LOGINI say nothing as we drive back home. There’s nothing I can say until I know exactly what’s going on.A heavy silence fills the car, but it isn’t uncomfortable—it’s thoughtful, tense, full of questions neither of us is ready to ask out loud.I glance over at Jessie a few times, watching her quietly. Her arms are folded protectively over her lap, close to her stomach, and I can’t help the overwhelming sense of pride that rises in my chest.She’s mine.No matter what hardships wait for us ahead, no matter what storms are coming, she’s mine—and if there’s even the slightest chance that she’s carrying our child, that feeling will only grows stronger.I pull into the garage and park quietly before turning to face her. The dim lighting softens her features, but I can still see the exhaustion written all over her face.“It looks like we made it home before him,” I say softly, reaching over to brush a loose strand of hair from her face. “How about a shower?”“Okay,” she replies quietly.I step
After being awarded my divorce, I remain seated in the now-empty courtroom, my hands resting limply in my lap as I try to steady my breathing.Moments ago, this room was suffocating—filled with voices, tension, judgment. Now it’s eerily quiet, the kind of silence that hums in your ears. The world that had been spinning relentlessly around me has finally begun to slow, and for the first time in what feels like years, I can breathe.Really breathe.Relief settles into my chest, heavy and unfamiliar. It isn’t joy—not quite—but it’s something close. Something fragile. Like if I move too quickly, it might shatter.“Are you ready?”Lincoln’s voice breaks through the stillness as he steps out of the judge’s chambers, gently closing the door behind him. The soft click echoes louder than it should. When I look up at him, I catch the small smile tugging at his lips—subtle, but laced with his own quiet relief.“I think so,” I answer, my voice barely above a whisper, as if speaking too loudly mig
I make my way down the narrow corridor toward the interrogation room where Mike left Blaire. The fluorescent lights hum overhead, casting everything in a sterile, unforgiving glow. I stop just outside the door, waiting as the lock disengages with a heavy mechanical clank.The sound barely registers anymore. After all these years, it’s as familiar to me as my own heartbeat.The door swings open.I step inside.Blaire sits at the metal table, her posture collapsed in on itself. One hand rubs absently at the side of her neck, as if trying to soothe something deeper than muscle tension. Tears stream freely down her face, but there’s nothing soft about her expression—her eyes burn with something volatile, something close to rage.Good. She should be angry.“You got what you wanted,” I say flatly, letting the door shut behind me with a hollow thud. “Now it’s my turn. I need a name.”Her head snaps up, eyes locking onto mine.“This isn’t what I wanted!” she shouts, her voice cracking under t
Time to stretch my legs—and see what my top detectives have managed to uncover.I push back from my desk, the legs of my chair scraping softly against the floor, and step out of my office into the precinct’s common area. The fluorescent lights have been dimmed for the night shift, casting long shadows across half-empty desks. Most of second shift has already cleared out, leaving behind only the low hum of machinery and the occasional rustle of paperwork.Miller and Pennet remain, as expected.And then there’s her.A young blonde woman sits stiffly near Miller’s desk, hands folded too tightly in her lap. She was identified earlier as Alan’s sister. Even from a distance, I can see the tension in her posture—the way her shoulders curl inward, as if trying to make herself smaller.I make my way over at an unhurried pace.“Good evening, ma’am,” I say, keeping my tone measured and professional. “I’m the sergeant of this precinct. I couldn’t help but notice you’ve been waiting here for quite
I lean down, just enough for my breath to ghost over his ear as I whisper. My fingertips brush the side of his neck, his skin burning hot beneath my touch.“No.”The word is immediate. Final.His chair screeches violently against the floor as it topples backward, the sharp crack echoing through the room. He’s on his feet in an instant, fingers clamping around my wrist with bruising force.“You ruined my life,” he snarls, his voice low and lethal. “I won’t fall for your shit.”The suddenness of it knocks the air from my lungs, but I don’t pull away. I stare up at him, searching his face—searching for anything.There’s nothing.No hesitation. No conflict.Only fury.“You’re not her,” he growls, jerking my wrist away before releasing me like I’ve burned him.The rejection slices deeper than I expect.“She doesn’t love you,” I spit, my voice trembling despite my effort to steady it. “She’s never coming back to you.”“And that still wouldn’t send me back to you,” he shoots back, a hollow,
The shift in her expression doesn’t sit right with me. It’s subtle—too subtle for anyone else to notice. But I do. I always did.I take a seat across from her and notice her expression.That slight softening in her eyes… the way her shoulders relax just enough to seem less guarded. Less confrontational. More… inviting. My jaw tightens instantly. “No,” I say flatly, leaning back just enough to put space between us. “Don’t do that.” Her brows knit slightly, feigning innocence. “Do what?” That’s it.A sharp, humorless laugh leaves me as I shake my head, dragging my cuffed hands across the table with a harsh scrape of metal.“That thing,” I snap, leaning forward again—this time faster, harder. “That act. Like you’re still—” I cut myself off, jaw clenching. Like you’re still mine.You’re not mine, I don’t want you. Her gaze doesn’t break. If anything, it deepens.“I’m not acting, Alan.” Her voice drops—quieter now, smoother. “You’re just not used to seeing me without all the nois
I must’ve been out for hours because I’m awakened by a tiny sliver of light peaking through the black-out curtains, setting directly across my eyes as I bat my lashes tiredly. It takes me a few minutes to recollect myself to consciousness when I realize I’m tangled in black silk sheets and I can fe
Normally, I’d dread having to pick up Miller for an early morning run, but this time was different. This wasn’t a routine check-in or another dead-end lead—we had a meeting with Mrs. Crenshaw. Blaire’s mother.A pivotal point in the investigation.Maybe even the end of it.The thought alone had bee
I could feel her pulling me closer, beckoning me to sink in and truthfully, I want to. I’ve always wanted to but this wasn’t how I wanted it.I wanted it coherently.And this didn’t feel that way.I just can’t do it.I slowly pull myself back and grab hold of her hands, gently pulling them from aro
“What happens then?” I hear the question but all I can think about is how soft and warm his skin feels against my thighs. How his woodsy fresh scent fills the air around us and engulfs me and how his eyes are piercingly teal as they stare back at me.“I’m no t worried about then.” My response. Beca







