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I was literally banished from town for a week because of the threat from the Italians. And here we are, all the main players of the Cirillo Family congregating under one roof for my mother’s goddamn birthday? It seems utterly ludicrous.

But who am I to question the great Damien and Evan Cirillo?

They’ve proved time and time again that they know what’s best for all of us. So I just have to put my trust in them, and push at least that issue aside.

I’ve got a more pressing one that I need to deal with.

Tearing open the packet, I pull the stick from inside and stare down at it, my heart like a runaway train in my chest.

I’ve always hoped that I’d do this one day. I just never imagined that I’d be seventeen, single—I think—and standing alone in a hotel bathroom.

If I thought my life was pathetic before Stella and Emmie entered it, then I should probably reconsider that right this second, because this is most definitely a low, even for me.

I’ve read the instructions over and over, but that doesn’t stop me from doing it again before I pull the lid off and make my way over to the toilet.

My hand shakes as I hold it in what I hope is going to be the right place. I can’t say I’ve ever paid much attention to the direction of my flow.

Fuck my life.

I do my thing, put the cap back on and rest the test upside down on the side of the basin as I wash my hands, trying to think about anything but what I just did.

I stand there, counting the seconds, and when I get down to twenty left, my name is called through the door and the handle rattles.

“Cal, what the fuck is taking you so long?”

I swear to all that’s holy that I locked the door the second I stepped inside, but to my horror, not a second after Emmie pushes the handle down does the door fly open.

Faster than I thought possible, I stuff the test back into the packet and shove it to the bottom of my clutch. Bri already took care of the box before she gave it to me in the hope that it would be a little more discreet.

“What the hell are you doing? Snorting coke off the basin or something?”

“What?” I gasp, although saying yes to that accusation would probably be better than reality. “No, of course not. I was… uh… just on the phone.”

The instructions I dropped beside the toilet catches my eye, and my heart jumps into my throat.

“To…”

“A-Alex,” I stutter.

“Oh yeah. He want to see you in this sexy dress before everyone else, huh?”

My cheeks blaze as I fight to keep my eyes on hers and not alert her to what’s hanging around on the floor.

“Something like that,” I mutter, letting her imagination run wild with that thought.

“So anyway,” she starts, accepting my lie easily, “apparently we’re not actually staying here for the party.”

“What?” I ask, my brow wrinkling as I take that information on. “Where the hell is it then?”

“I have no idea. Selene just knocked and said the cars will be two minutes and that we need to be ready.”

I stare at her in disbelief.

“I know as much as you. But between you and me, this has setup written all over it.”

“Please,” I beg. “Please don’t say that.”

“You said it yourself earlier. Throwing this party is beyond insane with everything that’s going on. The boys are up to something.”