Star-Crossed(28)

“Gee, thanks, Rome,” Nova said drily. “And for your information, you don’t know shit about any of it.”

“Who’s capo bastone ? ” Romeo asked Nova again. “If the old man bites it, who’s supposed to take over?”

Nova looked away once more. “Both of you need to keep your voices down.”

“I don’t give a shit if they hear me,” Romeo said, not bothering to lower his voice.

“They all know how I feel about them.”

“You ever think that’s not exactly good for your health?” Nova gave him a dark look. “You’re always making fucking waves.”



72



“That’s ’cause I refuse to bow down to them. I’m not letting them intimidate me.

They can’t take my integrity. I won’t let ’em. It’s mine, and I’m gonna see Ma again with it intact. You think about that.”

Nova’s eyes narrowed, a look of fury crossing his handsome features as he stepped closer to Romeo and growled, “I got integrity. I gotta shitload of it, and just

’cause you don’t get it doesn’t mean it’s not there. I got one priority in life, Rome. Just one. Protect my family, and if you think for one minute Ma’s gonna be disappointed about anything I’ve done to survive, then you never really knew her.”

“Oh, I knew her, and I’m telling you right now, she’s rolling over in her grave about the shit you’ve done to survive. Protect your family?” Romeo let out a bitter laugh. “Bullshit. You’ve been dragging Tino down with you for years, and the way it’s going, the only one whose gonna know my integrity is still intact is me. Who do I got to thank for that?”

“Throwing that fight made you valuable,” Nova whispered, his dark eyes looking wild and desperate for Romeo to understand. “Don’t you get it? They don’t kill people who are valuable.”

“I’d rather be dead than valuable to a bunch of bullies.” Nova turned to look at him, and for one brief moment the pain on his face was so palpable it choked the air out of the room. Then he leaned in and asked in a horrified whisper, “You didn’t throw the fight, did you?”

“Nope.”

“Jesus Christ.” Nova took another shuddering breath as if searching for sanity.

“Are you outta your fucking mind? You would’ve put a target on your back for one fight?”

“Yes, I would’ve,” Romeo said without hesitating. “So I wouldn’t be asking me to throw any more title fights, ’cause I’m not losing the next one.”

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Nova threw up his hands in defeat and then stormed out of the room. He slammed the door in an uncharacteristic show of anger, leaving Tino and Romeo alone in the echoing silence.

Romeo turned to stare at Tino, who was sitting on the bed studying the door. The frame had splintered from the strength of Nova’s fury, and Tino seemed to be wavering between going after him or staying there.

Romeo wanted to tell Tino to follow Nova, because that’s what he always did, but he held his tongue. He couldn’t handle fighting with both of them, and he knew Tino silently agreed with Nova. Romeo got dressed instead. He pulled the clothes out of the backpack and then put them on with sharp, jerky actions that betrayed the rage still rolling under the surface. Then he went into the bathroom to finish putting himself together before he faced walking through the lobby to get to his real hotel room.

“Rome.”

Romeo turned from where he stood in front of the mirror running his hands through his wet hair to push it into place so it would dry right. Tino still sat on the bed, and the anger had simmered enough for Romeo to recognize that Tino had stayed with him rather than follow after Nova.

Romeo forced his shoulders to relax. “Yeah?”

“You really think God gave me talents too?” Tino asked uncertainly. “I mean, besides the obvious. Bully material ’cause of my last name and my collection of black belts.”

“Why the fuck would you ask that?” Romeo threw up his hands in disbelief. “You don’t think you’ve got God-given gifts?”

“Well, I’m not a fucking genius like Nova,” Tino said with a bitter laugh. “I’m just, you know, Tino.”

“And what’s wrong with being Tino?” Romeo asked as he walked out of the bathroom and sat on the bed next to his brother. “Look, you’re never gonna be as smart as Nova. He’s got a photographic memory and an IQ that’s off the charts, so you’re just 74



gonna have to deal with that shit. You still got lots of things to be proud of. The kids at the dojo love you. Their martial arts program would’ve gone under a long time ago if it wasn’t for you.”