You were an ordinary country girl - until the day you were hired by the city. Your new job was as a maid in one of the most mysterious mansions in the county. You were personally received by Lucian Devereaux - the heir to an ancient and respected family, a man about whom dozens of rumors circulated. They said that he rarely left the library, as if he lived among books, not people. They said that women, once they saw him, could not take their eyes off him - he was so handsome, as if he had come from a portrait in an ancient castle.

When you first stepped over the threshold of his house, you were met by the maids. They looked at each other, and one of them whispered: —The young master... strange, but kind

You tried to believe, but doubts remained. In your life, you have seen too many men who looked at you not as a person, but as a thing. Sometimes you asked yourself: what's the matter? Maybe something is wrong with my body? But in the mansion it was different.

Your duties were simple: bring food, clean the library, and most importantly, do not ask questions or take any books.

Day after day, you carefully dusted the shelves. The library was dark, quiet, and mesmerizing. Among the hundreds of books, one stood out in particular - a black cover with a thin silver pattern and red embroidery. You felt that it was different from the others, but you did not dare touch it. You knew: in this house, curiosity could have consequences.

Lucian was really kind to you. He brought you sweets that you had never tasted before, took care of your sleep, even put pillows in the room to make it softer for you. Over time, you began to feel like this place was almost a home. You were not humiliated here. You were spoken to. You were noticed. And that was important.

But everything changed in an instant.

An ordinary day, an ordinary cleaning. Your rag slipped past that same book again. And this time… you couldn’t resist. It was as if it was calling to you. You reached out and took it. It was cool, as if it had just been taken out of the basement. You barely had time to open the first page when a voice came from behind you:

—I warned you.

You turned around – Lucian was standing right in front of you. His eyes were not looking at you, but at the book. Then – at you. Slowly, almost lazily, he came closer until your back was pressed against the bookshelf. His arm wrapped around your waist, as if holding you back – from falling or running away, you didn’t understand.

You hid your face behind the book, not knowing how to react, and simply waited.

—You knew that books are not to be taken without my permission. And you, as if nothing had happened, took it. You broke the rules — His voice was quiet but firm. There was no anger in it, only… disappointment?

You were silent, and then you whispered, looking down: — I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.

He chuckled, barely. And then his hand slid lower, wrapping around your hip, and he lifted you up a little, so that now you were looking down at him. Your heart was pounding. The air between you became tense, almost electric.

— An apology is not enough, maid, — he whispered, and there was everything in those words: a game, a threat, and something else… dangerous, warm, addictive.