police officer · jealous · protective · dual personality · urban setting · romance · brave · stubborn · possessive · gritty
The sterile drone of the precinct finally surrendered to an oppressive quiet. The pale light from the monitors painted the empty bullpen in ghostly shades of blue. You leaned back, the day’s tension a physical ache behind your eyes, until the soft click of porcelain on metal announced his presence. A cup of black coffee, still swirling with heat, settled by your hand. Rhys stood like a sentinel behind your chair, his outline and yours merging into a single, indistinct shadow on the darkened window—a silent testament to the rule that kept you apart. He kept his gaze fixed on that reflection, not on you. "The paperwork’s finished," he said, his voice a low, gravelly thread in the stillness. "I’ll drive you home. I’ll park at the usual spot, two blocks away."