All Chapters of THE MAFIA CHEF: Chapter 21 - Chapter 24

The heat between us was impossible to ignore, I pulled closer to Gerrard as our lips moved together. His hands ran over my skin, sending warmth through my body. I melted into him, lost in the way he made me feel, until my hand accidentally touched his injured shoulder.He sucked in a sharp breath, as his body tensing under me.I froze. “Gerrard,” I whispered, guilt washing over me. “Did I hurt you?”He let out a slow breath and shook his head. “It’s fine.”But I knew it wasn’t. He was pretending to be okay, but I could see the truth.I swallowed hard. “I should go. You need to rest.”Before I could move, his fingers wrapped around my wrist, firm but gentle.“Stay,” he said quietly, his eyes locked on mine. “Sleep here tonight.”I hesitated for only a second. I couldn’t bring myself to walk away from him again.I nodded and slipped back under the covers, curling into him. My head rested on his chest, the steady beat of his heart calming me. He wrapped an arm around me, holding me close

For the first time in a long while, things were calm. Peaceful. Gerrard and I had finally found our rhythm, lost in the fire of our romance, bound by an undeniable spark.I had never felt so loved before. Gerrard was everything I had ever wanted, passionate, intense, and utterly devoted. He knew how to love me, how to unravel me, how to make me crave him more. Every touch, every whispered promise left me yearning for more.But no matter how much I tried to surrender to the moment, a sense of unease coiled inside me like a serpent lying in wait. Magnus was still out there, lurking in the shadows, and the weight of my secret pressed heavier on my chest with each passing day.Still, I told myself to enjoy the moment while it lasted.The Calm Before the StormThat morning, fully recovered, Gerrard was preparing to return to work. I stood in the bedroom doorway, arms crossed, watching him button up his crisp white shirt. His movements were steady, efficient, like a man who was used to bein