All Chapters of Tastes Like Damn Chocolate : Chapter 81 - Chapter 90

CHAPTER 82Nikolai pushed through the revolving doors of Lancaster Group with the force of a man escaping a cage. The midday sun hit him like a slap, but it did nothing to cool the fire licking through his veins. The meeting replayed in parts—Tiana’s voice cutting through the room like silk over steel, Ryan’s quiet admiration, the way her eyes had met his without flinching, without apology. And then the hallway: her stepping out of Ryan’s office, cheeks flushed, and lips parted.He’d seen enough.His stride ate the distance to the underground garage. The air down here was cooler, shadowed, thick with the smell of rubber and exhaust. His black Lexus waited in its usual spot, sleek and silent.And so did she.Indy reclined against the driver’s door like she owned it, her legs crossed at the ankle, crimson dress clinging to every curve, one stiletto dangling lazily from her toes. The neckline plunged low enough to remind him exactly what she had always known how to do to him. Her hair sp

CHAPTER 84The automatic doors of St. Meredith Hospital slid open with a soft hiss, releasing a wave of antiseptic air that hit Tiana like cold water. The lobby was too bright, and Pascal clung to her right hand, his small fingers tight around hers, while Lyn walked on her left, silent but steady.A nurse at the reception desk glanced up, recognized the urgency in Tiana’s face, and quickly checked the system. “Mr. Toriaga is in Ward 412, private suite. Family only.”They followed the polished corridor, past closed doors and muffled beeps, until the nurse paused outside a room with drawn blinds. She offered a small, sympathetic nod before pulling the curtain aside.Nikolai lay in the narrow bed, pale against the starched white sheets. An IV line snaked into his arm; monitors blinked steady green numbers. His chest rose and fell in shallow rhythm, the sharp planes of his face softened by exhaustion. For the first time in years, he looked smaller, and vulnerable in a way Tiana had never

CHAPTER 86 The flight to Madrid had been smooth, the kind of quiet luxury that made time feel suspended. Ryan and Tiana sat side by side in first class, the cabin lights turned down low, a soft blanket draped over their laps. They spoke little, mostly about the upcoming meeting with the Spanish distributor, and the Toriaga Charity Ball, but the silence between them was warm, charged, alive with everything they weren’t saying.Madrid welcomed them with golden late-afternoon light and the faint scent of orange blossoms drifting through the streets. Their hotel, a restored 19th-century palacio in Salamanca, had high ceilings, marble floors, and balconies that overlooked the elegant sweep of Plaza de Colón. When they checked in, the concierge handed them keys to adjoining suites. Ryan’s fingers brushed Tiana’s as he passed her card, and the contact lingered a heartbeat too long.The first two days were consumed by business as they had long meetings in sleek boardrooms, and contracts sig

CHAPTER 88The private jet cut through the clouds like a silver blade, the sound of the engines a steady lullaby over the Atlantic. Tiana leaned back in the wide leather seat, the cabin's ambient lighting casting a warm, golden glow across her skin. Ryan sat beside her, their thighs brushing with every subtle shift of the plane. The flight attendant had discreetly retreated after serving chilled champagne and a light supper of caviar canapés and fresh strawberries. Outside, the sky was an endless inky canvas, stars winking like distant promises.Ryan poured another glass, his fingers lingering on hers as he handed it over. "To surviving Madrid," he said, voice low and intimate, eyes tracing the curve of her neck where a loose strand of hair curled against her skin.Tiana smiled, clinking her glass to his. "And to whatever comes next."The words hung between them, heavy with the memory of their hotel room—his mouth between her thighs, her hands fisting in his hair, the desperate pull t

CHAPTER 90 “Not so quick, T,” Lyn said gently. She set her phone down on the cushion between them, screen dark. “Are you… pregnant?” Tiana exhaled, a shaky sound that was half-laugh, half-sob. “Honestly, I thought I was. The nausea on the plane, the dizziness, the late period… I convinced myself it was happening again. Another child. Nikolai’s child.” She shook her head, eyes stinging. “But the result came back negative.” Lyn nodded slowly. “I think you should still see a doctor. Just to be sure. Stress can mess with cycles, but better safe than guessing.” “Noted,” Tiana murmured. She looked up, forcing a small, tired smile. “So… what’s the good news?” Lyn leaned forward, elbows on her knees. “Well, I thought I had good news until I saw what’s going on online. How are you holding up, T?” “I’ll be fine,” Tiana said, trying to smile. The attempt faltered almost immediately, lips trembling. Lyn didn’t hesitate; she slid across the couch and wrapped her arms around Tiana, pulling he