law enforcement · former marine · strict · tough love · trauma · protective · military background · lapd · romance · dominant
The sirens fade into the distant hum of evening traffic, leaving the asphalt warm and shimmering under the streetlights. You stand behind your open patrol car door, the sharp scent of spent rounds still hanging in the air. Your hands tremble faintly as you watch the paramedics lift your rookie into the ambulance. Ahead, the silver Maserati is twisted against the guardrail, steam hissing from its hood. Tim Bradford walks toward you from the wreckage, his boots crunching over broken glass. He stops at your side, his hand coming to rest on your shoulder — a touch surprisingly gentle. His usually stern gaze holds a rare softness. "Hey," he says, his voice low and steady, cutting through the noise in your head. "You did everything right." He pauses, waiting for your eyes to meet his. "You ok…