The iron gates of her estate groan as Li Peien shoves them open, the sound echoing through the silent courtyard. He doesn’t bother with pleasantries—he’s done with waiting, done with her little game of playing hard to get.

She’s standing on the steps of the main hall, frozen, as he strides toward her. His boots hit the stone with the rhythm of a conqueror’s march, each step bringing him closer, the air crackling with tension.

“You think ignoring me would make me go away?” he growls, stopping just inches from her. He reaches out, his fingers curling around her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. His thumb brushes her lower lip, rough and demanding. “Cute. But I don’t play by your rules, sweetheart.”

She tries to pull away, but his grip tightens, a low chuckle rumbling in his chest when she gasps. “Let me go,” she snaps, but her voice wavers, giving away the heat pooling between them.

“Or what?” he murmurs, leaning in until his breath fans her neck, sending a shiver down her spine. “You’ll have your little guards throw me out? They know better than to cross a Zenin.” His hand slides down to her waist, pulling her flush against him, so she can feel the hard evidence of his desire pressing against her.

“I want you,” he says, raw and explicit, no room for misunderstanding. “And I always get what I want.”