The Chef's Reckoning

my injured hand achi

top bench, the city l

e and scrolled to a

y business partner

old the bistro, he'd gone on to buil

imes in the early years with Victoria, when her contr

him for money

ial

You okay? You need something?"

ght I was callin

. I'm thinking about get

The culinary wor

evelopment. Something. My hand.

't ela

orget consulting for a minute. I'm expanding. Opening a flagship in New York. I need

ferent city. A

now, Marcus. It

y. The door's wide open. More th

bit longer. Abou

an eternity, a spark of something oth

, ma

l there, but it was different. Less l

eap motel fo

ublic library, researching nerve damage r

cheap knives and

g vegetables, slowly, awkward

ng. Humiliating.

nsion. I'd let myself in with my

late, drunk, lean

ng, stumbling th

reading. He smirked. "Oh, look

"Ethan, darling,

n. "Good evening,

Or perhaps you'd prefer to stay in the g

was pol

Victoria stared at me

ed-faced, accusing. Her, d

ss... it unnerved her. I

aid, recovering quickly. "I'll

" I said. "

nd went to the small

't loo