Page 80 of The Enforcer

“Are we good?” Abram asked Nova.

“Yeah, we’re good.” Nova opened the door without looking at Tino and handed his folders to the lawyer. “Are you coming, Valentino?”

Nova choked on his name a little, even though he said it all the time. It was like he could feel the death of who Tino was before.

Tino tossed his hat on the seat and opened the back door. “I’m ready.”

So, he sat through this long drive, and Nova’s life crisis at fourteen, only to find out he wasn’t allowed to hug Romeo.

Of course he wasn’t.

He just got to sit between Nova and the Jewish lawyer and stare at his older brother across the table. Tino could see a bruise on Romeo’s thick biceps, most of it hiding underneath the sleeve from his orange uniform, but all other signs of the attack Tino watched were hidden.

Romeo didn’t even flinch when he sat down.

He looked to all the world like the biggest, most muscular guy in that jail.

But Tino knew him better. Romeo had circles under his eyes like he wasn’t sleeping, and his hair was getting a little long, leaving it messy in a way Tino had never seen on his brother.

“You look thinner, piccolo.” Romeo reached out, like he wanted to caress Tino’s hair, and then pulled his hand back when one of the guards said something. “You’re pale. Are you sick?”

Nova reached past Tino and took his files back from the lawyer, like he needed to touch them. To be in control somehow, but he didn’t say anything.

Tino looked to Nova and then gave Romeo a smile. “I’m pale? Look in the mirror lately?”

“No.” Romeo shook his head and didn’t take the bait on Tino’s joke. “I try not to look in mirrors these days.”

“Well, you look like merda.” Tino stared at him pointedly. “You’d think you’ve been in jail or something.”

“I’ve missed you, Valentino.” Romeo laughed even though it was obvious he didn’t want to, and then just as quickly he sobered and looked down, his light eyes swimming with tears. “Are you okay? Why are you so thin? Aren’t you eating?”

“No, I’mnoteating,” Tino responded. “Prison food has got to be an improvement over Casanova’s cooking.”

“He can cook,” Romeo said in disbelief. “Can’t he?” He looked at Nova. “You’ve watched me cook. Can’t you just remember and imitate it?”

“Asshole cannot cook,” Tino said slowly in Italian before Nova could answer. “I’m serious. I don’t know what the hell is wrong with him, but he can’t do it. He burned pasta. In a pot of water.He burned it.”

“How did you burn it in water?”

“I don’t know.” Nova shrugged. “I think it was the pot. It was cheap and—”

Tino gave Romeo a look. “Yeah, it’s the pot’s fault.”

“So you’re okay?” Romeo asked like he couldn’t get past it. “Except for the cooking?”

“I guess, but I got this bum leg. That sucks. I was going to try out for a dance team in Bed-Stuy when I get my cast off. Nova thinks it’s a stupid idea.”

“What?” Romeo frowned at Nova. “Why? Activities are good for him. Keeping busy is good for him. Let him stay busy until I get out so he doesn’t do things like jump off the landing.”

Nova opened his mouth but then shrugged. “I just think he should stick with karate. I found a dojo in Dyker Heights for us.”

“He can do both,” Romeo said reasonably. “I think it’s good. I always thought that.” He looked back to Tino. “I felt bad you couldn’t go for the team in gymnastics. Now you can find a gym or do this dance team or whatever you got to do to keep busy.”

“Hey, you know, Otis Johnson is on the Bed-Stuy dance crew,” Tino told him, because he was still shocked by it, and added in English, “What are the friggin’ chances?”

“Really?” Romeo gave him a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “So you have friends there? At least one friend.”

“Yeah.” Tino nodded and then looked at the table before he said under his breath, “Carina’s nice too.”