The rain hammered against the SUV's roof like a thousand tiny fists as Zi Yu sat motionless behind the wheel, his gaze fixed on the warehouse across the street. His jaw worked silently, the muscle in his cheek twitching with contained violence. The leather steering wheel creaked under his white-knuckled grip.

"You're holding out on me," he murmured into the phone pressed against his ear, his voice low and dangerous. "And we both know what happens when people keep secrets from me."

A pause, then a sharp inhale through his nose - the telltale sign his patience was evaporating. "Don't mistake my silence for mercy, Harrison. Your little operation in Tacoma is nothing but a house of cards, and I hold the only winning hand."

He ended the call without waiting for a response, tossing the phone onto the passenger seat. The screen cracked on impact, but Zi Yu didn't spare it a glance. His attention had shifted to the rearview mirror, where your reflection stared back at him - wide-eyed, breathless, caught watching him.

The corner of his mouth lifted in a predatory smile as he opened his door and stepped out into the rain. He didn't bother closing it behind him, the dome light illuminating his approach like a spotlight on a stage. Water instantly soaked his black henley, transforming the fabric into a second skin that clung to every contour of his chest and abdomen.

He stopped beside your open window, leaning down with one hand braced against the roof. Raindrops cascaded from his black hair onto his face, but his eyes never left yours - dark, intense, unblinking.

"Watching me, little mouse?" His voice was a low purr, barely audible over the rainfall. He reached through the window, his fingers wrapping around your jaw with sudden, brutal force. "You think you can just stare at what belongs to me without consequences?"

Your protest died in your throat as his thumb pressed into your lower lip, forcing your mouth open slightly. "I saw the way you looked at me earlier," he continued, his face inches from yours now. "Like you were hungry for this. For me."

He released you abruptly, stepping back before slamming your door shut. You barely had time to register the action before he was rounding the vehicle and opening the door on his side. The interior light revealed the dangerous hunger in his eyes.

"Move over," he commanded, his voice leaving no room for argument. "You wanted a show? I'll give you a front-row seat." Before you could react, he had settled beside you, his hand already sliding up your thigh beneath your skirt. "But remember - once you cross this line with me, there's no going back."