Tino shrugged.
“Stay busy, Tino,” Romeo said solemnly. “Stay outta trouble. Promise me. I worry about you with them. I spend every night staring at the top of my bunk worrying.”
“You’re worried about me?” Tino gestured to himself and then glanced at Nova.
“I already promised him,” Nova said without meeting Tino’s gaze. “I promised him the first day in here that I wouldn’t get caught up in their bullshit.”
Tino was silent for a long time, because he realized that promise was the reason why Nova made such a stand against Frankie.
It was the reason Tino ended up in the basement.
“You can’t let them suck you in,” Romeo went on. “Don’t let them sell you their bullshit. The money. The power. It’s not worth it. You have to trust me on this.”
Tino raised his eyebrows at that.
Like it was a fucking choice.
Did Romeo honestly think Tino and Nova could just decide not to buy into the bullshit?
Nova stepped on Tino’s foot.
So Tino nodded and said, “I promise.”
“Do your dance team. Go to the Dyker Heights dojo,” Romeo went on. “Stay outta trouble, piccolo.”
“I don’t want anyone to call me that anymore,” Tino said before he could stop himself.
Romeo pulled back in confusion. “Call you what?”
“Piccolo,” Nova answered for him. “He says he’s not a baby. We know he’s not a baby.” He looked at Tino and whispered, “Ma called you piccolo, Valentino.”
“Ma’s dead,” Tino snapped, making Romeo and Nova flinch. “She’s dead, and we’re here, and I don’t want to be called that anymore.”
“You’re not okay,” Romeo said knowingly. “Why are you so thin, Valentino?”
“’Cause Nova’s cooking sucks.”
“You look sick,” Romeo pressed with the harsh glare of a man who had once changed his diapers. “What is going on with you?”
For one long moment Tino considered telling Romeo. Instead he asked, “Why don’t you tell us what’s going on in here?” Tino gestured around. “Do you like jail? You’re the biggest guy here. It can’t be that bad, right?”
“No one likes jail.” Romeo seemed haunted all of a sudden. “Why do you think I’m telling you to stay out of trouble?”
“You have a roommate?” Tino asked, even though he knew Romeo didn’t. “Is he cool?”
Romeo looked away. “No, I’ve been in solitary. I just got out.”
“What?” Nova barked at him. “Why were you in solitary?”
“I told the lawyer.” Romeo sighed and shook his head. “Not this one.” He pointed to Abram sitting next to them. “The criminal one.”
“I pay that motherfucker. He didn’t tell me you were in solitary.” Nova’s voice was shaking in fury. “What the fuck did you do?”
“I didn’t do anything. They said something about me making threats, but you know I didn’t make any threats. I thought maybe—”
“Thought what?” Nova asked in disbelief. “They can’t legally put you in solitary without a good reason.”
“I thought maybe they were fucking with me to get you.” Romeo whispered it like he was confessing a sin. “But I’d rather they kill me than let them have you. You’re keeping your promise, right?” Nova was quiet long enough for Romeo to growl, “Casanova!”
“Yes, I’m keeping it,” Nova said without looking at him. “Are they hurting you? Is someone in here fucking with you? That’s not supposed to be happening.” Now Romeo was quiet for a long time. He looked at the table, and Nova snapped, “Romeo!”
“Not yet,” Romeo said, but Tino knew it was a lie. “They just put me in solitary.”
“Promise that’s it?” Nova asked him harshly. “You swear on Ma’s grave?”
Romeo nodded. “Yeah, I swear.”
Tino turned to look at Nova, seeing if he believed the bullshit despite the big-ass bruise on Romeo’s arm.
“They’re not trying to get you?” Romeo asked him and then glanced at the lawyer hesitantly even though they were speaking in Italian. Not that it made a whole lot of difference. Nova told Tino they taped these rooms, and were likely going to translate it. “They’re not telling you things?”
“I made a promise, okay?” Nova said it like he believed it. “Don’t worry about me. I’m good.”
Romeo turned to Tino and asked, “And you’re good?”
Tino could see how worn down Romeo was, how much jail was taking it out of his big, strong brother who was supposed to be unshakeable. Still, Romeo would rather be beaten to death than let the mafia get ahold of Nova.
There was something to be said for that.
It was noble.
Stupid and pointless, but noble.
Tino understood now why Carlo called their lives Neverland.
People on the outside didn’t understand.
Romeo included.
They were trapped in another world. A secret world that no one, not even his older brother, was allowed to know about.
Tino gave him his best little-brother smile. “Yeah, I’m good.”