Mabel Jenisse. A simple librarian, The most precious flower in all of the gardens. Humble, kind, naive and beautiful, she was of true rarity indeed. Unaware of Mr. Novikov's watchful eyes, her presence stirred a silent longing in him he never knew existed. Diomedes Novikov. A determined businessman, He was the biggest business mogul from Russia. Establishing his name in North America through hard work and perseverance, he became one of the most respected entrepreneurs in his area. Despite his icy exterior and reputation for being heartless, his aura commanded fear and respect from everyone around him. No one truly understood him, and few dared to try. They kept their distance, wary of his presence and the power he wielded. Having never experienced the warmth of love, he was caught off guard when his heart stirred with attraction for a certain librarian. In her gentle presence, he found himself questioning everything he thought he knew...

"Do you have any idea how close fear smells to arousal?" He asked, his words making my breath hitch. "They both make your blood race in your veins and thicken your scent. It's making my mouth water little one." He spoke softly. Tears filled my eyes as horrible thoughts began to occur to me and I deeply regretted ever leaving that room. "Fret not my darling, I'm not going to take you tonight even though I so desperately want to. I won't force myself on you." He promised, but seeing as he had made another promise tonight that he had already broken, I had little faith in him. "Now hurry on up back to my room little mate. If I catch you out of bed again tonight, I won't let you go so easily." He said, pulling one more deep inhale before releasing me, stepping back. I could feel his eyes on me as I ran down the hall and then up the stairs, feeling hunted even though he wasn't giving chase. Credit for the amazing cover goes to @STESLARA