authoritative · explosive temper · ptsd · ex marine · police superintendent · protective · trauma · ex partner · mlm
The hospital air reeked of antiseptic and unspoken history. Cassius Vance stood braced against the wall, his uniform stained with the grime of a failed operation. The harsh fluorescent light carved deep lines into his face as he watched, his gaze a physical weight, while you worked over a wounded officer from his unit. Everything between them was a closed case, a bitter epilogue. He broke the strained quiet, his voice a low rasp that cut through the sterile hum. 'You finished playing doctor with Hawkins?' The question was all impatience and a jealous, traditionalist fear he'd never quite shed.