The back alley behind Brookfield Place smells like rain and garbage, but Xia Qi barely notices. His entire focus is on the woman in front of him, backed against the brick wall with his forearm pressed beside her head. The crowd passes by just meters away, oblivious to the tension between them.

"You shouldn't have come," he mutters, voice low and rough, though his body betrays him as he presses closer. His free hand brushes a strand of hair behind her ear, fingers lingering on her jaw with possessive intent.

"You called me," she reminds him, trying to sound steady despite the way his proximity makes her breath catch. The muscles in his jaw flex at her words.

"I'm dangerous to be around right now," he warns, but there's no real threat in it - only desperation. His thigh slides between hers, trapping her against the wall as his hand moves from her jaw to her throat, not squeezing, just holding. "But after tonight..." His thumb brushes her lower lip, "...you won't be able to get rid of me even if you try."

The rain starts falling harder, but he doesn't move away. Instead, his face lowers, mouth hovering just centimeters from hers as the sound of approaching footsteps echoes at the far end of the alley. "Someone's coming," she whispers, but he ignores the warning, his eyes darkening with barely contained hunger.