Page 113 of The Enforcer

“That dirty guinea in the garage?” Mary sounded appalled, like she couldn’t imagine Brianna touching Tino even though anyone with eyes could see he was gorgeous. “That’s who you’re fucking?”

“Get out before I turn into a dirty guinea andbeat your ass.” Carina still sounded very dangerous. “You’re not allowed to talk about my brothers like that!”

Mary didn’t back down. “Bring it.”

Carina threw her ashtray with shocking force, making it shatter against the wall. Brianna jumped from the sound of it, but Mary was a little too numbed, either by life or too much wine.

She just looked at Carina furiously.

Carina glared back.

It was strange, like watching animals in the wild waging a silent battle for dominance. Carina took a long drag off her cigarette, looking eerily like Nova as she did it.

And it was obvious her mother noticed.

“You wanna be like them? The dirty trash in the garage. I gave birth to you; now you wanna side with them? Those bastardi who insult me by existing.”

“Yeah, I told you before, guineas stick together,” Carina said without remorse.

“Fine.” Her mother’s eyes narrowed. “You think you’re so tough, little girl, but I can cut you. I can make you bleed.”

Carina rolled her eyes. “Whatever.”

“The whore deserves it anyway. Insult me like that.” Mary’s gaze darted to Brianna, giving her a look that made Brianna’s stomach feel leaden. “Do you enjoy being a puttana for a filthy whore?”

“Are you callingmea whore? Are you giving me shit for defending my best friend?” Carina asked her mother in disbelief. “At least I didn’t sell myself to a Borgata I hate just to make my daddy happy. I’d eat a bullet before I got under a man just because someone told me to. Who’s the troia?”

“I always win,” her mother warned. “So I’d tread lightly.”

“Okay.” Carina gave her a thumbs-up. “Go win. You’re drunk, Ma. Leave me alone before I call Nonno and ask him to come get me again.” Her mother was silent for a long time, and Carina threatened, “I’ll do it. I swear to God, I’ll call him right now.”

Brianna jumped when Mary Moretti stormed out and slammed the door behind her.

Carina huffed and lit another cigarette. “Cunt.”

“That was bad,” Brianna whispered. “That felt extra bad, even for her.”

“I cannot wait to get outta Brooklyn.” Carina got up, cigarette in her mouth, and went looking for another ashtray. “One day, Bri. We’re gonna get an apartment in Manhattan. No Borgatas and no men unless we feel like being entertained for the night. It’ll all be on our terms. It’ll be great.”

Carina found a new ashtray in her closet and tapped her cigarette against it.

Brianna stared at the mess of ashes and broken glass on the floor left by the first ashtray. “You’re not gonna pick it up?”

“The maids will get it in the morning.”

Brianna raised her eyebrows, because sometimes Carina was undeniably spoiled. There was no way she could leave that mess until morning, so she got out of bed and started gathering the bits of glass in her hand. Then she looked at Carina, who was back to smoking in front of the window. “I haven’t fucked Tino. You lied. You made me sound like a puttana for nothing.”

“Of course you have.” Carina stared at Brianna like she had two heads. “We all know that’s what you were doing this weekend. I mean, hello, who’re you lying to? Not like I’m a pillar of chastity.”

“But we haven’t.” Brianna grabbed the garbage can from under Carina’s desk and picked up the rest of the glass and cigarettes with a grimace. “Not even close.”

“He’s Siciliano. Come on.” Carina said it like it was some unbreakable rule. “You have to have.”

“I haven’t even touched it. I haven’t seen it either,” Brianna whispered. “He won’t let me.”

Carina took another drag off her cigarette and blew it out the window thoughtfully, and then she mumbled, “Really?”

Brianna nodded. “Really.”