Page 42 of The Enforcer's Revenge

“But you’re not going to bully me into hating you.” Brianna held up her hands. “Don’t even try it. I’m not playing.”

“Yeah, maybe not.” Tino obviously believed it as he walked away from Carina, broken dishes still crunching under his bare feet as he went back to the coffee pot. He picked up his cup and poured himself some. “We both know Carina’s got better survival skills than you.”

Carina kept looking at Tino’s feet as silent tears rolled down her cheeks. There was something so very unnerving about Carina’s quiet misery when everything about her was loud and exuberant.

“Don’t do that,” Tino snapped at his sister as he went to the fridge to get creamer. “It doesn’t suit you, Rina.”

“Just go.” Brianna looked earnestly at her best friend. “Let me help him reset.”

“How does that go down?” Carina asked, sounding genuinely concerned.

“Not the way you think,” Brianna promised, staring at Carina, hoping she could silently communicate that she was fine. “Just give us a little while.”

“Yeah, run away, but don’t go too far. I’ll be the one they send to find you,” Tino said drily, making it obvious he had been listening to their conversation before he came out.

“Shut up, Tino!” Brianna snapped at him. “I’m serious, shut the fuck up!”

Tino just arched an eyebrow again as he stirred his coffee, but he didn’t say anything else.

“Do you hurt her? You two do every other kinky thing in the book. Do you do that too?” Carina asked him, her voice shaking. “Do I have to repent for that, too? Do I have that on my soul for fucking eternity?”

Tino didn’t speak.

“Do you?” Carina screamed, which was better than her silent crying.

Tino still didn’t say anything, so Brianna answered for him. “No, he’d never hurt me.”

“Are you sure about that?” Carina sounded truly skeptical.

“I promise.” Brianna showed Carina her open palm. “My hand to God, Tino has never hurt me.”

It said a lot about their friendship that Carina trusted Brianna enough to leave. She threw a few things in one of her larger purses and headed for the door without looking at Tino, who was still standing in the destroyed kitchen drinking coffee.

“I love you,” Carina said when Brianna walked to the door. She grabbed Brianna’s face in both her hands and pulled her down. Then she kissed Brianna’s forehead like a sister. “Call me.”

“Yeah.” Brianna nodded in agreement and then kissed Carina’s cheek. “I love you too. Don’t ever doubt it.”

“None of us doubts it. That’s not the problem.” Carina looked to the kitchen. The anguish on her face was palpable as she put a hand to her chest and took a shuddering breath. “Cazzo.”

“He’ll be fine,” Brianna assured her, hoping she was telling the truth.

Carina nodded and opened the front door, as if she needed to get out before she changed her mind.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

After she left, Brianna just stood there, staring at the wood. When she was certain Carina was in the elevator, Brianna flipped the lock, but she didn’t move.

“You let me fuck you like you were one of them.” Tino’s voice shook with fury. “Youpromisedyou’d never let that happen again.”

“I tried?—”

“Bullshit!”

Brianna jumped when Tino threw his coffee mug. Then she glared when she saw that another dish was shattered on the floor. Sugary, milky coffee was spreading out over the white tile, and she screamed in repressed anger and fear.

“You’re cleaning that up!” Brianna gestured wildly to the kitchen. “You Morettis are all great at breaking shit, but then you leave me to pick up your messes! I’m not doing it this time!”

“Oh, you take that back.” Tino’s voice was taunting and dangerous. “YouknowI love cleaning up messes for you.”