Chapter Twenty-eight
~Jessie~
The Bonesaw Family chat was dead silent all day until the moment that Elliot realized they were being suspicious.
[Text Message]
Elle the Minotaur with the Plan
Ay, Fess up now or forever hold your peace.
Jessie The Grease Minotaur
Nothing up my sleeve
Rex the Bext
Do you think they still sell rootbeer floats? I’m kinda feeling like those pepperoni cups on extra cheese and a float
Jessie The Grease Minotaur
Et tu, Brutus!
Elle The Minotaur with a plan
I fucking knew it. Did any of you think to call ahead and reserve a table?
Jessie the Grease Minotaur
What do I look like? A Plebian? Of fucking course I reserved us a table. Table for 9 under Bonesaw.
Elle The Minotaur with a plan
9?!?!? Who the fuck is coming? The king of Maylor?
Jessie quickly replied that the whole family was coming before he looked up from his text message.
He sat patiently in his truck as he counted them to make sure.
Jessie, Katarina, Nik, Isabella, Rex, Ma, Pops, Elliot, and Cassie, the whole kit and kaboodle.
He knew better than to walk in with their massive family without a reservation.
If he invited the Darlings, Cassie’s family, he’d just have to order catering and host it at his folks’ place.
He straightened his shirt as he saw Katarina walk out the front door, Isabella on her hip.
Nik locked up behind her before jogging to open the back door for their succubus with her hands full.
Isabella was in a simple sundress over a t-shirt and leggings, but her hair was up in a fancy pair of pigtails with bows and other glittery clips.
Nik was in the same boat as Jessie that he owned two nice shirts and a pair of slacks.
Katarina though? She wore this amazing red dress.
It came down to her knees but was snug against her body.
It fell off her shoulders, a heart shaped top that made her already look delicious.
Then she accented that pretty neck of hers with a simple gold chain that ended in a glittering ruby.
She was in a pair of sensible heels that Jessie definitely wasn’t imagining hooked over his horns or anything.
No, definitely not, because he got his knot out twice already and he was fine.
I say as I do my best not to thirst over the pretty little snack sliding into the back seat.
He did not have time for a Knot Treatment tonight.
Dinner was a ruse. Pierre Simmone was supposed to be at the pick-up charity game being hosted at the field that night.
They were going under the guise of family dinner.
Pierre must have known there was going to be a bunch of people in the area, making it easier to cover a sale.
Jessie heard through the grapevine he had a few buyers for things that night and Jessie was going to snatch him at one of them.
Perfect. Easy. Sensible. And best of all, Pierre couldn’t raise too much of a stink, cause if he did the Enforcers would be on them like sharks in bloody waters. Jessie could bet that he’d be let go of before Pierre could and wasn’t worried if they ended up in cuffs.
However, he figured he’d get a slice of pizza first. He paid one of his many shadows a good handful of gold to find Pierre and stay close until Jessie could swoop in.
Jessie cranked the truck into motion as Nik hopped in last. The whole crew buckled in, and he pulled away from the townhouse.
The drive to the pizzeria a block away from the stadium was full of Isabella telling them about school in tiny tidbits, then Katarina explaining everything she got done in the office.
It was the closest thing to domestic that Jessie could ever imagine.
He peeked at Nik who was sitting back, eyes closed, just absorbing the aura around him.
This is why Pops did it...and why I do this.
They pulled up into a parking space two rows back, people whizzing back and forth.
King’s Fall was abuzz with life. Kids wearing helmets like their favorite player on the team, adults cheering each other with frosty beer bottles, and the air thick with magic.
Little wisps of light floated over their heads as they climbed out of the truck.
Elliot was already outside the pizzeria, Cassie on his arm, the pair talking to each other passionately.
Not a fight, per say, but his brother had the feistiest girlfriend in all of existence and likely Elliot was playing with fire.
Elliot was a taller, cream-and-rust-colored minotaur with shiny horns and a gold nose ring.
He wore a dark purple suit over a white button down and gold cufflinks.
He wore the King’s Fall Knight’s crest on his right arm and black spats to match the hoof polish.
Looking every bit like the coach of a fancy schmancy SportsBall team.
Cassie was in matching garb, a plum-colored cocktail dress, her golden ringlets up in a high ponytail with gold accessories.
Her pumps put her at eye level of Elliot, which shouldn’t have made Jessie laugh, but it did.
“Elle!” Jessie waved as his gaggle of geese approached. The pair stopped talking and whirled around. Elliot blinked rapidly, clearly booting up like a dusty desktop.
Cassie was quicker on the draw, “Jessie! Nik! So good to see you...hello! I’m Cassiopeia Darling, you must be...?”
“Katarina Witchbane, this is Isabella, my daughter.”
Elliot looked at Isabella with a hard squint, the kind of squint he used to give his math homework. Jessie punched him in the arm. Elliot hissed, “Ow!”
“Isabella’s not mine like that, but she’s mine, you know?” Jessie whispered under his breath to Elliot as he covered up the punch with a hard hug.
“I don’t know, cause I have no idea what you’re talking about!” Elliot huffed in Jessie’s ear, squeezing him back.
“Katarina’s divorced.”
“Oh!” Elliot hummed, nodding before his eyes widened in shock. Jessie pulled back an arm’s length as the information seemed to process all over Elliot’s face. “Oooooh.”
“Yeah, we’re...still figuring things out, but, you know, nothing’s ever simple for us Bonesaws,” Jessie chortled, stepping back from Elliot. His brother offered him a knowing smile before Elliot extended a hand to Katarina. Oozing that usual Elliot Bonesaw charm, he shook her hand then Isabella’s.
“Nice to meet you both. Ma and Pops are already inside with Rex. They’ve got your tickets to the game, if you want to stay. Nothing field side, but coach gets to pull a couple strings for VIP box.” Elliot shrugged nonchalantly.
“Oh! I didn’t know we were staying for the game,” Katarina glanced at Jessie, “though, that’s a good idea. Having a full night, no interruptions or unwanted visitors?”
“Precisely,” Jessie winked at her before motioning to the restaurant. “Shall we? Don’t want the pizza growing cold.”
“Pizza!” Isabella chirped, pumping her arms up and down eagerly. Nik led Katarina and Cassie inside, but Jessie felt Elliot hold him back by the elbow. The pair waited till everyone was out of ear shot before Elliot finally voiced his concern.
“I’m just going to ask, for Katarina’s sake...does she know? About the family business?”
“Yeah, she knows,” Jessie murmured, grinding the tip of his hoof into the concrete.
Elliot nodded solemnly. Jessie peeked up, finding his brother’s eyebrows furrowed and a frown etched into his mouth.
With a sigh, he continued, “Look, I know you still feel guilty about not telling Ma about half the stuff Pops did. And I didn’t want to do that to Katarina. She also kind of gave me no choice.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Elliot furrowed his brow, arms over his chest.
“Ehhh, some jack wagons showed up trying to send me a message and after Katarina sent them a louder message back, she rightfully wanted to know what the fuck was going on—”
“Dragons above, Jessie!” Elliot spat.
“What?!” Jessie squawked, throwing his arms out to his sides.
“You didn’t get stabbed again, did you?” Elliot sighed, face crest fallen and shoulders slumped.
“No! Who do you take me for? A chump?” Jessie nodded toward the door, “Come on, they’ll notice if we’re out here too long. Besides, I’d hate to make you an accessory.”
Elliot scowled like he wanted to say something but thought better of it and turned away. Jessie chuckled to himself as the brothers headed inside. The sweet, sweet smell of melting mozzarella mixed with oily pepperoni and peppers filled the air. It made Jessie’s stomach growl.
His worrywart older brother did his best to stay out of the family business.
He was there for most of its creation. Elliot was the one lying to their Ma when Pops came home with a black eye or busted lip.
And the older Minotaur was the one with blood on his hands when Lailee found Titan Bonesaw bleeding out on the kitchen table.
Jessie didn’t blame him for wanting out.
Elliot, though a massive guy, was such a softie.
Most would think that a guy who came from nothing, who played sports, and spent most of his time working out, would be some macho asshole with a stick up his ass.
..but that wasn’t Elliot. His brother was a sweet, cinnamon roll.
Jessie would let him stay that was as long as he was able.
Elliot deserved the good life, he’d earned it. This? Where Jessie was? Was Jessie’s good life.
Sitting at the table between Katarina and Nik, he saw Isabella propped up on a special booster seat next to his Ma.
Titan was in the middle of telling the waitress a story that had Rex and Nik engaged, both leaning over the table with eager eyes.
After a quick check of his texts, no response, he pocketed his phone.
Jessie sat back in his chair, arms draped over the back of theirs.
Yeah...this is the good life. Then the pizza arrived and a frosty mug of soda was put in front of him.
Isabella cheered, “Jessie, look! Pizza!”