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“Being engaged to your sister does make us family, though.” He says in a more serious tone.
“Not until you tie the knot.” I laugh at our old jokes.
Back when he and Francesca first started dating, he would tease me about being my brother. Of course, I told him to fuck off, and he wasn’t family until it became official, but after Franny left and we brought him on board, he did become the brother I never had.
“Are you fine if I stop by?”
“Only if you get a workout in, too.”
“Are you calling me fat?”
“I’m not calling you fat, but you’ve been skipping gym time ever since you and Franny got back together.”
“Don’t worry, Joey. I’m getting my workouts in.”
The last thing I need is to picture him and my sister in bed together, especially when I’m having problems with Alexandra.
“Just get your ass over here and quit interrupting my workout.”
He laughs and ends the call.
I turn the music back on and resume my dumbbell rows. My muscles burn as I push them to their limits, but the physical exertion keeps my mind off Alexandra.
Walking over to the rack, I place them in their respective places before grabbing my bottle of water. I chug half of it before stretching my neck from side to side.
“Save some water for me.” Rhett says from the doorway.
I turn around and give him a head nod. “There’s plenty more in the refrigerator.”
“I know. I was just fucking with you.” He jumps on the treadmill and sets a leisurely pace as I lay down on the bench to get in a few sets of bench presses.
“Not that I really need to hear the details, but how’s engaged life treating you?”
Rhett’s smile turns into a huge, goofy grin. “It’s great. Chessie is deep into wedding planning. She’s wanting a summer beach wedding and an extravagant honeymoon overseas.”
“The beach during summer is going to be packed and hot. Why does she want to get married outside?”
He turns the speed up on the treadmill. “Better pictures.”
“Why can’t she get married in a Catholic church and take pictures outside?”
He shrugs. “These are her dreams. As long as I get to marry her, I’ll be a happy man. I don’t care if we get married in a church or on a beach. For all I care, we can elope and throw a huge reception.”
I scoff. “That will make my family happy.”
“Hey, your sarcasm isn’t helpful. She’s already been through the ringer with your mother. Hell, she still has nightmares about killing her.”
She shouldn’t have shot Mom, but voicing my opinion isn’t going to help anything now.
“Does she regret it?”
“I think she’s still wrapping her head around the fake death part. I offered to book her an appointment with a grief therapist, but she said no.”
“That’s because in the Marino family, we don’t talk to strangers about our lifestyle. We keep it private.”
“That isn’t a healthy habit.”
“That’s the way it’s always been. If we talk to therapists or doctors, they will report us to the police. That’s why we only goto Doctor Matteo. He knows about our lifestyle and he knows how to keep his mouth shut.”