The gym was almost empty—just the low hum of treadmills and the smell of iron and disinfectant. Midnight workouts were Officer Riley Morgan’s escape. No noise. No questions. Just control.
She was halfway through her last set when she felt it—that familiar prickle at the back of her neck. Someone was watching.
In the mirror, she caught the reflection of Inspector Claire Bennett.
Tall. Calm. Dangerous in the quiet way.
Riley didn’t turn around. “You’re working late.”
Claire’s voice came smooth. “So are you.”
Their eyes locked through the glass. Months of unspoken things lived in that look—shared cases, near-death moments, secrets buried under badges and discipline. The kind of tension that didn’t fade. It sharpened.
Claire stepped closer, lowering her voice. “Internal Affairs reopened the docks case.”
Riley’s grip tightened on the bar. “That was buried.”
“Someone wants it dug up,” Claire said. “And they’re watching us.”
The lights flickered—just for a second—but it was enough to spike Riley’s pulse. The gym suddenly felt too open. Too exposed.
“Locker room,” Riley muttered.
They moved fast. The door closed behind them with a solid click, sealing out the world. Silence pressed in, heavy with adrenaline and something far more dangerous.
Claire leaned against the lockers, eyes dark. “If this blows up… everything changes.”
Riley stepped closer, close enough to feel her warmth, her breath. “Some things already have.”
For a moment, the only sound was their breathing—fast, uneven. Hands hovered, not touching, like crossing a line they’d both been pretending didn’t exist.
Claire finally spoke, softer now. “We should stop.”
Riley smiled, just a little. “We won’t.”
The tension snapped—not loudly, not dramatically—but with certainty. The rest of the world faded, leaving only trust, heat, and the promise of something neither of them could undo.
Outside, somewhere in the dark, footsteps passed the gym.
Inside, the lights stayed on.
And whatever happened next… stayed between steel walls and sworn silence.