Star-Crossed(80)

“And you are?” Romeo couldn’t help but ask. “Prison fucking sucks, Nova. The loyalty to Aldo’s not worth it, I promise you.”

“I’m not going to prison,” Nova said simply. “I’m smarter than Frankie.”

“You’re cockier than him too.” Romeo arched an eyebrow. “And that’s saying something.”

“Frankie doesn’t get that Aldo did him a favor by demoting him. He ended a problem before it started, but Frankie doesn’t see it that way. Now he’s mad at me. He’s mad at Aldo. He’s mad at the whole fucking organization, and he’s a liability.”

“Aldo could have him whacked,” Tino suggested.

Romeo turned to stare at Tino in horror, because the lack of compassion was startling. There was no love lost between Romeo and Frankie, but the fact that Tino 206



could talk about offing his own father so dispassionately was disheartening to say the least.

“What?” Tino raised his hands, giving Romeo a look. “I’m just saying that’s an option. The greater good and all that shit.”

“He’s still Aldo’s only son.” Nova shrugged, making it sound like it’d been discussed. “And our father. Technically. Can’t really clip him for being a moron. So we’re trying to pacify him instead. Toeing the line until he calms down.” Romeo and Tino exchanged anxious glances before Tino asked, “What does he want?”

Nova pushed at his food, looking like he’d lost his appetite. “He’s trying to get back at me. It’s his way of being clever. Making me vulnerable, but he doesn’t know we’re stronger than him. We’re smarter than we were last time. Every time we’ve let him come between us, nasty shit happens. That’s why you went to prison, Rome, ’cause you let him get to you, and it drove a two-year wedge between us.”

“Jesus.” Romeo’s stomach was knotting with anxiety. “What is it, Casanova?” Nova swallowed hard and lifted dark, haunted eyes to Romeo. “He wants you to throw the Lipton fight.”

Romeo temporarily lost his voice and just stared at Nova in horror.

“The odds are so strongly in your favor on this one.” Nova sighed, looking away from Romeo miserably. “He told Aldo it’s about the payday, but you know that’s not it.

He’s banking on your fucking pride. He’s hoping you’ll tell him to fuck off and win anyway.”

Tino dropped his head to the table. “Fuck.”

“No,” Romeo choked, finally finding his voice. “No fucking way. I’m not doing it.”

“If you do that, you let him win,” Nova said, sounding pleading and desperate.

“You give him the excuse he needs to get back at me by killing you.”

207

“This is your bullshit, Nova!” Romeo barked at him. “You get him off my back.

You tell Aldo—”

“I tried!” Nova threw down his fork and gave Romeo a look of disbelief. “You think I didn’t fucking try? I would’ve licked his shoes to stop this, but the thing is, Frankie’s not the only liability. Aldo thinks you’d sell out the organization.”

“He’s right,” Romeo assured him. “The FBI can shove a wire up my ass, I don’t give a shit! I’m not throwing the fight!”

“Then you’d sell me out…and Tino,” Nova reminded him. “I know you’re living in a magical bubble that lets you believe he’s still the kid following you to the dojo every day, but Tino’s got dirt on his hands too. He started working for Frankie when he was twelve. You think he hasn’t done shit that put him in confession?” Romeo stood up. He kicked his chair and sent it across the kitchen. It crashed against the stove, the leg breaking off and then rolling to the side as he raged and fought tears. There were so many things he was angry about, he couldn’t even focus on what had him more appalled.

Finally he pointed at Tino and shouted the same question he’d asked a hundred times before, “Have you killed to protect that bastard Aldo?” Tino lifted his head from where he’d been hiding against the table and swallowed hard before he whispered, “No.”

“Are you lying to me?” Romeo screamed, his hands shaking from the level of his fury. “I’m so tired of this fucking game. One day you’re a good kid, then all of a sudden you’re drinking like a fucking fish and partying your ass off like you have shit to forget.

If you did it, just tell me.”

“I didn’t,” Tino said passionately. “I wouldn’t kill for Aldo or Frankie or any of them. Fuck ’em.”