The Enforcer (Untamed Hearts Book 3)(110)

“Yeah, okay.” Carlo moved back in because it had obviously been automatic to follow the don, but he was the commission enforcer for the Moretti Borgata. He was supposed to be there too. “Be safe, old man.”

“Old man, my ass. I’m gonna be happy to get rid of you.” The don was smiling as he said it. “Always a smart-ass. Like your ma. She was a smart-ass too.”

Carlo smiled. “Probably why you liked her.”

“I like girls who bite,” the don agreed and held up his hands to the limo. “Look at this. A real Moretti administration. We’ll put some life in the commission. Shake things up a little. How f*cking Sicilian is that?”

“Really f*cking Sicilian.” Monte sighed when the don closed the door. Then he glared at Nova and said, “I hope you’re happy, you little shit.”

“No, I’m not happy.” Nova finally unfolded his arms and ran a hand through his hair. “Not yet.” Then he turned back to Monte and glared. “But the next time you speak to me, you call me Zu, motherf*cker. You make me seem weak at this meeting, and we’re gonna have a f*cking issue. So you better get over your shit right now.”

Monte snorted. “You think you’re tough?”

“Yeah,” Nova said sardonically. “I think I’m tough.” And then, just because he was feeling frantic and miserable over Tino, he decided to channel his father’s sadistic side. “I wanna hear you say it. I think we should practice.”

“You’re gonna make me say it?” Monte asked him incredulously. “You steal my title, and then you’re gonna make me say it?”

Nova looked at the roof of the limo for a second and then nodded. “Yes, I’m gonna make you say it.”

“You can’t make me say it.” Monte laughed in disbelief. “No f*cking way.”

Carlo pushed his jacket back, showing off the gun in his holster as he glared at his cousin. “I can make you say it.”

“You protect the administration,” Monte reminded him.

Carlo just raised his eyebrows. “Yes, I do.”





Chapter Thirty-One


Nova stopped brushing his teeth and spit again, fighting to stay alert enough to pull this off. Someone on this commission knew where Tino was. They wouldn’t have called the meeting without someone coming forward to say they knew something. All the families were getting nervous with the raids.

Nova had single-handedly wrecked ten marriages since yesterday, and he should probably feel really f*cking bad about it. Considering those bitches had been paying to rent his brother, it gave him a sick sort of thrill instead. That sadistic side his father had gifted him with was going full throttle. He made sure everyone knew why he was ripping apart houses, which was something Tino might not appreciate if they got him out alive.

But Nova didn’t consider this shit Tino’s sins.

It wasn’t something his brother should be ashamed of.

He considered it the Brambinos’ sins.

And Nova’s own sins, but he was going to have to deal with that later.

All the shit he ignored because he was too f*cking busy working or too distracted by ecstasy and sex to give a shit. He’d been selfish. Incredibly so. He didn’t want to babysit Tino, or micromanage his life like Romeo would have, because replacing Romeo meant acknowledging Nova was the reason his older brother was in jail. That was Nova’s f*cking burden to bear, but right now it was making him feel better to take it out on everyone else.

He was halfway through that client list when the meeting was called.

Nova took a long drink of the coffee next to him, making Carlo wince.

“You just brushed your teeth.” Carlo reached out and tapped the corner of Nova’s eye with something cold and wet. Nova jerked back, and Carlo said, “Don’t move.”

“What is it?” Nova brushed under his eye and stared at the white, sticky smear on his fingers. He rubbed them together, because it didn’t feel like lotion. “What the f*ck is this, stronzo?”

Carlo showed him the tube, and Nova jumped back with the agility born from a lifetime of martial arts and growing up with two brothers who sometimes enjoyed f*cking with him when they thought he was getting too uptight.

“You’re trying to put ass cream on my face?” Nova asked incredulously. “Fuck off!”

“It’s a trick.” Carlo grabbed his chin, because that motherf*cker was very fast, but Nova deflected him and shoved him back. “Listen!” Carlo shouted when Nova ducked another grab for his face. “You look like death. My ma was a model. This’ll help. I’m not f*cking with you ten minutes before the commission meeting. This is a real thing. Trust me.”

“You carry that on you.” Nova tilted his head and gave Carlo a concerned look. “Motherf*cker—”

“No, I had Gino pick some up on the way back from Frankie’s.” Carlo leaned in and touched the corner of Nova’s eye again. “Look up.”

“Minchia,” Nova cursed under his breath. “Does it have a smell? Am I gonna walk into this f*cking meeting smelling like ass?”

“Nah, you’re good. I use it all the time. Do I smell like ass?”

Nova took a deep breath, trying to see if he could smell it, but he knew his sense of smell wasn’t that strong. He could smell some things if they had a distinctive scent, like weed or women’s perfume, but not the same way others did.