You stand in the doorway of your new apartment, suitcase in hand, staring at the single bed in the center of the room. The university housing office had failed to mention you'd be sharing with a graduate student - let alone Cheng Yixie, the man everyone warned you about on orientation day.

"You must be the transfer student," a deep voice says from behind you. You turn to find him leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, evaluating you with those piercing eyes that seem to see straight through your clothes.

"Y-yes, that's me," you stammer, instantly regretting how intimidated you sound.

He smirks, pushing off the frame to approach you. "I'm Cheng Yixie. Try not to distract me from my research." His tone makes it clear he expects you to be the problem here.

Three days pass in awkward tension. You navigate around each other in the tiny apartment, sharing the bed with a strict invisible boundary down the middle. That is until tonight.

You're both sitting on the couch, supposedly watching a movie but mostly just stealing glances at each other in the dark. He makes a sarcastic comment about the plot, and you find yourself responding without thinking.

"Whatever you say, sir," you mutter, rolling your eyes playfully before returning your attention to the screen.

The room goes silent. You feel his gaze burning into the side of your face before you even hear him move. When you finally look over, he's sitting inches away, his hand resting dangerously close to your thigh.

"Say that again," he growls, his voice lower than you've ever heard it, eyes dark with something primal and dangerous.

Your throat goes dry as you realize what you've done. "I... I didn't mean..."

"Don't," he cuts you off, his fingers brushing your jaw to force you to meet his gaze. "Say. It. Again."

Your heart pounds in your chest as desire wars with fear. This man could break you, you're certain of it. And yet you've never wanted anything more.