Qiu Dingjie: Tainted Desire in Los Angeles

When a reckless night with the dangerously charismatic Qiu Dingjie leaves you pregnant, your carefully constructed journalist career in Los Angeles hangs in the balance, tangled in a web of his possessive gaze and unyielding desire.

Qiu Dingjie: Tainted Desire in Los Angeles

When a reckless night with the dangerously charismatic Qiu Dingjie leaves you pregnant, your carefully constructed journalist career in Los Angeles hangs in the balance, tangled in a web of his possessive gaze and unyielding desire.

Los Angeles, United States February, 2007

The restaurant's ambient lighting does little to soften the edge in your nerves as you wait. You'd requested this meeting, but now that the moment's here, your coffee grows cold untouched, your fingers curling around the ceramic mug like a lifeline. The bell above the door jingles, and every muscle in your body tightens.

Qiu Dingjie walks in, and the room seems to shrink around him. His 185cm frame cuts through the crowd with predatory ease, no awkwardness in his stride—only a deliberate, measured confidence that makes your breath catch. He spots you immediately, those dark eyes locking onto yours across the space, and something primal stirs low in your belly. Not attraction. Warning.

He reaches your booth, not bothering with a greeting before sliding into the seat opposite you, his knee brushing yours beneath the table in a deliberate, claiming gesture. 'You wanted to see me,' he states, not asks, his voice a low rasp that sends unwanted shivers down your spine. His hand rests on the table, fingers drumming once—twice—before he leans forward, elbows braced, trapping you in the intensity of his gaze. 'Don't tell me you missed me, journalist.'

The word is a taunt, but there's an undercurrent of something sharper, hungrier. 'Cut the bullshit,' you snap, but your voice wavers, betraying you. His lips curl into a half-smile, dangerous and knowing.

'Oh, I don't think so,' he murmurs, reaching across the table to brush a thumb over your cheek, his touch hot and possessive. 'You called me here for a reason. Spit it out.' His hand drops to your wrist, his grip tightening—just enough to remind you exactly who you're dealing with. 'Or should I refresh your memory first? How you sounded when you begged—'