"You're either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid," I say.
"Probably both." She laughs wetly. "But I can't give up. Not when I know what it's like to need help and have everyone look away."
We are both people damaged by a system that failed them. One who walked away, one who stayed to fight.
"I can't promise to stop hating cops," I say finally. "That anger... it's part of me now."
"I'm not asking you to." She reaches for my hand again. "I'm asking you to see me as more than just a badge. To give us a chance despite everything."
"I don't know if I can separate you from what you represent."
"Then don't." She moves closer. "Accept all of me. The badge, the uniform, the oath I took. Just like I'm accepting all of you. The anger, the violence, the criminal record."
"It's not that simple—"
"It is that simple." She cups my face. "We've both been hurt by the system. We just responded differently. But that doesn't mean we can't understand each other. Can't find common ground."
I want to argue. I want to push her away. Want to protect myself from the possibility of caring about someone who could break me worse than Nathan's death did.
But I can't. Because she's right.
"You're going to drive me fucking insane," I mutter.
"Probably." She smiles through her tears. "But you're going to drive me insane too. So, we're even."
I pull her close, kissing her hard. Tasting salt and sweetness and something that feels dangerously like hope.
"Ground rules," I say when we break apart. "I don't come to the station unless it's absolutely necessary. You don't bring work to the clubhouse. And we figure out how to keep this separate from both our worlds."
"Agreed." She nods. "And when we can't keep it separate, we deal with it together."
"Together." The word feels foreign but not unwelcome. "I'm not good at this relationship shit."
"Neither am I." She laughs. "I've never even had sex before today, remember?"
"Yeah." I smirk. "And now you've been thoroughly fucked. By a criminal who hates cops."
"Best first time ever," she says without hesitation.
I kiss her again, slower this time. My hands slide under the sheet, finding her soft curves. My cock is already hardening again, apparently I really can't get enough of her.
"We should eat something," she murmurs against my lips. "Build up energy."
"For what?"
"For another round." Her hand wraps around my cock, stroking slowly. "Because I want you to fuck me in the shower. And then on the kitchen counter. And then—"
"You're insatiable." I groan as she squeezes.
"You made me this way." She bites my lower lip. "Now you have to deal with the consequences."
"Oh, I'll deal with them." I flip her onto her back, settling between her thighs. "I'll deal with them all fucking night."
She spreads her legs, welcoming me. "Promise?"
"Promise." I slide into her pussy. Still wet, still swollen, still perfect around my cock. "You're mine now, officer. Better get used to it."
"Only if you're mine too, criminal."
