Wyatt could tell by the tone and rising level of the conversation that he was having an intense argument. Wyatt and Clay would be completely in the dark if Tino didn’t occasionally lose track of himself and bark out something in English.
“That’s not my fault!”
“I’m not lying! I woke up and it was here!”
“I was tired, not drunk!”
Tino began pacing. Between that and the Italian, Wyatt was exhausted just watching him. He was waving his hands around to make his point as if the person on the other end could see him.
“Not like I invited them in! Do I look new?” He glared back at Wyatt before he said something else in Italian and then lapsed back. “Yeah, that’s right, no friggin’
warrant and I asked.”
Then Wyatt started to hear the word bambino. That one he understood. Tino’s tone softened, some of the tension slipped out of his shoulders, but he was still sending dark, suspicious looks back at Wyatt as if whatever he was hearing on the other end cast doubt in his mind.
Then the passionate flow of foreign words ended, and Tino walked up, holding out his phone. “He wants to talk to you.”
“Who’s he?” Wyatt asked, though he already suspected the answer.
“My brother Nova.”
Wyatt took the phone, holding it to his ear, feeling more curious than anything.
“Yes?”
“You expect us to believe your sister took off knowing she was pregnant? I don’t think so. Even if she was inclined to be that irresponsible, no way would Romeo go for 298
it. I call bullshit.” Nova’s tone was dark and cynical. “You’re playing my brother, and I don’t appreciate it.”
Wyatt huffed and tried to keep his guard from going up, knowing he’d be asking the same questions if the roles were reversed. “The doctor called yesterday, and I ain’t got a chance to tell Jules yet. I asked for some time because I didn’t want her to get upset.”
“So you beat up her boyfriend instead? How’d that work out for you?”
“Obviously not very well,” Wyatt growled, losing his tight hold on his temper.
“Now I’m asking nicely, what do you know?”
“So asking nicely in Garnet County equates to barging into the house without a warrant and interrogating Tino without reading him his rights?” Nova asked, his voice icy with fury. “Pick on my little brother again, and I will descend on your town like the wrath of God and shut down your ramshackle sheriff’s department faster than you can say Miranda rights.”
“I don’t need you. I don’t even know why I thought you’d give a shit.” Wyatt growled, his body shaking in fury. “And hear this, Moretti, when I find my sister, I’ll make damn sure she cuts you and Wellings out of her life. Believe she’s pregnant or not, I don’t give a fuck, ’cause you ain’t never gonna know that kid. Over my dead body will I let my kin get mixed up with the likes of you.”
Wyatt handed the phone back to Tino and turned to leave. Clay gaped at him for one long minute before he followed Wyatt out the door. They were in the driveway before Clay whispered to him, “That’s the biggest piece of bullshit to ever leave your mouth. You couldn’t make Jules take off a hat at the dinner table if it was something she didn’t wanna do.”
Wyatt looked back to the house, seeing Tino arguing on the phone again, and then arched a smug eyebrow at Clay. “They don’t know that.”
“Conner, wait!” Tino called as he ran out the door. “I know something!” Wyatt turned around, folding his arms over his chest. “I’m waiting.”
299
“Romeo took off about one o’clock last night. I thought he was gonna go alone,” Tino started. “But he came back here with Jules close to two. They left the Ferrari and took her car instead.”
“That’s it?” Wyatt arched an annoyed eyebrow. He could have figured out that much on his own. “You dunno where they’re going? Did he give you an idea—”
“She was driving. Romeo being forced to leave sorta came outta nowhere. I don’t think he had someplace specific in mind.”
“Why did they have to leave? Is he running from something? There’s been mention of a fight being thrown. Is he in danger for refusing to throw it?” Tino stared at him for a long moment before he shrugged. “Maybe they left ’cause her brother hates him enough to try and keep his own kid away from him. That’s fucking bullshit.”
“You’re lying.” Wyatt narrowed his eyes. “Tell me the truth. If my sister is in danger, I need to know.”