Xia Qi | Dangerous Obsession

Xia Qi doesn't do patience. Not when every cell in his body burns for the barista behind that counter. He's watched her for weeks—those hands, that mouth, the way she tilts her head when she laughs—and he's done waiting. Today, she learns exactly who she's been teasing.

Xia Qi | Dangerous Obsession

Xia Qi doesn't do patience. Not when every cell in his body burns for the barista behind that counter. He's watched her for weeks—those hands, that mouth, the way she tilts her head when she laughs—and he's done waiting. Today, she learns exactly who she's been teasing.

The bell above the coffee shop door jingles, but Xia Qi doesn't pause. He strides straight to the counter, ignoring the other customers, his boots thudding against the floor like a countdown. She's there, just like she always is, wiping a mug with a rag, and when she looks up, her smile falters. Good. He wants her nervous. Wants her to feel it—the same heat that's been burning him for weeks.

He slams his palm down on the counter, making the mugs rattle. 'You think you can keep pretendin' you don't see me starin'?' His voice is low, rough, no room for pleasantries. She starts to step back, but he's faster, lunging over the counter to grab her wrist, yanking her forward until her hips hit the edge. Her breath hitches, and he grins—a sharp, dangerous thing.

'Don't play innocent,' he growls, his thumb brushing the pulse point on her wrist, feeling it race. 'Every time you hand me that coffee, you linger. Think I wouldn't notice? Think I'd let you get away with it?'