Obsessed

Chapter 13

The precinct was quiet on Sundays. Phones rang less. The tension that normally buzzed in the walls had dulled to a sleepy hum. A skeleton crew handled the shifts, most of them lounging in break rooms or finishing paperwork with one eye on the clock.

In the break room, the smell of fresh coffee mingled with warm bagels and sugary donuts. A group of female detectives and officers had claimed the round table near the window, casually trading stories and laughing over a few well-worn jokes. Ronnie walked in, tucking her hair behind her ear as she made a beeline for the coffee machine.

As she poured herself a cup, her eyes still bleary from reading case files late into the night, she heard her name.

“Ronnie,” Detective Lexi called out. “Come join us! We were just talking about the horrors of booking perverts and sugar-shock donuts.”

Ronnie hesitated, clutching her mug with both hands. She wasn’t used to being invited into social circles—especially not the casual, gossipy ones. But something about the warm laughter made her feet shift toward the table.

She sat cautiously, offering a polite smile as the conversation resumed.

“…seriously, the guy had no pants and was covered in glitter. Said he was trying to summon a s*x demon,” Lexi said, raising her brows dramatically.

“Oh my God,” Officer Dana cackled, nearly spilling her coffee. “What is it with weirdos and glitter lately?”

“Maybe it’s like catnip for degenerates,” said another officer, grinning.

Ronnie sipped her coffee, smiling softly as she listened, the laughter around her warm and harmless.

Then the break room door opened.

Mark walked in.

Every woman in the room straightened just a little—some smoothing their shirts, others adjusting their hair or touching up their lipstick with subtle fingers. The shift in the room was almost comical.

Mark made his way to the counter, refilled his coffee, and stood for a second, scanning the contents of the table—bagels, cream cheese, donuts. His expression didn’t change.

“Good morning, Detective Marshalls,” Lexi said, batting her lashes.

Dana grinned, “Morning, Mark.”

He didn’t look at any of them. Just mumbled, “Morning,” his voice gravelly from lack of sleep, and turned to walk back out.

But before he reached the door, his eyes lifted—and locked with Ronnie’s.

It wasn’t long. Just a glance. But it held. Just enough for the corner of his mouth to tug upward, that subtle smile he never gave anyone else.

And then he was gone.

The door shut quietly behind him.

The women groaned.

“Ugh, I swear,” Lexi said, fanning herself with her hand. “Why is he so hot and so... unbothered?”

“It’s the quiet brooding ones,” Dana added. “You just know there’s a storm in there. A dark, sexy storm.”

“He’s like Batman with a badge,” someone whispered.

“He could handcuff me any day,” another laughed.

Ronnie nearly choked on her coffee.

They didn’t even notice.

“I saw him downstairs last week,” Lexi said, lowering her voice conspiratorially. “In the gym. Bench pressing like, five of me. He had his shirt off—”

“Wait,” Dana interrupted. “He works out in the precinct gym?”

“Oh yeah,” Lexi nodded, “Late nights. Alone. I only noticed because I dropped my water bottle and he picked it up. His biceps were like—ka-boom.”

The women howled in laughter, teasing and fanning themselves like teenagers.

Ronnie shook her head, unable to stop the smirk curling on her lips.

Lexi turned to her suddenly. “So, Ronnie. What’s it like working with him all the time? Does he say anything hot when no one else is around?”

Ronnie blinked, caught off guard. “Uh…”

“C’mon,” Dana nudged. “You’re his shadow lately. Anything steamy?”

Ronnie sipped her coffee, stalling. “I mean… he’s professional. Quiet.”

Lexi leaned closer. “But does he smell as good as he looks?”

Ronnie tried to hold her composure, but her mind betrayed her with a flicker of memory—Mark standing too close in the file room, the scent of musk and tobacco on his skin.

“He smells…” she paused, clearing her throat. “...like someone who doesn’t try, but still gets it right.”

A chorus of dreamy sighs erupted.

Lexi grinned. “You’ve definitely noticed.”

Ronnie blushed and buried her face in her coffee.

“Girl, don’t even lie,” Dana said, laughing. “You’ve got it bad.”

Before Ronnie could protest, her phone buzzed in her blazer pocket. She slipped it out and smiled when she saw the name on the screen.

THEO.

She stood up quickly, offering an apologetic smile. “I should take this.”

The women waved her off with winks and giggles.

Ronnie stepped out into the hallway, lifting the phone to her ear. “Hey, buddy.”

Theo’s voice came through bright and eager. “Ronnie, do you know what tonight is?”

She paused, pretending to think. “Tuesday?”

“No!” Theo huffed. “It’s Halloween!”

Ronnie smiled. “Oh, right! Silly me.”

“We’re still going trick-or-treating, right?”

“Of course we are,” she said. “Your costume’s all ready.”

There was a brief pause before Theo added, “Is Mark still coming?”

Ronnie’s smile softened. “Yep. He already said yes.”

“Awesome! He’s tall. We’ll get more candy.”

Ronnie chuckled. “That’s the plan.”

“Okay! I gotta go finish my mask. Love you, Ronnie!”

“Love you too, Theo.”

She hung up, still smiling to herself, and made her way down the hallway.

She found Mark in one of the empty briefing rooms, hunched over a file with a pen in his hand, brow furrowed.

He looked up as she entered. “Everything alright?”

Ronnie leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. “That was Theo. He wanted to make sure you’re still coming tonight.”

Mark gave a slow nod. “I said I would, didn’t I?”

“You did,” she said with a small smile. “Just letting you know you’ve got a fan.”

Mark raised an eyebrow. “Only one?”

Ronnie smirked. “He’s just louder than the rest.”

Mark gave a rare grin, and Ronnie felt her chest flutter.

She cleared her throat and added, “We’ll be heading out around six. I’ll text you when we’re about to leave. Or you can just meet us at our house.”

“Give me the address,” Mark said, flipping a page in the file but clearly listening.

Ronnie told him, and he jotted it down on the margin of the paper.

“I’ll be there.”

She nodded, then hesitated. “You sure? You’ve already done a lot…”

Mark looked up at her, voice firm. “I told you. You’re not going anywhere alone.”

Their eyes met again. Something unspoken passed between them—an understanding, a quiet promise.

Ronnie offered a soft smile, then backed out of the room.

As she disappeared down the hall, Mark leaned back in the chair, tapping the address with the end of his pen, a ghost of a smile still on his lips.