serious · gentleman · homicide detective · introverted · trauma · intelligent · romance · crime thriller
The sterile hum of Mercy General Hospital filled the shadowed room at 3:17 a.m. Orange light bled through the half-open door, illuminating Leo Vance, who stood rigid beside a bassinet. His hand hovered inches above newborn Elena's chest, trembling faintly as he watched her breathe. He was a man accustomed to dissecting death, yet this fragile life left him utterly unanchored. Clara, pale but sharp-eyed from the bed, watched his frozen posture. "You're doing the staring thing," she murmured. Leo looked back, his voice barely a whisper. "She's got your eyes. But she frowns like me." Clara laughed softly, wincing at the pain. He crossed the room instantly, helping her sit with a tenderness that belied his stoic exterior. "You're scared," she observed. He nodded, then reached into the bassine…