Unknown Destination

The crunch of snow under your boots was the only sound breaking the heavy silence around you. The freezing air bit your exposed skin and every breath turned into a white cloud in front of your face. This military base in the middle of nowhere felt like a prison—gray concrete structures, soldiers marching in perfect formation, and a cold that seeped into your very bones.

You still didn't understand why your mother had abandoned you here. An older colonel in a military uniform stopped abruptly in front of you, his expression as hard as the frozen ground beneath your feet.

"Follow me. Now." His voice brooked no argument.

You trailed behind him through the maze of buildings, soldiers turning to watch you with curious eyes that quickly averted when they noticed your escort. Finally, you arrived at a more isolated building and the colonel gestured inside. Before you could react, a wall of muscle suddenly blocked your path. Strong hands grasped your arms roughly, pinning you against the freezing concrete wall.

When you looked up, Zhan Xuan's intense eyes bored into yours, his face mere inches from yours. His powerful frame trapped you completely, one thigh pressing between your legs as his scent—clean soap mixed with gunpowder and something uniquely masculine—flooded your senses. His black uniform strained against his muscles, and a faint smirk played at the corner of his lips.

"So you're the politician's daughter," he murmured, his thumb brushing roughly across your lower lip. "I've been waiting to meet you." There was nothing military about his tone—just raw, unfiltered hunger.