“Yeah, probably. I’m certainly a guilty party,” Carina agreed without apology as she parked. “Madonn’, there he is.”
“What?” Brianna lifted her head so fast she felt faint as Carina tossed the hat and glasses off. “No, don’t—”
Carina leaped out of the car before Brianna could grab her. Then Brianna had to remind herself to breathe as she looked across the parking lot. Standing against the wall was Tino, all casual, stealth-like grace as if he didn’t have a care in the world. He was still too gorgeous to be human. Tanned and beautiful, because Tino, like all the Moretti siblings, had been blessed with some kick-ass genetics. God probably felt he owed them for the absolute shit storm that was their lives.
Tino had a woman with him, and she was very pretty and petite in a Carina type of way. It looked like they had escaped the chaos of the wedding party to find somewhere to be alone together. So there it was, in living color, her worst fears come to life.
It left Brianna just sitting there, frozen in horror, as Carina waved Tino over like she was completely oblivious to the other woman.
Tino spotted his sister almost instantly. He clearly hadn’t grown out of the paranoia he had back in New York that made him constantly vigilant of his surroundings.
When Tino ran up to Carina, the petite strawberry blonde followed. Brianna tilted her head, meeting the woman’s gaze as Tino stood there having a rushed, heated discussion in Italian with his sister.
Brianna didn’t want to think about what Carina was telling him.
She didn’t want to look at Tino now that he was so close, because he wasn’t hers anymore. She had zero claim to him, and it was that thought more than anything that made her almost physically ill.
She was pulled out of her thoughts when Tino suddenly jerked open the door to the BMW and crouched down in front of her.
“Cazzo.” Tino cupped Brianna’s cheek. His thumb swept over the bruise from the bathroom sink, and she could see the guilt flash across his handsome face as he whispered, “Jesus, Bri. I’m sorry.”
“I told Carina not to come, but we didn’t know where else to go,” she confessed as she touched his arm, feeling the bunched-up, hard muscles under his leather jacket because she simply couldn’t help herself. She wanted to pull back, to be respectful, but it was like asking her to stop breathing after being slowly choked to death for the past four years. “I don’t want to ruin your life here. Are you together?”
“What?” Tino frowned in confusion, as if he honestly had no idea what she was talking about. Then he glanced back to the other woman. “Alaine. No, she’s my friend. She just got married. I haven’t been involved with anyone. Not like that.”
“Wish I could say the same.” She let go of him as all the emotions chose that moment to overwhelm her. After so many nights of going to bed dreaming of him, Tino was in front of her, but at what cost to both of them? “It all happened so fast and—”
“Figlio di puttana.” Tino’s scowl became dark and dangerous. He stared at her for a long time before he asked the one question she wished he wouldn’t. “Is this the first time he hurt you?”
“I didn’t know David was working for your grandfather.” She avoided his gaze on instinct. “I think your grandfather’s been setting us up all along. I’m not Italian and—”
“Yeah, that’s the reason,” Tino said with sharp bitterness and then grabbed Brianna’s hand as if the two of them had never been forced apart. “We have to go. Right now.”
“Tino—” Alaine cut in, her voice shrill as she reminded them both she was still there. “Where are you going?”
Tino helped Brianna out of the car with the same old-school chivalry she used to love. “I have to take care of something.”
“What something?” This woman wasn’t letting up. Then she dropped the bomb by asking, “Don’t you think you should tell Nova what’s going on?”
“Is Nova here?” Brianna felt all the air leave her lungs as she shouldered the travel bag and looked to Carina. “You didn’t tell me he was here.”
“I didn’t know.” Carina shook her head, looking as horrified as Brianna felt. Then she turned back to Tino. “You are not leaving me here with Nova.”
“No, no, I’m not,” Tino said quickly. “I’m leaving you with Romeo.”
Brianna winced in sympathy.
“No friggin’ way,” Carina snapped before Brianna could form a better argument. “Your brother hates me.”
“No, he doesn’t. He has no reason to hate you.” Tino’s voice was low, calming in a way only he could do with his sister. “I have to go, Carina. No one wants to hurt you. Everyone loves you. Stay here. Watch my nephews until I get back. We both know the old man won’t bother you. Staying here is insurance for them. Please do this for me.”