the hook about it. She had just been waiting for a moment to get me alone.
“Carissa,” I reply with a smile.
Marianna chuckles. “She’s very pretty, and Gianna seemed to like her.”
I nod. “Yes, she is,” I say, referring to Carissa being pretty. “And yes, she did.”
Marianna takes a sip from her cup. After she swallows, she says, “I kept my promise. I haven’t told Max.”
And for it, I’m grateful.
“Thanks, sis. I’m going to be telling him soon… especially since things with her have been going so well.”
“Oh, have they?” she asks teasingly.
I smirk. “Shut up.”
Marianna looks away and downs the rest of her drink. Then she looks back at me and looks away once more.
“Hey, everything okay?” I ask as she stares into deep space. I can take one guess as to what this is about.
She meets my gaze once more, and now there are tears welling in her eyes.
“Awww, Mari. What’s going on? Talk to me.” I already know what it is, but I don’t want to just put it out there in case she doesn’t really want to tell me.
Marianna shrugs. “It’s Christmas Eve. This is supposed to be the time of year when you’re surrounded by family… you know, the most wonderful time of the year? But it’s not for me.” She shrugs and swallows hard. “Sure, I do my best to hold my head up and act like it doesn’t bother me, but can you tell me where my husband is? Because I wouldn’t be able to. I don’t have the slightest idea.”
I shake my head slowly, in disbelief of what she’s telling me. At the same time, I knew it had something to do with Jordan not being around. “Isn’t he in Cali on business?” I’m praying to God that’s where he is, because if he’s not where he told my sister he was going to be, he’s got a serious death wish. I still don’t understand why people want to test the UFC heavyweight champion.
“Is he? I have no idea. He hasn’t called me in days.” She places her cup on the coffee table in front of her and refills it with the bottle of wine once more.
“Days?” I’m gonna kill this motherfucker.
She chuckles, but she’s not finding this at all funny. I can tell by the murderous expression on her face because, just like me, my sister also has a bit of a temper. Of course, it’s nowhere near the same as mine, but it’s enough. She’s just waiting for the perfect moment. “I lost count of how many.” She throws the drink back and swallows as soon as it hits her throat.
I take a good look at my sister. I don’t know why this piece of shit is treating her this way. She’s been nothing but a great wife to him since before they even got married.
“Mari, what are you going to do?” She should leave his ass. She shouldn’t take any more of his shit. This isn’t the first time he’s done something like this to her. The last time he cheated on her was before they got married, and she forgave him. I’d held him up by his collar against the wall, and she begged me not to hurt him.
Because she knew I was two seconds away from rearranging his face.
Asshole.
Anyway, she forgave him, they moved on from it, and they got married. Two years later and he’s at it again. It makes me wonder if he’s been untruthful and unfaithful for longer than we’ve known.
Marianna shrugs and once again downs the rest of her drink. “What can I do?”
“You know exactly what you need to do. He’s not treating you right.”
She stares at me without saying a word, but I know she knows exactly what she needs to do this time.
Minutes later, she takes a deep breath, nodding. “Look, don’t say anything to Mom, Dad, or Max, okay? I haven’t said anything yet. I don’t want them to worry, but I’ll tell them. I just need some time and the holidays to pass.”
I nod in agreement. “I won’t say anything, but hasn’t anyone else asked about him?”
She shrugs. “Of course they have, but like always, I’ve been making excuses for him. I just know he’s cheating on me again.” Marianna looks away just as Max walks in.
Guess it’s time to change the direction of the conversation.
My eyes dart toward him. “Hey, man.” I wave two fingers in the air.
“Yo, I’m stuffed,” Max announces, taking a seat on one of