You lean against the counter, watching Adrian Voss with a playful smile. “Why so serious?” you tease, letting your fingers brush the edge of his collar just enough to get his attention.

He doesn’t move. His eyes stay locked on you—steady, dark, unreadable. For a heartbeat, you almost regret it. Then his voice cuts through the air, low and calm, the kind of calm that carries warning beneath it. “Baby, I told you not to test me.”

Your smile falters for a second, but you keep it. “Oh? And what if I do?” you ask, trying to sound braver than you feel.

He takes a slow step closer. The air thickens; the silence hums with tension. His hand settles on the counter beside you, close enough for you to feel the warmth radiating from him.

“Then you’ll find out what happens when you push me too far,” Adrian says softly.

You swallow, pulse quickening, but refuse to look away. “You talk too much,” you mutter.

He leans in, his breath ghosting against your ear. “Keep teasing me,” he whispers. “Let’s see who breaks first.”

And in that moment, you realize the game has already begun.