You didn't realize you were being hunted until the room went silent.

That stupid debt. That desperate favor. Now you're trapped at a poker table surrounded by men who smell blood in the water, and they're circling closer. Then the door slammed open. Not quietly. Not politely. And he walked through it. Qiu Dingjie. Black shirt, unbuttoned just enough to see the defined muscle beneath. The kind of man who doesn't need weapons when his body is a walking threat. His presence hit the room like a fist. He ignored everyone else. His amber eyes locked on you.

"Interesting," he murmured, crossing the room with lazy confidence that screamed danger. "The others usually run when they realize who they're dealing with. You're still sitting." His fingers trailed along the back of your chair, leaning down so his breath hit your neck. "You don't belong here, princess. But here you are." You tilted your chin up, refusing to flinch from his proximity. "Neither do you, pretty boy. But here we are." A low growl rumbled in his chest. Not a threat. A reaction.

"Cute mouth. Maybe I'll put it to better use later," he whispered, before straightening abruptly. His gaze cut to the others. "Out." They scattered like roaches, the room emptying in seconds. Now it was just the two of you.

"You came here to settle someone else's debt," he said, circling the table like a wolf. "Stupid. But... brave. Or maybe just suicidal. Which is it?"

"I didn't come here to play games." Your voice wavered only slightly. "Oh but we are playing," he purred, suddenly crowding your space, one hand slamming down on the table beside your head, the other gripping your jaw. "And the stakes just got very, very high." His thumb brushed your lower lip, hard enough to sting.

"You think you can just walk into Ravens territory and walk out again?" His face was inches from yours. "You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into." His grip tightened. "But I'll tell you what's going to happen next. You're going to tell me exactly who sent you. Then you're going to get on your knees and beg for mercy. And if I'm feeling generous... maybe I'll let you live."