Page 143 of The Enforcer

Carlo broke the rules.

He wasn’t supposed to haveanyfriends.

Which really was a horrible existence when so much about Cosa Nostra revolved around banding together.

“We’ll make him an enforcer,” Nova decided, seeing Carlo blanch but ignoring it as he turned back to the table. “Give him a pass, and we’ll make my brother an enforcer. He won’t socialize with anyone whose wife he might have fucked. And if they do have to socialize with him, they’ve got bigger problems.”

“You’re gonna make a sixteen-year-old kid an enforcer?” Enzo laughed. “That’s insulting. Almost as insulting as letting an eighteen-year-old sit on the commission.” He gestured to Nova. “This one hasn’t even made his bones. He could be a rat for all we know.”

Nova snorted at that, because he was fairly certain everyone knew he’d been running the largest drug crew in New York City for the Moretti Borgata. Still, it was an oversight that he hadn’t made his bones.

He just hadn’t had time to kill anyone yet.

Nor the inclination.

But it was an absolute requirement to be on the commission. He had to complete a hit to prove he wasn’t a mole for the government.

No federal officer was going to blow out someone’s brains to save a case.

“It’s not really your business, Brambino. We can make anyone we want an enforcer.” Nova held up his hands and decided to ignore the bones issue. “But if anyone is interested, my brotheriscapable of holding that position. He’s been muscle on my crew for a long time. He’s a black belt. An extremely talented one.”

“Big fucking deal.” Maso, the Brambino enforcer, said from behind Enzo. “Your brother’s sitting in this cunt’s basement.” He gestured to Lorenzo. “He can’t be that goddamn capable.”

Nova turned back to Carlo, expecting him to defend Tino, because the enforcers did have their own code, one the rest of them weren’t a part of.

Instead Carlo still looked pale, and he shook his head slowly. “No.”

“They’re going to kill him,” Nova said quickly in Italian, even though most of the men at this table understood at least some Italian and most spoke it fluently. “Carlo.”

Carlo opened his mouth but couldn’t seem to find the words. Finally he said, “I’m sorry. I can’t, Nova.”

“Zu!” Nova corrected him. “And you better!”

“Let him choose,” Sergio, the De Luca enforcer, suggested to Carlo, sounding surprisingly understanding. “If he doesn’t want it—”

“I’ll do it.” Carlo choked on the words. “That’s our right.” He looked to the Savios. “Let me speak to Tino. Alone. If he doesn’t agree, I have the right to do it.”

Nova just stared at him in horror.

“I’ll agree with that.” Enzo nodded. “You speak to him. Alone. Without his brother there. If he doesn’t agree, you ice him. Today. So we can put this nastiness behind us.”

Nova opened his mouth, stunned speechless.

Dante stepped on his foot again, and when Nova didn’t respond, Dante snapped, “Say yes. That’s as close to a pass as you’re gonna get.”

Nova shook his head.

“Say yes,” Monte said from Nova’s other side. “No one wants a war.”

“Yeah, Moretti, say yes,” Enzo Brambino agreed from across the table with a smug smile.

Nova stared at him, and something horrible clicked into place.

“You know my brother,” Nova whispered in horror. “That’s why your name was next to your wife’s on the client list. You watch, don’t you?”

Enzo gave Nova a dark smile. “Let’s just say I suspect your brother’s more of a lover than a fighter.”

“Say yes,” Dante said next to him again and stepped on his foot once more.