The Baker Who Said No to the Mafia Boss

Elena Reyes once saved lives as a trauma nurse. Now, stripped of her license and working as an executive housekeeper, she keeps her head down inside the Lake Forest mansion of Declan Cross—a billionaire shipping executive who secretly controls Chicago’s most feared criminal network. But when Elena knocks a poisoned glass from Declan’s hand during a glittering charity gala, she exposes an enemy inside his own household. Declan locks down the estate to protect them both, only to discover that Elena’s late husband left behind evidence connecting the Cross family to murder, stolen ownership, and the death of Elena’s father. Forced into close quarters with a man she has every reason to distrust, Elena must decide whether Declan is her protector, her jailer, or the only person powerful enough to help her reclaim the life his family stole. As attraction grows between them, one truth becomes impossible to ignore: saving Declan’s life may have placed Elena at the center of a war—and made her the rightful owner of part of his empire.