Faith sat up against the headboard and stared at the glittering diamond on her hand. Even in low light, it was dazzling. “This isn’t going to work.”

“What isn’t?” His voice was muffled underneath the pillow.

“This. All of it. We can’t maintain this lie forever. Half your family wants me dead so I’m not a threat. The other half wants me to have babies. This is a mess. I wish Angelo had shot me and been done with it.”

But it wasn’t just that. It was the carrots that were being dangled in front of her that weren’t real. An attractive, successful fiancé. A beautiful home. Family. Even as screwed up as Christmas Eve had been, a real family holiday with everything she’d dreamed of. The food, the laughter, the warmth. All the things she’d always wished she could have, presented to her with all the reality of fool’s gold. “Just give me back to Angelo and let him finish it.”

Leo got out of bed without a word and threw on his robe. On his way out the door, he said, “Don’t leave this room.”

Ten minutes later, he returned with a grumpy, yet fully dressed, Angelo. Leo locked the door and came to stand next to the bed. Faith’s eyes widened at the sight of the gun with the silencer in Angelo’s hand. Despite his tiredness, his eyes lit with a malevolent gleam.

Leo’s voice cut through her mental hysteria as he looked at the gun. “Assassin’s special? Nice.”

“I still carry it from the old days before I got promoted,” Angelo said.

“Faith has decided she doesn’t want to live anymore. She’s right, this lie won’t work. So go ahead, Ange. Clean up your mess.” He crossed his arms and took a step out of his brother’s way.

“I should have killed the bitch to begin with. See, baby? This is the price of not giving my brother what he wants.”

“We don’t need the commentary,” Leo said. “Do it and get out.”

“W-what?” Faith pinched herself, sure she had to be having a nightmare. This couldn’t be real. It wasn’t until this moment that she realized she’d actually trusted Leo a little.

Angelo raised the gun. Leo didn’t stop him.. Her instincts engaged, bypassing the denial still going strong in the forefront of her mind. She rolled out of the bed. But both Leo and Angelo were in the way of the door and she wouldn’t be able to unlock it and open it in time. She backed away, her hands held out in front of her.

“No. Leo, please. Please.” The panic started to bubble up.

The brothers moved almost as one unit toward her. If not for Leo’s scar, Faith wouldn’t know which was which right now. Leo stood the closest, with Angelo a few feet behind and to the side of him. The gun raised again, aimed to kill—not wound.

Having nowhere to go, she dropped to her knees. “Please don’t let him do this. I don’t want to die. Please. Please. Please.”