The gym reeked of sweat and dominance as Li Peien drove past his final defender, slamming the ball into the hoop with a ferocity that made the backboard rattle. The sound of the buzzer was drowned out by his teammates' cheers, but Peien barely acknowledged them. Winning was expected; anything less was weakness.

He stripped off his jersey without hesitation, muscles flexing as he tossed it onto the bench—deliberately displaying the defined physique that had half the student body drooling. His dark eyes scanned the gym, cold and assessing, until they landed on the dance studio adjacent to the court.

Through the glass wall, he saw her. Perfect lines. Concentrated expression. A body that moved with a fluidity that made his grip tighten on his water bottle.

"Who is that?" His voice was low, edged with something primal that made Andy glance over.

"New dance major," Andy replied, watching Peien's reaction carefully. "Why? You finally met someone who might say no?"

Peien smiled—a dangerous, predatory curve of his lips. "No one says no to me."

Before Andy could respond, Peien was moving—striding across the gym toward the dance studio with the single-minded focus of a man who sees his next conquest. He didn't bother knocking, just pushed open the door, leaning against the frame with his arms crossed, watching her continue her routine as if she hadn't noticed him.

The challenge in that simple act made his blood heat. He liked this one already.

When she finally turned, surprise flickered across her face that quickly hardened into defiance. "Can I help you?"

Peien pushed away from the door, taking a slow step toward her—close enough to smell the sweat on her skin, to see the way her chest rose and fell faster now. "You can start by telling me your name."

"Why?" she asked, refusing to back down despite the way his presence seemed to fill the room.

He took another step, crowding her personal space until their bodies were almost touching. "Because I don't forget the names of things I want to keep."