Page 143 of The Enforcer's Revenge

“That’s a shame.” Maria sighed at that. “You’re so pretty, Tino. You have such a friendly face.”

“I need you to fix that.” Tino kept watching the television even though the news story had changed to something about Art in the Park for the weekend. “And I need you to fix it on Tony, too.”

“It’s easy with Tony. He doesn’t have your natural smile and outgoing nature. Usually, I’m trying to cover up how intimidating he looks, but with you…” Maria caressed his hair again, seeming to ponder it. “Maybe,Matrix? That’s hard and soft at the same time. It could work on you.”

“I like that.” Tino stared ahead, trying to visualize it. “I want motherfuckers to think we’re coming out of the Matrix at them. I could buy more turtlenecks. I look really good in blackturtlenecks. Tony does, too, but we need shorter jackets than they wear, more like mid-length, just for functionality. We’ll get them custom done, but you know…” He turned around and frowned at Maria. “I don’t like those tiny sunglasses they use in the movie. No way.”

“You could doBladeglasses,” Maria offered.

“That works.” Tino took another sip of his coffee cup. “I can definitely do Blade. I’m amazing at armed martial arts.”

“What is armed martial arts?” Maria kept leaning against his back, playing with his wet hair. “And what does it have to do with Blade?

“It’s like it sounds. Armed martial arts are martial arts with weapons, and Blade is great at that, like knives, nunchakus, bo staffs, things like that,” Tino explained to her.

“I didn’t know you did martial arts.”

“What?” Tino turned around and frowned at her. “I’ve been doing martial arts forever. When I was little, I competed nationally, specifically in armed martial arts. I’d still compete now if Cosa Nostra didn’t fuck everything up. It’s, like, a huge thing with me. How did you not know that?”

“Are you an actual black belt?” Maria sounded impressed.

“Sweetheart, I’m higher up than that.” Tino laughed when she looked surprised. “I’m a third-degree black belt, and that’s just in karate. I have a whole collection of belts. Martial arts is our thing—for real. It’s the thing I do with my brothers. That’s how we bond. We beat on each other almost every day.”

“Sounds horrible.” Maria ran a hand over his chest, trailing it down his stomach muscles. “But I missed you, Tino.”

Tino looked back at her suspiciously and then glanced at Tony when he came walking out of the bathroom. His hair was wet like Tino’s since he used the shower after him, and he had a matching white towel wrapped around his waist. He stopped when he caught the look Tino was giving him.

He pulled back in question and held up his hands. “What?”

“Nothing,” Maria answered for both of them, her fingers tracing the lines of Tino’s stomach muscles. “We were talking about doing the Matrix for you two. Tino’s thinking more of a Matrix-Blade-hybrid look. Daddy, we’re gonna make you look so bad-ass and so fine, people are gonna stop on the street to admire you.”

“Whatever.” Tony scowled when a knock on the door echoed in from the front of the apartment. He looked to Maria in question. “Who is it?”

Maria shrugged. “I’m not expecting anyone.”

“Motherfucker.” Tino pointed past the open door toward the kitchen counter when Tony went to answer it with nothing but a towel for protection. “It could be anyone.”

Tony sighed, looking unconcerned. Tino leaned forward in the chair to watch him walk over and grab his gun off the counter. Tony went to the door then, not bothering with pants, but Tino trusted that he was capable of handling whatever was on the other side.

“People come over all the time,” Maria explained.

“Yeah, I know, I heard things.” Tino went back to watching the news and drinking his coffee. “You’re a naughty girl, mama, and Tony’s just as bad.”

“Hey, I heard things, too.” Maria poked his ribs. “You bought Bobby a top-of-the-line Lexus. What the hell?”

“Maria.” Tino laughed and looked back at her when her hand drifted lower. “Absolutely not.”

“I do nicer things than Bobby does,” she whispered against his ear, a smile sounding in her voice.

“I did more nice things than you did earlier,” Tino reminded her. “And I will never come back and do them again if you ask me. I’m not kidding. I just walked away from the woman I love more than air. I feel like I can’t fucking breathe without her,and I did that shit. You think I can’t walk out of this apartment and never look back? Ask me for blow. I dare you. Watch what happens.”

Maria huffed in annoyance. “You’re no fun.”

“You’re right, I’m not fun. I’m a fucking shit show.” Tino said it with conviction. “Stay on your cleanse. Trust me on this. Don’t fuck it up. It’s not worth it.”

Tino’s voice cracked when he said the last part, and he closed his eyes, fighting against breaking down. It kept hitting him in waves, the pain and worry crashing over him all of a sudden and stealing everything but the darkness.

It all started to feel impossible, like he’d never be happy again. He missed Carlo so much he could hardly function. At least with Brianna, he knew she was going to be okay. She was healing. She had Carina to look out for her.