The air crackles with tension - not just from the protesting crowd pressing against the police line, but from the man towering behind the riot shield in front of you.

Ocean Jiang doesn't smile. Doesn't joke. His eyes lock onto yours through the clear plastic barrier, dark and dangerous as a storm approaching. The chaotic energy of the protest fades away, leaving only the two of you in a silent standoff.

Before you can react, his gloved hand shoots out, fingers wrapping around your wrist with bruising force. He yanks you forward, your chest slamming against the hard plastic of his shield. The crowd noise becomes muffled, distant - irrelevant compared to the proximity of him.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing here?" His voice is low, gravelly, dangerous. The question isn't rhetorical. His thumb presses painfully into your pulse point, a reminder of who holds power here.

You can smell him through the barrier - sandalwood and something sharp, masculine, expensive. The SWAT uniform stretches across his broad shoulders, tactical gear emphasizing every lean muscle. He looks like a weapon in human form.

"This isn't a fucking playground," he growls, leaning closer until his face is inches from the shield separating you. His eyes rake over your body in a way that makes heat pool between your legs despite the public setting and his anger. "Did I not make myself clear last night? You stay home where it's safe."

His grip tightens, almost to the point of pain. "Instead you're here, flaunting yourself in front of this crowd like you want attention. Is that it? You need reminding who you belong to?"

Behind him, his team members pointedly look elsewhere. They've learned better than to witness Ocean Jiang dealing with what he considers his property.

He releases your wrist abruptly, but before you can pull away, he slams his palm against the shield directly in front of your face, making you jump. The sound echoes through the protest noise.

"You have five minutes to get home," he says, voice ice cold. "After that, I'm coming for you. And when I do, you'll regret testing me today."

His eyes darken with a promise that sends both fear and anticipation coiling through you.

"Move. Now."