A Dish Served Cold Novels & Stories

In the third year of my relationship with Dante Santoro, heir to the Santoro family fortune, I got pregnant. The night before the Don's birthday banquet, he finally brought me home as his girlfriend. Giulia Costa, the housekeeper's daughter, smiled sweetly and asked about my food allergies. I mentioned I was allergic to truffles. In the end, every dish at dinner was loaded with truffles. I swallowed my irritation and grabbed a slice of cake that looked safe. Two bites in, I heard her laugh. "I got creative and mixed truffle powder into the frosting. How is it?" Before I could answer, my throat closed up and I could not breathe. Giulia gasped and covered her mouth. "Ms. Leone, your skin is turning purple! Do you have some kind of contagious disease?" Everyone watched as I was carried out like trash. The moment my allergic reaction cleared up, Giulia insisted on helping me pack. I told her multiple times not to touch my ring. In the few minutes I spent in the bathroom, she "accidentally" knocked it down the drain. That was the wedding ring Dante gave me. I lost my temper and confronted her, but Dante just laughed it off. "She's jealous of your pretty ring. Don't be so petty." That night, Giulia brought sleep-aid drinks to my room as an apology. Dante convinced me to accept her peace offering. I drank a few cups and felt drowsy almost immediately. When Giulia walked me back to my room, I told her to lock the door behind her. Ten minutes later, a group of men shoved their way inside and beat my stomach until I miscarried. The baby was gone. Giulia's eyes filled with tears as she claimed she never saw anyone enter. She said I never wanted the Santoro family to have an heir and had orchestrated my own abortion. Dante went white with rage and ordered his men to dump me in the ocean. When I opened my eyes again, it was the night before the banquet.

After crashing her stepfather's car, Jo Fisher faces a five-year sentence under the strict oversight of a high-level mafia vampire guardian. **WARNING: INCLUDES DARK SCENES SOME MAY FIND DISTURBING** In this new world order, large vampire families once thought to be the mafia in the 20th and 21st centuries, now preside over all legal matters and wield global authority after making their true natures known to the world. Jo's sentence is to be served as a contracted slave at Camilla Academy, a prestigious institution established by the more refined families. Here, vampires at a young age learn to coexist with their human counterparts and maintain control. All while ensuring their human charges become compliant and dependable sources of sustenance. Jo's options are limited. She must either adopt the role of a slave/pet to a vampire master or become the more cherished ward of a Daddy (or Mommy) vampire, expected to regress into an almost adolescent state of obedience. Dane, an ancient vampire prince underboss from the original family, is drawn to Jo's vibrant spirit and tendency to push boundaries. Captivated by her fiery demeanor and stubborn temperament, he is determined to have her as his mate rather than a subordinate. Can he temper Jo's vivacious spirit just enough for them to navigate the academy's demands without extinguishing the very fire that draws him to her?

“I want you, Lyra. Since the day I saw you at that bastard’s place, I’ve wanted you. It might have taken me a long time to realize it, but let me be a part of your life…” He struggled for a moment, “…and this baby. Our baby.” ************************************* Lyra Lockwood, former princess and the last of her kind, had unknowingly connived with her mate to kill her parents, only to end up rejected. Six years later, the Wolf King visits her pack, sees her, and demands she participate in his Luna choosing game—a game where one woman emerges as his Luna. But for years, all the women who participated have died. For years, rumors swirled that the Wolf King was the one killing them. For years, Raphael had not seen a woman like Lyra—someone who captured both him and his wolf from the moment they laid eyes on her. To Lyra, he was her master now, one she had to serve, just as she had served Edmund, her ex-mate. To Raphael, he wanted to know every inch of her—every scar, every line. Would Lyra accept him into her life after everything she’s been through? And could Raphael wait for her through it all? Find out.

I served; I did what I needed to do, but it wasn't good enough. I sat chained in a dark room for nearly 3 hard, painful years, trying my best to keep myself protected and together when all I wanted to do was crumble under the pain and loss of my self-worth and ability to defend myself. There was never an even fight. It was them against me. Tied up. My brother is my life. We are Twins, and when I found out that he had died even though I tried my best to keep him alive and save him, My whole world fell to pieces. I'm a fighter; I don't back down so easily. I fight for what I believe in, but his death brings me to my knees and makes me feel as though I am drowning. His best friend is there to pick me back up. He makes me feel safe and loved, even when I can't love or forgive myself. He shows up even when I don't want him to, and he proves that he is there. Encourages me to take that leap and believe in myself. But can I really do this? Can I live even without my brother here?

Last Christmas—in my past life—I was on vacation when the call came. It was Lucy, the family’s new pet capo, and she was in a panic. She’d blown the deal with the Colombians, she said, and now they were threatening to make us pay. I had to rush back and clean up the mess. I saved the deal, but it still cost us a shipment of hardware. And then Lucy, the one who caused the whole mess, pointed the finger straight at me. “It was Madeline! She gave me bad intel! She must’ve set me up!” The truth? The deal went south because she mouthed off to the Colombians and pissed them off. But Henry, the Godfather I’d served loyally for years, didn't want to hear my side. He just branded me a traitor. He kicked me out of the family and put the word out to every outfit that I was a rat. I had a price on my head. I died in some gutter, my body left for the dogs. When I opened my eyes again, it was just before that Christmas. This time, I walked straight into Henry's study and handed over my family signet. "I want out." This time, I can’t wait to see who’s left holding the bag with the pissed-off Colombians.

On the day of the United Nations meeting, I noticed a new electronic watch on my wife’s wrist. She said it was a gift from her first love to monitor her health. It was a veiled jab, which implied I was not as thoughtful or caring as an outsider. Something felt off, so during her lunch break I secretly checked, and found a bugging device. I reported it immediately, using my official title to cover her wrongdoing. Her first love, however, was now wanted by the authorities. While fleeing, he tragically died in a car accident. My wife said coldly that it served him right, yet treated me with even more care and attention. However, she deliberately leaked my translation files at work, which resulted in me being accused of espionage and taken in for investigation. “Miles, that bug was clearly planted by you. You were jealous of Ash and wanted him dead!” “I truly regret giving up Ash to marry someone as malicious as you. You should go to hell and atone for him!” When I opened my eyes again, I was back there once again on the day her first love gave her that watch. I did not interfere this time. I simply signed my name on the divorce papers.

Cursed with hideous red blotches by the Moon Goddess, Leah White died a brutal death—her heart torn out by her fiancé Samuel and stepsister Ella, who mocked her ugliness and exploited her healing gifts. But the Moon Goddess’s cruelty has a twisted silver lining: she’s reborn three years earlier, back to the night before her doomed marriage. This time, Leah won’t be the docile healer everyone exploited. With a dagger forged by Alpha power and a mind sharpened by vengeance, she’s determined to make Samuel, Ella, and her murderous stepmother Martha pay for their sins. But fate throws her a curveball: she crosses paths with Kaelen Black—the exiled Alpha, Samuel’s supposed “villainous” brother, and the one whose scent awakens a primal, undeniable Mate Bond in her. As wolfsbane poisons, political schemes, and royal court intrigue swirl around her, Leah must navigate a world of ruthless Alphas and betrayal. Will she break her curse by finding true love… or by bathing in the blood of her enemies? One thing is certain: this reborn “monster” won’t stop until justice is served—and her mate is claimed. Dive into a dark, passionate tale of rebirth, revenge, and forbidden mate bonds that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

"Each time you miss a shot, a part of your body will forever be mine." *** Janet Corrigan left behind her life in New Orleans and ventured to Springfield in search of her father, who served as the Capo of the infamous Italian Mafia family. Unfortunately, she became a target of her father's enemies and was kidnapped to be sold to the Russian mafia. Just as darkness enveloped her, a beacon of hope emerged in the form of the future Mafia King. Sebastian Genovese was arranged to marry Larisa Sherian, a mafia princess, to strengthen his dominance and power. However, everything unraveled when Janet walked into his life and completely derailed his plans. Her charm was an irresistible temptation, and his affection became a dangerous addiction. She was his salvation. His heaven in hell. But one fateful night, everything changed when Janet saw Sebastian ruthlessly killing her father. She realized her father's warnings about him were true, and she vowed to destroy the Genovese family. In the dead of night, Janet disappeared, taking something precious from Sebastian Genovese: his unborn child. Will fate give them another shot at love, or has their journey reached a tragic end as her father wished? What will happen when they meet as a highly regarded Cop and a feared mafia? Experience the thrilling clash between Janet and Sebastian as their guns meet in a high-stakes face-off.

“Yes, my girlfriend, she’s back,” he answered, his eyes gleaming with something I couldn’t quite spot. “Oh…ummm…” I found myself stuttering, finding it hard to make up a sentence. I couldn't decipher if this was supposed to be good or bad news. But why is he referring to her as his girlfriend, when he has me, his wife? Before I could figure out what to say, he let out the words I'd dreaded to hear for the past three years. The very words, I for once hoped I would never hear for the rest of my life. “We can finally go our separate ways, let’s get divorced,” he effortlessly said, taking one more bite from the pancake before him. ***************** The very day Melissa Mugins set her eyes on CEO Listowell Gordon, she fell in love with him. For her, it was love at first sight. Finding herself in a compromised situation, she accepts Listowell’s offer to be his contract wife for just a year. Its been three years now, and although their contract has long expired, none of them has brought up divorce. Today, Melissa plans on telling Listowell a great news, but before she could speak, she's served divorce papers.

Five years ago, on her birthday, Joan Lancaster was served with divorce papers by the one man whom she had loved with every fiber of her being. The same man who had sworn to protect her, cherish her, and never betray her, Dean Armstrong. He cast her aside without remorse, replacing her with his secretary and stripping her of everything but her dignity. Broken, wounded, and abandoned, Joan disappeared into the night with secrets only she knew, only to return five years later as a different woman. No longer the trembling, forgiving wife Dean once knew, Joan stepped back into his world as the untouchable Ice Queen, a woman whose rise to power had struck fear in the hearts of the Chicago businessmen. But she wasn't just back, she was back for revenge. And she wasn't going to stop until she stripped her ex-husband of everything that made his name. Once a powerful man, Dean found himself begging the woman he once discarded. The woman who now had the strings to his life and could do with him as she pleased. In a world where love had once broken her, Joan would prove one thing: some women don’t come back to be loved. They come back to be feared.