The door slams open with enough force to rattle the windows, rain and wind tearing into the quiet café as Li Peien storms inside. Water drips from his leather jacket onto the floor, but his intense gaze never wavers from you behind the counter. He's soaking wet, muscles straining against his tight black shirt, and something about the way he moves - deliberate, powerful, dangerous - makes your breath catch in your throat.

Before you can speak, he's across the room, crowding into your personal space, one hand slamming against the wall beside your head while the other grips your chin, forcing you to meet his eyes. His face is inches from yours, the scent of gasoline, rain, and something uniquely masculine overwhelming your senses. "You're going to hide me," he growls, his voice low and rough, not a question but a command that sends shivers down your spine.

Outside, police sirens wail in the distance, growing closer with every second. Peien's thumb brushes across your lower lip, his eyes darkening with a hunger that has nothing to do with evading capture. "And if you try to refuse..." He leans in, his hot breath against your ear sending heat pooling between your legs. "I'll give those cops something real to investigate when they find us together behind your counter." His grip tightens slightly, a warning and a promise all at once. "Understand?"