“I feel as though my head has been trodden on by a thousand horses.” Rose spoke through small bites of her breakfast. The glass of whiskey she had taken back certainly had affected her.
“Congratulations, Rose. That’s your first hangover.” Jack laughed as he proceeded with cooking Fabrizio’s breakfast, who still lay sound asleep on the sofa. “So, how did you sleep?” Jack asked, turning to make eye contact with Rose. Even this early in the morning, with her hair disheveled and no makeup, he still found her to be amazingly beautiful.
“Good. A sofa is not something I’m quite used to, though.” Rose smiled almost sweetly and Jack laughed. “You sure are a good cook. You’ll have to teach me one day, Jack,” she teased. He smiled widely back at her.
“I would love to. Although, I hope you catch on quick, because if you decide to live a life like this, there are a lot of new things to learn.” Jack sat himself at the table. “You have to learn to cook, clean, wash, mend, sew, and how to just live day to day without luxury things.”
Rose was slightly taken aback by his comment. “Are you saying I cannot live without maids and chauffeurs and luxury items? Because I can. You’re wrong.”
“I never said you couldn’t, Rose. It just takes a lot of adjusting to a new life, but do you want to live your life like this?” Jack hoped she did. He had had a lot of fun with her last night and believed she would thrive on being free and living out her dreams. She could be anything she wanted to be. An actress, a dancer, a model on the pages of the fashion books, anything. Rose glanced downwards, and Jack sensed some sort of sadness in her. “Rose?”
Raising her head, Rose put her fork down on her plate and covered her face with her hands, taking a deep breath. “I don’t know, Jack. I don’t know anything anymore!” she cried. “I would love to live like you do, but you have so much more going for yourself. You have a definite talent. You’re an artist, but me—I cannot do anything and I have no skills.”
“Rose, you can do anything you want to, and I will be right there beside you. I don’t want you to go back, Rose. It would kill that fire that I love so much about you.” Jack placed his right hand on Rose’s face and her breath caught in her throat. She couldn’t look anywhere besides right in Jack’s eyes, and she saw the pure truth in them. She placed her hand shakily on top of his and stroked it just once, feelings stirring inside her that she had never experienced before.
“I don’t want to go back, either. I like…I love it here with you.” She smiled, and so did Jack. “But I’m still scared of Cal finding me, and my mother—she would be penniless.”
“Rose, this is your dream, not theirs. Your mother would have to support herself. If you can do it, then so can she. As for Cal, he doesn’t even deserve you, Rose. You should marry when you feel you are ready to, and marry a man you love, not marry for money.” Jack’s words were so true to Rose. He said things how they were and she liked that. When he spoke, he made everything which was complicated turn simple.
“I’d have to return to school and pick up some things.” Rose felt her heart sink. She hated having to return, but she knew it would be for the last time, and she had to retrieve some of her belongings so she could live. She prayed Cal wasn’t still around. She couldn’t bear to see him after making a decision to change her life.
A loud yawn from Fabrizio disturbed their thoughts and Jack stood, grinning at his friend as he stretched himself out on the small sofa. “Morning, all.” He grinned widely as he sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. “Something smells good.”
“It’s a full English breakfast.” Jack put the plate on the table and Fabrizio sat down, stretching his back once again before tucking into his breakfast.
“Heaven.” Fabrizio laughed, indicating his breakfast, and Jack slapped him on the back just once before sitting down himself, rubbing his fingers through his hair and feeling his day’s growth of stubble. He couldn’t wait to have a bath. His knuckles still throbbed slightly from the evening before, and they were a little red.
“Jack, Mr. Burns was looking to speak to you last night after we left the bar. He gave me this to give to you.” Fabrizio stood, rummaged around in the pocket of his jacket, and pulled out the piece of paper Mr. Burns had handed to him the night before. Jack looked at the paper, confused. “He wants you to go to this address or something.”
Jack read the address. He knew where it was. It was Mr. Burns’ home. “But why? The man has never spoken to me before in my life.”
“Who is Mr. Burns?” Rose piped in, her eyes wide and curious. The nerves had kicked in and she could not finish her breakfast, feeling sick and nervous about going back to the school.
“He owns the bar and the factory where Fabrizio works,” Jack said, not taking his eyes from the paper, still wondering what a man like Burns wanted him for. He would go later in the day before he headed to the park.
“He owns most things around here,” Fabrizio pointed out. “I heard he got a nasty reputation for throwing people from their homes and firing people if they don’t do as he says.”
“Oh, Jack. What if it’s about last night? About that man? What if he makes you homeless, too?” Rose panicked and she felt sicker. She couldn’t believe the mess she had caused the night before.
Jack placed his hand on hers and turned to her. “Don’t worry. He doesn’t own this building. If it is to do with last night, I will handle it. All right?” He rubbed his thumb over her entire hand, feeling her shake slightly.
“All right.” Rose calmed slightly. Fabrizio remained silent, watching the scene before him. He knew Jack had feelings for Rose, but he hoped he wouldn’t get involved with her. She was an upper class lady with a good reputation. “I need to go.” Rose began to stand and felt like her legs would barely carry her. She hated having to return to the Godawful place, but she knew she had to for the final time. Jack saw the melancholy look on her face and placed his finger on her chin as if to lift it up. Her eyes met with his.
“Do you want me to come back with you?” he offered, knowing just how daunting this would be for Rose. After today, she would be starting a new life with them, and he couldn’t wait. Shaking her head, Rose started for the door. This was something she had to do alone. Besides, she didn’t know if Cal would be there and didn’t want to put Jack in anymore danger, especially after the night before.
“No. I’ll be all right,” she reassured him. Opening the door, she realized that when she was back at this place later on in the day, she would be free from Cal and her mother, from the dreaded school, and all the chains of the upper class.
*****
Whistling as he walked the streets of Paris, Jack tossed a coin up and down. Stopping directly in front of three large houses, he found a piece of paper in his pant pocket and read the house number. Ten, it read. Squinting, Jack looked upwards, seeing that it was the far end house. He had never been around these parts before, and it was a slightly more upper class area than he would imagine, but he was here to see Mr. Burns as he wished. The reason why he wished to see him was confusing to Jack, for he had barely paid attention to him before, but he was intrigued, so he carried on his walk to the address where he had been told to go. He wasn’t nervous or anxious. He wasn’t really anything besides curious as to what this man wanted. Knocking on the door, he slouched slightly, placing his hands in his pockets and waiting for someone to answer the door. His lips pursed, he ran his finger through his hair and turned around to see a horse-drawn carriage taking vegetables to the nearby market. The man who was driving the carriage raised his hat to Jack in a friendly manner. Jack nodded his head, smiling. As he turned, he came face to face with Mr. Burns, who he hadn’t even seen or heard open the door. He stood around five foot six, a lot smaller than Jack’s tall, lithe six foot two height.
“Hello, Mr. Dawson. I have been waiting for you. Come on in.” He opened the door wider and slapped Jack on the back as he walked through the door. “Your Italian friend told you of me wishing to see you.”
“Yes, sir.” Jack slouched, leaning against the wall inside beside the door. Mr. Burns looked him up and down. He was rather on the skinny side, had a boyish face, and was obviously not familiar with social traditions, as he leaned against the wall, head cocked to the side and hands stuffed in his pockets. He seemed like an impatient child.
“Well, then, Jackie boy. Come in. Sit down. Care for a glass of brandy?” he offered as they entered a large parlor full of boxing gloves, awards, and photographs.
“No, thank you.” He spoke as he took in the environment around him. He sat on the sofa and waited for Mr. Burns to pour himself a brandy. “Look, sir, I just want to know why you wished to see me.”
“Sir?” Mr. Burns laughed as he sat down in a chair. “I am not the king or a man of any importance, Jack. I witnessed your little fight last night with Eric…” Mr. Burns raised his eyebrows, and Jack nodded his head.
“Yeah, but it wasn’t exactly a fight. I hit him. He was touching my friend in an inappropriate way.” Jack tried to defend his actions. He had a feeling that this meeting would be something about his behavior at the bar the night before.
“I don’t care about him, Jack. He lost three times in a week in my fights. He’s pure garbage.” Mr. Burns sat forward. “But you, Jack, you hit that man with such force you knocked him straight to the floor, which is more than any of my men have ever done.”
Jack squinted, not knowing exactly what he was suggesting. “What are you saying, sir?”
“I want you to fight for me, Jack.” Mr. Burns grinned. “You can earn hundreds for each fight. If you win, you get the respect of every man in that room. Which is more than you’d earn in a year drawing down in the shitty park.” Mr. Burns lit a cigar.
Jack was speechless. Him? Fight? The men who fought down at the club were huge and disgusting. They would knock him through the wall. “Are you serious?” Jack laughed and sat forward, running his fingers through his hair.
“I never joke when it comes to my business, Jack. I am deadly serious.”
“Those men are three times the size of me. They would kill me. Sorry, sir, but I’m not interested.” Jack stood and began to walk to the door. The whole thing was a joke. How could he fight?
“Think about it, Jack…” Mr. Burns stood up and wandered towards Jack. “If anymore of those scavengers got their hands on your girl, if you had to fight them all away, if they touched her the same way Eric did, maybe more violently. What would you do then, Jack? Walk away? Like you are now? Or would you fight?” Jack thought about it for a moment. “Is it tempting to you, Jack? It doesn’t matter how big they are. You have got the potential to knock their faces through. I want you on my team, Jack. I want you to rag them bastards everywhere. I want you to do us all proud, Jack.”
Thinking for a moment, Jack felt his heart beat faster and his eyes seemed to glaze over. He looked Mr. Burns straight in the eye and saw the seriousness in his face, and the faith this man had in him. If he took this job fighting, he would be able to make a better life for himself and Rose. He would be able to get them all away from here. No more living in a studio, eating whatever they could find. He would be earning some good money. Slowly, he began to nod his head. A smile appeared on Mr. Burns’ face. He slapped Jack on the back. “Good man. Remember, Jack, the money and the respect.”
Nodding, Jack opened the front door and turned to Mr. Burns one last time. Mr. Burns held out his hand to Jack and he shook it. They were in business. As Jack left the property, Mr. Burns smirked to himself. Now that he had Jack on his side, there would be no stopping his team of fighters. They were excellent. He knew that Jack would fight well, and if not, well, there would just have to be a mention of that pretty little redhead he was obviously so smitten with, and he would kill the man. The money and business he would bring to the bar were too good to think about, and he couldn’t wait to witness Jack’s first fight and taste victory once again.