Climbing the Ladder 5 - Reaching New Heights
Copyright© 2026 by Michael Loucks
Chapter 23: Just Don't Overdo It!
Fiction Sex Story: Chapter 23: Just Don't Overdo It! - Jonathan's business life is booming, but he's also suffering from yet another loss. While he's done his best to pick up the pieces of that sundered relationship, he can't help but feel responsible. However, where two close relationships have withered, another blooms. Violet has transitioned from a badly damaged girl to a vibrant woman. Will he continue to climb this ladder, or will there be another ladder to climb in his future? No matter what, the only direction he plans to go is up.
Caution: This Fiction Sex Story contains strong sexual content, including Ma/Fa Workplace
July 16, 1984, Chicago, Illinois
"Do you want to hear the words I know?" Violet asked with a smirk when we climbed into my bed on Monday night, with Misty being annoyed when I closed the door before she could enter the bedroom.
"May I make an observation?" I inquired.
"Of course! Aren't you the one who always says you don't have to ask if you can ask?"
"Guilty as charged! Sorry. I think you using those words to be funny, or even shocking, is just fine. I'd prefer you didn't make a habit of using them in general."
"Why?"
"I honestly don't know, but it feels 'off'."
"I have a theory," Violet said. "But I absolutely have to ask if you want to hear it now or not."
"Go on," I said.
"Because, despite what you've said, and what I've said, we're not just fucking. That was, in effect, a lie we told ourselves to get past your emotions and your trepidation. I'll bet you anything you care to wager you and Dee make love, and so do you and Bianca, when it's just the two of you."
"I'm not going to argue with you, though I am curious how much you know."
"You mean about Deanna and Bianca?"
"Yes. And probably CeCi, too."
"Well, first, CeCi is madly in love with you, but her career plans are not compatible with yours unless you wanted to try a very long-distance relationship where you didn't see each other very often. I don't think that would work for either of you. You two played around a lot at first, but then settled into lovemaking. The same is true for Dee, though she'd deny she's in love with you, even though it seems pretty obvious."
"May I interrupt?"
"Yes."
"I had a debate with a young woman about whether it was possible to know if someone was in love with you or not. I say there is no way to know, because all you can judge are actions, and while I was never in love with Keiko, everyone would insist that I was madly in love with her. I wasn't; I just loved her. I don't believe you can distinguish romantic love from self-giving, self-sacrificing love. I know there's a Greek word for that, but I don't know what it is."
"Do you think I'm in love with you?" Violet asked.
"I believe we discussed that, and concluded neither of us is romantic, even if we might engage in what appears to be romantic behavior. The problem I'm having is distinguishing my love for Keiko from my love for you. And that's why the lie we told ourselves was necessary to get to this point."
"Exactly," Violet agreed. "You saying that doesn't upset me because I had to do so much to compartmentalize my emotions that I'm not even sure I'm capable of romantic love. That said, I know I love you, but it's more ... a decision, I guess, than a feeling. Does that make sense?"
"Infinite," I replied. "I think the core problem is that the word 'love' has so many uses that it's hard to express ourselves. Deanna said Greek has eight different words, and all of them are nuanced, but the key thing is, none of them translate to romantic love, because that concept didn't arise until the Middle Ages. I mean, think about it — we say we love our spouse, our parents, our country, our pets, ice cream, and a host of other things. We know, intuitively, that we're not 'in love' with ice cream, which I think neatly demonstrates the problem."
"That word causes us real consternation because we're too logical and too analytical, and it's too vague and non-specific, and open to all manner of interpretations."
"I'd say that's right. Sorry for the rabbit trail."
"It's OK. Going back to the girls who live here, Bianca is different because of Sofía, but also because she's bisexual, and I'm positive both she and Nicole have, and will, sleep with you until you and I have our baggage tagged, routed, and properly delivered so we can have a baby together.
"I've been thinking about that, and I want you to hear me out. Basically, the only way that is going to work in my mind is if we leave Spurgeon Capital before our relationship is public. I think we can finesse Friday nights without too much trouble, but you have to take someone besides me to your Spurgeon events. I'm pretty sure Deanna is the best choice for a host of reasons, starting with the fact they all know you two are intimate."
"You know the problem."
"The golden handcuffs," Violet replied.
"Yes, but that also might mean hiding our intimate relationship for six to eight years, assuming there is some way for me to leave Spurgeon without Noel destroying my career."
"Unless I'm really, really bad at math, and I'm not, in two years, you'll have sufficient assets to simply walk away if you wanted to. You'll have something like five million in carried interest, the condo, the house, the two-flats, and possibly the larger building, not to mention I know you're saving a lot of money each month. You could do anything you wanted at that point."
"That's plausible," I replied. "The thing is, it's not about the money; well, not completely. I very much enjoy what I'm doing, and it's fulfilling. Not to mention I promised to do my best to make my closest friends all millionaires, including you!"
"I'm not sure what the solution is, then."
"Me, either. I mean, one solution is to just bite the bullet and be public and not care what anyone at Spurgeon thinks. But that also means you and I would have to decide the ground rules now, rather than in the future."
"I'm going to suggest we go with my earlier proposals — we'll talk about it when you come back from Hawai´i. That allows you to have your crazy debauched week in Saint Martin before we decide how to move forward."
"Does that bother you?" I asked.
"No, but don't get any ideas that I'm going to be OK with that kind of thing once we're living together!"
I chuckled, "The smart ass answer would be 'a man can dream', but my own past experience says that's not what I need. It's really a matter of figuring out the complex relationships with Bianca and Deanna, and what is, and isn't, acceptable. I will tell you now that I am not set on any specific outcome, other than having a baby with you. In other words, I have no non-negotiable points."
"Nor do I," Violet affirmed.
"Good."
"Now that all of THAT is out of the way, would you have sex with me until I'm incoherent?"
I laughed, "OK, maybe I was wrong about using those words! Just don't overdo it!"
"I want you to fuck my brains out!"
I was happy to oblige.
July 17, 1984, Chicago, Illinois
"Research; Kane," I said when answering the phone mid-afternoon on Tuesday.
"Jonathan, it's Kendall Roy. You can guess why I'm calling."
"Hawaiian Airlines, of course."
"Yes. The trade is 100% clean; I'll respond to the inquiry letter with copies of your analyst reports and counterparty information. Just to dot the i's and cross the t's, do you know anyone at Hawaiian Airlines in any capacity?"
"Not even a stewardess," I replied. "My first trip to Hawai´i will be in December."
"I was positive that was the case, but I had to check. I'm certain this will be closed out quickly."
"Thanks. Any thoughts about the CFTC and our moves on the NZD?"
"Given the situation, they'll only look at trades made right before the drunken press conference by the PM. I'd say that news conference gave every trader on the planet the exact same idea, and also gave them complete cover."
"I thought that might be the case."
We ended the call, and I turned back to my Bloomberg terminal, but was immediately interrupted by Tony.
"Got some hot news, but I'm not sure it should go in tomorrow's report."
"What's that?"
"According to a person I know over at Playboy, someone was shopping photos of Miss America, Vanessa Williams, to them. They refused, but Penthouse is going to run them. My source speculates Miss America will force Williams out because the photos are lesbian, which is why Playboy refused them."
"I'm not sure I want to turn our daily Analyst Report into The National Enquirer or worse, Weekly World News! That said, it would be newsworthy, though I can't see it moving the market. Penthouse is privately controlled, right?"
"Yes, by Bob Guccione. And the Miss America Organization is private as well."
"One thing I guarantee is that once the traders find out, every single one of them is going to buy a copy of the magazine!"
"No shit!" Tony said, laughing. "That's probably the most certain prediction you've ever made!"
"Actually, as I think about it, that tidbit can show off the breadth of our research. We could add a section at the end of the daily report for items that are newsworthy but unlikely to move the markets. If we do, though, it can't be sensationalist; it has to be just news. That means presenting by writing something like 'sources say that Penthouse magazine is going to run racy pictures of the current Miss America, Vanessa Williams, and that is causing consternation with the Miss America Organization'."
"So we're good to run that item?"
"Yes. The traders will all thank you!"
Tony grinned, "I'm going to buy a copy myself."
"And what will Mrs. Kirov have to say about that?" I asked with a sly smile.
"What Mrs. Kirov doesn't know can't hurt me!"
I chuckled, "Go write your scoop, Clark Kent!"
Tony laughed and left the office, and I got back to work.
At 5:00pm, I shut down my Bloomberg terminal and computer, locked my paperwork in my desk, then left the office with Violet so we could drive to Lincoln Park to see the apartment building.
"Are you sure you're not overextending yourself?" Violet asked as I pulled out of the parking garage at the Hancock Center.
"I'll need to run the financials, but the two-flats are basically breaking even, as is the house. On real estate investment loans, you usually only pay interest during the first five years, then have a balloon payment, which you can refinance, pay down, or pay off. Remember, my personal cash flow is around $200,000 a year net after taxes and all my expenses, including the mortgage on the condo. I could, if I had to, service the notes from my income if I had no rent coming in.
"I know it seems as if I'm moving fast, and I am. I'm being aggressive because I want to be in a position where I have the key to the golden handcuffs, not Noel Spurgeon. I have no intention of leaving, but if something were to happen that either caused me to want to leave or caused Noel Spurgeon to ask me to leave, I would have the assets I needed, including my carried interest, though that could be tied up for as long as a year."
"What would happen with your fund? I thought it was registered to you with the SEC and IRS."
"It is, but nothing compels the investors to stay with me. Spurgeon could offer them a sweetheart deal to switch funds, and that would make sense given our returns are similar. Obviously, if he were in legal trouble, that would be a different situation."
"You mean because of all the rumors about him and teenage girls?"
"Yes. I think he's taking foolish risks, but as Jeri has pointed out, he has enough money that the rules don't apply to him the same way they would apply to the average person. If you think about it, he could easily pay off any so-called victims or their parents, and it would, in effect, be a rounding error with regard to his net worth."
"That doesn't seem right," Violet observed.
"Because it's not! The thing is, from one perspective, it doesn't matter if it's right or wrong, because it's a fact. Maybe society will change, but I wouldn't count on it short of citizens with pitchforks and torches rolling out a guillotine à la the French Revolution."
"You don't think what he's doing is wrong, do you?"
"I think that depends on what you mean. Morally? No, so long as it's consensual. Legally? It sure is. And to me, it creates a huge reputational risk for Spurgeon Capital. Imagine how our clients would respond to allegations of statutory rape, or worse, to an indictment. The fact that it's effectively an open secret at Spurgeon is its own problem. On one level, I'm actually surprised that Enderlee didn't make those allegations when he was fired, but I suspect he's afraid of Noel Spurgeon."
"Are you?"
"No. I mean, I know he currently holds most of the cards, so he's in control, but I'm working to balance the equation. I want to be in a position where he can't threaten or intimidate me if I need to oppose him on something very important."
"How is that not being afraid?"
"It's a matter of who has the power and control; at the moment, he has it. But the worst thing he could do is fire me and try to blackball me in the industry. I'd still have all my assets, including my carried interest, and could live comfortably on that for a long time, though I would obviously find something else to do. When I finish my degree, I'll have more options. In the end, everything I'm doing outside of work is a hedge against the future."
"When you put it that way, it makes sense. You're not afraid to make investments that could lose money, and you usually hedge them to ensure your downside is limited. That's what you're doing with your personal finances."
"Exactly. Think about where I was four years ago, and where I am now. Then, I had about $800 to my name, and I moved to Chicago to improve my life. Now I'm worth a couple of million dollars, though, balanced with the mortgages and taxes, I'd have around $750,000 if I walked away from Spurgeon. I'd say things would be a bit easier than when I had one tenth of one percent of that! May I give a worst-case scenario?"
"Sure."
"I'm let go tomorrow, I pay off the mortgage on the house, sell the condo, and Bianca, Sofía, and I move back to the house. I still have at least half a million in cash. I'd say that's a pretty good worst-case scenario, wouldn't you?"
"I would. I suppose it's similar to me, with the house paid off and my investments worth over $130,000."
"So, ultimately, the only cards Noel Spurgeon holds are the ones that cover making ridiculous amounts of money. But that handcuffs him almost as much as it does me. His returns are partly due to the Research Department, and he gets a big taste of my fund. Think he wants to give that up or would do so willingly?"
"No," Violet replied. "It's basically a standoff, though right now he has the better position."
"The key words there being 'right now'. Buying this building, or a pair of two-flats, and then doing the same thing next year, changes the balance of power subtly and in ways Noel cannot reasonably counter, even if he sees them as a threat to the balance of power."
"I don't think there's anyone else at Spurgeon who thinks that way."
"I'd say that's correct," I replied. "And that's the double-edged sword for Noel Spurgeon."
We continued our conversation until we arrived in Lincoln Park. I found a parking spot about five blocks from the building, and Violet and I walked to meet Bill Wyatt, who was standing in front of the building.
"As you can see," he said after we shook hands and I introduced Violet, "it's brick construction, built in 1964. It has not been rehabbed since then, and it shows. I can show you the apartment that is being vacated at the end of the month, as the owners have permission to show it at any time, and you can see all the common areas, plus the physical plant."
"Lead the way," I said.
He hadn't been kidding when he'd described the building as needing significant work. At a minimum, the wood floors would need to be refinished, but more likely would need to be replaced. The fixtures in the hallways would need to be upgraded, and all the appliances in the apartments would need to be replaced. Mr. Wyatt's estimate of $40,000 in rehabilitation might actually be a bit low.
"What do you think?" he asked when we finished the tour.
"You were right about it needing work. I like the neighborhood, and the façade looks good. I want to see an appraisal plus comparables and have an inspection. I also need to see the rents and expenses for the past two years. How soon can you get me those things?
"I should have all of that by Friday; I assume you'll call your same inspector?"
"Yes, but let me ask you this — are they going to take less than 250? I ask because I think there's probably 60 worth of work to be done when all is said and done. I figure five grand per apartment to refinish the floors, replace the appliances, paint, and make repairs. The common areas, including the stairs, will probably be around twenty grand."
"All I can do is present them with an offer, but as I said, they are highly motivated."
"OK. I'll call the inspector first thing in the morning."
We shook hands, and Violet and I headed back to my Saab.
"What did you think?" I asked as I pulled away from the curb.
"It's pretty run-down inside. I mean, the brick looks nice on the outside, but inside? Horrible."
"That's my take as well. If I do this, it's not going to be 250 by any stretch of the imagination. If the comparables are what Mr. Wyatt said, then around 220 would be right. The thing is, I don't know if that would allow them to pay off the note on the building. In the end, that's the magic number. I could wait for them to file bankruptcy and make an offer to the trustee, but then I would risk someone else buying it."
"You want it?"
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