The Enforcer (Untamed Hearts Book 3) (4 page)

“Please.” Carina turned her head and blew out the smoke. “I’m already nauseated over my family.”

“Do you think he knows about this whole thing?” Brianna asked suspiciously. “Do you think he’s in on it?”

“No.” Carina said it almost instantly. “Nova wouldn’t do anything to hurt Tino.”

Brianna snorted in disbelief over that.

“He wouldn’t have you killed,” Carina corrected with a wince. “He does love Tino.”

“I know,” Brianna whispered, because she did, very much so. “Why are we in Pennsylvania?”

Carina looked down and flicked ashes onto the cement. “Tino told me the promise you made him before the wedding.”

Brianna felt her cheeks heat, both in fury and embarrassment. “He told you about that night?”

“Don’t get sensitive.” Carina rolled her eyes. “He told me ’cause he knows you can be stubborn and—”

Brianna huffed indignantly.

“Was that the first time David hurt you?” Carina countered, arching one dark eyebrow at Brianna.

Now Brianna felt her cheeks heat for an entirely different reason, and she glanced away.

“I’m taking you to Kentucky.”

“What the fuck am I supposed to do in Kentucky?” Brianna snapped at her. “And don’t you think the Borgata’s gonna know that’s where we went? Your nonno knows. Nova knows. They all know because that’s what I always do. Run back to Tino. They even sent David to marry me, because they know, no matter what, I can’t stop myself.
They know that.
”

Carina shrugged. “Probably, but—”

“I am not ruining Tino’s life there,” Brianna cut her off. “He’s out. He’s happy. You’re always telling me how happy he is.”

“Happy is relative.” Carina took another puff of her cigarette and blew out the smoke again before she admitted, “He asks about you. All the time.
‘Is she happy, Carina? Is he buying her pretty things? Does he take her out? Does she take time to dance offstage? Just for fun?’
”

Brianna stood there as Carina became a watery blur, and choked out, “What do you tell him?”

Carina shrugged, her eyes glassy too. “I tell him you’re happy.”

The tears rolled down Brianna’s face without warning, and she wiped at them as she asked, “Why’d you lie?”

“’Cause the truth would just hurt him.” Carina wiped at her cheeks like Brianna had. “It would hurt you too.”

“But you said he’s happy with Romeo. That he loves his nephews and—”

“It’s not his life, Brianna,” Carina whispered. “It’s Romeo’s life. Tino’s just, you know, doing what Tino does. Lying to his brothers. To me. To everyone. He makes us all believe it’s enough. Like I said, enforcers are great liars. The best in the Borgata.”

Brianna turned around and walked back to the car. Then, because the pain was more than she could bear, a welling wall of agonizing unfairness, she screamed into the open air, yelling at the fields across the street.

It didn’t make her feel better like she’d hoped, and she was starting to think she needed to pick up a bad habit like the Morettis were apt to do, because their lives were just too excruciating to endure without an escape, and the pain seemed to burn anyone who got close enough to care too much. She got into the car and let out another sob, burying her face in her lap as she cursed the day in ballet class when she befriended the loud Italian girl who was too short and a little too brash to succeed at being the graceful dancer her mother was trying to mold her into.

But even as she thought it, knowing without a doubt that all the most painful things in Brianna’s life were attached to taking Carina under her dancing wing, Brianna had to admit all the most beautiful things were also connected to that one defining moment in second grade.

Carina got into the car and reached past Brianna, letting her cry as she opened the glove compartment and fished out a bottle of Chanel lotion. She put it on, making the car smell like the dark, heady scent Brianna always associated with her best friend. Then Carina asked, “Do you want breakfast, sweetheart?”

“Fuck breakfast,” Brianna whispered into her hands. “And fuck my life. You lied to me. He was supposed to be happy all this time.”

“Okay.” Carina tossed the lotion aside and started the car. “Kentucky it is.”

Chapter Three

It wasn’t until they crossed the Kentucky state line that Brianna started to panic over seeing Tino for the first time in four years.

It didn’t help that she looked like hell.

She picked up some concealer at one of those travel stops while Carina filled up the tank. Then Carina met her inside and grabbed more supplies, things Brianna hadn’t thought of in her frazzled state.

Travel kits.

Snacks.

T-shirts. One was a University of Kentucky shirt. The other simply said
Y’ALL
in big block white letters printed across the blue material. “I guess they dig blue here,” Carina said as she tossed the
Y’ALL
shirt at Brianna. Then she picked up one that said,
Kentucky Born and Breaded
, with a picture of a chicken wing on it. “Yes?”

“Are you serious right now?” Brianna asked with a glare.

“When in Rome.” Carina put the
Breaded
T-shirt back but picked up a camouflage hat and stuck it on her head. Then she helped herself to a pair of cheap, gold-rimmed aviator sunglasses that swallowed her whole face. “I’m buying these.”

Brianna just shook her head, letting Carina do what she needed to do, until she had a whole stack of things on the counter. She had swapped out the green camouflage hat for a pink one in the pile and was still too attached to the aviators to take them off.

Carina grabbed a tank top hanging by the register and held it up to Brianna for size. Written on it was the claim,
Straight Shootin’ Country Girl
.

“Yes,” Carina announced and tossed it on top of her other merchandise. “You think my boobs will fall out of that thing if I buy myself one?”

“How would I know?” Brianna shrugged. “I’m not blessed with that problem.”

“What do you think?” Carina turned to the guy at the counter, who looked down to the V-cut shirt Carina was wearing beneath her open jacket, showing off a set of tits half the male population of New York City had catcalled at one point or another. “I’m a lady who’s gotta wear a bra, and this tank top has a T-back. You think that’s sorta tacky? Or will I blend?”

“It’s not like Armani. He doesn’t know,” Brianna said in disbelief. “He’s selling tourist stuff.”

“I think it’ll look fine,” the guy behind the counter agreed. “First time here?”

“Yes, it is,” Carina said as he started ringing her up. “My brother lives here. Family business.” She looked at another tank top; this one was pink and stamped with,
Trucks, Cowboys & Country Music
. “Oh, I need this one too. I like country music.”

Brianna snorted. “Since when?”

“Bob Dylan is practically country. Folk rock. It’s almost the same.”

The guy behind the counter frowned, as if he might argue, but then he eyed Carina’s tits again and obviously decided he wanted to stay on her good side.

Carina wore her new pink camouflage hat and aviators out of the store after the cashier kindly cut the tags off. They clashed spectacularly with her designer jeans, high-heeled boots, and fitted black leather jacket, but as usual she didn’t seem to notice or care she was out of place.

She stopped to look at herself in the reflection of the BMW, tucking her short, bobbed hair behind her ears as if she was pleased with the overall effect even though she looked patently ridiculous.

Brianna laughed. “Why are you crazy?”

Carina gave her a smug smile. “Got you to laugh, though.”

“Anyone would laugh at that,” Brianna assured her with another snort of disbelief. “Do you see yourself?”

“I look good,” Carina announced, completely content to be a fool in a way only she could be as she opened the car door. “You’re the one who sticks out.”

When they got into the car, Brianna worked on folding and condensing their supplies into the large travel bag Carina bought. It was a nice distraction against every mile that brought them closer and closer to Tino.

She brushed her hair at least fifteen times.

She tried the concealer, but it was too dark for her fair skin.

She tried Carina’s lipstick, but something about the deep red hue had her rubbing at her lips with a tissue, trying to get the stain off because it looked all wrong in the light of day. It reminded her of stage makeup, which caused a fresh bout of anxiety.

“Oh my God, what am I gonna do about the show?”

“You needed a break.”

“Not this kind of break,” Brianna snapped at her. “This is a ‘lose my job’ break. I can’t just disappear.”

“It’ll make the understudy’s life. Consider it a pay-it-forward type of thing,” Carina suggested.

“Carina, I know you understand,” Brianna chastised, because Carina might not have to work another day in her life, but she did understand what it was like to have a gig she loved.

“I’m sorry,” Carina whispered, her voice cracking, making it obvious she was tinkering on the verge of tears like Brianna was. “I’m sorry my nonno is doing this to you. I’ll fix it. I’ll call him or—”

“That’s a bad idea.” Brianna instantly forgot about her job. “I don’t think you should trust him anymore, baby. I think that might be dangerous.”

“No. He loves me.” She sounded broken and childlike, which was helped along by the big glasses still covering most of her face. “He was just confused or something.”

“And Tino?” Brianna couldn’t help but point out. “Does your nonno love him?”

“My family is complicated,” Carina argued. “But things work out.”

“Usually with someone dead,” Brianna reminded her, because they were all still reeling over Nova killing their father a few years back. Moretti family disputes were deadly. “Do not call your nonno. Promise.”

Carina was quiet for a long time.

When she did talk, she whispered, “Fine,” because she was world wise and savvy about survival, even on days when it hurt her. “Don’t worry. Nova will probably ice him too and solve the problem. The way I’m going, I’m not gonna have any family left.”

“I’m your family,” Brianna said softly, knowing that Carina had a lot of reasons to be every bit as upset as her. “I’ll always be your family.”

“I know,” Carina agreed with another sad smile. “Why do you think I’m dragging my happy ass through Kentucky?”

Chapter Four

Garnet County

So, there was Kentucky country.

And then there was Garnet country.

The latter was much more country than Brianna had anticipated. She wasn’t real sure how Tino, the original New Yorker, had survived here for almost three years.

She was sort of horrified.

Carina, of course, was predictably enamored with it since the small town was new and shiny and completely different from what she was used to. So because of that, they ended up in an old-fashioned diner in what Brianna assumed was the midtown of Garnet.

Carina unrolled her silverware and fidgeted with putting it in place as their waitress walked up.

“Hi, my name’s Nancy. I can take your order if you’re ready. Sorry for the delay. We’re on a light crew. They’re having a party down at the cellar.” The waitress put waters in front of them. “Where are y’all from?”

“New York,” Brianna said as she studied the menu. “Can I just have a salad? Maybe with grilled chicken and some lemon juice.”

“Order real food,” Carina snapped. “You’re gonna lose your job anyway.”

“Oh, thank you, Carina.” Brianna glared over the edge of her menu. “’Cause my nerves aren’t already frayed.”

“I think I want fried chicken and biscuits and gravy.” Carina looked up at Nancy with a smile, because Carina was one of those irritating women who could eat whatever she wanted and still have a body to die for. “Is it really good? Like sinfully good? Better than sex?”

“It’s so good,” Nancy assured her. “You know, we got some fellas here who’re from New York.”

“No kidding,” Carina said conversationally, her eyes wide in mock surprise. “What’re they’re names? Maybe we know them?”

“That would be a coincidence.” The waitress laughed. “Romeo Wellings. He’s famous. He used to be a big deal in MMA.”

“Wellings.” Carina looked at the ceiling, as if rolling it over in her mind. “He sounds sorta uptight. Probably not my kinda crew.”

“He’s got a brother, Tino Moretti. He’s a fighter too.”

“Oh, well, with a last name like that, he’s probably unnaturally good-looking and charming.” Carina batted long eyelashes at the waitress. “I heard things about Morettis.”

“Honestly, he
is
one to look at.” The waitress giggled. “You don’t even know.”

“She’s messing with you. We actually know them,” Brianna said as all the fine hairs on her arm stood on end in long-dormant jealousy she didn’t like at all. “She’s Tino’s sister.”

“No kidding?” The waitress stared at Carina in surprise, her light eyes narrowing critically. “You do look like the other one. What’s his name? He stops by sometimes and—”

Brianna laughed. “Nova?”

“That’s him,” the waitress agreed as she looked at Carina again. “I can see the family resemblance.”

“Annoying,” Carina mumbled under her breath as she went back to looking at her menu. “Yeah, I want the fried-chicken-biscuits-gravy thing that’s the special. I need it after that.”

“I want
grilled
chicken,” Brianna said as she handed the menu back. “With a side salad. Olive oil and vinegar is fine. Lemon if you have it.”

“Do you want mashed potatoes with your chicken?”

“What’s your vegetable?” Brianna asked with a wince.

The waitress raised her eyebrows. “
Mashed potatoes.
”

“That’s fine,” Carina answered for her as she handed her menu back too. “I would hate my life if I had to eat like you.”

“Well, when I get a Moretti metabolism, I’ll let you know,” Brianna huffed. “Besides, I
like
salad.”

“Weird.” Carina went back to playing with her silverware. “How cool is this town, though? Everyone knows everyone. Like outta a movie. She knew right away that we weren’t from here, ’cause she knows everyone who lives here.”