Everything You Wanted Me To Be.

Chapter 63

"Can I show you somewhere?" Jace asks.
"It depends am I going to like it?"
" I think so."
"Ok then." Jace continues to drive and pulls into a small car park about 15 minutes later. He jumps out the car and walks around to me. We walk in silent to Central Park. We are about halfway according to the map. Jace walks over to a vendor selling coffee and not doughnuts and orders us both a coffee and doughnuts to share. We continue walking into a woody part of the park. We can go a really dense part with a stream and some rocks. Jace sits on the rock and motions for me to sit with him. He pulls out a doughnut and passes me it.
"When Michael was on business here, which was a lot, my mother use to bring me here. She'd buy us hot doughnuts and a hot chocolate, we'd sit for hours or I'd play in the stream. It was normally after we'd fallen out because I was being a shitty teenager or a brat. It's one of my favourite places. It brings me calm, helps me make good decisions. I came here a few weeks before deciding to come to Edinburgh." I look around and picture a younger Jace and his mother coming here for a escape of their normal life. I smile and the normality of it all. I take a bite of my doughnut and lean into Jace. He wraps his arm around me and pulls me close. He kisses the top of my head.
"I was trying so hard Grace."
"I know you were."
"I'm scared, if I go to jail I'll probably never get out you realise that don't you?"
"You have good lawyers though. They might be able to make a deal?" Jace shakes his head.
"How good could it be though, they aren't going to slap my wrists and give me community service I took a life, I took more than a life."
"Why don't you just confess to it? Explain the entire situation. They shot first? Maybe they'd take that into account." Jace shakes his head.
"I could tell them I committed a crime that might never come to their attention. Never mind incriminating you, Charles and Chris. It's just not possible. If they find out it's going to be from Michael. I just hope my new found business with Charles is enough."
"I really don't like the fact you're doing business with him."
"Neither do I baby. I always wanted to get into green energy. It will make us alot of money though. Probably more than Atlas in the long run. Grace the New Year's Eve fund raiser is going to be done by TSC, the oil company I bought. I have to be in the inner circle to be safe, that's the only way. I suspect I'll have to do some not great stuff that night." I know what Jace means, I'm disappointed in him but I don't want to argue with him either.
"I don't want to come."
"I'm afraid you have to Grace. If I show up without you people are going to think something is wrong, I can't have people loose faith in me now." I sigh. I thought our life would be fun, enjoyable. Not a political minefield like it seems to be.
"I love you and I will support you, but this isn't the life I signed up for."
"Grace, I'm not trying to pick a fight here, but it kind of is. You couldn't expect to Marry someone in my position and not have to do some political warfare, even with the reason why, this was always going to end up happening." Jace is right. I'd never thought about it but I also never really saw how big Jaces dynasty was. I thought it was one company but it turned out to be several, I'm fast realising he won't be my boss anymore and our simple life I thought would happen is falling apart around me everyday. I'm also realising big business is very corrupt and they all run their own tiny Mafias. I chuckle at the thought, Jace fits the mafia don image very well. Tall, muscular, tattooed a bit fucked up and rich. Shit I married into a mafia without even realising it, I'm not even sure Jace realises it.
"You remind me of a gangster." I remark
"How so?" Jace laughs he thinks I'm joking.
"Well, in all the books I've read about Mafias and gangs, they're normally quite rich, have a lot of contacts, tall dark and very handsome. Also a bit fucked up with a collection of killings in their history book." Jace laughs with me and squeezes me closer to him.
"I see what you mean, but don't compare me to those people. I'm just a business man that happens to have a desire to protect his beautiful wife over everything. I'm not sure there's a crime there." I smile. It's cold out but snuggling in with Jace out here some how feels warm. He offers me another doughnut and I shake my head.
"Suit yourself." He eats the entire doughnut whole. I laugh. Sometimes in the carnage and chaos these moments feel normal. I love it. "Shall we go get you an outfit for the New Year's Eve party." I give him a disapproving look but nod anyway. I also have no idea what I should be wearing to an event like this so Jaces input won't go amiss.
"Only if we get yours too?" He rolls his eyes and kisses my forehead.
"Fine. Let's take the long walk to the car though. I'm enjoying this." I smile and nod. So was I.

A few hours later we arrive at a custom dress shop. The shop has every dress possible they're all beautiful.
"Is there a theme."
"There is."
"Are you going to tell me?" He laughs.
"Tell me the book?" He suggests I laugh and nod, we use to play this in Chicago. He'd say a quote and I'd have to guess the book.
"Can't repeat the past?..." I interrupt him eagerly.
"Why of course you can!!" I thrill. He smiles and kisses me. Jace certainly picked the theme of this party and I'm fairly certain it was probably a gesture aimed at me. The Great Gatsby.
"This is why I love you." He pecks at my lips.

I browse through the dresses. Nothing catches my eye. I end up browsing the wedding dresses and find a beautiful crystallised gown. It's cream and draws in to a large crystal pattern at the waist. The sleeves are tied by silk. It's beautiful. The gems create the illusion the dress is gold. It looks like a dress only Gatsby could buy and I love that. I hold it up and Jace puts his hand to his lip trying to hold back a smile.
"Try it on." He notions to the changing room. I disappear to the changing rooms and the women who own the shop helps me slip into the dress. The dress fits like a glove like it was made for me. The style is exactly what I'd want.
"He made it for you." I turn and look at the women.
"What?" She nods.
"He called me a few weeks about it. He told me every detail."
"But he didn't pick it out?" She smiles and shakes his head.
"I think that was the point." I roll my eyes. I'll never not be surprised about Jaces big gestures. I'm going to assume Atlas was always having a Gatsby party he just moved the venue. The shop owner puts a pair of beautiful stilettos on my feet. I look in the mirror the dress is incredible, it hugs my curves perfect. I walk out into the shop. The biggest smile cross Jaces face.
"How's the dress."
"I'm not sure what the designer was thinking with these straps?" Jace smirks and walks over and pulls the silk on one allowing the dress to fall on one side.
"You're absolutely right. Back in the 20s you'd be a flusey!" He moves my hair and whispers into my ear.
"But I think...the designer had impeccable taste to know if you pull the other side the dress will slip down. Allowing the exquisite body underneath to show." I blush. Jace steps back and admires his work. The dress is beautiful.
"I got you something." I turn around and raise a brow.
"You've already got me so much!" He smiles and holds out a box. I take the box and open the lid. I recognise this. It's a head piece. My eyes go wide and Jace laughs.
"This is the hair piece Carey Mulligan wears as daisy Jace!!" He laughs.
"It's not an exact one. It's a Tiffany replica." I'm beginning to assume Jace thinks I'm a tiffany girl, I'm not going to complain though.
"Thank you." Jace wraps a feather bolero around my shoulders.
"You look perfect." I smile and turn to him.
"I hope our love story isn't suppose to end how Gatsbys and Daisys does?" I raise a brow.
"The only thing you have in common with Daisy is your beauty." I blush and smile. Jace kisses my neck. I go back into the changing room and return to my clothes from yesterday. Days like today make all the shit worth it. I walk out and smile. Jace is paying for my attire when I walk out. He extends his hand to me and puts his wallet away.
"Ready?" I nod. He grabs all of my bags and we walk back to the car.
"I'm kinda tired, could we head home?" He nods and smiles.
"Yeah of course. I've already got my suit anyway."
"You have?" He nods and smiles
"It's at home I'll show you when we get back." I smile. When we reach the car I hop in and recline the seat back. I must have fallen asleep pretty quickly because I don't remember leaving the car park. I'm awoken by Jace once again carrying me to our bed. I snuggle into him and drift back off.

It's dark by the time I wake up. Jaces is led next to me watching TV.
"Hey baby." He smiles and slides down into the bed next to me I smile back.
"Hey, what time is it?"
"Nearly 2."
"What in the morning?!" Jace nods and smiles.
"You must have been tired."
"Yeah I have a complaint for the management of Atlas, the sofas are far too hard for an effective nap." He laughs.
"I'll make sure to raise it at the next board meeting, we can't have that." He teases. Jace turns the TV off and wraps his arms around me. We both doze off together.