But it would seem this time it was going to bite him in the ass in a big way.

Straightening her shoulders, Cali put on a forced smile. “Enough with the heavy shit. I don’t want to think about my asshole ex. Let’s just have a good time and unwind.”

Promising myself I would kick Garret’s ass later, I returned her smile. “I thought we would do something simple for dinner, but now I’m thinking we need something more extravagant.”

“I want tacos!” Ciana licked her lips hungrily. “I’ve been thinking about them all day.”

“Yes, please,” Cali agreed. “I’ll take five with beans and rice. And I need chips and queso, ASAFP.”

Laughing, I lowered the divider between us and the front of the limo. I’d thought a five-star restaurant would be a great way to celebrate, but obviously, the pregnant woman had other ideas. “Pietro,” I called when he turned inquiringly. “Find out where the best taco truck is parked tonight. We want that instead.”

“On it!”

37

Nova

After gorging on the best tacos this side of the border, I talked the others into going to a club. Ciana seemed more energetic after eating six tacos and most of my beans and rice, along with her own. She’d never been one to shy away from eating her fill, but I couldn’t remember her ever being quite so ravenous before.

We wanted to dance, not get drunk since Cali couldn’t have alcohol and I’d promised Ryan I wouldn’t drink anything harder than water, so we went to one of the many clubs the Vitucci family owned. The limo pulled up outside of a side entrance, and Pietro stepped out to wait for the door to open so the manager could let us in without us having to deal with the craziness of the rest of the club—as well as not getting mobbed by the paps who were like vultures waiting for their prey outside the front entrance.

Pietro and one of Ciana’s guards flanked us as the manager personally escorted us to the VIP, where a section was already roped off for us to sit. But we hadn’t come to sit around and people-watch. The other guard started grumbling as soon as I grabbed the two girls’ hands and pulled them toward the VIP dance floor that was already crowded. I stuck out my tongue at him, earning myself a grin from Pietro, who used his massive body to keep a good three-feet distance between us and the others dancing.

The fun only lasted about an hour before Ciana started yawning again, however. I could see the energy fading from her little by little until she was barely standing under her own steam. She slung an arm over my shoulders, and I took most of her slight weight.

I stumbled, and if Pietro hadn’t had such quick reflexes, we both would have fallen to the floor.

“Ciana, you’re sick,” I muttered, my concern for her only mounting as I saw how pale she’d suddenly become. Sweat was beaded on her brow, but she didn’t even have the energy to lift her hand to wipe it away.