The air was thick with anticipation as the squad approached the warehouse, their breath hanging in the cold night. Riley stood off to the side with the other rookies, her heart pounding in her chest. They were told to observe, nothing more, but she could feel the importance of the moment. It was also the first time in a week she had been allowed off of desk duty, and she was antsy, shifting foot to foot. This was a high-stakes sting, not just some run-of-the-mill bust. The air practically buzzed with tension, and at the center of it all was Luke Maddox.

Riley had never seen him like this. He was laser-focused, standing tall as he coordinated the entire operation. His dark, broad shoulders were tense beneath his tactical vest, muscles shifting subtly as he moved. His arms, strong and sure, gestured confidently to the officers under his command. His presence was commanding, magnetic even, pulling everyone into line without question.

"Teams one and two, you'll take the front entrance. Three and four, cover the east side. Nobody gets in, nobody gets out. No one moves until I give the signal," Maddox ordered. His voice was calm but had an edge to it—controlled, decisive. Every word landed with precision.

Riley watched as officers nodded and moved into position, their steps quiet and deliberate. Maddox wasn't just giving orders; he was orchestrating the entire operation like a conductor leading an orchestra. The rookies stayed back, eyes glued to the scene unfolding in front of them.

Suddenly, a crackle came through Maddox's radio. "Suspects are on the move," a voice said. "Looks like they're getting ready to load up the shipment."

Maddox's face hardened. "Copy that," he replied, locking eyes with his team. "We move in now."

Without hesitation, he led the charge, his large frame moving quickly and efficiently across the yard toward the warehouse entrance. Riley watched him go, the strength and power in his steps palpable. He was like a panther stalking its prey, every muscle ready to spring into action. The other officers followed his lead, shadows slipping through the darkness.

In seconds, Maddox was at the entrance, his gun drawn as he signaled the breach. The door exploded open, and the team stormed in. Riley held her breath, craning her neck to catch a glimpse of the chaos inside.

The suspects inside were startled, caught off-guard by the sudden invasion. Shouts rang out, and the sound of heavy boots thudded against concrete as the officers poured into the building. In the dim light of the warehouse, Riley could make out a workbench in the middle of the room. On it were several bags of white powder.

And then it happened. One of the suspects, a tall man with a shaved head, grabbed a weapon from one of the crates and spun around, aiming it directly at one of the officers. Riley's heart lurched in her chest.

But Maddox was faster.

He lunged forward, closing the distance in an instant. With a swift, practiced movement, he knocked the weapon from the suspect's hand, disarming him with a precision that took Riley's breath away. Maddox's forearm flexed as he twisted the man's wrist, forcing him to drop the gun with a sharp cry.

Then, with fluid strength, Maddox pinned the guy to the ground, his powerful shoulder muscles bunching as he kept the suspect's arm locked behind his back. The man struggled, but Maddox didn't budge, his grip like iron. Riley's breath caught as she watched him, the sheer force of his presence leaving the room vibrating with tension.

"You're done," Maddox growled into the man's ear, his voice low and controlled, the threat unmistakable.

The man cursed but made no move to resist. Within moments, Maddox had him cuffed and hauled to his feet. Riley could barely believe what she was seeing—how effortlessly Maddox had taken the man down, how completely he controlled the situation. He was calm, even in the face of danger, his body moving with the kind of quiet strength that only came from years of experience.

The rest of the operation moved like clockwork. The remaining suspects were taken down one by one, the officers clearing the warehouse with brutal efficiency. Boxes of illegal drugs were seized, loaded into police trucks, and the suspects were dragged out, their faces twisted in defeat. The tension eased, but Maddox didn't relax. Even as the dust settled, he remained vigilant, his gaze sweeping the warehouse to make sure nothing was missed.

Finally, when the last of the suspects were taken into custody, Maddox stood back, wiping the sweat from his brow. Riley watched as his shoulders rose and fell, the adrenaline still coursing through him. He caught her staring, and for a brief moment, their eyes met. He gave a slight nod, the closest thing to approval she'd seen from him in weeks.

____________________________________________________

The tension of the sting still buzzed in Riley's veins as the patrol car rolled through the quieter streets of the city. Luke Maddox sat next to her, his usual stony expression glued to the road. Riley's thoughts kept drifting back to the warehouse—how Maddox had moved like a predator, controlled and precise. She hadn't seen him fight like that before, disarming that guy like it was nothing. His shoulder muscles had tensed, shifting under his vest as he pinned the suspect to the ground. There was power there, real power, but it wasn't just physical strength—it was the way he commanded every situation with calm intensity, keeping everything under control.

She had to admit, for all the times Maddox pissed her off, he was damn good at what he did.

As they drove, something caught Riley's eye—a tiny figure struggling under the weight of multiple grocery bags, wobbling slowly down the sidewalk. An elderly woman, clearly carrying too much. Without thinking, Riley's hand shot out and smacked the dashboard.

"Stop the car," she said abruptly, her voice sharp.

Maddox's brow furrowed. "What?"

"Just stop the car!" she demanded, unbuckling her seatbelt as the car came to a sudden halt.

She flung the door open and jumped out before he could question her further. Maddox sighed and watched her jog over to the old woman, his curiosity piqued.

The old lady looked startled as Riley approached. "Ma'am, let me help you with those," Riley said, gently taking two of the heavy bags from her hands.

"Oh dear, you're a lifesaver," the old woman replied, visibly relieved. "I didn't think these groceries were so heavy when I bought them."

"Where are you headed?" Riley asked with a warm smile.

"Just a couple of doors down," the old woman replied, pointing to a small house on the corner. "My grandkids were supposed to help, but...you know how kids are these days."

Riley chuckled. "Yeah, I can imagine. Let me get these inside for you."

Maddox watched from the car, frowning. He leaned back against the seat, his gaze flicking between Riley and the old woman. He wasn't sure what he'd expected when she demanded he stop, but this wasn't it. Riley was usually all fire and edge, constantly pushing back against him. Yet here she was, patiently helping an old woman with groceries, chatting with her like they were old friends.

He felt something tug at him—something he wasn't used to.

Riley carried the bags to the woman's porch and helped her set them inside, even making sure the door was latched properly before she left. As she returned to the car, Maddox's eyes lingered on her, watching the way her demeanor softened as she waved to the woman.

Just as she reached the car, Maddox caught sight of a group of kids playing soccer in the street nearby. Their ball had bounced close to where he stood, and one of the kids, a little girl, gave him a hopeful look.

"Can you kick it back, mister?" she asked.

Maddox hesitated for a moment, then his stern expression softened. With a quick kick, he sent the ball rolling smoothly back to the group of kids. They cheered, and one of the boys waved at him with a big grin. Maddox couldn't help but chuckle under his breath.

Riley approached just in time to catch the exchange. She raised an eyebrow, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Wow, Maddox. Didn't know you were a big softie," she teased.

Maddox shrugged, but his eyes held a rare glint of warmth. "Everyone's got a weakness, right?"

Riley smirked as she climbed back into the passenger seat. "Guess so."

The moment lingered, a strange quiet settling over them. For the first time in a while, Riley didn't feel like she had to be on guard with Maddox. He wasn't barking orders, wasn't lecturing her—he was just a guy kicking a ball back to some kids.

But the calm didn't last. As Luke pulled the squad car away from the curb, Riley's eyes fell on a folder lying in between the seats. Her name was printed across the front in bold letters. Her stomach dropped.

"What the hell is this?" she muttered, reaching down for it. She flipped through the file, her anger rising with each page.

Maddox didn't look at her, his knuckles tight on the steering wheel. He didn't deny it. "Your background."

"You ran a background check on me?" Riley's voice sharpened, her heart pounding. She felt like the wind had been knocked out of her.

Maddox kept his eyes on the road, his jaw tight. "I did."

"And you didn't think to tell me? It didn't occur to you that you could have just asked me?" Her voice was rising, her pulse thudding in her ears.

"I didn't need to tell you," Maddox shot back, his tone cold and matter-of-fact. "I needed to know what kind of liability I was working with."

"Liability?" Riley's hands clenched around the folder. "You think I'm a liability because of my family?"

Maddox finally glanced at her, his expression hard. "You come from a crime family, Torres. Your brothers were dealers. Your father's got a rap sheet as long as my arm. You think that doesn't matter?"

Riley's hands were shaking, but she refused to back down. "I am not my family."

"No," Maddox said, his voice low and dangerous. "But you carry their baggage, whether you like it or not."

Her temper flared, hot and fast. "I became a cop because I wanted to get away from that, to do something good! I'm not responsible for what my brothers do, or what my father does!"

Maddox slammed his hand against the steering wheel, his control finally slipping. "You don't get it, do you? This isn't just about you. This job—this force—it's a family too. And in this family, liabilities get people killed. If I can't trust you to keep your head straight, you're putting all of us at risk."

Riley's throat tightened. "So that's it? I'm just a risk to you? Is that what this is? What, you think I'm going to become a rat?"

Maddox stared ahead, his jaw clenched. "It's not personal, Torres. It's reality. You've got a chip on your shoulder, and that's a problem in this line of work."

Riley's blood was boiling now. "You have no idea what I've been through."

"I know enough," he snapped. "You think you're the only one with a messed-up past? The only one carrying scars? You think that gives you a free pass to defy orders or act like you're bulletproof?"

Riley glared at him, her anger and hurt bubbling over. "I didn't ask for any of this, Maddox. I didn't ask for my brothers to be criminals or for my father to be a drunk. And I certainly didn't ask for my younger brother- my only friend- to get killed in the middle of it all. But I'm here, aren't I? I'm trying to make something of myself, and all you can see is my family."

"Because that's all there is!" Maddox shouted, his voice raw. "I can't ignore where you come from, Torres. That's the first rule of survival in this job—knowing who you're working with. Knowing who's got your back."

Riley couldn't take it anymore. As they pulled up to a stop sign, she threw open the door and stepped out, slamming it behind her. The cold night air hit her like a slap, but she didn't care.

"Where the hell are you going?" Maddox angrily called after her.

"Back to the station," she snapped, starting down the sidewalk.

Maddox pulled the car alongside her, his voice hard. "In this neighborhood? This is a rough area. It's gonna take you an hour to walk back, if you make it at all. Get in the damn car."

Riley scoffed. "I grew up a block from here. I know exactly what kind of neighborhood this is. Did your background check not tell you that?" Her footsteps quickened.

"Riley!" Maddox barked, his voice sharp with frustration. "You're being ridiculous. Get back in the car."

But Riley didn't stop. She stormed down the street, her anger propelling her forward, her pulse pounding in her ears. She heard the rumble of the car engine beside her, but she refused to look at him.

Maddox cursed under his breath, driving at a snail's pace to keep up with her. "You're not proving anything by doing this."

"I don't need to prove anything to you," she growled, her eyes fixed straight ahead.

Maddox kept the car crawling beside her the entire way, refusing to leave her out there alone. Riley didn't slow down, her rage burning hotter with every step.

Forty-five minutes later, when they finally reached the station, Maddox climbed out of his cruiser and called after her. "Are you happy now?"

Riley ignored him and continued storming towards the entrance. She was officially done with Luke Maddox.