Grace Unchained

7: An Angel In The Library

Grace felt herself pressed into the molded leather seats of Marcus' car as he accelerated down the tree-lined country road that led toward the city. He drove a sleek sports car that she'd at first mistaken for something more a bit stuffier than what it was: a 2016 Ferrari California T in a burnished gunmetal color that reminded her of the suit he was wearing.

"I'm not the kind of person who ever envisioned myself driving a Ferrari," he'd said, as they pulled out of the long driveway. "It never seemed like it was quite my style."

"Then why drive it?" she had asked.

He turned to look at her. "To impress women," he explained. Grace couldn't help but smile.

"We do have an unfortunate weakness when it comes to absurdly expensive cars."

"I'm more of a vintage car guy, at heart," he said. "But in my profession you need at least one new, luxury car that even the most clueless person can recognize as expensive."

"And that's important?" she asked.

"Sadly, yes," he said. "The people I work with have either too much depth or none at all."

"What exactly is your...profession?" she asked.

"I'm in finance."

"Ahh," she sighed. Marcus grinned.

"Tech investment, to be specific. You've heard of Peter Thiel?"

"Didn't he have something to do with Facebook?" Grace asked.

"He was the first outside investor," Marcus said. "They call it angel investment."

"Yeah," Grace said, remembering.

"I do that," said Marcus.

"So you're an angel," said Grace, looking at him sidelong.

"With a dirty soul," he said, in a fake, dramatic voice that set them both to laughing.

Grace's mirth was short-lived, however, as she remembered that she still hadn't heard back from Darius. It wasn't that she was afraid of him, precisely—not physically, anyway. But in a way he held her fortunes entirely in his own hands, and she worried constantly about losing the one opportunity she'd found to solve her family's problems.

They drove in quiet for a few minutes, giving her time to compose her thoughts and reassure herself that Darius would want her to please the client, above all. Wouldn't he?

The Ferrari hugged the curves of the route out of Beverly Farms, passing the treed lots and walled estates and quaint village centers that she'd seen briefly on the way in that morning.

The view soon changed from woods to suburbs, then from suburbs to the unfortunate city of Beverly, of which Beverly Farms was technically a part. It reminded Grace a lot more of home.

"Where is home?" asked Marcus, and she realized she must have spoken aloud.

"Um, have you heard of Natick?" Marcus nodded. She must have looked surprised, because he explained.

"Of course I've heard of Natick," he said. "I'm from Boston."

"I didn't think you were," said Grace.

"Why's that?"

"You just seem more...I don't know. California." He laughed.