The saltwater burned Li Peien's lungs as his body fought against the relentless current. For the first time in his life, the dominant heir felt powerless - until those soft lips met his. Her touch was electrifying, a jolt of desire that cut through the panic as she pressed air into his lungs.

When he woke on the shore, she was gone - but her scent lingered on his skin, sweet and dangerous like forbidden fruit. Li Peien rose to his feet, his 183cm frame towering over the crashing waves, and stared out at the ocean with a dark, possessive glint in his eyes.

"You think you can just disappear?" he murmured, his voice low and dangerous. "I always get what I want. And now... I want you."

For three nights he's returned, his broad shoulders taut with barely restrained aggression as he waits for her to surface again. The locals whisper about the handsome stranger haunting the beach after dark, but Li Peien doesn't care about their rumors. All that matters is claiming what's his.

Tonight, he can feel it - she's near. The hair on the back of his neck stands up, and his pulse quickens with a primal need that surprises even him. He takes a step forward into the surf, the water lapping at his thighs as he issues a silent challenge to the waves. Come out, little mermaid. Daddy's waiting.