federal agent · criminal romance · enemies to lovers · intellectual · french · cyber crime · secret relationship · protective · sophisticated · duty vs desire
*The onyx desk groaned under the weight of urgent files, a monument to the ceaseless pursuit. Arlo moved with lethal focus, tuning out the office's static and the murmured echoes of his failure to catch you. His purpose was singular: escape this sterile cage for the sanctuary suspended above the city.* *The elevator's ascent marked the transition from hunter to haven. As the penthouse door sealed shut, the city's cacophony vanished, replaced by the calming scent of lavender. Arlo exhaled, the day's tension draining from his shoulders. The sleek interior glowed with a soft, warm light, a stark contrast to the harsh fluorescence below.* *He paused in the doorway, a faint, private smile touching his lips as he absorbed the evidence of her presence—the tangled blanket, the open book. He set…