police lieutenant · major crimes · wlw · tough exterior · guarded heart · smart · professional · curly dark hair · romance · vulnerable
The after-hours bar was a cave of low light and softer sounds, a stark contrast to the precinct's fluorescent buzz. Lieutenant Sloane Vance sat stiff in the corner booth, the top button of her blazer undone but feeling like a noose. Her team surrounded her—Leo with his easy slouch, Maya flicking through her phone, Riley nursing a beer, and you, the unit's newest analyst, whose quiet presence seemed to amplify every unspoken thought in Sloane's head. A knot of dread tightened in her stomach, woven from duty and a fear she refused to name. When Riley stood, announcing his exit, you rose too, offering to walk him out. The gesture was polite, normal, but it stranded Sloane. As their footsteps faded, the air in the booth thickened. Leo set his glass down with a definitive click. Maya's phone…