30 - Crazy is as Crazy Does

Tony checked his watch, wondering if Lilah’s flight was late getting into Bucharest.    It still baffled him that she’d gone all the way to Munich to sit in an airport for God knew how many hours before getting on the one-hour flight to Romania.  The flight time from Istanbul to Bucharest was only an hour and twenty minutes, total. 

If she landed at two, it shouldn’t take two hours to get her bag and a taxi to the hotel.  It was almost four now.

Briefly, he wondered if there had been a problem at the front desk.  He’d made sure she was in the computer system, and would be given a key to his room.  The clerk promised him she wouldn’t have any trouble when she arrived.

Then where the hell is she?

He couldn’t keep himself from asking.

[3:57 PM]TONY: You ok?

✧✧✧

Lilah crawled into the back seat of the taxi and blew out an exasperated breath, sending her bangs flying chaotically into the air.  She was an idiot.  In some roundabout way, it had made sense to take a longer travel path into Romania.  It kept her from arriving at a ridiculously early hour and having to worry about her room not being ready. 

Never again.  Direct flights from here on out, whenever possible.

Because, of course, her suitcase had been ‘temporarily delayed’ in Munich.  How that was remotely possible, she didn’t know.  It wasn’t like she – and her suitcase – boarded late.  The connecting flight arrived five hours prior to departure.  But…  In the grand scheme of airline bureaucracy, it didn’t matter how it was delayed, only that it had been. 

And after all, the delay had afforded her the glorious opportunity of loitering in yet another airport for an extra hour and a half, while they located her wayward luggage.  She consoled herself with the fact that it could have been much worse.  At least the bag was merely delayed and not truly lost.

Her head flopped back onto the taxi seat as the driver pulled into traffic.   Finally – finally! – she was on her way to the hotel and a long-overdue nap. 

Heavy eyelids fluttered shut and snapped open again at the vibration in her pocket.  Sighing wearily, she dug it out and checked the screen.  Tony’s name made her groan for a couple of reasons.  First, that he felt obligated to keep tabs on her, and secondly that he was already at the hotel.  What was she expected to do?  What did he have planned for the afternoon and evening?  All she wanted to do was sleep, but…

Lilah Jane, you’re makin’ mountains out of molehills.  He might not have any intention of spendin’ time with you outside of a quick tumble in the hay.

Reading the short two-word communication, she every prior thought left her and she felt like a bitch.  He was an incredibly nice man, and this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.  If he wanted to spend time with her, there’s no way she would say no, or wish anything different. 

[3:59 PM]LILAH: Luggage delay.  On my way to the hotel now.  Sorry.

[4:00 PM]TONY: Don’t be sorry.  Just wondering.

How did she respond to that?  Thank you?  Okay?  In the end, she didn’t reply at all, figuring she would see him soon enough. 

The taxi arrived at the hotel, and Lilah thought that the Intercontinental was undoubtedly nicer than the one she had chosen.  Not that she would stay in a flea bag.  Far from it, in fact.  She tended to pay more than she should for hotels, but not at the four and five star levels.  Some things just weren’t worth that much money, and a bed was one of them.

“Good afternoon, Miss.  How may I help you?”  The young woman at the registration desk wore a vibrant smile and a nametag that said ‘Ileana’.

Lilah’s mouth curled wearily, the smile-wattage very dim compared to that of Ileana’s.  “Hi.  I’m checkin’ in.  Lilah Bennett.”

Pretty features crumpled with a brief frown as she typed the name into the computer, and then glanced at something on the counter that was out of Lilah’s sight.  The smile restored to its proper wattage, Ileana produced a keycard with a sticky note attached to it. 

“Here’s your key, Ms. Bennett.  You’re in room ten-eleven, and I have a note here that Mr. Bongiovi is waiting for you in the lobby bar.  It’s just behind you, there.”

Accepting the key, Lilah tucked it into her pocket and thanked the woman.  She pushed the bottom of her suitcase out with her flip-flopped foot and ensured the computer case stayed securely on top before wheeling in the direction Ileana had indicated.

Pausing in the doorway, she immediately noted that it was quiet in the hotel bar, but not unreasonably so, considering that it was a Thursday afternoon.  However, it was also dim, and she had to pause for a moment so that her eyes could adjust to the shadows.  She hadn’t yet become fully acclimated to the dimness when a masculine voice quietly beckoned her.

“Over here, Lilah.”

Her feet stayed rooted to the spot as she connected the face with the voice.

Lord a’mighty.  Really? 

Forty-two years old and she felt like she was being called on the carpet by her father.  Quelling a tiny zing of panic, she diligently summoned all of her good manners and humor and took a step inside, toward the booth against the wall. 

Lilah hoped this wasn’t going to suck as badly as she feared.   She parked her suitcase, resting her palm over the telescopic handle and mustering a friendly smile.

“Hello, Jon.”

On the table in front of him was a wine glass, half-filled with a light colored beverage.  He lazily twirled the glass by its stem and nodded toward the other side of the booth.  “Have a seat.”

Since you asked so nicely…

Her road-weary butt scraped over the upholstery and she settled her forearms on the table.  “I think Tony is expecting me…”

“This won’t take long,” he promised as the waitress approached the table to take Lilah’s order.  “You wanna drink?”

“No, thank you.”

The waitress offered a heated look that Jon appeared oblivious to.  He nodded his dismissal and sipped his wine, staring silently at Lilah and making her curious as to what this little rendezvous was all about.  She would think that, after yesterday, Jon Bon Jovi had his fill of her.

“Was there somethin’ specific you wanted?”

 “That’s what I’d like to ask you.  Is there something specific you want?”

Sharp blue eyes locked her in their sights, and she would swear he was trying to see inside her.  Well, he was out of luck.  She was very practiced at keeping a cloak of apathy and disinterest over herself. 

“From you?  No, sir.  You’ve given me more than I could’ve hoped for and – after the way I behaved at the stadium, you probably won’t believe this – but I am genuinely appreciative.  Thank you.  Again.”

His forehead wrinkled with annoyance, she thought, and the glass came to a standstill on the table’s dark wood surface.  Disbelief hummed from his very core.

“Okay then, if not from me, from Tony.”

She didn’t want anything from him, either.  Tony had also given her more than she could’ve hoped for, particularly since she hadn’t really come to get anything.  She’d come to give. 

“No.  Nothing.”

“Then what?  Why have you wormed your way into my tour?”

Fatigue muddled her thoughts, causing Lilah to bite her tongue rather than make a rash reply.  He clearly thought she had some kind of ulterior motive to sabotage his damn band, or something, when all she came to do was soothe her soul by returning a favor. 

“Wormin’ my way into your tour was never on the agenda, “ she began slowly, and carefully.  “My reasons for bein’ in Europe are very personal, and I prefer not to share them.

Not with you.  Not before Tony knows.

“But I will say it doesn’t have anything to do directly with your band or your business.”

“You’re here for my brother,” he intoned doubtfully. 

She sighed softly, hating the feeling that was churning in the pit of her stomach.  She was a people pleaser by nature.  Jon’s utter disdain and distrust her made Lilah sick inside, but it was a feeling she would have to learn to live with.  He showed no inclination to give her the benefit of the doubt.  It almost made her want to catch the first flight back to Lexington.

Don’t do it, Lilah Jane.  You came here to follow your heart.  He doesn’t have to understand.  Hell, you don’t even really understand. 

“Yes.  I’m here for Tony.”

That quietly uttered affirmation tipped off a silent battle of wills.  Infamous blue eyes locked into hers like a laser scope on a rifle.  They dared her to look away, and wordlessly demanded that she spill all her deepest, darkest secrets. 

She couldn’t, and wouldn’t. 

“Don’t wanna tell me?  Fine.  I’ll just assume you’re lining Tony up as husband number three.”

Her heart stopped, and then pounded triple-time.  Blood drained from her face, but rushed through her veins, pounding an angry beat in the top of her head.  He knew about Walter and Amos.  She wasn’t surprised that he could find out, just that he bothered to.

“Don’t look so surprised, Ms. Bennett.  I’m a resourceful man, and I don’t hesitate to use those resources when it comes to the security of both my organization and my family.”

“I’m not a threat to anyone’s security,” she whispered, near tears.  Never, in her life, had anyone taken such an instant hatred to her.  Her feelings were hurt more than they should be.  “And I don’t want a third husband.  Tony knows that.”

“Does he know that your first husband left you in a ridiculous amount of debt?  And that you became suddenly wealthy after the death of your second?  I bet he’d find that as interesting as I do.”

Her eyes welled to overflowing, but she didn’t cry.  Nor did she dispute what he said, because justifying the facts was pointless.  Lilah had been tried and hung her without benefit of a jury or all of the evidence.  Of course, some of it was hidden in sealed court documents to minimize her humiliation.  It paid to have sympathetic relatives in the legal system. 

“Why are you being so mean to me?”

“Because you’re hiding something.”

“No.”  She swiped at a drop of moisture trailing down her cheek.  Not a tear, just a drop of moisture.  “I’m not.  I just don’t make a practice of tellin’ my whole life story in the first five minutes of meetin’ someone.  Most people don’t give a fuck.”

“Well, I do give a fuck, so tell me.”

 “How about you let Tony tell you, once he finds out?”  She lifted her chin defiantly, even as her body quaked with nervous fear. 

Stop bein’ scared, Lilah Jane.  He isn’t gonna hit you, and he can only make you feel as worthless as you let him. 

Bullied or not, she still wasn’t spilling her guts.  This had nothing to do with Jon, and she’d be damned if he would find out her story before Tony did – before she had a chance to prove that she wasn’t crazy.

Believin’ in Fate doesn’t make you crazy, Lilah Jane.  No matter what anybody says.

“Don’t tell me you were actually going to confess?” the current bane of her existence practically sneered.

She was done with this.  It was time to leave before she lost her balls, because he wouldn’t get the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

“Confess?  Not at all,” she denied on a shaky breath while sliding out of the booth and standing to curl her fingers around the suitcase handle.  “There’s nothin’ to confess.   I did plan on talkin’ to him today, though.  Afterward, if he doesn’t like what he hears and wants me to go, then I’ll be on the next plane back to Kentucky.  If not…”  She shrugged.  “Well, I guess he and I will work somethin’ out.  Either way, you won’t see me again.  I’ll make sure of it.”