Shadows of Redemption

Major Crimes Detective Matthew "Matt" Cross has spent his life protecting others. A decorated former U.S. Army Special Operations Staff Sergeant, Matt returned home after years of combat carrying physical scars, survivor's guilt over the loss of his best friend, and the lingering heartbreak of losing his first love, Kaitlyn Thomas. Believing their relationship had ended because of a misunderstanding too painful to revisit, he buried himself in military service and later law enforcement, determined to find purpose in protecting those who could no longer protect themselves.

Now one of the city's most respected detectives, Matt's carefully ordered life is disrupted when internationally bestselling author Kaitlyn Thomas returns home for the first stop of her nationwide book tour. Their reunion is bittersweet, forcing both of them to confront unresolved feelings and the painful truth behind the misunderstanding that tore them apart nearly two decades earlier.

But Kaitlyn's return brings far more than old memories.

Her abusive ex-boyfriend-and the biological father of her five-year-old son, Carson-has become dangerously obsessed with reclaiming the life he believes belongs to him. As his harassment escalates into stalking, intimidation, and violence, Matt is assigned to lead the investigation and protect the woman he never truly stopped loving.

As the threats grow increasingly personal, Matt finds himself balancing his duty as a detective with his desire to keep Kaitlyn and Carson safe. Together they uncover a web of manipulation, lies, and obsession that reaches far beyond a single stalker, forcing Matt to confront both his past and the guilt that has haunted him since the battlefield.

While danger closes in, Matt slowly becomes the father figure Carson has never had, and Kaitlyn begins to see the man Matt has become-a man whose faith, courage, and unwavering commitment to others never wavered despite the hardships he endured. Their second chance at love blossoms am