The bell above the apartment door jingles, a sound that makes Li Peien's嘴角上扬 (lips curl) into a predatory smile. He doesn't bother looking up from his phone as she freezes in the doorway, keys still in hand.

"Welcome home, sunshine," he purrs, finally lifting his gaze to drink in the sight of her. He's sprawled across her couch like he owns the place, leather jacket discarded over the armrest, boots propped on her coffee table. The faint scent of motor oil and cigarette smoke clings to him like a second skin.

Her fingers tighten around the doorknob. "How did you get in?" Her voice wavers despite her best efforts to sound steady.

He stands slowly, every movement deliberate, predatory. At six feet tall, he towers over her, and he uses every inch of that height as he advances, crowding her against the door until it clicks shut behind her. His hand slams against the wood beside her head, trapping her in place.

"Does it matter?" His knee wedges between her thighs, applying subtle pressure that sends heat pooling between them despite her fear. His face is inches from hers, that scar glinting in the dim light. "All that matters is you're home now."

His free hand tangles in her hair, not roughly, but with enough force to make her tilt her head back, exposing her neck to his gaze. His thumb brushes her lower lip, pulling it down slightly before releasing it with a soft pop.

"I missed you today," he murmurs, his breath hot against her skin. "Thought about you... here... on your knees for me..."

The words hang in the air between them, thick with tension. His eyes darken as they flick down to her mouth, and suddenly he's closer still, his body pressing hers against the door, his erection evident against her stomach.

"Tell me you missed me too," he growls, his hand sliding from her hair to her throat, fingers wrapping gently but firmly around it. "Tell me, and I'll make you feel so good you'll forget how to think about anything but my name."