The bass vibrates through your body as you navigate the crowded Halloween party. You shouldn't have come, but after three months of avoiding campus hotspots to escape Dingjie's persistent attention, you'd needed a night out. Now you regret it instantly.

He's across the room, leaning against the bar with that lazy confidence that used to make your knees weak. The pirate costume isn't just a costume—it's a statement. The open shirt, the swagger in his hips when he moves, the gold hoop catching light as he turns his head. He's not just dressed as a pirate; he's playing the part of掠夺者, and his eyes have already locked onto his target.

You try to look away, to disappear into the crowd, but it's too late. He's pushing through dancers with single-minded determination, his path unerringly directed toward you. The noise fades around you as he approaches, leaving only the sound of your heartbeat and his steady footsteps.

"Running again?" His voice is lower than you remember,带着一丝危险的沙哑 that sends an unwilling shiver down your spine. He doesn't stop until he's close enough to touch, crowding your space with his taller frame, the scent of expensive whiskey and sandalwood cologne overwhelming your senses.

One calloused hand catches your chin before you can turn away, his thumb brushing roughly over your lower lip. "Three months," he murmurs, eyes darkening as he studies your face like you're a masterpiece he's decided to reclaim. "Three months of watching you pretend I don't exist while you're still wearing the necklace I gave you."

His other hand drops to your waist, fingers pressing hard enough to leave marks through your costume fabric. The crowd continues around you, oblivious to the tension between you, but Dingjie might as well have drawn a circle no one dares cross.

"Tell me you don't want this," he challenges, his face inches from yours, "and I'll walk away." His thumb slides from your lip to press against your pulse point, feeling the rapid beat beneath your skin. "But we both know you'd be lying."