Addicted

Isabella’s POV“Isabella, why didn’t you listen to me?” my father shouted as he pulled me out of the party.“Stop trying to control my life, Dad. I’m a grown woman!” I snapped, yanking my arm from his grip.“Isabella!” he yelled, his voice full of anger and frustration.“Stop it, Dad! You can’t keep doing this. I’m going back in there, and there is nothing you can do about it.”I turned my back on him and started walking toward the house again.But before I could take another step, he grabbed me and swung me around, lifting me over his shoulder like I weighed nothing.“As long as you’re living in my house, you will live by my rules!” he barked as he carried me toward his car.“Dad, you’re embarrassing me! Put me down!” I screamed, kicking and struggling.Even with my constant yelling, my dad didn’t stop.He reached the car, opened the door, and set me down before forcing me into the passenger seat.“It’s for your own good, kiddo,” he said quietly before walking around to the driver’s s

Isabella’s POVMia’s question caught me off guard.I couldn’t tell her the truth, so I had to make something up.“Nothing really. I’m from a small town, so I came here to explore the big city,” I said.It wasn’t entirely a lie.Mia and Aiden nodded, smiling at my answer as we continued eating breakfast.“So, Isabella,” Aiden said, finishing his coffee, “what’s your plan? Are you going to get a job?”“Yes, definitely. I have to find a job. I can’t live here rent-free,” I replied, smiling as I took another bite of his delicious French toast.“Isa, I know you have to find a job and all that boring adult stuff,” Mia said dramatically, “but first you need to see the city and have some fun. You just got here.”She leaned forward with excitement.“So I’m going to do you a favour and be your tour guide. What do you say?”I giggled softly. Mia’s energy was impossible to resist, even though I noticed Aiden rolling his eyes beside her.“Yeah, Mia. I would love that,” I said.Mia immediately jumpe

Isabella’s POVI didn’t know if I had made the right decision.Accepting Mia’s proposal felt like stepping straight into the lion’s den. A small voice inside my head kept asking if I was making the biggest mistake of my life.But the truth was simple.I needed money.And this was the only paying job anyone had offered me since I came to New York.So the next morning, I woke up early and got ready quickly. I slipped into a light yellow floral dress and tied my hair into a neat ponytail. I wanted to look presentable, even though I wasn’t sure what Dan, the club owner, would expect from me.Mia had promised to introduce me to him today.And I didn’t want to miss that opportunity for anything in the world.When I walked into the living room, the apartment felt strangely quiet.Too quiet.I looked around, confused.Usually by this time, Aiden would already be in the kitchen cooking breakfast or humming softly while making coffee.But the kitchen was empty.I frowned.Was he still upset abou

Isabella’s POVI was happy that Aiden and I had slowly gone back to the way things were before.He was no longer distant from me.In fact, Aiden stayed with me almost the entire time during my sick leave from the club.Since my ankle had been in such bad shape, Dan gave me a few days off to recover. And I had to admit, those days turned out to be some of the best I had experienced since moving to this city.Aiden barely left my side.He cooked for me, helped me move around when the pain got too bad, and even kept me entertained with his not-so-funny jokes.Still, I laughed anyway.Just hearing him talk again felt comforting.It felt good to have my friend back.“Shouldn’t you be at the gallery today?” I asked as I walked slowly into the living room.Aiden looked up immediately.“No. What are you doing out here?” he asked, frowning. “You’re supposed to be in bed resting that ankle.”Before I could protest, he gently guided me toward the couch.“Sit.”“Aiden, stop,” I groaned as I rolled

Xander’s POVWalking into Club Paradise, I glanced around at the crowd of people drinking, laughing, and losing themselves in the music. The dancers were already on stage, moving effortlessly to entertain the guests.This place was my only escape.The only place where I could unwind without thinking about the responsibilities that came with my life.And trust me…My job was not a small one.It required me to make decisions that most people would never have the courage to make.Decisions that determined whether someone lived… Or died.That kind of power came with a price, and it was exhausting.So this place, this club, was where I came to forget all of that.“Stay here,” I said to my bodyguards as I stopped near the entrance.“I’ll go in alone.”“Yes, boss,” they answered in unison.“And feel free to grab a few dancers for yourselves,” I added with a small smile before heading toward my private lounge.The moment I sat down, a waitress appeared beside me with a glass of whiskey on ice.