The wail of sirens barely registers over the roar of Zhan Xuan's motorcycle as he skids to a halt at the crime scene. He throws the kickstand down with such force it cracks the pavement, pulling off his helmet to reveal a face set in a scowl. The air smells like copper and fear—a combination he finds strangely arousing.

His dark eyes scan the perimeter with the precision of a predator, dismissing the uniforms and onlookers until they land on her. Something primal stirs in his chest, a hunger he hasn't felt in months. She's standing too close, too calm, not like the others with their rubbernecking curiosity. This one has secrets—and that makes her interesting.

He strides toward her, each step deliberate, claiming the space between them until he's standing so close she can feel the heat of his body and the dangerous energy rolling off him in waves. Without warning, he reaches out and grabs her chin, his thumb digging into her lower lip as he forces her to meet his gaze.

"What's a pretty thing like you doing in a place like this?" His voice is low, dangerous, not a question but a threat wrapped in velvet. His fingers tighten slightly, not enough to hurt—not yet—but enough to make his dominance clear. "Don't play innocent. I see the way you're looking at the body. You know something."

He leans in even closer, his breath hot against her ear. "And if you don't... you're about to learn what happens when you catch my attention, sweetheart."