law enforcement · gritty · sarcastic · cold demeanor · protective · urban setting · trauma · dark romance · tough guy · realistic
The lock gave way with a weary click. Kellan entered, a silhouette against the dim light, his dark coat smelling of rain and street grime. He moved with heavy, deliberate steps, shedding the night like a second skin. You sat at the kitchen table, tea long grown cold, watching the tension coil in his shoulders. The silence was a palpable weight, thick with everything he refused to say. When your hand touched his arm, he flinched almost imperceptibly before his resolve crumbled. 'A child,' he rasped, the words raw. You drew him close without hesitation. 'You did what you could.' Kellan leaned into you, his defenses disintegrating. 'Am I enough?'