Page 147 of The Enforcer's Revenge
“So, Brianna is supposed to risk her life and put up with all the Borgata’s bullshit because I can’t handle my shit? Is that what you’re saying? She just fucking owes it to you.”
“We can’t afford to have you fall apart, not right now,” Nova whispered anxiously. He ran a hand over his face, still looking like he was on the edge of breaking down. “I can tell you’restrung the fuck out. I get it, but please, I’m begging you to somehow hold it together.”
“Why? What’s the fucking point?” Tino held up his hands. “You should’ve sunk us in Tampa, but my dumb ass?—”
“We’re here. We chose this, and I need you to keep it together so I can keep it together. Just make up with her, and we’ll figure out the rest later.”
“Casanova.” Tino looked at him with intensity. “What the fuck went wrong in your life that your ability to hold your shit together in a crisis is based on me? Like seriously, where the fuck did you make a wrong turn? Pick the other brother. Pick Carina. Pick literally anyone else besides me. I’m barely alive over here.”
“It is unfortunate. It’s like some sort of shared trauma bond or co-dependency issue. Probably both,” Nova mumbled like he’d spent real time asking himself that same question. “But I do need you to pull yourself together. You cannot just snort blow until you die over this Brianna thing.”
“I don’t even want you to say her name,” Tino snapped at him because just hearing it stole his breath. “You need to form a shared trauma bond and be co-dependent with someone else. Leave me out of it. Now’s the time.”
“God, please don’t say that,” Nova mumbled more to himself than Tino. “It’s the last fucking thing I need right now.”
“What?” Tino scowled and then decided he didn’t care that much. “I’m not risking her. No way. She’s already in the hospital because of Cosa Nostra’s bullshit. She nearly died, and it’s the last time. Never again.”
“I think you’re going to regret this. We don’t have to tell anyone about the Maria thing. Just go back to Brianna, say sorry, and don’t mention the rest of it. You’re stressed, she knows that?—”
“You’re not listening to a fucking word I’m saying.” Tino threw his hands up. “I will tell her straight to her face aboutMaria and Tony. There’s no way I’d lie to her about it. I know that about myself, and that’s part of the reason I did it.”
“Cazzo, Tino, come on,” Nova pleaded. “You don’t want to do this just because things are hard right now. I think you could actually love this one.”
“Really, you think so? Thank God I have you around to figure that out for me,” Tino barked at him incredulously. “I will eat a bullet right fucking now before I put her in danger again. Don’t try me.”
Nova took another deep breath and then smoked more rather than talk. Tino just watched him as he stood there on the roof, wearing the misery he couldn’t hide like a veil. His dark eyes were still glassy in the late afternoon sunshine, making it obvious the tears were right there.
“Can you really take the Capo Bastone spot?” Tino asked him curiously.
Nova shrugged. “If I wanted to force the old man’s hand, then yeah, probably, but?—”
“But?” Tino repeated before he could finish. He raised his eyebrows when Nova looked at him. “What the hell are you waiting for? Force his hand. Push Frankie out. Take it.”
Nova looked away and flicked at his cigarette with this thumb several times nervously. Then he dropped it and stomped on it with his shoe. The tension in him seemed to change but was no less potent.
“It’d be a dick move,” Nova finally whispered under his breath. “The Feds are coming down on him now. He just got arrested for blow. One son’s in prison, the other’s…” his voice cracked again. It was obvious he couldn’t talk about Carlo without breaking down. “And I’d be using what you did yesterday as leverage. I’d be sending a message that you’re dangerous to him.”
“I am dangerous to him. Does he not know that? Is he that fucking stupid? I don’t think so.” Tino got up and walked over to his brother. He leaned down and spoke in a low voice. On some level, it still made him nervous to talk about, but he had to say it. “It’d only take one bullet, and all his problems would be solved. Is that how you wanna play it? ’Cause I’m game if you are.”
Nova actually looked shocked. “Are you serious?”
“Dead ass,” Tino assured him, making sure Nova heard the honesty in his words. “I won’t even make you write it on a piece of paper. Give me the word, Zu, and I’ll make that issue disappear for you.”
Nova looked away from him and seemed to glance around the roof, as if waiting for their grandfather to come out from hiding. Tino understood because it scared him, too. They were so brainwashed by the Borgata that talking about mutiny was terrifying, but Tino was done being scared of them—very done.
“We could blame it on the Brambinos. We’re in the middle of a war, and shit happens,” Tino whispered to his brother. “It’s the perfect time. No one would know. He’d be out of our hair. We could just live our lives, and you’d be don. Everyone wins.”
“This is what I’m talking about.” Nova’s voice was lower than Tino’s. “You need to make up with Brianna. She obviously kept you grounded because this is some dark shit, Valentino. I want my old brother back.”
“Well, too fucking bad. He died in a basement like all the others.” Tino tilted his head and gave Nova a hard look. “I had to clean up her blood for him last night. You think he gives a shit? You think he cares about my feelings or yours?”
“I hear you.” Nova reached into his pocket. He pulled out his cigarettes, clearly looking for an outlet for the anxiety. “I understand it’s all very black and white from where you’re standing, but I still have to work with him. If I do it like that, I’llbe a threat. There will always be a part of him that won’t trust me—forever. We won’t be able to go back.”
“He shouldn’t trust you. Youarea threat to him,” Tino reminded him as Nova lit another cigarette. “If he doesn’t realize that, then he’s a terrible Don, and he deserves to die. You’re a legit, real-life motherfucking genius, and he’s been treating you like his bitch since you were fourteen years old because you were a kid who was terrified of his sadistic father. I can’t tell you how fucking done I am with this. It’s an insult, and it offends me as your brother. It’s offended me for a long time. The only difference is I can do something about it now. I got nothing to fucking lose. Cosa Nostra’s taken everything from me, and I’m the motherfucker with the gun. So, I suggest you show up, be a fucking gangster about it, push Frankie out, and take the Capo Bastone position, or it’s going to turn into an enforcer problem instead of an accountant one.”
Nova tilted his head back and blew out the smoke. “That must be some really good blow.”
“Morettis’ finest,” Tino agreed. “You know I’m right.”
