The men sized her up too, but in a different way, a hungry way. Leo’s hand stayed on her lower back, holding her steady as she tried not to faint from nerves. The men didn’t try to make physical contact. They merely nodded from several feet away as they assessed her, no doubt visualizing her and Leo in intimate activities—or her in intimate activities with each of them. She blushed and watched the playing dogs to distract herself. She didn’t catch the men’s names when they were introduced.

The next few hours continued like this. More children. More women. Covered dishes. More men with that bone-chilling statue demeanor. His grandmother, Alba, and his grandfather, Carmine: called Grammie and Papi. Some cousins, Nicholas and Joseph. Other family members whose relationship to Leo escaped her: Mariella, Dante, Angelica, Fabrizio, Michael, Bernie, Noelle, Nico, Sofia, Aldo, Gabriel, Tony, Lalia.

She’d never remember them all. Maybe not even if they wore name tags. And she was the main event. Everyone wanted to know things about her. Every family member appraised her, trying to determine if she was a suitable mate for their son, brother, uncle, cousin, nephew.

Angelo and his boyfriend showed up late. There was a mild flurry of discomfort from several in the family, but they couldn’t be bothered with Angelo’s alternative lifestyle. Faith was fresh meat. Angelo smirked and led his boy toy off to their designated bedroom. The rest of the family followed suit, bringing in their luggage and settling in, then dispersing throughout the house. At least with them all in different areas, Faith had begun to feel less claustrophobic, but there was still dinner to think about, and all the other meals and moments they might all share together during the next week. A part of Faith would have preferred the dungeon if it wasn’t too dank, and if he’d allow her to move freely down there.

The doorbell rang again, and Leo answered it. “Vinny! Come here!” Leo hugged the man, beating him on the back in the way men did to show affection. He turned back to her with a smile that made his whole face light up. “Faith, this is my best friend, Vinny.” A woman stepped out from behind the new arrival, then, a predatory look in her eyes. She reached out to touch Leo’s arm and hugged him too long and too close. When she released him, he took a step back and said, “And this is Vinny’s cousin, Caprice. Guys, I want you to meet my fiancée, Faith.”

Each time Leo said it, it sounded believable. He said it with such smooth practice, no one would think to question the farce. Caprice’s eyes darted to meet Faith’s. She didn’t bother to mask her contempt and jealousy. Caprice leaned closer to Leo and left a lingering kiss on his cheek, practically on his neck. Her breasts, which were almost falling out of her dress, pressed provocatively against him.

Faith was relieved when Leo looked more annoyed than turned on. It wasn’t that she was jealous of the other woman, more that if someone came in and swept Leo off his feet, what would it mean for Faith and her safety? At this point she’d beg to have the man’s babies if it would keep her above ground. It was at that moment, Faith realized how potentially precarious her situation could be. She had to win the family over. Especially his mother. Gina was the linchpin to everything.