.”

“So, what are you doing with this place?”

“Well, I still have like six months on my lease, so I don’t know, maybe I’ll get out of it.”

“Or you could sublease it to someone.”

“Or I could do that.”

“Because I happen to know a girl looking to move to Hoboken.”

“Who?”

“Me, silly.”

“Are you really?”

“Yeah.”

“Now, why would you go and do a thing like that?”

“Because I definitely need to move out.”

“Well, if you want, I mean, if I’m moving to the city, you could always stay with me.”

“Nope, absolutely not. I mean, yeah, I’ll always stay there.” Maddy laughed. “But I need my own place. Even if it’s just there to hold my shoes.”

“Well, what if I get a place with the biggest closet in New York.”

“Then I’ll be yours forever, darling.”

Jace pressed his hips into Maddy’s.

“But no, I still need my own place, at least for now.”

“Okay. That’s fair.”

Chapter 9

Jace glanced down at his watch then back up at the street. He pulled his overcoat tight against his skin and let out a shuddered breath. In New York, the streets were never silent, there was always something, horns beeping, cats meowing, sirens, something. There was always
something
. But in the auditory cloud of chaos, Jace began to hear the signature click clacking sound of familiar shoes walking at a familiar pace. Jace smiled and looked up at a beautiful earmuffed girl closing in on his location one click of her heels at a time.

“Hey.”

“Hey yourself,” Maddy responded.

“You’re late!”

“You said eight o’clock!”

“Uh huh, likely story.” Maddy approached and threw her arms around Jace’s neck, planting a hello kiss on his lips.

“Did you talk to them?”

“Yeah, they’re inside already.”

“Aw, shit” Maddy grabbed the lapels of his jacket and pressed her face into his coat. Jace threw his arms around her.

“I told you, you were late.”

“I’m not late, it’s …” Maddy said, stepping back, pulling her sleeve up, and looking down at her watch. Jace stared back at her, waiting for her admittance.

“Hmmm,” she mumbled and pursed her lips. “Don’t give me that look!”

Jace laughed. “Shall we?” He extended his arm toward the door.

Maddy cleared her throat, stood up straight, and smiled. “We shall.”

The pair checked their coats and the maître d' escorted them to a white clothed table that held their evening companions, Evan and Lilly. After a brief embrace of greetings, Jace pulled out a chair for Maddy and their four-top was complete at the high class establishment of 417. A restaurant whose name was modeled after the street address and whose high ceilings and open floor plan boasted the best  harmonics that the city had to offer. The restaurant often had live musical entertainment in the form of light jazz or piano. That night was a piano night.

“So, Evan said you seemed excited on the phone. What’s the big surprise?” Lilly asked.

“Surprise?” Jace countered with a smile.

“Yeah, what’s the big mystery here, buddy?” Evan asked.

“Well, I had something worth celebrating, so I figured why not celebrate with my four favorite people.” Jace grinned and looked out over the spacious floor plan to a well-suited man sitting down at a grand piano looking over some musical notes.

“You mean three?” Maddy corrected him.

Jace picked up his water glass and took a sip. “Well, I include myself in that list of favorite people.” Jace smiled at Maddy.

“Uh huh,” Maddy responded.

“And…?” Evan inquired.

“And…,” Jace responded.

Maddy elbowed Jace. “You can tell them or I will.”

“All right, all right. I got a promotion today.”

“That’s awesome, congratulations, “ Lilly said.

“Yeah, what are you doing now?” Evan asked.

“I’m actually managing a fund now.”

“That’s great!”

“Yeah, thanks.” Jace silently tapped a melody on his water glass.

“So, uhh … What were you doing before?” Lilly asked.

“Well, before I was an account man. So I really just meet with the people, pitch the ideas, and make sure they’re happy.” Jace took a sip of his water then continued to talk before fully swallowing. “Kinda like Pete in Mad Men.

“Ahh gotcha,” Evan said just then fully realizing the scope of Jace’s job.

“So now I do that, but also pick the investments.”

“I could have sworn you did that before,” Lilly said suspiciously.

“Yeah, kinda. I’ve been riding shotgun for a while. So I suggest things, I’ll meet with perspective recipients. But all I’ve really been doing is spectating, sorta learning the ropes, how to tell when someone’s full of shit or when an investment sounds good but doesn’t have much immediate upside. But—”Jace raised his finger “—someone else has always had the final decision.”

“Whereas now, you get to pick?” Evan asked.

“Yeah, I get full creative control.”

“Wow. That’s a huge responsibility,” Lilly reasoned.

“Yeah, I know.” Jace smiled and let out a deep breath.

“So you went from being Pete Campbell to Don Draper.”

Jace laughed. “Now
that’s
a great way to look at it.”

The soft keys of the piano began to hum throughout the room.

“How much are they giving you control over?” Evan asked.

“Two hundred million.”

“Jesus Christ!” Evan shouted.

Maddy smiled and looked to her left then right to see if anyone else heard him. Evan, realizing that perhaps the harmonics of the dining room were working against him, looked about and expressed an embarrassed smile.

“Yeah, it’s a relativity small fund, all things considered.”

“Dude, that’s still amazing.”

“Yeah I’m really happy about it. And what that also means, is increased performance incentives.” Jace grinned.

“Good evening,” the waiter interrupted. “My name is Peter. I will be taking care of you. Can I start you off with something to drink?

“Yes, Peter,” Jace spoke before anyone else could. “We’re going to need a bottle of Dom Pérignon to start.”

“Certainly.”

“Does anyone else want something different?” Jace asked.

Evan and Lilly both shook their heads. Jace squeezed Maddy’s leg under the table.

“I guess we really are celebrating.” Evan smiled.

“Hey, this is low-key,” Jace said in his own defense.

“I know, the last time you went celebrating you came back with a girlfriend.” Evan chuckled and leaned into Lilly.

“Yeah, that is really crazy,” Maddy said. “I mean who does that?”

Jace shot her a look and pinched her leg under the table.

“Your story is like my favorite ‘How we met’ story,” Lilly said, looking at Maddy.

“Oh, it’s your favorite, huh?” Evan asked with a tone.

“My second favorite, darling.” Lilly leaned in and kissed Evan.

Evan nodded and grinned.

“It’s just so out of the ordinary, but it seemed to have worked out well,” Lilly said.

“God, I know.” Maddy smiled.

“Yeah, what were you thinking? Some strange guy you barely know offers to take you on vacation and you go?” Jace said with a look of mock skepticism.

“Well, of course I went.”

“How did you know I wasn’t just going to hit it and quit it?” Jace asked, leaning into Maddy and pursing his lips.

“You were taking me on vacation, I didn’t care.”

Lilly and Evan both laughed.

“You’re a dangerous one, Miss Maddy,” Jace taunted.

“No, I knew you weren’t a psycho or anything.”

“And how did you know that?”

“Okay, well, maybe I spoke too soon. But if anything, you were a sophisticated psycho, and that I can live with.”

“So you didn’t think he was going to chop you up into little pieces or anything?” Evan asked.

“Him? Please …”

“Hey! You watch it,” Jace said, waving a finger.

Maddy turned to face Jace. “I’m just kidding, darling, You could totally chop me up into pieces.” She leaned in and kissed him.

“That’s right.”

“All kidding aside, though. Yes, I see what you’re saying,” Maddy began, “but, he works in finance. He’s successful. And I spent the entire day with him before agreeing to go. That and he’s responsible for my retirement anyway, so I feel like I kind of have to trust him.

“Yeah, that’s true,” Evan said.

The waiter returned with the bottle of champagne and showed it to Jace. Jace nodded and the waiter gripped the cork.

“Wait, wait, wait!” Jace cried out.

“What?”

“I want to do it.”

“Sir, for safety reasons, we don’t let patrons open the bottle themselves.”

“I insist,” Jace said, standing up.

Peter appeared to be obviously uncomfortable. Jace, recognizing this, followed with, “I’m gonna leave the cage on it.” Jace extended his open hand to Peter awaiting the bottle.

Peter thought for a moment and then handed the bottle over.

“It’s not quite a good luck thing, but it almost is,” Jace said and shot a wink at Peter.

Peter nodded in understanding.

“Just do it quick. I can get in a lot of trouble for this.”

Jace nodded and twisted the bottle, his hand firmly around the cork.

The bottle let out a sharp sound of air escaping and Jace’s hands adjusted to the shot.

“You know how to open champagne,” Peter said, surprised.

“I used to be a bartender.” Jace shot Peter a wink. “I got this, come back in a few.”

“I didn’t know that,” Maddy said.

“Oh, yeah, I forgot about that,” Evan said.

“There’s lots you don’t know about me, darling,” Jace said and took the cage off of the cork. “I’m like an onion with all my layers.”

“Uh huh, and like an asshole, will all your bullshit,” Maddy retorted.

Jace laughed to himself and began to pour the champagne.

“She’s got your number, huh?” Lilly asked.

“Oh, you have no idea.”

Jace took his seat and raised his glass. The other three followed suit.

“Cheers guys,” Jace said.

“Congratulations.”

“To the things that make us celebrate, and the people we want to share them with,” Jace said.

“Amen.”

The glasses clinked together.

*

“You know, I really like your family,” Maddy said, looking back at herself in Jace’s vanity mirror and dabbing away some of her makeup.

“I knew you would,” he called from the bedroom.

“They show an interesting side of you.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah. All of the Wall Street guys I’ve dated only care about work. It’s like the only thing that matters to them.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Jace said as she heard a rustle from the bedroom. Then Jace appeared at the bathroom door. “You’ve dated other guys?”

“Well … Maybe …” Maddy looked up innocently.

“What was all that one in a million talk?”

They both laughed. Maddy put the makeup remover down and pushed Jace out of the bathroom following him toward the bed.

“I think they are what makes you different.”

“How so?” Jace asked, plopping down on the bed and rolling under the covers.

“So, in my experience,” Maddy began while getting into bed, “everyone seems to think that being a stockbroker excuses them from being shitty people, like if you work hard enough you can be an asshole and it’s totally okay.”

“I could see that.”

“But then it becomes their entire identity. It’s like they don’t want to see the other stuff because then they’d be forced to look in the mirror.”

“I could see that too. It’s a hard job to have. Their hours are awful, and when your whole life revolves around getting people to say yes, you soon stop caring how you get there.”

“But that’s what defines a person, is what they are willing to do to get that yes.”

“I know, and in a results driven industry, people sometimes sell their soul for the results that matter to them.”

“I’m glad you’re not like that.”

“It’s the difference between the love of money. And the lust for what money can bring you.”

“So, which are you?”

“I’d hope you’d know that at this point.”

“I do.” Maddy smiled warmly. “Now let me get inside.”

Jace opened his arms wide and Maddy rolled into him, then he closed his arms wrapping her up tightly. Maddy kissed Jace on the chin, and they gazed deeply at one another.

“I’m glad you like them, though. Wait until you meet the rest of them.”

“Oh, God, there’re more like you?” Maddy pushed against his chest creating a little space.

“Nah, none quite like me. But there’s more.”

“What’re they like?”

“Well diverse, I would say.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah. Everything from saints to sinners.”

“Oh God, the saints must be so boring.”

Jace laughed “Ehh, they’re not so bad.”

“Well, then they must not be very good saints.”

“No one really is, you know what the rolling stones say.”

“What’s that?”

“Every cop is a criminal and all the sinners saints.”

“Ain’t that the truth.”