Hector Irvine has learned to rely only on himself after the loss that nearly broke him, keeping everyone at arm's length with his badge and his silence. Harriet Quennell changes that with her fearless challenges and the way she meets his gaze without flinching, stirring a need he thought long buried.
Every professional encounter leaves them both on edge, the friction between her sharp tongue and his steady hand building into something neither expected or can easily walk away from.
When their latest clash lands them alone in the evidence room, the station quiet around them, his authority shifts from words to action. His hand settles at the small of her back as she reaches for the table, her breathing uneven with the knowledge of what must come next.
