The bullpen was already buzzing when Alex walked in.Officers leaned across desks, coffee in hand, tossing yesterday’s gossip like poker chips. Phones rang, radios hummed, and somewhere in the corner, someone was laughing way too hard at a bad joke. Typical morning chaos.Except this morning wasn’t typical—not for him.“Look who finally showed up,” Jenna’s voice rang out from behind her desk. His partner was leaning back in her chair, her boots resting on her drawer, and a half-full cup of black coffee balanced on her knee.“You miss me, or just enjoying the circus?” Alex muttered, walking toward his desk.Jenna grinned. “Both. Congrats, by the way. Five days ago, only those who kept tabs on the police department and ongoing investigations knew your name. Now? You’re trending right under a celebrity divorce.”Alex shot her a look. “Don’t start.”“I wouldn’t,” she said sweetly, then slid a tablet across the table with her boot. “But you might want to take a peek before the chief finds
The soft light from chandeliers lit up the restaurant, creating a cozy and elegant atmosphere. People chatted quietly as silverware clinked on fine china, soft jazz played in the background, and the delicious smells of grilled steak and aged wine filled the air around tables covered in clean white tablecloths.Alex Ramos adjusted his badge and checked his watch. Again.Across from him, his partner Jenna took another leisurely sip of her wine, clearly entertained by his impatience."Well, your matchmaking effort was a total waste today," Alex muttered, shooting her a look of mild irritation. "She isn’t here, so I should probably take my leave."Jenna rolled her eyes. "You’re impossible, you know that? Maybe she just got caught up in traffic.""Or maybe she wasn’t interested in a blind date with a detective.""Or maybe you should stop acting like this is a murder investigation and relax," Jenna countered. "God, no wonder you’re single."Alex exhaled through his nose, already regretting
"Everyone in position, Rafael?""Yes, Godmother."Ava Reed adjusted her black gloves as the dim city lights cast sharp shadows on her face. Dressed in all black with her long coat fluttering in the cool night air, she looked like a spy, an assassin, or even a ghost. Her dark-tinted glasses shielded her bright green eyes, but her cold, stiff posture left no doubt about who she was.She was The Godmother.From her vantage point on the rooftop of an adjacent building, she gazed down at the brightly lit minister’s office. The luxury suite on the top floor screamed power and wealth—evidence of the corruption she had come to cleanse.She flexed her fingers inside her gloves. Time to begin.With a single nod, she signaled Rafael. Within seconds, the plan was in motion.Ava watched as her men slipped inside the building. The security cameras blinked out and went offline. The power inside the minister’s suite was cut off remotely, forcing his guards to switch to backup generators. By the tim
Ava Reed’s Apartment – MidnightAva opened the front door and sighed as she took off her heels. She felt tired from the night, but she didn’t stop. She headed straight for Pearl’s room.The door was slightly ajar. As she stepped inside, her gaze softened.Pearl was curled up in bed, her dark curls sprawled across the pillow, her small hands tucked under her cheek. Peaceful. Innocent. Completely unaware that she had single-handedly turned her mother’s world upside down yet again.Ava clenched her jaw and let out a slow breath.This wasn’t the first time Pearl had asked for a dad.It wasn’t even the tenth.Pearl had been asking for a father for years. Always watching other kids with their dads, always sneaking hopeful glances at couples in restaurants.But this was the first time Pearl had taken matters into her own hands.Ava had given her everything—a life of luxury, safety, the best education. But she couldn’t give her that.She let out a slow breath and leaned against the doorframe.
Ava gripped the steering wheel, exhaling sharply. The car ride home had been quiet for the first five minutes, but she could feel Pearl glancing at her every few seconds.Finally, Pearl spoke. "So… what do you think about Mr. Ramos?"Ava didn’t take her eyes off the road. "I think you need to stop meddling in my life."Pearl huffed. "I had to. You weren’t doing anything about it."Ava shot her a look. "Because I don’t want to do anything about it.""But you should." Pearl leaned forward in her seat with a serious expression. "Mom, don’t you ever get lonely?"Ava’s fingers tightened around the wheel. "I have you. That’s all I need."Pearl sighed dramatically. "But I want you to be happy, too. And I think Mr. Alex is perfect."“Switching to first names already?” Ava rolled her eyes. "You barely know him, Pearl.""I know enough," Pearl said smugly. "I know he’s brave and smart, and he didn’t run away screaming when I asked him to be my dad."Ava pressed her lips together. "Yet."Pearl gi
Dinner began cordially.For all of ten minutes.The table was set with the finest china, the wine was aged to perfection, and the food was exquisite—Ava had to admit that, if nothing else, her mother knew how to host a dinner that screamed high society.But as soon as Eleanor Reed put her wine glass down and looked directly at Alex, the real conversation began.“So, Mr. Ramos,” Eleanor said calmly, placing her hands on the table. “What are your plans for my daughter?”Ava nearly choked on her wine. Oh, for the love of—Alex, on the other hand, merely smirked as if he’d been expecting the question. "Would it reflect badly on me if I said I don’t know and I’m still figuring that out?"Ava scoffed before her mother could respond. "He has no intentions.""He does.” Pearl beamed. “He just doesn’t know it yet."Ava shot her daughter a warning look. "Pearl."Pearl let out a dramatic sigh but then picked up her fork and took a bite of mashed potatoes—only to perk up a second later. "But Gran
“Do you want me to get rid of him, boss?”Ava was lost in her thoughts when a deep, familiar voice broke through. She turned to see Rafael Torres standing there, his dark suit making him look even more imposing in the dim light of the dining room. He filled the doorway with his broad shoulders, and his expression was as neutral as always. The scar on his jaw reminded everyone of the trouble that came with crossing him.Ava sighed, pressing her fingers to her temple. "Rafael, no. I don’t need you ‘getting rid’ of anyone."Rafael stepped closer, his boots clicking softly against the wooden floor. He stopped just a few feet away, crossing his arms. "I don’t like him. He’s a cop. A detective.""You don’t like anyone," Ava replied dryly, moving to pour herself another glass of wine.Rafael didn’t smile. He never did. "This one’s different."Ava sipped her wine, turning to face him fully. "Alex Ramos isn’t a threat. He’s nosy, sure, but Pearl likes him, and he hasn’t crossed any lines. Yet
Ava stared at the screen in front of her, a half-empty coffee cooling on the corner of her desk. The hospital had long since quieted for the night, but her mind was still wide awake.Alexander Ramos.His name sat at the top of the search bar. Ava had already run it through everything she had access to—legal databases, police logs, credential checks. Commendations. Internal Affairs. Community awards. Every single report came back clean.Too clean.She typed in a few case numbers, the ones she remembered catching news coverage over the last few years: high-risk operations, missing persons, and a trafficking sting that fizzled out. Ava traced the details again, one after the other. Alex’s name was there—lead detective, sometimes attached as a negotiator. And every single time, the outcome was the same.No arrests. No reports. Just… silence.Ava sat back in her chair, arms crossed. No family listed. No next of kin. Even that felt suspicious.A few union reps were on record backing him. A
The bullpen was already buzzing when Alex walked in.Officers leaned across desks, coffee in hand, tossing yesterday’s gossip like poker chips. Phones rang, radios hummed, and somewhere in the corner, someone was laughing way too hard at a bad joke. Typical morning chaos.Except this morning wasn’t typical—not for him.“Look who finally showed up,” Jenna’s voice rang out from behind her desk. His partner was leaning back in her chair, her boots resting on her drawer, and a half-full cup of black coffee balanced on her knee.“You miss me, or just enjoying the circus?” Alex muttered, walking toward his desk.Jenna grinned. “Both. Congrats, by the way. Five days ago, only those who kept tabs on the police department and ongoing investigations knew your name. Now? You’re trending right under a celebrity divorce.”Alex shot her a look. “Don’t start.”“I wouldn’t,” she said sweetly, then slid a tablet across the table with her boot. “But you might want to take a peek before the chief finds
“Answer the question, Ramos. Why did you kiss me?”Ava’s voice was sharp enough to cut steel, her arms crossed tightly over her chest.Alex leaned casually against the wall, looking maddeningly relaxed for a man who should be begging for his life.“It’s called selling the story, Doc,” he said with a shrug, the corner of his mouth lifting. “You want believable? That’s how you get it.”He looked utterly unbothered, like he hadn’t just thrown a grenade into their already precarious arrangement. “Making it believable,” he added, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.“That’s not believable—that’s reckless,” Ava snapped, every muscle in her body tense.He only leaned back further against the marble railing, exuding lazy confidence. “You didn’t seem to mind,” he said, tilting his head slightly.Ava glared daggers at him, her fingers curling into fists at her sides. “We agreed on public appearances,” she reminded him. “We didn’t agree on that.”Alex just shrugged one shoulder, comp
The Reed estate glittered under a thousand lights.The charity gala, on paper, was a fundraiser for children's hospitals. In reality, it was a declaration. Eleanor Reed had orchestrated every detail—flowers, music, the high-society guest list—all to showcase the newly engaged Dr. Ava Reed and Detective Alexander Ramos.The moment Alex and Ava stepped onto the marble floor, the room hushed, cameras flashing like a rainstorm.They were a picture.The city's favourite new power couple.If only it didn’t feel like playing Russian roulette.“You know this is insane, right?” Alex murmured out of the corner of his mouth, adjusting his cufflinks.“Smile,” Ava said through gritted teeth, her hand looping through his arm. “Or I’m stabbing you with this heel.”He let out a soft chuckle. “Kinky. But you’re actually the one with the scowl,” Alex said quietly, barely moving his lips.Ava tilted her champagne glass toward her lips. “I’m not scowling.”He grinned. “You are. Smile. Pretend I’m charmi
Ava resisted the urge to glare at her daughter. Barely.Pearl stood a few feet away, holding up her tablet like a director on a chaotic movie set. Her hair was pulled into two messy buns, and she was wearing sunglasses bigger than her face, acting like she was Spielberg reborn. "Smile, Mom! You look like you’re about to perform surgery, not announce you’re in love!"Alex stood awkwardly next to Ava, adjusting the cuffs of his navy blazer as if it were the jacket's fault he was being forced into this madness."This is ridiculous," Ava muttered under her breath.He leaned down slightly, his mouth almost brushing her ear. "You agreed to this.""Under duress."He chuckled. "Still counts."Pearl clapped her hands. "Less whispering, more smiling! You’re in love, remember?"Ava turned her head slightly, giving Alex a look that would’ve sent most grown men running. He just smirked.Great. He was getting good at surviving her death glares.The house staff buzzed behind them as they tried (and
Alex hadn’t expected to feel like the bad guy.Not when he hadn’t done anything. Not when he hadn’t even touched Isabella. But that didn’t matter—not to Ava. Not to Pearl.And it sure as hell didn’t matter to the silence that followed him all the way back from that stupid restaurant.He hadn’t stopped thinking about the look Ava gave him, like he was a stranger. Like everything between them—however weird, however fake, even though there wasn’t anything real in the first place—had evaporated in a blink.And Pearl? Her words, then the silence that followed? That was worse.That silence stayed with him.He took some time to really think about everything. He felt bad about hurting Pearl, but this situation could actually help him dodge the engagement with Isabella.If he went along with Ava and Pearl’s plan, it might get his dad off his back. He’d be pissed, that was for sure.At least he'd be with someone who actually interested him instead of someone who annoyed him. Now he needed to fi
She showed up like a storm in stilettos.Alex had just picked up his fork when a smooth, playful voice came from behind him. It had that familiar De Luca charm that always hinted at mischief.“Well, well. The city’s favourite detective. Eating alone? That’s not like you.”Alex looked up. “Isabella.”She was wearing a cream silk dress under a fur-trimmed coat, sunglasses perched on top of her head like a crown.Alex set his fork down. “You’re not supposed to be here.”She slid into the chair across from him, crossing her legs like she owned the place. “Relax. No one knows we’re together.”“We’re not together,” Alex said under his breath.She tilted her head. “Really? Because your father seems to think otherwise.”Alex pinched the bridge of his nose. “Isabella—”“You’re Detective Ramos,” she interrupted, tapping her perfectly manicured nails on the table. “And I’m just some gorgeous woman having lunch with you. Maybe your new fiancée.”Alex’s jaw clenched. “Isabella.”She smirked. “Don’t
“Ready to start the night?” he asked, flashing that too-easy smile of his.Ava gave him a slow blink and lifted her wine glass. “You’re late.”“Traffic,” he said smoothly. “You’d be amazed how many people think rush hour’s over by eight.”Ava hummed. “How tragic.”The waiter approached with a bottle of red. Ava nodded absently, barely listening to what he said after that. Her arm throbbed beneath the sleeve of her dress, right where the bullet had grazed it.She shifted slightly, trying not to wince as she leaned forward. Alex didn’t seem to notice. Good.The wine helped. A little.The waiter returned to take their order. Ava went with something small—nothing too messy, nothing too heavy. She didn’t trust her hurried stitches to hold through a full course, not with the pulsing burn along her side.Still, she forced herself to sit straight, mask perfect.Dinner began with awkward silence, followed by the safe topics.“So,” he said as the first course arrived, “it’s kind of cooler than i
Alex’s phone buzzed on the dashboard.Pearl: Are you back from work? You should be getting ready for your date with my mom.He smirked. “Date,” he muttered to no one. It had been an unexpected request, but Ava had reached out to him to see if they could have dinner, and well… he hadn’t said no.His hands tightened on the steering wheel as he took the next turn. “God, if only she knew.”Another buzz.Pearl: Don’t make her wait. I like you and want you as my new dad, so… don’t ruin this.Alex: I will try my best…He didn’t add the rest: to crash this deal and return just in time for the dinner date.He tossed the phone into the passenger seat and pulled onto the overpass, slowing as his contact’s text came through.Rico: Warehouse 12, dockside. Twenty minutes. The La Rosa shipment is moving. Word is that the Godmother herself is coming in.Alex leaned back in the seat, his heart ticking faster. If that was true—if she was really going to be there—this could be more than just a surveillan
“Confirm your engagement.”Ava blinked. “To who?”Her mom’s lips curled up as she replied. “Detective Ramos.”Ava stared at her. “That’s— Are you serious?”“As cancer.”“You want me to fake a relationship. Publicly. And not to anyone, but to a detective.”“Why fake it?” she shrugged. “The man is attractive. And you’re clearly… interested.”“Interested in finding out if he’s a risk to my daughter, yes.”“Isn’t that what all relationships are?” she mused. “Risk assessments in pretty packaging?”Ava got to her feet. “This is insane.”“No, darling. They are. The board. The donors. The gossip hounds. They’re insane if they think they can back you into a corner. You’ve always been at your best when they underestimate you.”Ava paced, dragging a hand through her hair. “Even if I wanted to pull something like that—which I don’t—I barely know the man. We’ve spoken twice. This isn’t a game.”“And yet the world’s already playing it,” she said. “You’re trending. They’ve already written the love st