It shouldn’t surprise me that Vanessa works with the Garzas. She is social and clever, eager to build bridges instead of stomping on the ashes from bridges long since burnt.
“Would be hard not to have a beautiful wedding with such a . . .charming bride,” Nikolai says, and Marianna does something worse than glare at his obvious insult: she ignores him completely, softly smiling instead at Garza.
“It was wonderful, thank you. And thank you for having us.”
“I don’t remember seeing your name on the list, cousin. Are you fighting?” Nikolai asks, though it’s obvious neither of us are fighting tonight, him in his garish couture outfit, and me in my usual business attire.
“I invited them,” a man says from behind Garza. I recognize him as the youngest Garza boy—Santiago? He winks at my wife. “Hi, Mary.”
I pull her tighter to my side.
“Good to see you, Santi,” she says, a smirk pressing up her cheeks now, the kind she gives out to so few.
Santi? Winking and nicknaming with him? He’s the prettiest of all the Garza boys, and probably the same age as Marianna. They obviously know each other, but in what capacity I don’t wish to infer.
“Who’s fighting next?” I ask to head off any more conversation between those two. No one misses a beat.
“Nikolai’s best guy against mine,” Garza says, his chest puffed up and grinning. By Nikolai’s best guy, I assume he means Ivan, who Nikolai has pulled rank on and used more as a punching bag than a friend since they were teens. Ivan is massive andmean. He won’t fight fair nor clean, especially not here.
“That’s what I came to tell you,” Santi cuts in, “Carlitos got hurt, he can’t fight.”
Garza’s excited face instantly falls into anger. He throws his hands in the air. “No!”
“I can fight,” Marianna chimes in before he can fume too much, and my heart plummets into my stomach. I must have gone rigid because Marianna pinches my side hard while still looking at the group.
Garza gasps at the idea and stands. “Morelli’s princessa out of retirement? For me?”
“It wasn’t retirement so much as. . .injured reserve,” she says, the most outwardly charming I’veeverseen her. She’s a natural. Andprincessais new. Garza has a fondness for Marianna, probably because of all the money she’s made him here.
“Wonderful!” He booms and laughs.
I am ready to offer myself or Sasha for the task when Nikolai has to open his damn mouth.
“You’d let your woman fight?” Nikolai demands, the woman on his lap discarded. He sounds disgusted but the look on his face is apprehension. He knows my wife’s reputation then.
If I had my way, I most certainly would not let her fight, but I won’t let Nikolai make her look foolish. Plus, if the last month has shown anything it’s just how little control I have over any of her whims.
“Afraid she’ll beat your best man, Niko?” I taunt, and the group whoops andoohsat the gauntlet thrown down with my words. “She can more than handle herself.”
Marianna stands taller, her smile reaching her eyes.
“My champion,” Garza says, and practically shakes with excitement. “Let’s begin!”
At the sideof the ring, the place is absolutely buzzing. Santiago Garza got onto the mat and in all his charisma and bravado, announced the change in the lineup, urging people to place their bets in the next few minutes before the fight begins.
Music thrums through speakers, overstimulating my mind which imagines my wife injuredagain, this time with an audience jeering. Iknewshe would be the death of me, I just didn’t anticipate that death to come from stress and heart failure.
Marianna deftly twines her hands with the black wraps she pulled from the backpack Sasha held for her. On the opposite corner, Nikolai stands with Ivan, who jumps on the balls of his feet and shakes his head like a feral beast preparing to attack. Sasha meets my eyes over her head, quietly concerned.
“Look murderous all you like, but donotlook surprised when I win,” she says while rolling her neck side to side.
I will murder Ivan if he hurts her; the man hurts for sport, this would be just the reason I need.
“I would say I can’t believe you would do something this reckless, but that would be a lie,” I say, just for her ears. It was unkind, almost cruel, but she anticipated I would be angry at this plan and she was correct. “How am I supposed to keep you safe if you keep willfully putting yourself in dangerous situations?”
I am careful to not look like I am scolding her, the last thing we need is for me to look like I don’t support her in this.
Santiago’s voice booms over the speakers asking who is ready for fight, met with the crowd’s excitement.
