Everyone in Mid-Wilshire knows Officer Tim Bradford is a wall-hard, unyielding, and impossible to climb. They think he's breaking Officer Lucy Chen because she's a "hot shot" rookie. They don't know that Lucy is already breaking. Between a boyfriend who is slowly stealing her light and a secret night with her TO that could end both their careers, Lucy is starving for a way out. When the truth finally bleeds through her uniform, Tim has to decide: follow the rules he lives by, or burn the world down to save the one person who finally saw behind his wall.

On a board filled with traps, two sides wage a dangerous battle beneath the façade of a public alliance between nations. On one side stands Tim Bradford, the newest recruit of the U.S. Intelligence Department, though nothing about him screams rookie. At forty years old, he's been a cadet, a squad leader, a police officer, and a sergeant. Now, a hardened spy, thrown into a world where one wrong move means death. On the other, Lucy Chen - the trusted right hand of the most powerful Russian crime syndicate. A girl whose past everyone judges to know. And Tim's mission. There is no loyalty strong enough. No lie safe enough. Only one can survive. And falling in love might be the deadliest move of all. Buckle up. The game is about to begin. | i also post this on AO3 |

When Lucy Chen transfers to Mid-Wilshire, she never expects to come face-to-face with the man she once shared an unforgettable summer with - Tim Bradford. Old sparks resurface, buried feelings ignite, and what starts as tension soon turns into a slow-burn journey of love, laughter, and second chances. Through flirtation, friendship, and the challenges of life in and out of uniform, Tim and Lucy discover that some connections are meant to last forever - no matter how much time has passed.

Chris and Lucy are over, as are Tim and Ashley. The only right thing to do is console one another, correct? Except, their consoling moments soon become more significant and constant, and eventually, one thing leads to another.

Lucy's life looks perfect from the outside, but behind closed doors, fear is her constant companion. Trapped in an abusive relationship with her boyfriend Chris, she's suffocating under the weight of controle, manipulation, and violence. Every day is a battle to survive, to hide the scars, both seen and unseen. But everything changes when Lucy becomes the new rookie of Tim Bradford. As their paths interwine, Lucy discovers that strength isn't just about surviving, it's about finding the courage to heal, even when the past refuses to let go.