Would Leo sacrifice her life on the altar of his libido? He’d already been about to let Angelo kill her that morning. And he’d made a point of how much he’d sacrificed, so it was fresh on his mind.

Gina’s mouth turned down in disapproval. Leo’s mother disliked Caprice as much as Faith did, if that were possible. The woman’s eyes held a wisdom and knowledge that were probably the natural side effect of being a member of the Raspallo family for far too long.

Leo returned disheveled—confirming Faith’s suspicions. It wasn’t that his shirt was untucked or his hair unkempt. His hair looked fine, and his clothing was the way it was supposed to be, save for a few barely noticeable crinkles in the fabric. It was something in his facial expression and manner that made him seem disheveled and wild. He’d either just had sex or buried a body. Since it was Caprice, Faith hoped for the latter.

“What’s going on with Caprice?” Gina said, suspicion in her eyes.

“Really, Ma? You know how I feel about her.”

“How do you feel about my cousin?” Vinny asked, rising from his chair near the kids.

All adult eyes turned to him. The kids were too busy with their iPods and smart phones and fighting over whose video game equipment was getting hooked into the TV in this room and who would have to relocate, to care about the grown-up conversation happening feet away. When you had a new video game console, adult conversations were algebraic equations.

“I feel like we aren’t right for each other. Also, in case you forget, I am engaged.” Leo made a sweeping motion toward Faith to underscore his point, which made her feel more on display and humiliated by what was obvious to everyone. “Caprice has decided to leave. I’ve called her a cab and set her up in a hotel so she has some place to stay.”

“Why would she decide that? Why would she want to be by herself for the holidays!?” Vinny asked, his eyes narrowing.

“Don’t make a fuss. She’s embarrassed and doesn’t want to stay. She didn’t expect me to be serious about Faith.”

“She can’t be alone on Christmas day,” Gina said, twisting her hands in her lap.

A few minutes later, Caprice rolled her large suitcase past the family room. The whole family, minus the kids, got up and followed her into the hallway, all protesting loudly about her leaving.

Faith was sure the majority of them hated Caprice, and yet everyone was trying to wrap up food for her, insisting she just stay or at least stay to open her presents, but Caprice refused.

“I’m going, and there’s nothing any of you can say to stop me,” Caprice said, her face flaming.

Gina seemed relieved, though she continued to protest the departure. By this point Caprice’s gifts had been put into bags, and she’d been loaded down with Tupperware filled with Christmas Eve leftovers. Enough food to last her a week if she got caught out in a snowstorm.