CHAPTER ONE
Iryna
The end of summer had arrived, and with it, the beginning of my senior year at NYU. The autumn breeze was beginning to blow through the streets of New York, leaving behind a trail of dry leaves that crunched under the feet of passersby. I looked out the window of my apartment in the Village, observing how the city never slept, always moving, always alive.
“Iryna! Are you ready?” Charlotte, my best friend, poked her head through my bedroom door with a mischievous smile on her lips. She was wearing a tight black dress that fit her perfectly, as always.
“Almost,” I replied as I put on my earrings and took one last look at myself in the mirror. My blonde hair fell in soft waves over my shoulders, and the dress I had chosen that night, a deep blue shade, brought out the color of my eyes. “I don’t know why you let me convince you to go out on a Thursday night. I have an early class tomorrow.”
Charlotte rolled her eyes. “That’s why. This is your last year, Iryna. You need to enjoy it a little more, stop being so… responsible. Plus, the pub we go to is spectacular. Trust me.”
I sighed, but couldn’t help but smile. Charlotte always had a way of convincing me, and deep down, I knew she was right. It was my last year before facing the real world, looking forward to becoming someone important in my father’s company, Nazarov Airlines. My last name had always been a weight on my shoulders, and even though Dad had promised he wouldn’t force me into anything, the hints were always there.
Half an hour later, we were in a cab headed to the pub Charlotte had talked so much about. The city sparkled under the night lights, and the constant hum of New York felt like a perfect accompaniment to the music playing in the background of the car. When we arrived, dim green lighting and a discreet sign announced the place: “The Clover’s End.”
“This looks like… an Irish place?” I asked as I got out of the cab, watching as a few people entered the place with smiles on their faces and beers in their hands.
“And it is.” Charlotte smiled widely. “They say it’s under the control of one of the most powerful families in the city. Mafia or something. But don’t worry, no one messes with the customers. As long as you don’t cause trouble, you’ll be fine.”
My heart skipped a beat at that. Mafia. That word had always been in my mind like a distant echo. Although my family was never directly involved in such matters, rumors about certain “deals” in Ukraine and other European countries were always present. Dad said it was just gossip, but I was never entirely convinced.
We entered the pub, and the atmosphere was as warm as it was bustling. Laughter, Celtic music playing softly in the background, and the aroma of old wood and freshly poured beer filled the place. Charlotte wasted no time in heading to the bar, while I stood for a moment looking around. There was something about this place that felt different, as if everything was perfectly calculated to seem cozy, but also to remind those present that you were in foreign territory.
“Two Guinness, please,” Charlotte asked the bartender, a burly man with a thick Irish accent. I turned to her with a raised eyebrow.
“Guinness? Since when do you drink beer?”
She shrugged. “Since I decided it fit the mood. Go on, try it. Don’t be boring.”
I sighed, taking my glass in resignation. While Charlotte chatted animatedly with the bartender, I continued to scan with my gaze. That’s when I saw him.
A man, leaning against a table in the darkest corner of the pub. His eyes, as green as the bottle of beer he held, were fixed on me. His presence was intimidating, and at the same time, something about him drew me like a magnet. He wore a black leather jacket and his hair was slightly tousled, as if he didn’t care at all about the world around him. But there was something else about him, something that made me feel like he could read me just by looking at me.
Charlotte followed my gaze and nudged me with a mischievous smile. “Wow, looks like someone has caught your attention.”
“Don’t start,” I murmured, looking away and bringing the beer to my lips. The bitter taste made me wrinkle my nose, but I ignored it. When I looked back at him, he was gone.
We were laughing when two guys approached our table. They were tall and confident, the kind of men who knew they were drawing attention and used it to their advantage. The one wearing a tight blue shirt leaned toward me first, wearing a smile he’d probably practiced in front of the mirror a hundred times.
“Can I buy you something stronger than that?” he asked, gesturing to my glass with a nonchalant gesture.
I rolled my eyes internally, but kept my expression polite. “I’m fine with this, thanks.”
Charlotte, always more open to conversations with strangers, laughed when the other guy, with dark, tousled hair, complimented her dress.
“Are you locals or just passing through?” the guy in the blue shirt asked, ignoring my clear lack of interest as he settled into the empty chair next to me.
“We study here,” Charlotte replied, amused by the attention. I, on the other hand, fiddled with my glass, hoping they’d realize I wasn’t in the mood for this kind of interaction.
“And what do you study? Let me guess…” The dark-haired guy put a hand to his chin, looking at us like we were a puzzle he was trying to solve.
“Business Administration,” I replied curtly, hoping my tone would put him off. But no such luck.
“That explains your elegant demeanor,” the one in the blue shirt commented, leaning a little closer to me. His perfume was too strong, an overwhelming mix of spices that made me want to back away.
Charlotte gave me an amused look as she continued to entertain the other boy, but I just wanted them to finish talking and leave us alone. However, it seemed like they had no intention of leaving so easily.
