Chapter 7-Getting to know you
Jade received a fax in the early evening, and read over the short version of Bruce Wayne's life. His parents died when he was twelve, were murdered in Gotham right in front of him while being mugged at gunpoint. Attended Princeton, and left the states for seven years and was even declared dead until he returned just a few years ago. Since then he had dated several women, a few names that Jade recognized were in the list. The papers regarded him as a shallow playboy.
Jade snorted and shred the paper. She should have known better to try and get a report on someone with a higher profile than hers. It gave her a few facts on him…but didn't tell her what mattered. She told herself to be careful…she couldn't get attached to this man.
"Report is in, Master Bruce." Alfred said, setting a stack of papers on the desk.
"All of this?" Bruce lifted the thick stack and thumbed through it. Tiny newsprint, a few photos, "This is a lot. Do you have the cliff notes?"
Alfred took a seat and retrieved another piece of paper from his pocket. "Jade Walters, born to Ruben Walters who resides in Hollywood and directs movies and does it fairly well. Can't say I've ever seen one, though. Ms. Walters attended private schools, attended Harvard for two years, Yale for one semester, and Berkley for two, no degrees. She and her sister Marie-Claire Walters, acted in a few of their father's movies. Reports say she would have had a promising career but she quit. Also was a model. Most of what's in those papers are reviews on possible romantic possibilities, most of them unconfirmed. A bit sad, her sister died of leukemia when she was fifteen, Ms. Walters was seventeen at the time. Shortly after is where most of the papers following her every move, calling her behavior as self-destructive. Partying, drinking, falling out of cars, car accidents, and a new fling every other day. Goes on like that for about four years, until she is twenty-two. She disappeared from the public eye, rumors of being in rehab, which were denied saying she was traveling abroad. Neither excuse has been verified. She got back in the public eye a year ago. She was seen opposing slavery in 3rd world countries, but the opening her clothing line called 'Marie Clairie' after her late sister and dating Mr. Xander got more news coverage than that. Apparently she's turned her life around. Pretty quiet for the most part…until you showed up, that is."
Bruce found the report of Marie-Claire's death, and thumbed through the pages after that. "It wasn't self-destructive, she was grieving," he muttered. "She's so much more than this. They make her out to be another Hollywood doll, another shallow plastic doll. Alfred, she likes cars and sports. And action movies. She can't stand Hollywood, and hates her life being documented."
"Reporters report what sells the papers, Master Bruce. And she sold quite a few when she was a bit younger, they're hoping she'll sell even more now. I assume they are holding their breath waiting for her to go back to her old shenanigans."
Jade checked her caller ID, assuming the call coming from Joan to have a post-office tantrum over the phone, but smiled a bit at the newly familiar number. "Well, if it isn't the spider." She answered.
"Hello, little fly," said Bruce.
"How are you doing?"
"I'd be a bit more comfortable if there wasn't a news van in front of my home."
Jade's smile and good mood died quickly, "I'm very sorry about this. I have a bad reputation for generating news, I had hoped it had stopped."
"Don't be sorry. How do you feel about making an escape?"
Jade glanced out her window, it was now too dark to make out anything but she wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't a few paparazzi still down there. "I tried to take a walk to Starbucks…I made it two steps outside my door before being nearly tackled. I'm not sure if I want to risk it."
"You're security staff is doing well. They haven't gotten into your garage…which is where I am, waiting for you."
'No, bad idea. You have work to do, work that has been piling up since you moved to Gotham and has been put at a standstill since he came into your life. Say no, back out now. Give him the excuse you used to give Xander.' Jade thought, her mind running in circles in the few seconds it took her to answer Bruce, "Give me twenty minutes."
Absolutely giddy as she got dressed and fixed her hair, pulling on a baseball cap backwards as she practically ran to the elevator. She barely stepped into the garage when a black BMW rolled to a stop in front of her. Jade climbed in, unable to hide her smile when she saw her rescuer.
"I'm really sorry about this," she said again, her smile fading even as Bruce kept his up. "You do a few crazy things and they'll follow you forever, hoping you'll do it again. And you're caught in the middle of it."
"I know. And I don't care." Bruce said, leaning towards her and placing his hand on the side of her face as he kissed her. Jade closed her eyes, and breathed deeply through her nose to take in the scent of the car and his cologne. The kiss broke, but their faces stayed close for several moments, "You should duck down in case any are waiting outside." Bruce said softly. Jade nodded, and slid down in the seat until her head was under the window.
Bruce drove her through Gotham, pointing out some interesting sites and buildings, before turning back and taking a back road that apparently wasn't well traveled and ended them behind his mansion.
"Secret entrance, very nice." Jade smiled.
Bruce put a finger to her lips, "Have to keep it quiet." He gave her a wink, and took her hand to start pulling her towards the garage, "I want to show you a few things."
It was dark and a bit chilly inside the garage. Bruce was fumbling on the wall before finding the light switch, and a garage the size of a warehouse lit up before here. Jade let out a low and impressed whistle, "Nice."
Bruce smiled, watching her excitement at his collection. "Most of these, as I'm sure you guessed, don't see the road."
"This is impressive." Jade said, taking it in. There were a lot of cars, his garage was like a parking lot. "My dad collects cars too. Not as many as you have, but more than enough. He started teaching me about cars, making me memorize names and models and values when I was seven. By the time I was a teenager I told him I wanted to be a mechanic." Jade laughed, "He didn't like that. Made me go to charm school, to act like a proper lady."
"Oh?" Bruce said, his eyes sparkling with a suppressed smile. "Did he get his money back?"
Jade tried to frown, but a few moments of looking at his face they both burst out laughing. The laughter died out, Jade's smile slowly fading, "He probably should have. I'm just starting to put some of those lessons to good use. I thought if I disappeared from the public eye long enough they'd ignore me when I came back."
"Well I haven't known you too long, but I can say that you make quite an impression."
Jade blushed at that, and turned to look away from him, "You seem like the type who enjoys his privacy, Bruce. It might be a good idea if you aren't seen with me."
Bruce shook his head and took a few steps to be closer to her, "Listen, I don't care what shows up in the papers. This will die out once they have something more interesting to follow. I'm too interested to see where this may lead."
He placed a finger under her chin to tilt her face up to meet his as he went in for another kiss. Jade's hands went up his arms, feeling firm muscle underneath his shirt. His hand slipping around her waist to rest in the small of her back. A small voice in the back of her head said 'Stop…don't enjoy this, don't let him enjoy this…' but a stronger voice told it to shut the hell up as the kiss deepened.
Alfred, Bruce's butler, drove her back to her home, once again allowing her to bypass the reporters. The underground garage was mostly full of cars, it was after midnight and most of the residents were home and sleeping. Dim lights helped her find her way to the door that would lead up the steps to the elevator then to her condo.
"I've been waiting for you," said a voice in the darkness.