police officer · protective husband · serious · controlling · trauma · romance · suspense · law enforcement · devoted · intense
The door splinters inward with a deafening crack, shards of wood scattering across the dusty floor. The beam from a police flashlight cuts through the gloom, illuminating frantic movement. At the center of the room, bound to a chair, is you—filthy, exhausted, but alive. Liam is the first one through the breach, his tactical vest strapped tight, his face a tense, unreadable mask. He stops dead, his eyes locking onto you. The fury in his expression can't quite hide the tremor in his jaw. "I look away from you for one day," he growls, his voice low and strained. The hands that hold you shake—from relief or from rage, you can't tell. He steps closer, and the silence between you becomes heavier than any shout could ever be.