Page 26 of Under Her Command

Collins hesitated. “Enough to check it out.”

Victoria’s fingers tightened around her pen. “Get me the details. I want surveillance in place before we make a move.”

“Already in motion,” Collins confirmed. Then, after a pause, “You want Torres on this?”

A muscle in Victoria’s jaw twitched.

Torres.

The name alone sent a ripple of something unwanted through her.

“She’s on it,” Victoria said, voice clipped. “Brief her when she gets in.”

Collins didn’t say anything at first, then let out a low chuckle. “You know, if you wanted an excuse to put her on another late-night assignment with you, you could’ve just said so.”

Victoria’s grip on the pen nearly snapped it in half. “Get me the damned report, Collins.”

Collins laughed outright this time. “Copy that, Captain.”

Victoria hung up with more force than necessary.

Control.

She needed control.

She spent the next two hours drowning in casework,pretendingshe had control.

Emails. Surveillance reports. A check-in with forensics.

She moved through it all with the detached efficiency that had earned her a reputation for being unshakable. If anyone noticed the way her jaw was locked tighter than usual, or the wayher fingers tapped impatiently against the desk between tasks, they had the sense not to mention it.

But then Jackie Sampson had to go and ruin it.

“You good, Captain?” she asked as she passed her office door, coffee in hand.

Victoria didn’t look up. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

Sampson lingered in the doorway. “I don’t know. Just seems like you’ve been… tense today.”

Victoria finally met her gaze, her expression unreadable. “You have a report to file, Detective?”

She held up her hands. “All right, all right. Just checking.” She turned to leave but hesitated. “For what it’s worth, I think Torres is good for you.”

Victoria froze.

Sampson didn’t wait for a reply. She just gave a knowing smirk and disappeared down the hallway.

Victoria sat there, staring at the empty doorway, heart hammering against her ribs.

People were noticing.

That wasunacceptable.

She shoved back from her desk, pacing the office like a caged animal.

This wasn’t supposed to happen. This wasn’t how she operated. She was supposed to be in control, above reproach, untouchable. That was how she’d built her career, how she’d survived in a job that didn’t allow weakness.

And yet?—