Page 4 of Legion
Shehadtold him that, Luka recalled as he followed her through the door and along a hallway.‘That’s a bold claim,’ he’d replied back then, to which she’d said, ‘And a fact.I’ll be surprised if you don’t become a return customer.It’s rare that people don’t come again.’
He’d returned twice, but it wasn’t merely for the good food.It was for her.He would have made a move on first meeting her, but he’d not long ago walked away from a fling.He liked to leave a short period between such arrangements.So he’d waited.Watched her.Bided his time.
Arriving at another door, she paused.“Here we are.”
Reaching out to the twins on their telepathic channel, Luka said,Wait here.They only nodded in response.
He didn’t anticipate any issues cropping up.Jolene Wallis was unpredictable with a splash of crazy, but they had a tentative alliance—one they’d formed when his anchor and her daughter began spending time with several of Jolene’s imps, including the woman’s granddaughters.
He followed Naomi into the private dining room.It was cozy and stylish, featuring only a table and six chairs.
Decked out in a simple blouse, pencil skirt, and high heels, Jolene rose from the table, a smile on her face that somehow seemed both welcoming and shrewd.“Luka, always a pleasure.”
“Jolene,” he greeted smoothly as Dagon observed her intently, always recognizing a fellow master manipulator.
Jolene waved Luka into the chair opposite her own as she lowered herself back into it.
“Your waitress will be with you in a few moments to take your orders,” Naomi announced, laying the two menus in the center of the table.
Jolene cast her a smile.“Thank you, Naomi.”
“Enjoy your meal,” Naomi said before breezing out of the room.
Luka’s entities all grumbled their annoyance, only placated by the knowledge that he would speak to her again before he left the pizzeria.
His skin still tingled slightly from how the notes of her song had played over him, searching and exploring; looking for some weakness to exploit so it could drag him under its spell.It had failed, but that wasn’t to say he didn’t still intend to have her in his bed.
He skimmed his gaze around the room.“Just how many hidden bugs and cameras are in here?”
“Maybe none.Maybe many.”Jolene waved away his concern and nabbed a menu.“I don’t plan on asking personal questions.I only hope for us to come to an agreement about something.”
Luka felt his eyes narrow.“If you’re intending to request that I grant your lair admittance to Infernal, my answer will be a resounding no.”Imps as a species were barred from his illegal gambling club due to their habit of cheating and stealing.
“Nothing like that,” she assured him.“I seek only your cooperation.”
He grabbed the other menu.“Cooperation on what, exactly?”
At that moment, a young waitress entered the room.Luka and Jolene gave their orders for drinks and food, and the girl left.
He snapped his menu shut and lowered it to the table.“So?”he prompted, ignoring Abraxas’ put-out sigh—it didn’t want to talk to Jolene, it wanted to track down the pretty siren.
“Iain Forrester,” Jolene threw out.“He’s one of your demons, correct?”
It hadn’t really been a question.“You know he is.”
“He’s also being a major pain in the ass.It can’t be allowed to continue.”
Luka fought a frown.“Expand on that.”
“He dated one of my demons.They were together a little over four weeks—nothing serious, just light and fun.Although it’s been three months since they parted ways, he won’t let it go.Won’t lethergo.He bombards her with texts, turns up at her house, and sends her gifts.”
Luka couldn’t wrestle back a frown this time, because that didn’t sound like Iain.
“She’s tried different ways to make him admit defeat and leave her be.She’s yelled at him.Ignored him.Threatened him.Even set his hair on fire at one point.He just keeps coming back.Like the clap.”
“You want me to intervene,” Luka guessed.
“Actually, I want to fish out his gullet with a rusty spoon, but I’m pretty sure you’d have an issue with that.I’d prefer that we weren’t at odds.So yes, Luka, I’m going to need you to intervene.As a psi-demon, he can feed from people’s emotions and drain them dry; I won’t risk him turning that gift on her.You make a bad enemy, but so do I,” Jolene warned, her face hardening.“If there’s one thing imps are good at, it’s making themselves a problem for others.”
