Star-Crossed(79)
When Tino stopped hanging on him, Nova turned to Romeo and hugged him. His hold was clingier than usual, and Romeo kissed his cheek and put an arm around him.
“I made baked ziti.” Romeo pulled him tighter into the crook of his arm and placed another kiss on Nova’s forehead. “You hungry?”
203
“Starving. I should’ve stopped before I got off the exit, ’cause there’s nothing around here.”
“You know what I’d give for some Chinese takeout,” Tino told Nova as all three of them walked back into the kitchen. “Thank God I got Rome cooking for me or I’d starve to death.”
“Didja make the sauce from scratch?” Nova asked, eyeing the pan on the stove.
“No, it’s outta a friggin’ jar, and you’ll deal with it ’cause guys who show up unannounced in the middle of the night don’t get to be picky.” Romeo shoved at the back of Nova’s head for good measure before pushing him toward the kitchen table.
“You want something to drink?”
“Yeah, whatever you got.” Nova sat down and stretched out his legs as if trying to shake off the long drive.
“We got beer,” Tino suggested. “It’s good. Imported. I picked it up at the liquor store on the edge of town.”
“Water’s fine.”
Tino paused at the open door to the refrigerator. “You driving back tonight?”
“Nah, I thought I’d stay a couple of days.”
“Then why no beer?”
“Is it a requirement?” Nova asked in annoyance. “Does your dying liver need company?”
“Hey, man, I haven’t had a drink in over a week,” Tino snapped. “You know I’m on this diet.”
“What’s this then?” Nova held up the empty bottle on the table as evidence.
“’Cause I know it’s not Rome’s.”
“That’s the first one.”
Nova snorted. “Sure it is.”
Tino came back to the table and set the beer in front of Nova forcefully. “Drink it.” 204
“No, I don’t wanna fucking drink it!”
“I told you”—Tino sat next to Nova and then turned to arch a knowing eyebrow at Romeo—“something’s wrong. Wait for it, ’cause the shit’s about to get deep.” Romeo agreed with Tino’s assessment, Nova showing up in the middle of the night with a strong determination to keep a clear head. Red flags were going up everywhere.
Romeo put a plate in front of Nova and then sat on his other side. “Spill it, Casanova.”
“Can I eat?” Nova asked, not bothering to deny their assumptions.
Romeo leaned his elbow on the table and leveled an expectant look at Nova. “You can talk and eat.”
Nova appeared unnerved by the combined attention as he dug into the baked ziti, taking a few bites before he said, “This is good. Can’t hardly tell it’s from a jar.”
“Of course it’s good. I made it, ” Romeo said slowly. “Are you gonna tell us what’s going on? Unless, of course, it’s business and you’d like me to leave ’cause I have no problem—”
“No, don’t leave,” Nova cut him off, his gaze darting to Romeo for one brief moment. The guilt showed in his dark eyes before the mask fell again, making him appear cool under pressure. “You need to stay.”
“Fuck.” Romeo groaned and rubbed a hand over his face, already knowing it was something he didn’t want to deal with.
Nova took another bite and then, with his attention focused on the plate, said,
“You know shit’s been tense with Frankie since I took his place.”
“I’m sure,” Romeo said with an incredulous laugh. “His illegitimate son replacing him as capo bastone. That must’ve pissed him off. I’m almost sorry I missed it.”
205
“It’s not like I wanted the fucking job. I was perfectly happy being consigliere,” Nova said with a glare at Romeo. “You think I love the Feds up my ass and dealing with all the bullshit?”
“Then why do it?”
“’Cause Aldo told me to do it, and you do what the boss tells you. Frankie’s unstable. Everyone knows that. Having him second in command was making people nervous. He’s never been all there.”
“What does that say about us?” Tino asked, reminding everyone at the table that Frankie was their father. “What the hell sorta DNA do we have? I hope I don’t fucking lose my marbles when I turn fifty.”
“Frankie’s problem is that he’s selfish. He’s always been self-serving. He doesn’t have any sorta loyalty, and he’s always making dumb mistakes. That’s a weakness we can’t afford from someone in the administration.” Nova laughed bitterly. “Omertá, fuck, you know he’d sell us out the second the Feds said twenty-five to thirty. He’s not going to prison for anyone, and Aldo knows that.”