Chapter 1
MEMORIES AND SAFETY
The applause came first.
Loud. Overwhelming. Endless.
It echoed through the hall as cameras flashed in rapid succession, capturing the moment from every angle. The weight of it all pressed against Amari Cross as she stepped forward, her heels clicking softly against the polished floor.
“Commissioner Amari Cross,of the Violent Crimes Division.”
The title settled over her like something both earned and heavy.
A badge was placed in her hand,cool, solid, real.
For a second, she just stared at it.
Then she looked up.
Flashing lights.
Crowds.
Expectations.
And suddenly
Memories.
Her father’s voice.
Strong. Steady. Unshakable.
Deputy Chief Adam Vance had been a man of principles, of law, of justice, of unwavering belief in doing what was right, no matter the cost.
She had inherited that from him.
His fire.
His discipline.
His refusal to bend.
“You’re going to be better than me, Mari,” he had told her once, pride shining in his eyes. “And when you graduate, we’ll clean this city up together.”
She had believed him.
God, she had believed him.
Then came that night.
The knock on the door.
The silence that followed.
The words that shattered everything.
Your father is dead.
He had been working a case.
A big one.
“Prominent people are going down for this,” he had told her just days before. “Once I get the evidence, it’s over for them.”
But he never got the chance.
Three months before her graduation
He was gone.
Just like that.
The memory hit harder than the applause ever could.
She could still feel it, the way her world had collapsed, the way she had broken down in Raya’s arms the next day.
Raya.
Gerald had been there too.
The three of them were inseparable at the academy. Raya training to be a detective, Gerald pushing through alongside them.
They had held her together when she couldn’t hold herself.
But a month later
Raya vanished.
No trace.
No answers.
Nothing.
And that… that had broken her all over again.
If Gerald hadn’t been there
She might not have made it through.
The applause faded into the background.
Her chest tightened, emotions rising too fast, too sharp
Her phone buzzed.
The sound snapped her back.
She glanced down.
Forever ❤️:
You got this, baby. I am so proud of you. I love you.
Her breath caught.
Everett.
A small, soft smile touched her lips.
Her anchor.
The one who had found her in pieces and never once asked her to be whole before loving her. The one who stayed. Who chose her, every single day.
Her husband.
She wished he was here.
But even if he wasn’t
She knew him.
He was watching.
Somewhere behind one of those cameras, behind a screen, behind the distance
His eyes would be on her.
Full of pride.
Full of love.
Just like always.
Amari lifted her head, her gaze steadying as she looked straight into the cameras.
She pictured him.
And just like that
She found herself again.
She stepped up to the podium.
Took a breath.
And began.
“You can count on me.”
Her voice was clear. Firm. Unwavering.
“I will deliver justice. I will not allow those who harm others to walk free. This position is not something I take lightly.”
Her fingers curled slightly against the edge of the podium.
“I have seen what happens when good people are lost… when justice is delayed, or worse denied.”
A pause.
Something deeper flickered in her eyes.
“That ends now.”
The room stilled.
“Under my leadership, we will pursue the truth—relentlessly. And we will make this city safer. Not just for today… but for the future.”
Her voice softened slightly but the strength remained.
“Justice will prevail.”
The applause returned.
Louder this time.
Stronger.
And as she stood there, taking it in, she thought about everything it had taken to get here
The sleepless nights.
The endless hours.
The sacrifices.
The time away from Everett.
They had been married for over a year now and through it all, he had never wavered. Never complained. Never made her choose.
He had only ever supported her.
Believed in her.
Loved her.
She stepped down from the podium, greeted instantly by a sea of hands, cameras, and congratulations.
She smiled. Shook hands. Took photos.
And then
“Captain Cross.”
She turned.
Gerald.
A familiar face in the chaos.
Pride was written all over his expression.
“You did it,” he said, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Your dad would’ve been proud.”
Her chest tightened.
“And Raya,” he added gently.
She smiled, softer this time.
“Thank you.”
They took a few pictures together, the moment captured in flashes of light.
“We should celebrate,” Gerald said. “This is a big deal.”
Amari let out a quiet laugh, shaking her head.
“I am,” she said, a knowing glint in her eyes. “Just… not with you.”
He raised a brow.
“Oh?”
She gave him a small wink.
“Personal plans.”
Gerald rolled his eyes, already catching on.
“Of course you do.”
Before he could say more, someone called his name from across the room.
“Duty calls,” he muttered, stepping back. “Don’t disappear on me, Captain.”
“No promises,” she teased lightly.
The evening air was cooler as she stepped outside.
Quieter.
For the first time all day, she could breathe.
She slipped into her car, the door shutting out the noise of the world.
And then
She pulled out her phone.
Amari: Did you watch?
A reply came almost instantly.
Forever ❤️: Always.
Her smile deepened.
Amari: I’ll be home in 30 minutes.
A pause.
Then
Forever ❤️: Okay, my love. See you soon.
Her fingers lingered on the screen for just a second longer before she set the phone aside.
Then she started the car.
And drove home
To him.
