Star-Crossed(36)

Somehow the teams had changed. It was still two on one, but Nova was to the disadvantage and for some odd reason Nova seemed to like it that way. It was as if he wanted to be beaten, and in their family if you asked for a beating—you almost always got one.



* * * *





New Year’s Eve in Times Square. How the fuck Romeo had ended up there again, he didn’t know. Every year he swore he wouldn’t spend the next holiday freezing his ass off watching drunken fools acting like idiots, and every year he ended up in the same place, with the same assholes doing the same dumb shit.

Aldo was having a private party, which was a small bonus, being in a crowded bar rather than a street corner in the snow. It still didn’t make Romeo feel any less suffocated, and he found himself making his way to the door, searching for fresh air despite the cold.

Romeo leaned against the wall outside the bar just as two women in short skirts came up to him. He eyed their legs covered in nothing but black stockings, amazed they’d endure the freezing temperatures just to look sexy. They wore long, fur-lined overcoats, but they’d left them unbuttoned to keep all their assets on display.

“Hey, sexy.”





93

Romeo rolled his eyes because he knew one of them. Cara Stefano was a mafia wife waiting to happen. Born into the mob, she’d eventually marry into the mob and have little mafia brats to complete the circle.

“Hey, Cara.” Romeo stuffed his hands into his pockets and eyed Cara’s legs once more. “It’s cold out. Button your coat.”

“I didn’t know you cared.” She grinned, flipping dark hair behind her shoulder, and then gestured to her friend. “Pia, this is Romeo. He’s Nova and Tino’s brother.”

“Hi, Pia.” Romeo gave the other girl an uninterested look before he turned his head, making it obvious he was done with the conversation.

Cara leaned into him, obviously not taking the hint. “When are we gonna hook up, huh, Romeo?”

“Never,” he said without hesitation. Nothing about this woman appealed to him.

She was Tino’s age, and even if he was interested, he’d never get past that. “But I’m sure there are plenty of willing victims inside.”

“You’re such a fucking buzzkill,” Cara announced. “I’m starting to think you got something to be ashamed of.”

Romeo snorted. “Yeah, that’s it.”

“No way,” Cara’s friend said, studying Romeo as if she had an eye for these things. “I’ve been with Tino. If this one’s built like his brother, he’s got nothin’ to hide.

Tino rocked my world.”

“He’s only Tino’s half brother,” Cara said, still looking pissed by the turndown.

“And not the better half.”

“What’s the other half? Incredible Hulk?” The pretty, dark-haired woman tilted her head back to study Romeo. “What’d you do? Do you work for Nova?”

“No, he’s a fighter,” Cara answered for him. “You know, one of those cage fighters on pay-per-view that beat the shit outta each other ’cause they’re too dense to get a real job.”



94



“You’re hurting my feelings, Cara,” Romeo said sarcastically. “I’m gonna sit on the curb and cry knowing you don’t approve.”

Just in time, a group of revelers walked by and waved to him. “Gladiator!” Romeo waved, giving the partygoers a genuine smile because he couldn’t have planned that better if he’d tried. The large group of twentysomethings started chanting

“Gladiator” as they walked down the street, waving their cheesy hats and plastic glasses at him. Romeo waited until they were gone before he turned and arched a smug eyebrow at Cara.

“Fuck you.” Cara pushed past him and walked into the bar, leaving her friend behind without a backward glance.

“You really famous?” Pia asked once Cara was gone.

Romeo shrugged. “Depends on who you ask.”

“And you got connections,” Pia said, studying him once more. “Are you and your brother Nova close?”

“Most days.”

“What’d you like?” Pia’s voice dropped to a low, sultry tone as she leaned into him. “I like it kinky. I bet you do too.”

Romeo looked away, trying very hard not to remember this girl had just admitted to being with his brother. When Pia didn’t get the hint, he finally said, “Someone my own age. That’s what I like.”

“You’re not that old.” Pia frowned and looked to the open door. Her eyes lit up as if she hadn’t been sulking to begin with. “Oh, hey, Nova!”