Sweet & Dangerous: A Curvy Girl Mafia Romance: Mia's Dark Romance Short Reads, #2

By Mia Lombardi

I roam the estate's shadowed gardens, a lone soul grappling with my family's mafia heritage. My mother's breakfast words, a labyrinth of cold calculations, haunt me still—my destiny is to lead our crime family, forsaking any chance at love with Debbie, the radiant American curvy beauty whose light I can't lose without being crushed.

Debbie, our summer's bakery intern, is now inescapably tangled in our deadly underworld affairs. Our forbidden rendezvous today defies my mother's staunch stance—I must calmly, firmly insist on Debbie's devotion.

Yet from her window, my mother's ruthless mask conceals her fear of the only threat capable of unraveling our iron grip from within—my love for Debbie. A cunning plot takes shape to excise this perceived weakness, no matter the cost to me.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mia Lombardi
• Release date: Jan 28, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224544332

Book preview

Chapter One

Debbie Jenkins spent her summer days as a summer intern surrounded by the smell of fresh bread at Romano’s Bakery—a cozy haven nestled amidst the hustle and bustle of Milan’s most wealthy neighborhood. However, the bakery was not just what it appeared to be—it served as a façade for a mafia family’s covert financial schemes.

Every morning, Debbie put on her apron, prepared dough, and welcomed the usual customers around 9 AM, who were mostly forty years her senior. They didn’t know that the bakery was a cover for a more extensive operation. Paulina Romano, the owner, had hired Debbie as this year’s summer intern and paid for her living expenses. 

Paul Romano (Paulina’s only son) checked in every morning with Debbie before going about his day. He was young and always wore expensive suits. When he came inside, he changed the mood just by walking in.

One day, Paul arrived earlier than expected.

Morning, Paul. You want the usual? Debbie said, trying to stay calm.

Hey Debbie, he answered, looking around. We need to talk.

The air grew uneasy as a customer left abruptly.

About what? Debbie asked, pretending to be calm.

You need to know more about my mother’s business, Paul said, leaning on the counter.

The bakery? she asked, even though she knew it was about the mafia.

The family, Paul said, serious. You’re not just an employee, Debbie.

Debbie was nervous but curious.

Why me? she whispered.

You’re smart, loyal, and you keep things running smoothly, Paul said, looking right at her. I trust you.

A moment of silence ensued. Trust was important in Paul’s dangerous world.

Okay, Debbie finally said, feeling both scared and eager.

Paul nodded. Someone will come to tell you more. Be ready.

After he had left, Debbie was able to feel the resonance of his words. When she looked down, she saw her rolling pin and the dough that was still unfinished. Like the dough that she shaped every day, her life was about to undergo a transformation.

It was the aroma of the bakery that she inhaled. The place that she considered to be safe also ensnared her like a lovely cage. Just now, Paul had provided her with the key that would allow her to enter a more perilous phase of her life. It was entirely up to her to decide whether or not she was ready.

Debbie had a blurry day. Her hands knew their duties, but her mind was lost in Paul's message. Trust and danger entered her life like unexpected ingredients in a traditional cuisine. Her opinion of them was unclear.

Debbie cleaned and turned off most ovens as bakery traffic dropped, but her heart raced.

The doorbell sounded, and she tensed, grabbing for the rolling pin.

The doorway visitor wasn't Paul Romano. He was leaner, younger, and had eyes that saw everything.

"You, Debbie? He spoke with authority and was accustomed to being obeyed.

Yeah. She put the rolling pin down. You are?

The man Paul mentioned earlier. He looked around the idle shop and nodded. Alone?

Yeah.

Okay, let’s talk. He sat and gestured for her to do the same.

Debbie sat, keeping her back straight and her eyes open.

The boss’s son trusts you, so we trust you, he said, staring at her. But trust means you’ve got a job to do.

I get it, she said, even though she wasn’t entirely sure.

He leaned in, whispering. This bakery is part of a bigger operation. We need someone inside to be our eyes and ears. Catch things that don’t look normal.

Debbie’s heart beat fast. Be your eyes and ears?

And other bigger things, he said mysteriously. Can you do that for your boss?

Debbie thought about it. The idea of being part of something big and powerful excited her.

I don’t— she began.

He stood up, pushing a paper toward her. Mrs. Romano will take care of you, don’t worry. We need you to meet us here tonight right after closing.

She took the paper, looking over the address. Okay.

The man departed as stealthily as he had arrived, leaving no trace behind.

* * *

As she turned off the last light, a chill filled the air, and the once vibrant bakery transformed into an obscure, darkened space. She was about to leave for the night, stepping into a world that appeared to be sweet on the outside but was full of dangerous secrets. Every decision from now on may be as thrilling as it is deadly.

The shop was just silhouettes in the dark, lit only by a sliver of moonlight streaming in through the window. Debbie walked to the back, her hands skimming the counters, guiding her through the now-uncomfortable environment. The air was charged with anticipation.

She put on her coat, its cool, stiff fabric dropping over her shoulders. As she shut the back entrance, the sound of the keys sounded deafening. Her heart was racing with both nerves and excitement.

* * *

The cool air of the night felt like a blanket outside. She held up a piece of paper with the address written on it. The writing made the new road she had picked very clear.

At night, the city of Milan looked very different. It was full of sounds and stories that only people knew. She walked quickly, and her shoes didn't make a sound. Because she had the address in her hand, she knew the way to the meeting place by heart.

She thought about Paul Romano as she walked. In a split second, Mrs. Romano's son, who was sure of himself and looked good, turned her whole world upside down. He liked something about her. Did he really trust her, or was he just using her for