Chapter 45
BLOOM
Morning Day 25
Jonny caught my chin in his hand and turned me so I would make eye contact with him. He stepped closer. "I love you." He searched my eyes quickly.
I was taken aback. I reached my hand up to his chest and felt his heart thud quickly underneath my palm. "I...I love you too, Jonny." My heart pounded to match his.
He kissed me passionately before pulling back and smiling at me. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders, careful not to catch my hair. He kissed my temple as we walked to the Lodge.
Jonny and I reached the parking lot and I noticed more people around than before. "More...family?" I asked him.
He grabbed my hand, lacing our fingers, and grinned.
Groups of people talked and laughed. They nodded or signaled to Jonny as we walked by. Several of the BBQ's were loaded with steaks and foil-wrapped balls. The smells made my stomach rumble.
"More will be here in a few hours," Jonny said.
I nodded and let him guide me in the direction of the hotel restaurant.
The couches in the lobby were filled with people. More wandered about the halls. Many of the men seemed busy, doing what, I couldn't be sure. Several women were behind the circular bar, serving drinks with the alcohol left and pulling new bottles from grocery bags. People were in and out of the swinging kitchen door. Fragrant aromas followed them and others ate at the tables in the restaurant area.
I didn't think this many men with tattoos could exist in one place. I was surprised it didn't drain their powers. They seemed to co-exist peacefully though so I stifled my laugh. "I've never seen the Lodge so busy," I said to Jonny instead, as he pulled out a chair for me at an empty table. "It's kind of nice."
His smile was bright as he looked around. He sat next to me, resting his arm on the back of my chair. Our backs were against a wall and we could see the entire restaurant from this table. The lobby beyond was visible through the potted plant wall, men rushed around.
Jonny absentmindedly twisted a piece of my hair between his fingers.
The jovial people made the hotel seem alive and full of a lightness. It was hard to imagine the evil hidden underneath. The Portal somewhere under the Lodge. Most likely why Magic was so...extra around here.
Two plates of food were placed on the table in front of us. The man serving the food put his hands flat on the table and looked at Jonny. He spun a toothpick around in his mouth and stared. "Brooke made it special for you," he said finally and sat in the chair across from Jonny.
"It's not my fault that your wife is nicer to me." Jonny smiled and squeezed a wedged lime all over the food on his plate.
I ate and pretended I wasn't curious about who this wife was.
The man stared at Jonny.
I chewed slowly, hoping the man wasn't going to start a fight. The look he was giving Jonny made me wonder.
"Jane, this is my brother Victor," Jonny said between bites of food.
I covered my mouth with my hand. "Hi."
He nodded at me, still quiet.
"Whatever you need to say, just say it. She's involved in this." Jonny looked at his brother. "Whether she wants to be or not."
"This is some fucking next-level dangerous bullshit that you've gotten us into, Brother," his voice was loud but he wasn't shouting. "Not only are there fucking-" he leaned in closer and said a bit quieter, "-fucking Demons. Actual fucking Demons-"
Chairs pushed back from tables as people quietly left the restaurant area.
Victor said a prayer in Spanish and kissed the matching Virgen De Guadalupe pendant around his neck. "There's blood all over that fucking room, you have people-" he stopped talking as a woman sat across his lap. The restaurant was clear of people except for us. "-Locked in the basement"
I continued eating and listening and cringing inside as I imagined Maracella down there. I felt sorry for the woman even though she had me kidnapped to do her dirty spellwork. Maybe I should send her a get-well card? She would hate that. No, I wasn't bitter about her being Jonny's ex-fiance.
"It took everything we had to get the videos off the dark web but I don't know how we're going to keep all this on the dl." Victor adjusted his cap. "When I linked you up with James, it was to help keep you out of trouble. You-" Victor pointed a fork at Jonny, "-wanted a break. And now...now." He flung his hands out and looked at an invisible audience. "This fucker wants to take over?" He sighed and leaned his head against the woman's neck, taking a deep breath. "We always have your back, Brother." Victor continued and looked at Jonny, "Always. I will only ask you this one time, Carnal. Are you sure?"
Jonny looked at his brother and took a moment to swallow his food. His hand squeezed my thigh under the table. A small head nod from him and he put his hand out to Victor.
Victor grabbed it with a loud clap. He rubbed his hands together. "LESSSS GO!" He shouted.
The woman in his lap rolled her eyes and shook her head.
Diego sauntered into the restaurant area.
Victor stood up and the woman slid off his lap to her feet.
She sat in his empty chair and put her hand out to me. "I'm Brooke." She introduced herself.
"Jane." I smiled and shook her hand. "Thank you for the food," I said, motioning to my empty plate.
"Vicki did most of the work." She shrugged and watched as Jonny stood and followed Victor.
Victor hugged Diego, even though he was the shortest of the trio he lifted Diego easily off the ground. "Death looks good on you, Brother." Victor patted Diego's shoulders as he set him back down.
Diego smiled and put his arm around Victor, leading him back to the table. The two men carried over a second table and a few more chairs. "I thought it best to keep Benedicto out of this. He's dealt with too much already." Diego and Jonny shook hands before sitting.
"You're too soft on that boy." Victor sat on his wife's lap. She pushed him off and stood up. He smiled and kissed her, sat in his chair, and reached for her hips but she interjected and headed for the door.
"I'll be right back." She left the restaurant area.
"Aren't you the one that just gave him your truck? As if you haven't given him cars before that. You know all he does is wreck them." Diego accused Victor. "And Jonny-Boy gives him money all the time." Diego looked at Jonny.
Jonny laughed, and Diego and Victor followed. Their laughter made the anxiousness lift a little from my stomach.
