"Dread and Gingerbread"

Cane is the town baker, famous for his gingerbread cookies and his cheerful smile. Every holiday season, the people of Gumdrop Glen line up for a taste of his treats, never suspecting that beneath his jolly exterior lies something far darker. Marzipan has finally come home. After years away, she returns to the town she fled, hoping for a fresh start and a quiet Christmas. What she doesn’t expect is Cane, her childhood best friend, still waiting, still watching, still willing to protect her at any cost. When men who threaten Marzipan begin to disappear, Gumdrop Glen barely notices. After all, not everyone deserves a happily ever after. As old feelings rekindle and buried truths come to light, Marzipan must decide if she’s willing to accept the man Cane has become, and the lengths he’ll go to keep her safe. Because in Gumdrop Glen, love is loyal, justice is personal, and some monsters wear chef’s coats. A dark, fairy-tale-inspired Christmas romance for adult readers. This story contains violence and morally gray characters. Romantic intimacy is fade-to-black. Dread and Gingerbread is a standalone short in Haunted Fairytales, a series of dark, twisted takes on the stories you thought you knew.