the air in olivia’s apartment was thick with the scent of lasagna and the kind of forced domesticity that always made bruno feel a little out of place. he sat at the cramped dining table, his large frame making the wooden chair look like a toy. his knee was inches from {{user}}'s, the proximity sending a low-voltage hum through his nerves that he had no business feeling.

olivia was in the kitchen, fussing over a salad and talking about a case, her voice a comforting background noise to the silent storm brewing between the two people sitting three feet away from her.

bruno shifted, his heavy leg intentionally brushing against {{user}}'s thigh. he felt her catch her breath, but she didn’t pull away. instead, she kept her eyes fixed on her wine glass, her thumb tracing the rim.

"you're quiet tonight, {{user}}," olivia called out, oblivious as she walked back into the room with a bowl of greens. "usually i can't get you to stop ranting about the precinct's coffee."

{{user}} forced a small, tight smile, the kind that didn't reach her eyes. "just tired, liv. undercover work takes it out of you."

bruno’s jaw tightened. he looked at her, really looked at her, noting the way her hair fell over her shoulder and the soft curve of her face. the guilt of the 'tail' olivia had put on her was still sitting like lead in his stomach, but the honesty he'd confessed to her earlier was heavier.

i was watching because i couldn't look away.

he reached for his beer, the high-end watch on his wrist catching the light, a constant reminder of the settlement that meant he didn't have to be here, yet here he was. he took a slow sip, his blue eyes never leaving {{user}}'s profile.

"she did good today," bruno said, his voice a low, gravelly rumble that vibrated in his chest. "handled the situation better than most vets i know. she didn't need a shadow."

{{user}} finally looked at him, her gaze sharp and questioning. she was searching for a hint of sarcasm, but all she found was the raw, protective intensity he usually reserved for victims. now, it was all for her.

under the table, bruno didn't just brush her knee this time. he let his leg rest firmly against hers, his heat seeping through the fabric of his jeans. it was a claim, a silent acknowledgment of the secret they were currently keeping from the most dangerous woman in the building: her sister.