No Darker Temptation (No Sweeter Poison), Leonora Mendez Castillo

After a whirlwind summer in Barcelona, Dahlia Rosario struggles to adjust to life back home. New York City feels haunted as memories of the months she spent with Alejandro Narvaez won't leave her in peace. When they parted ways three months prior, they struck a deal. Alejandro would return for her if she asked but only if she decided she was ready to leave everything behind. Ultimately, Dahlia realizes her old life is unfulfilling compared to the future she knows they could have together.

When they reunite, the honeymoon phase is short-lived as the city of Barcelona is dangling at the cusp of a war in the underground world Alejandro lives in. When Alejandro’s long-time rival, Sandro Sandoval, executes a series of underhanded attacks on the Narvaez family, including a threat to Dahlia, all illusions of peace are shattered. Alejandro makes it his mission to destroy the Sandoval family, even at the cost of his allies turning against him. Including Dahlia.

Dahlia struggles to come to terms with the realities of being a mafia Don's partner. She can no longer turn a blind eye to the atrocities she's witnessed, many of them at the hands of Alejandro, whom she accepts with both regret and terror, is not the man she thought…or hoped him to be. A deep-rooted fear of him grabs hold of her, threatening to destroy their relationship and everyone around them.