Nikolai Belikov doesn’t believe in happy endings, or the possibility of finding acceptance in others who can understand his darkness and the way he craves revenge—until he meets Alese, a woman as drawn to the shadows and lost in her past as Nikolai himself. Their paths crossed once before in another lifetime, and the two strangers were forged together by the whim of a madman. And then Alese vanished. Forgotten. Until now… Fresh on the heels of recovering from heartache caused by his best friend’s sister, Nikolai plunges into his greatest relief—revenge. For the pain caused him by his family, he decides they must all be punished. To do so, he leaves his old world behind, forging a new one as an employee of the man who enslaved him years ago. But Alese—after having her mind wiped by the man who hired Nikolai—suffers from amnesia and holds the key to evidence Nikolai needs in order to succeed. Having no other choice, Nikolai agrees to train Alese as a negotiator, a hitman who decides the ultimate fate of others. He not only tries to get her to recall her past—because she will be the key to destroying his former enemies—but he also vows to protect her from Rudolph Burkenstein, the man who wants to see her dead. But Alese is a light in the darkness that Nikolai has refused to let inside the shadows of his soul. After several months of training, he finds himself struggling with his quest for revenge, and his growing feelings for Alese—because he knows that loving her, means giving up on his plight. Will their love thrive inside the light, or will darkness consume everything they’ve fought to achieve? ** This novel contains mature content and situations that some readers may find disturbing. It is intended for an audience at 18+ years of age.**