Page 72 of The Enforcer’s Revenge (Untamed Hearts #4)
CHAPTER FORTY
T hey went downstairs after Nova finished his second cigarette.
As usual, Nova was a little calmer and more together after he smoked. When Tino opened the door, he was temporarily stunned by how awesome the apartment smelled.
“Goddamn, it even smells sexy.” Tino looked back to Nova. “How the fuck does she do that?”
“What does it smell like?” Nova asked him with a questioning look.
“Like dark roast and garlic.”
“That doesn’t sound like it smells sexy.”
“I know, but it does.” Tino didn’t understand it either. “It brings up a primal Italiano response or something.”
“You’re talking about genetic memory,” Nova explained like it made sense.
Tino shrugged. “I guess.”
“I made you fresh coffee, Zu.” Maria came around the corner, still wearing her black silk robe. She reached past Tino and grabbed Nova’s hand. “Did you eat lunch?”
“Um. No.” Nova frowned but didn’t resist her pull as she dragged him to the dining room table.
Part of being Zu was socializing within the Borgata, generating loyalty by making everyone really believe their voice was heard, and Nova was usually great at it.
A lot better than the Don, Frankie, or Monte.
He was used to sitting at tables and making people feel like they mattered, but he resisted this time.
“I appreciate it, but I’m not in a social mood. I could be disappointing company.”
“You don’t have to be social.” Maria pulled out a chair. “You just have to drink your coffee and eat a late lunch. We can turn on the television for you. It’s nicer to watch it with friends.”
“Is it?” Tino asked for him.
“Of course, bad news is always easier with friends.”
“It’s kinda awkward, mama.” Tino held up his hands, giving Maria a pointed look across the kitchen counter as she went back to cooking.
“So, stop making it awkward.” Maria shooed him away. “Go get dressed.”
Tino turned back to Nova, who leaned his elbow against the table and was resting his cheek in his hand. “Are you hungry?”
Nova shrugged noncommittally.
“Great.” Maria sounded pleased and pointed to the living room with her wooden spoon. “Turn on the television for him. How do you like your coffee, Zu?”
“Just black.” Nova gave up, obviously deciding there was no point in arguing with an Italiana who decided he needed to eat.
Tino walked over to the television in the living room. It took him a bit to figure out how to get the cable working, but after he found the remote on the side table next to the couch, he was able to turn it on a local channel that was looping news stories.
“There you go, Zu.”
Tino sighed as Maria put a cup of coffee in front of Nova. He spotted the ashtray she set down next to the cup. “Don’t give him that. Casanova?—”
“I’ll go to the roof,” Nova cut him off. “Don’t panic.”
“You are such a pain in the ass,” Maria huffed at Tino. “Look at what he’s going through right now.”
“Hi,” Tino barked at her. “I’m going through it too. And I love this apartment. He doesn’t get to come in and ruin a safe space for me because he’s Zu.”
Maria stopped at that and put a hand over her heart as she looked at him across the room. “I love you, sweetheart.”
“Okay.” Tino walked back toward the bedroom. “Sucks I have to wear my clothes from last night.”
“Look in Tony’s closet. I’m sure there’s something that’ll fit you.”
“Doubtful. He’s got thirty pounds on me, easy.” He glanced around and stepped away from the bedroom door to frown at Maria in the kitchen. “Where is he?”
“I sent him to the bakery.”
Tino gave Nova a dark look. “I can’t take you anywhere.”
Tino fixed his hair using some of Tony’s gel in the bathroom, snorted more blow, and then fucked around in Tony’s walk-in closet for a while.
Tino discovered there were clothes in his size.
Quite a few of them, and he settled on a pair of pressed beige Chinos and a white Polo.
He went ahead and tucked it in and used his belt to pull it all off.
When he sat down at the table, Nova stopped eating his pasta and frowned at him. “What the fuck are you wearing?”
Tino leaned his elbow against the table. He put his chin in his hand and smiled. “I feel like I have no real-life issues in this outfit.”
“You look like you have no real-life issues,” Nova agreed with him. “Is that Tony’s?”
“No,” Tony answered for him as he put a fresh cup of coffee in front of Tino. “Those belong to one of Maria’s approved big fishes. He leaves them here.”
“He’s an investment broker,” Maria called out from the kitchen. “He’s taking me to Hawaii next month. First class. We’re staying right on Waikiki Beach. It’s a business trip, so I’ll have all day to myself to find trouble while he has meetings.”
“Very nice.” Tino nodded in approval and then frowned at Tony, who was opening the bakery box on the kitchen counter. “What the fuck do you do when she’s entertaining her free trip to Hawaii?”
“I find things to do.” Tony gave Tino a mischievous smile. “You want a cannoli first? Or pasta?”
“I’ll take a cannoli.” Tino took a sip of his coffee, which was impressively perfect.
“Oh my God, Tony, you even got my coffee right.” He waggled his eyebrows as Tony put a cannoli on a napkin in front of him.
“You keep being this good to me, and I will fuck you, even if I promised my brother I wouldn’t dip my pen in the Borgata’s ink. ”
Nova choked on his food, which made it all worth it.
Tony laughed, and Tino laughed with him.
Nova had to sit back in his chair and put a hand to his chest because he was still coughing and wheezing.
“You’re funny, Zu.” Tony’s smile was endearing rather than condescending. “Like old fashion or something. Geez, I thought Tino was bad.”
“I guess so. You motherfuckers make me feel old as shit.” Nova kept a hand against his chest. “Cazzo.”
“It’s cute,” Maria teased him from the kitchen. “You know our naughty secrets. Now tell us about your hookup, Zu.”
“I never said I had a hookup.” Nova’s voice was still wheezy, and he took a sip of his coffee.
“You didn’t have to. I can tell when a boss got something good the night before.”
“She knows her business.” Tino stared at his brother pointedly.
Nova frowned at Tino and then looked over his shoulder at Tony, who was also waiting. “What?”
Tino held up his hands. “Where the fuck are the details?”
“I am not giving you details.” Nova laughed and went back to his food. “No fucking way. Kiss my ass.”
“But there are details,” Tino pressed with a look at Nova. “You… sealed the deal.”
Nova just arched an eyebrow instead of saying anything.
“Where’s she now?” Tino asked curiously. “Did you put her up in a hotel?”
“No, that wouldn’t be safe. We’re in the middle of a war,” Nova reminded him. “She’s at my place. You know I have the building protected.”
“Ah, okay, and she’s not pissed you’re hanging out with my hookup instead of her?”
“She knew I had to run some errands, and she hasn’t had much sleep?—”
Tino snorted. “I bet not.”
Nova groaned and dropped his fork. He put his head in his hands again. “I feel like I need another cigarette.”
“Okay, stop. He doesn’t have to share details. Zu doesn’t kiss and tell. I respect that.” Maria put a plate in front of the empty seat next to Tino. “Daddy, sit. You need to eat, too. If you’re gonna be dodging bullets doing enforcer work for the Morettis, you need to keep your strength.”
“God, don’t say that.” Nova winced and then turned in his chair to look at Maria. “Why do you call Tony daddy?”
“Don’t dig that up,” Tino warned him.
Nova arched an eyebrow at him. “And you call her mama, I’ve heard you.”
“Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answer to. There’s a whole mountain of shit they could and would tell you that you don’t want to know.” Tino took a bite of his cannoli and added, “Besides, everyone calls her mama. It’s not just us. We’re not that kinky.”
“Speak for yourself. I could be that kinky.” Tony sat down next to Tino and started twirling the spaghetti around his fork. “If that’s what does it for you.”
Tino snorted when Nova coughed again.
“Zu, you are too easy.” Tony shook his head with a smile and took a bite of his pasta.
He took a sip of Tino’s coffee after he swallowed it and then looked seriously at Nova.
“We call her mama ’cause she’s the closest thing a lot of us will ever have to a woman who cares enough to feed us good food, and help us when we’re sick or hurt, and fix our hair, and make sure we dress nice for special occasions.
” He grinned at Maria, who was still working in the kitchen.
In response, Maria placed a hand over her heart and smiled back at Tony as he went on, “It’s a lot, Zu.
She does a lotta nice things for a lotta people. She deserves it, I promise.”
“I see,” Nova whispered and looked to Tony. “And you?—”
“Protected everyone—me included,” Tino answered before Tony had to. “He put all of us before himself. You seriously have no idea. The Morettis are really fucking lucky to have him as an enforcer, and I’m not just saying that.”
“Damn, son, you got me blushing over here.” Tony turned and gave Tino the same wide smile. “Stop embarrassing me in front of the Zu.”
“Shut up.” Tino laughed. “You don’t give a fuck.”
“Yeah, I don’t.” Tony laughed with him. “But he probably does.” He gestured to Nova with his fork. “It’s not that big of a deal, Zu. Don’t look so sad about it.”
“I’m grateful to you, Tony. It’s not that, I promise.” Nova sounded distant as he looked at the television. “I have a lot of other things to be sad about.”
Tino turned around and looked at the television, seeing Carlo’s picture and the notice to call the number on the screen with any tips on his whereabouts.
“Your uncle’s a hero, you know that, right? I’m not sure if it helps, but it’s very true.” Tony sounded sincere. “I heard he killed Alesso yesterday.”