~ LAUREN'S POV ~

The city streets blurred past the tinted windows of Alexandro's car, but I couldn't focus on anything except the black sedan following us in the rearview mirror. Luca's car. My bodyguard.

The thought still felt surreal.

My stomach twisted into knots, and I pressed a hand against it, trying to calm the nerves that had been building since I woke up.

New Year's always did this to me. Made me anxious about fresh starts and new beginnings.

I remembered how Patrick used to tease me about my morning sickness before work. "You act like you're going to war, not journalism," he'd say with that stupid laugh...