Page 68 of The Enforcer’s Revenge (Untamed Hearts #4)

“Probably Brianna’s Tino.” Tino winced when he said it.

“He’s very dedicated to her, and I like that about him.

” He looked out the window when things got blurry again.

“He loves her very much. More than enough to walk away when shit gets too deep. He can do it. I know he can. Enforcers can’t have wives or girlfriends.

They shouldn’t even have comares. It's too dangerous. It makes them a target. It’s a good rule, and it was stupid of me and Carlo to fuck around with it.

We paid the price, Carlo more than me. I owe it to Lola to stop it with Brianna.

” He couldn’t think about it right then.

The wound felt wide open and exposed, leaving him hurting on every level.

He decided to move on before he completely fell apart.

“I used to like Carina’s brother Tino, too.

He was pretty in line with Brianna’s Tino.

Romeo doesn’t party, but Carina does, and we all had a lot of fun.

We partied a lot, and it was a great time, but that Tino didn’t handle his shit.

He has a drug problem, and she calls him on it.

You saw how she was at the hospital. The drugs fucked it up, but we used to have fun.

That’s probably why she’s so mean to the Tino I am now.

She misses the old one, and I get it. I miss him too. ”

“And what about the brother the Zu knows?”

Tino rolled his eyes at that. “That Tino’s a fucking trainwreck. Poor Nova. He definitely got the shit end of the deal.”

“And what do you think about Maria and Tony’s Tino?” he asked curiously. “How’s he rank on the list?”

Tino shrugged. “I guess he’s alright.”

“Just alright?” Tony sounded almost insulted. “We always thought he was cool as shit. Everyone wanted to be his friend and to have Tino Moretti watching our backs. That was something, and now you don’t even know what you think about him?”

“He has a lotta baggage, that Tino, but I guess he made the best of it like Maria’s friend Tony did.

He tried to show up for his friends like they showed up for him because he did have good friends who mattered to him, like you.

It’s always been very easy to be your friend.

” Tino considered that for a second, really tapping into the person he was around Tony.

“I don’t have to fake anything when I’m around you.

You know all my shit. Like all of it, even the horrible Mary shit I can’t tell Nova.

It doesn’t take work like the others do.

I think your friend Tino is the closest to real Tino—if there is such a thing.

Now that you’re an enforcer, you’re the only one who might know the real me. ”

“Me and Maria,” Tony corrected him like it was an instinct.

“No. The Tino you’re sitting with right now is not the same guy who is friends with Maria.

” Tino turned in his seat and looked at him seriously.

“You better not be telling her any of our shit, Tony. I’m not kidding.

Don’t you dare tell Maria what we did all night.

You can’t tell her anything that happened at the Don’s place.

You’re gonna get made soon. They’re gonna say what happens if you tell people our shit, and it’s not good.

You’ll know it’s not good ’cause we’re the motherfuckers they send to fix that problem. You cannot tell anyone our shit. Ever.”

“I wouldn’t say anything. I’ve done things in the past that I haven’t told Maria.

She used to get upset if I had a bad client, especially if I was hurt after.

I kept a lotta our shit to myself too, you know that.

I didn’t always tell her when it went bad for the two of us.

If she didn’t need to know, I didn’t tell her.

” Tony tilted his head as though considering it.

“I know it’s the same with this. I’ll just treat it like a bad client. I don’t wanna upset her.”

“Yeah, it’s not nice. You don’t want her to have to carry any of this around.

If you need to talk about it, you talk to me and only me.

Don’t dump our shit on Nova, either. Enforcers don’t implicate the administration, and we don’t bother them with our problems. We handle it.

” Tino gave him a harsh look. “Tino’s friend Tony and Maria’s friend Tony are not the same guy.

Not anymore. And you better make sure you know the difference. ”

Tony nodded, and Tino got the impression that, on a profound level, Tony was making it work with his wiring. It was important enough that Tino forgot the pain in his chest over Brianna and really invested in making sure Tony got it.

“You understand, right? You are not Maria’s friend when you’re with me and we’re working.

I do this all the fucking time. I know you can, too.

It’s my own personal game, and I’m gonna teach it to you just like Maria taught you her game back in the day.

From now on, when you’re with me, or you’re doing enforcer work, you’re Tino’s friend Tony, and that Tony is a very different guy. ”

“I get it. I can separate it. I can be Tino’s friend Tony.” Tony sounded optimistic about it. “I like that guy. I can even talk to normies when I’m around you. We always played well together.”

“Yeah, we did. We had each other’s backs, and it’s the same now,” Tino promised him. “I have your back—always. You can trust that.”

“Okay, I got your back, too.” Tony sounded solemn as he said it. “Legit, I got you.”

“I know you do.” Tino took a deep breath because he believed it, and it took an enormous burden off him. “We’ll just make the best of it. This job sucks. This whole life sucks, but we’re both good team players. We can get through it together, same as before, one step at a time.”

“So, what’s Tino’s friend Tony like? I get that I can’t say anything, but what’s the difference between the two?” Tony asked seriously. “I need the details.”

“Well.” Tino stared ahead, really thinking about it, since this was a life-or-death game the two of them were playing.

“Maria’s friend Tony is cool. He’s a good-looking guy.

He’s got a lotta admirers ’cause he’s got some serious skills, and word got around.

He’s popular in the circle. He put up with a lot of shit for his friends, and we all remember.

That’s who he is, a loyal friend. And Tino’s friend Tony is loyal, too, but that motherfucker is next level.

He’s not some rebel bad boy you made up to survive Carmine’s bullshit.

” He gave Tony a hard look. “Tino’s friend Tony is an enforcer for one of the largest crime families in the country.

That motherfucker knows he has to be ice cold.

Nothing rattles him. He handles his shit like a boss,” he barked at him.

“You’re Tony Motherfucking De Luca. Are you kidding me?

You’ve walked through fire. The Morettis are lucky to have you.

You’re an enforcer who gets shit done. The other families wish they had you, but we’re the ones who got you ’cause we’re boss, too. ”

“Yeah, you are pretty boss,” Tony agreed, sounding like he meant it. “Do you think I’ll be able to shoot like you?”

“Man, you’re gonna shoot better than me. We’ll make sure nothing gets by you. When you made your bones last night, that’s the iciest shit I’ve ever seen in my life. It scared the don.” Tino smiled at him when he said it. “I’m not kidding. I do think it scared him.”

“He knows I’d whack him if Zu asked me to.” Tony ran his hands over the steering wheel and admitted, “I would, too.”

Tino took a deep breath. “You can’t tell anyone that, though.

You gotta bury that shit. No one can know, and you better make the don like you.

I’ve played a lot of games with you. I know you can get it done.

I need him to trust one of us, and you don’t have the baggage I do.

He’d never believe it coming from me, but you’re new.

You gotta make him like you, Tony. A lot.

You better play it so fucking well he starts questioning his identity.

I want him to fantasize about sucking your dick when he goes to sleep at night.

That’s how much I want him to like you, and I want Monte to like you, too.

My father’s in prison, and even if he wasn’t?

” Tino rolled his eyes. “He’s fucking useless.

He doesn’t do anything in the administration.

Nova’s been doing his job for him since he was fourteen, but you need to make sure the Don and Monte are in love with you. ”

Tony arched an eyebrow. “Like, actually?

“No, not actually.” Tino let out a bark of laughter. “But you get it. Besides, even you aren’t that good. The Don worships at the Church of Pussy. He’s super straight.”

Tony snorted. “That’s what they all say.”

“No, for real, though.” Tino laughed with him. “He’s always got a different comare. Sometimes, he’s got multiples at the same time. They’re stashed all over the city.”

“How’d you know he has comares?”

“He has us check up on ’em. We scan their places to make sure there are no bugs. If he really likes one, we set up cameras and security inside the building to keep the Feds out. It’s a huge pain in the ass, and it’s constant. He gets a lot of very fine pussy.”

“How fine?”

“Oh my God.” Tino made a face when he said it.

“You wouldn’t believe, and all of them are in their twenties.

Occasionally, if she’s exceptionally hot, maybe thirty-something, but rarely, Carlo and I dread it ’cause they’re all over our asses when we show up.

Hungry for that young dick, like we gotta death wish or something, and we both have girlfriends.

” Tino paused at that. “Or had girlfriends before.”

His voice cracked when he said it.

“Speaking of.” Tony cut into his thoughts by asking, “Does your friend Tony still like dick?”

“What?”

“Does he get dick?” Tony raised his eyebrows when Tino frowned at him. “I mean, Maria’s friend Tony has always been primarily a pussy guy, unless he’s got a side hustle going, and I figure Tino’s friend Tony is, too, but if he’s feeling it?”

Tino shrugged. “Yeah, why wouldn’t he?”

“Cosa Nostra’s kinda backward. He wouldn’t want to embarrass the Zu or?—”

“He gets dick,” Tino assured him. “He gets whatever the fuck he wants. The Zu doesn’t give a fuck. I don’t either. I dare someone to give him shit about the dick on his menu. They’re not that brave.”

Tony gave him a look, seeming pleased. “Okay, cool.”

“Yeah.” Tino nodded and took another deep breath. “You’re good at making terrible shit easier. That’s a cool skill. I always really appreciated that about you. I don’t know how I’m gonna do this without Brianna, but I gotta find a way to sleep and reset, or I’ll never be able to find my zio.”

Tony pulled off the road, parking on the street with practiced ease. Tino tilted his head, looking out the window, realizing that they were at Tony and Maria’s place.

“I thought you were taking me to a hotel.”

“Are you fucking crazy, Tino? I’m not dropping you at a hotel with two weapons and a pocket full of blow.

You just told me you’re on the edge of blowing your brains out.

” Tony turned off his car and hit Tino’s thigh.

“You can take a shower. Eat something. The two of us will get it wet with Maria for a little while, and you can take a nap. You’ll reset. It’ll work.”

Tino just stared at him and mentally searched for a reason why that plan wouldn’t work like Tony said it would. The only argument he had against it was Brianna.

Except that wasn’t a thing anymore.

And he was going to have to find a new way to reset.

“I guess.” Tino shrugged. “But it’s been a while, and I’m probably not in a place to dazzle Maria. I’m dead tired.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll do the heavy lifting. You just gotta lie there tasting like dark roast and chocolate. She’ll love it.” Tony put his keys in his pocket and opened his door. “Leave your blow.”

Tino reached into his back pocket, pulling out the glass amber vial of blow he found in Carlo’s bottom drawer. He tossed it in the glove compartment and followed Tony.