Baby I'm Yours (MxM)

CHAPTER THREE: His Face

Roman sat at his desk, the dim light of his desk lamp casting long shadows across the piles of case files. The seemingly random string of murders had everyone at the FBI stumped, and as the newest recruit, Roman had been handed the unenviable task of making sense of it all. His dark eyes, intense and focused, scanned the documents once more, searching for a pattern, a clue—anything that would break the case wide open.

Frustration gnawed at him. He needed a fresh perspective, someone who could see things he couldn't. Someone he could trust. He knew exactly who to turn to, though the thought sent a pang through his heart.

Ian.

Ian Reynolds was a name that stirred memories Roman had tried to bury. They had met years ago, their connection instant and electric, but life and duty had pulled them apart. Ian, with his razor-sharp mind and unparalleled skills as a computer hacker, had always been the one to see the world in code and numbers, where Roman saw it in rules and order.

With a sigh, Roman grabbed his coat and headed out into the night, the cool air hit him- a welcome relief from the stifling confines of his office. He walked briskly, the city lights blurring past him as he made his way to Ian's apartment.

When he arrived, he hesitated for a moment before knocking. The door opened almost immediately, and there he was—Ian, with his short curly black hair, darker toned skin, and piercing brown eyes that seemed to see right through him.

"Roman," Ian said, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Long time no see."

"Hey, Ian. I—uh, I need your help," Roman replied, his voice betraying a hint of the vulnerability he felt.

Ian stepped aside, gesturing for Roman to enter. The apartment was just as Roman remembered—cluttered with computer parts and screens, the glow of various monitors illuminating the room in a soft, blue light.

"Sure, what's up?" Ian asked, his tone casual but his eyes curious.

Roman handed him the case file. "I'm working on these murders. They seem random, but I think there's a connection we're missing. I need to see the hotel footage from the night of Senator Whitman's murder."

Ian raised an eyebrow, flipping through the file with practiced ease. "Hotel footage, huh? That shouldn't be too hard. Give me a few minutes."

Roman watched as Ian sat down at his main computer, fingers flying across the keyboard. He couldn't help but be mesmerized by the way Ian moved, so confident and sure of himself. It was a stark contrast to the uncertainty Roman felt about the case—and about seeing Ian again.

"Got it," Ian said, breaking Roman's reverie. "Let's take a look."

The footage played on the screen, showing the lobby of the Rosewood Hotel. Roman's heart raced as he watched, hoping for something, anything, that would give them a lead.

Hours and hours of watching boring hotel footage, scanning for something or someone suspicious; and then they saw him—a man with blonde hair, a sharp jawline, and an air of dangerous allure. He moved with a predatory grace, his eyes scanning the room with a cold, calculated intensity.

Ian paused the footage, zooming in on the man's face. "There. That's our guy."

Roman leaned in closer, his breath catching in his throat. The image was crystal clear, capturing every detail of the man's features. He was strikingly handsome, in a way that sent a shiver down Roman's spine. But it was more than just his looks—it was the intensity in his eyes, the way he seemed to command the space around him.

"Who is he?" Roman whispered, almost to himself.

Ian turned to face him, his expression serious. "Whoever he is, he's dangerous. But now we have a face to go with the name. This could be the break you needed."

Roman nodded, tearing his gaze away from the screen. "Thank you, Ian. I couldn't have done this without you, if you could try to see if his face exists with a name on the internet that would be amazing"

Ian smiled, a soft, wistful look in his eyes. "Of course and anytime Roman, you know that."

As Roman made his way back to the office, the image of the mysterious assassin lingered in his mind. He had a face now. But there was something else, something deeper that tugged at Roman's heart. He knew he was drawn to the man. even if it was against every rule and instinct he had.

And as he thought of Ian, the warmth of their shared history, the comfort of their friendship, he couldn't help but feel a pang of regret for what might have been. But there was no time for second-guessing. Roman had a job to do, a killer to catch. And he would do whatever it took to bring the man to justice, even if it meant confronting the most dangerous man he'd ever encountered.

Little did he know, the lines between duty and desire were about to blur in ways he could never have imagined.