Page 82 of Always Be True: Tino
He squeezed his cup hard enough that the lid popped off. Too bad it wasn’t that kid’s neck he had in a death grip. “That asshole smacked her hard and took off with her purse and briefcase. That was right about the time I got there. I disarmed the one with the pipe while Clarence flattened the other one. The police hauled those two off to jail. At least they gave up their buddy, probably hoping to save their worthless asses from doing hard time.”
He sneered. “Lot of good that’ll do them. The cops have them dead to rights on assault with a deadly weapon, not to mention they admitted in front of multiple witnesses that they were there to rob the computer lab. Not sure how many other charges the cops will come up with, but I hope they throw the book at them.”
By that point, Jack was looking pretty damn fierce. “Little bastards deserve a good ass-kicking. Better yet, sign them up for boot camp and then see what the army can do to straighten them out.”
Tino reached for a second doughnut. “The same thought crossed my mind, although maybe it’s too late for those three. There’s more hope for some of the other kids I’ve met at the center. You know, like the ones who helped us restore the basketball court. They have attitude, but they’re basically good kids.”
Jack paused to take a bite out of his third doughnut. “They reminded me a lot of Ricky back when he was living on the streets and skirting the edge of serious trouble. God knows where he’d be now if he hadn’t wised up and came to live with us. Look at him now—an honor student and making plans for college.”
Jack’s pride in his adopted son was well deserved. The boy had grabbed hold of the chance he’d been given and worked hard to turn his life around, something he had in common with Jack, Tino, and Mikhail. None of them had had much of a future ahead of them before Joe and Marlene Lukash had taken them in.
Jack glanced up at the ceiling. “So back to the woman upstairs. What are you going to do about her?”
“Hell, I don’t know. I have her grandfather’s blessing to try to patch things up with her, but I’m not so sure about how her parents feel about me and their daughter.”
His brother shrugged. “I’m guessing an ex-soldier with a small construction company wasn’t exactly the kind of guy Caitlyn’s parents envisioned as the ideal husband for their daughter. But as it turns out, all they care about is that I make her happy.”
So now they’d finally come to the crux of the matter. “Your situation was completely different. You both have jobs you love and a son you love even more.”
Tino paused to look around the annex. “I’m an ex-soldier living in his mother’s garage. I have no job and no prospects of one. What have I got to offer a woman like Natalie? You’ll see where she lives in the morning when we go change all the locks on her house. Did I mention the kid who stole her stuff has her wallet and keys?”
His brother waved that aside. “Fine, we’ll take care of the locks. Right now, I’m more interested in why you think you’ve got nothing to offer her. You might not have told her everything about your past, but she knows enough. Are you saying that it bothers Natalie that you’re still figuring out what you want to do next or that it bothers you? That somehow you don’t feel worthy of a woman like her?”
Jack leaned forward, elbows on the table, his hands clenched in fists. “Because if it’s that last bit, you and I are going to have one of those discussions that leaves both of us bruised and bloody. No one gets to say you aren’t good enough for her.”
His fists slammed down on the table. “Especially not you, because you should fucking well know better. Didn’t Dad teach you a damn thing? How many times did he say a man’s worth is defined by his character and by his actions, not his bloodline? By what he stands for and against?”
Yeah, Joe had said those things. Both Jack and Mikhail had good reasons to worry about the gene pools that had spawned them. But in Tino’s case, both of his parents had been good people. He shoved his chair back and stood up. “I’m going upstairs. You can let yourself out.”
For a big man, Jack was quick on his feet. He planted his stubborn ass between Tino and the steps. “I’m not going anywhere until I’m sure you’ve got your head on straight. That’s why you called me over here in the first place.”
Tino glared right back at him. “I needed to talk to someone. Mission accomplished, so leave.”
“Not happening, little brother. Besides, by the time I get home, I’d just have to turn around and come back here so we can go get the locks and stuff we need to make your woman’s home safe again.”
Tino wasn’t sure about Natalie being his woman, but he wasn’t going to argue the point right now. Besides, it was a relief to know Jack was going to hang around, not that he’d admit it to the big jerk. “Fine, but I’m sleeping in your room. You can have Mikhail’s or flake out on the couch.”
“I will.”
Jack started to move out of the way, but then in a surprise move, he wrapped his huge arms around Tino in one of those awkward man hugs. “I know what you’re feeling for Natalie has sent your world into a tailspin. Been there, done that. But believe me, it’s so worth it.”
Tino fought his way free from his brother’s grip. “It’s not the same.”
“Yeah, it is. You just need to figure out what you want to do next before you screw up the best thing that’s ever happened to you.”
At least this time Jack didn’t try to stop him from heading up the steps. When he reached the second floor, he meant to go straight to bed even if it was unlikely he’d actually sleep. Instead, he found himself standing outside of the door to his own room. Moving with great care, he let himself in, planning to stay only long enough to make sure Natalie was sleeping peacefully.
As he watched over her, Jack’s reminder about Joe’s words of wisdom echoed through his mind. “Dad, I sure wish you were here right now.”
As soon as he whispered the words, another memory came crashing back. A few days after their father’s passing, the family attorney had informed the three brothers that Joe had entrusted him with three letters, one for each of his sons, to be delivered upon Joe’s death. The lawyer had suggested they hold onto the letters until some point in time when they most needed their father’s advice.
Evidently that time had come, because right now Tino was stuck at a crossroads with no idea which way to turn. Maybe he should see what Joe had to say.
He tiptoed across the room to where he’d taped the envelope on the back of a family picture he’d hung on the wall over his desk. On the way back out of the room, he paused by the bed.
“I love you, Natalie Kennigan.”
There, he’d said the words and felt better for admitting the truth, even if only to himself. Now, he needed to find a way to quit spinning his wheels and move forward. Because once he figured out who he wanted to be for the rest of his life, he might just find the courage to see if Natalie might want to share that life with him.
