Page 61 of The Enforcer's Revenge

“My travel bag is prepacked in case I have to take off for the Don. I have a razor. You just handed me this one,” Nova explained as he tilted his head back and worked on shaving his neck because he hadn’t shaved since the day before Carina dragged them out of bed too early on the fourth of July. “I have my gel in there, too. I’m not using this either.”

Tino set Nova’s Clive Christian cologne next to him, along with the gel he packed and Nova’s toothbrush and toothpaste. “You can’t even smell the difference anyway.”

“I can smellyouright now,” Nova said with another annoyed glance at Tino. “And if I can smell it?—”

“Minchia! Why didn’t you fucking tell me you brought something better, and if you say you forgot, I’m laying you out, Casanova.”

Nova laughed. A real, genuine laugh as he rinsed his razor under the steaming hot water. “That was payback for these tight ass, high water pants I’m stuck wearing.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

“How much?” Tino asked the woman at the door and made sure he spoke slowly, enunciating the words like they were foreign on his tongue.

“Twenty each.” The hostess was pretty, with her long blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail.

She wore a red corset and black skirt, fully dressed for her work in front of the register. Tino gave her a wide smile and pulled his money clip out of his pocket. “You’re going to dance for me?”

“I’m almost disappointed to say no.” She tilted her head and leaned past the high table she was sitting behind to get a better look at Tino and Nova standing there. “Where are y’all from?”

“Sicilia.” Tino paused and glanced back to Nova, feigning confusion. “Sicily. Italy.”

“Oh.” Her blue eyes grew wide. “Wow. Are you having fun?”

“Sì, what’s not to like?” Tino started to thumb through the massive stack of hundreds he deliberately put in his pocket. He caught the hostess eyeing it as he turned to Nova and said in Italian, “Pull out your money clip.”

Nova gave him an annoyed look and held up his hands. He was a reluctant participant in this ruse at best and, in his way of playing along, asked in Sicilian, “Picchì?”

“’Cause I fucking said so, that’s why,” Tino growled at Nova before he turned back to the hostess with a smile. “Mi dispiace. I don’t have the right one. Hold on. My brother,” he gestured to Nova, “he has it.”

“You know I have change, right?” She laughed as Nova pulled the gold clip off his roll of cash and unfolded the money to get to the twenties. “How long are you fellas in town?”

“Eh, um, two…” Tino paused, like he was looking for the right word. “Two weeks.”

“No kidding? What’re you going to do in Tampa for two whole weeks?”

“Watch this. I’m going to get a date,” Tino said in Italian and hit Nova’s shoulder. Then, he gave the hostess another smile. “Sei bellissima. You’re beautiful.”

Tino kissed her hand, and she blushed, looking truly pleased. “Thank you.”

“I could stand here.” Tino winked as he kept her hand in his. “All night… only to see you.”

“Minchia.” Nova put two twenties down on the table between them. “Quaranta.”

“It’s forty, yes?” Tino translated for him as he dropped her hand. “He doesn’t know English so well. I go touniversitàback home.”

“University?” she asked curiously. “You’re in college?”

“It’s not so easy for him,” Tino explained to her with a wince. “He does, um, the family business for our father.”

Nova shook his head. “Cristo Santo.”

“Listen, I’m not supposed to do this.” The hostess leaned closer to Tino, speaking in a soft, sexy voice. “But if you wanted someone to show you the real Tampa while you’re here, I couldgive you a tour.” She ripped off a corner of a piece of paper and wrote on it. Then she reached over, grabbed Tino’s hand, and placed the paper in his open palm. “I’m Heather.”

Tino grinned. “I’m Ash.”

“Don’t fall in love in there.” Heather pouted. “’Cause you are yummy, Ash.”

Tino held the paper to his heart. “I’ll keep it safe.”