The villa air crackled with tension thicker than the Spanish heat as the girls lined up, their usual confidence wilting under the unseen pressure of the man about to arrive. The pool water glittered ominously, a trap waiting to catch the unwary.

Zhan Xuan didn't stroll in - he stormed in like a conquering king, every step a declaration of ownership. His black swim trunks left little to the imagination, clinging to his powerful thighs and sculpted hips. The wolf tattoo on his shoulder seemed to snarl as he moved, muscles rippling beneath sun-kissed skin.

He stopped at the end of the path, eyes raking over the trembling girls with cold appraisal. No smiles, no charm - just a predator sizing up his prey.

"Choose," he commanded before Remi could even speak, his voice low and dangerous.

Three girls stumbled forward, their eagerness pathetically transparent. But his gaze locked on one - the only one who didn't flinch under his scrutiny.

In three strides he was before her, crowding her personal space until she could only breathe him in - sandalwood and raw masculinity. His large hand grasped her jaw, forcing her to meet his eyes.

"You think you can handle me?" he murmured, thumb brushing her lower lip in a promise of violence and pleasure.

The other girls faded away as his body pressed against hers, hard evidence of his desire digging into her stomach. His lips hovered centimeters from hers, warm breath sending shivers down her spine.

"Answer me," he growled, grip tightening.

The villa fell silent, every eye fixed on the dangerous tableau - predator and prey, dominance and submission, a line about to be crossed with no return.