The Willingness to Burn by J. P. London Read Free Book Online

blotting out the view. The fog seemed to trap the humidity down on the street and under the hot August sun, and the word sweltering came to life in the city. But Jace couldn’t feel any of that from his office. All he could see was the gray sky, the sun fighting to shine through and failing miserably. It is what people thought about when they thought of the city—smog.
    As Jace gazed out and daydreamed for a brief moment, Dexter boomed into his office. The door swung and slammed against the back wall.
    “Jesus Christ!” Jace shouted snapping to attention.
    “You can still call me Dex,” a drunken Dexter tried to say in a sly tone.
    “How did it go?”
    “You Sir, are looking at your newest competition.” Dexter opened his suit jacket and took a half spin.
    “No shit?” Jace leaped to his feet and walked toward Dexter
    “Yeah, man. Signed, locked, and loaded!”
    Dexter extended his hand and Jace grabbed it to pull him in for a one-armed hug.
    “Fuck yeah, bro! How much was it?“
    “Eighty million.”
    “This mother fucker ,” Jace exclaimed, slapping Dexter on the chest.
    “I know, right?”
    “Why aren’t you slurring yet?” Jace looked down at his watch. “It’s almost four!”
    “A problem I was hoping to remedy.”
    “And I have just the remedy.”
    Jace walked over to the bar in his office and selected a bottle of McAllen 25 and two glasses.
    “Drinking all fancy,” Dexter remarked.
    “It’s a celebration.” Jace poured each of them a drink.
    They clinked glasses and downed the five-hundred-dollar-a-glass scotch.
    “What else you got for today?” Dexter asked.
    “I have a meeting with a doctor at six.”
    “Yeah? Personal account or business?”
    “Personal, but he’s one of the top oncologists in the country.”
    “Oh, very nice.”
    “Yeah, so that personal account might be worth somewhere around ten million.”
    “Hey man, every bit helps.”
    Jace jabbed Dexter’s arm.
    “Hey man, they can’t all be homeruns. Base hits still keep you in the game.”
    “Hell yeah they do. Two hundred grand will still keep the lights on.”
    Jace laughed.
    “Prior to today, I bet that’s more than your net worth.”
    “Keyword is prior .”
    “Now that is the important part. What are you doing to celebrate?”
    “Well, I’m afraid I can’t wait until six.”
    “I don’t blame you.”
    Jace noticed Mark standing at the door.
    “With Mark? That guy’s an asshole!” Jace grinned.
    “Hey, fuck you Taster’s Choice,” Mark said, walking into the office.
    “Hey, it was Dunkin Donuts.”
    Mark grabbed a glass and the bottle.
    “You know, that’s a good nickname for you,” Mark teased.
    “Yeah I like it too; I’m going to tell people you came up with it after blowing me,” Jace jabbed.
    Mark laughed and poured himself a drink then approached the two men and refilled their glasses.
    “All right, let’s toast this bitch,” Mark said, raising his glass. “To Dex, finally nailing down a client, and finally getting his balls.”
    Jace snapped his hand at Dexter pretending to hit him in the groin and Dexter flinched accordingly. The glasses clinked and the men drank.
    “All right, you ready?”
    “Fuck yeah,” Dexter exclaimed.
    “Jace, you coming?”
    “I’m gonna meet you, I’ve got another client today.”
    “Yeah? You got it?” Mark asked.
    “Yeah, I got it, It’s a lay-up from another client.”
    “Those are always the best.”
    Jace nodded.
    “Alright Folgers, call me when you’re done.”
    “Will do.”
    Dexter and Mark left the office, and Jace went back to his desk to go over his presentation.
    *
    Hours later, Jace arrived at Club 517. The club had only been open for a few months and was at the top of the hot spot list that summer. And oddly enough, he thought as he fished in his pocket for money to bribe the bouncer, would most likely be closed by next summer. Most of those kinds of clubs were open for a year, maybe two, before they fell from fame. Then the