Cinnamon rolls and coffee date

Chapter 21: Cinnamon rolls and coffee dateGwenSix months into our marriage, I was kneading dough for cinnamon rolls when my phone rang. The dough was sticky and warm under my hands, mixed with butter and sugar and that perfect amount of cinnamon that made the whole kitchen smell like Christmas morning. I wiped flour on my apron and checked the screen. Nico's name flashed. My heart jumped. We'd been texting, but we hadn't actually spoken since that painful conversation before the wedding."Hi," I said softly, holding my breath."Hi yourself." His voice was tentative, uncertain in a way Nico never was. "I saw the news. About Camila Ibarra being arrested for embezzlement and conspiracy to commit murder. And about you recovering your family's estate. It was all over the papers, Gwen. Your face was on the front page.""It's been... a lot. More than a lot. It's been absolutely insane.""I also saw the permits for your new restaurant. Agnes. That's beautiful, Gwen. That's really beautiful.

Last Updated : 2026-02-24

Braised Lamb and Agnes

Chapter 22: Braised Lamb and Agnes GwenOne year after our wedding, Restaurant Agnes opened its doors to the public. The space was intimate, seating only forty people, with an open kitchen where diners could watch me work. It was everything I'd ever dreamed of and nothing I'd expected. Armando had spared no expense. Copper pots hung from the ceiling, gleaming in the warm light. Marble countertops stretched across the prep area. The wood-fired oven had been imported from Naples, built by third-generation craftsmen who'd installed it themselves. Every detail was perfect, from the hand-selected wine glasses to the fresh flowers Rosa arranged each morning."Are you nervous?" Armando asked as I prepped for opening night, watching me whisk mascarpone cream for the dessert course with obsessive precision."Terrified," I admitted, continuing to whisk even though the cream had already formed perfect soft peaks. "What if they hate it? What if I'm not good enough? What if this whole thing is

Last Updated : 2026-02-24

Mango sorbet and gunshots

Chapter 23: Mango sorbet and gunshotsGwenThree months after Agnes opened, I was in the restaurant kitchen preparing mango sorbet for the evening service when Marco burst through the back door. His face was pale, blood staining his shirt, and the gun in his hand was still smoking. The sweet tropical scent of the ripe mangoes I'd been working with suddenly felt obscene against the metallic tang of blood and cordite. I'd been so absorbed in getting the sorbet texture perfect that I hadn't heard the commotion outside."Mrs. Denaro, we have a situation." Marco's voice was tight with urgency. "The boss needs you at the warehouse. Now. Immediately. No time to explain."My blood ran cold. I'd known this peace couldn't last. Three months without a crisis was practically a record in our world. "What happened? Is Armando hurt?""Not yet. But there's a new player, someone with enough power to turn our allies against us overnight. The Rosetti family just turned on us during what was supposed to

Last Updated : 2026-03-01

All Chapters of The Don's Lethal Desire: Chapter 21 - Chapter 23

Cinnamon rolls and coffee date

Braised Lamb and Agnes

Mango sorbet and gunshots