Novel-novel oleh Irena Dane

Isla’s POVThe post-work networking mixer was held on the rooftop lounge of an upscale hotel two blocks from my firm.Sarah had texted me while Noah and I were leaving Millennium Park, inviting me to join the team for drinks after the presentation.Apparently, the directors had been impressed enough with the numbers to turn the evening into a small celebration.I hadn’t planned on going.Then Sarah added one more message.Bring your people. You’ve earned it.So I did.By seven, the rooftop was glowing beneath strings of warm lights, with the Chicago skyline stretching endlessly beyond the glass railing. Low jazz played over the hidden speakers, and ambient heat lamps glowed against the autumn chill. Waiters circulated with silver trays of champagne flutes and bite-sized appetizers, while groups of young professionals and senior analysts mingled across the mahogany outdoor patioNoah stood beside me near the edge of the glass railing, looking like he had stepped off a high-fashion athl

Isla’s POVThe morning after the club was supposed to be quiet, but our hotel suite felt like a triage unit.Dani was sprawled face-down across the couch in the living room, a cold washcloth draped dramatically over the back of her neck. Across the room in the kitchenette, Shane was operating the espresso machine with the grim precision of a surgeon, the metallic clatter of the portafilter echoing loudly in the quiet space.“If you tap that metal spoon against the counter one more time, Shane, I am going to write you out this world ,” Dani groaned into a throw pillowShane glanced over his shoulder.“Write me out?”“Yes.”“Out of your will?”Dani lifted her head slightly, squinting at him. “What?”“You said write me out. I assumed you meant your will.”“I said this world, you idiot.”“Oh.” He nodded thoughtfully. “That makes more sense.”Dani stared at him.“You’re impossible.He poured a dark, steaming stream of espresso into a mug and set it down on the island. “Drink your coffee. It’s

Isla’s POVThe brisk Chicago night air hit my face like a slap the second the glass doors of the venue swung open.I took a long, greedy breath of it, letting the icy wind wash away the suffocating heat of the room and the lingering burn of tequila on my tongue. Beside me, Dani was leaning half her weight into Shane’s side as we navigated toward the curb, one hand pressed dramatically across her eyes.“I officially hate tequila,” she groaned, her voice muffled against the fabric of Shane’s jacket.“You were literally demanding a fourth shot two minutes ago,” Shane reminded her dryly, steadying her hips as she took a wildly uneven step.“I was lied to.”“By who?”“By the entire state of Illinois.”Chloe let out a snort behind us, pulling her trench coat tighter around her throat. “No one lied to you, Dani. You just have zero self-control after midnight.”“I have immense self-control,” Dani mumbled, eyes closed. “I am a fortress.”I laughed softly, the sound cutting through the quiet

Isla’s pov The club downtown was packed, a sea of low ambient purple light, thumping sub-woofers, and heavy bass that vibrated through the floorboards. At the far corner near the VIP section, Shane and Noah stood shoulder-to-shoulder near the railing, drinks in hand, looking like a pair of off-duty security details. “You’re suffocating the girl from thirty feet away, Callahan,” Shane muttered, taking a sip of his bourbon. “Take a breath.” Noah didn't take his eyes off the floor. “Look at what she’s wearing, Shane. I’m exercising extreme self-control.” On the crowded dance floor, the tempo shifted. The heavy trap beat dropped away, replaced by the deep, rhythmic, intoxicating pulse of an Afro-beat track. The red lights dimmed, casting long, sultry shadows across the crowd. Dani and Chloe were already moving to the rhythm, The hypnotic, driving pulse of Maceo Plex’s "Solitary Daze" filled the room, its bassline vibrating right through the floorboards. After a moment of hesit

Isla’s POVBy the time the elevator doors clicked shut on our floor, my feet were in full revolt.I barely made it past the foyer of the suite before kicking off my heels, letting them hit the rug with a thud, and collapsing face flat onto the sofa.Noah’s laugh trailed in behind me, I heard the soft rustle of his jacket hitting the back of an armchair before his shadow fell over the couch.“Tough day, intern?”“Don't start,” I mumbled into the cushion. “My toes are numb.”“You survived a full day of work and less than an hour of sleep .” He leaned down, his hand coming up to lightly rest on the back of my knee. “I’d say you’re doing fine.”“I would say so too, Callahan.” I rolled over to glare up at him, my hair a wild halo around my face. “Give credit where it’s due.”“You are lucky I love you,” he murmured, a slow, infuriating smirk curving his lips. “I’ll let you keep the ego, though. You earned it.”He tapped my ankle once before turning back toward the bedroom to drop his keys

Isla’s POVThe hotel room felt warmer after the biting wind off the river. I kicked off my boots near the door and collapsed onto the edge of the bed. Noah took off his jacket, hanging it up before pulling a fresh t-shirt over his head. He looked so relaxed, so completely at home in his own skin, but my mind wandered back to what we’d talked about a while ago .“You really want to tell your mom?” I asked, my voice dropping,Noah didn’t hesitate for a single second. “Yeah.”My stomach took a sudden, nervous plunge.For anyone else, telling a parent about a new relationship was just a standard life update. But for me? Telling Elena Callahan wasn’t just saying, I have a boyfriend. It was saying: The boy I grew up with and best friend , the boy whose family took me in when my world fell apart, the boy who has been my anchor since childhood;he’s the person I chose.It carried weight and there was no turning back.Noah must have caught the shift in my mood, he reached down, taking my hands