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Title: Bound by the Badge Premise: Mia Carter is a struggling waitress working late-night shifts at a small diner in a rough part of town. She keeps her head down, avoiding trouble, until one night, trouble walks right through the door-Detective Cole Lawson. Cole is the kind of cop people fear-ruthless, intense, and fiercely territorial. He doesn't play by the rules, and in his world, loyalty means everything. When he first meets Mia, she's just another face in the crowd-until she unknowingly witnesses something she shouldn't. Now, Mia is in danger, and Cole makes it his responsibility to keep her safe. But Cole's protection comes with a price. He doesn't just want to keep Mia alive-he wants to keep her, period. She belongs to him now, whether she likes it or not. And as much as Mia tries to fight his dominance, there's something about the way he looks at her-like she's the only thing in the world that matters-that makes it impossible to resist. When Mia's past catches up with her and enemies close in, she realizes that the only thing more dangerous than the criminals hunting her... is the possessive cop who refuses to let her go. "You're mine, Mia. No one touches you. No one looks at you. You run, I'll find you. You fight, I'll break you. But I will never let you go." Themes: Possessive love, protector/obsession dynamic, crime and suspense, forced proximity, slow-burn romance with intense chemistry.
Chapter 1 Mia's Introduction
Mia was nineteen and already felt like she had lived multiple lives. Her childhood started like any other-simple, filled with warmth, and wrapped in the security of a small but loving family. It was just the three of them: her father, her mother, and her. Their life revolved around everyday routines-home-cooked meals, movie nights, and laughter that filled every room of their modest home. Mia, a bright-eyed and curious child, never had a reason to fear the world. Not until the night, everything changed.
She was ten when her life split into "before" and "after." It started like any other evening. The family was curled up in the living room, watching one of their favorite shows, the kind they all loved and quoted for days afterward. It was their tradition, their comfort.
Then came the knock.
At first, it was soft-barely audible over the TV. Her father paused, eyes narrowing, and muted the sound. Another knock, louder. Then a third-so forceful it rattled the door in its frame.
Something in her father changed instantly. His posture stiffened, his expression unreadable. Without saying much, he looked at Mia and her older brother, Luca, and told them to go into their room and stay there, no matter what. His voice was low but firm. There was no room for questions.
Mia, despite being young, sensed something was wrong. Her father wasn't just reacting-he was anticipating. As soon as they were in the room, she ignored Luca's whispers urging her to stay quiet and pressed her ear against the wooden door.
She heard arguing-loud, angry voices and the kind of tension that made her stomach knot.
"You dare go against the Don?" one voice sneered, filled with mockery and rage.
"I don't want to be part of the gang anymore," her father replied. He sounded tense, but not afraid.
"That's not your choice, Santos. The Don wants you back," another man said. His voice was quieter but more chilling like he was used to getting his way without raising it.
"I'm never going back. Get out."
The shouting escalated, but then it stopped abruptly. There was a thud, footsteps, and then silence. Mia's parents came into the room, trying to mask their unease. Her mother forced a smile and told them everything was fine. They bolted the doors, locked the windows, and tucked the children in. "It's over," they said.
It wasn't.
Later that night, while the house was asleep and cloaked in darkness, the two men returned. They broke in through the front door, loud enough to wake Luca, who immediately understood what was happening. He rushed to Mia's room, shaking her awake.
"We have to go. Now."
They crept toward the back, but before they could get out, shots rang out. Mia would never forget the sound-or the silence that followed. Her parents were murdered in their sleep.
Just as they were about to make it outside, another shot was fired. Luca pushed her forward just in time, but not before the bullet hit him in the back. Blood splattered on her face. He looked at her, pain etched into every line of his face, and whispered, "Run. Don't look back."
She didn't.
From that moment on, Mia's life was a fight for survival. She was eventually found by a local NGO and placed in an orphanage run by a woman named Mrs. Barley. On the surface, Mrs. Barley presented herself as kind and charitable. In reality, she was cruel, and manipulative, and only cared about maintaining her image. Her daughter, Penelope, was just as bad-spoiled, entitled, and threatened by anyone who got more attention than her.
At first, Mia was treated well. She was the "new girl," and many of the other kids were curious about her. She made friends easily-her quiet resilience and intelligence drew people to her. But that attention made her a target.
Penelope, jealous and petty, made it her mission to make Mia's life miserable. The bullying started small-petty insults, rumors-but grew nastier over time. Clothes were stolen. Food was taken from her plate. Friends were turned against her. Mia learned to keep her head down and push through. She focused on her studies, determined to make something of herself.
Despite everything, Mia graduated from high school with top marks and was awarded a scholarship to a local college. For the first time in years, she felt hopeful.
That hope didn't last.
Penelope, sensing Mia's opportunity to escape, accused her of stealing from the orphanage's funds. With no proof and no one to defend her, Mia was thrown out. Not just thrown out-humiliated. Her belongings were ripped up in front of her. She was called a thief. A liar. A disgrace.
She left the orphanage with nothing but her high school certificate, a few worn-out clothes (hand-me-downs from Penelope), and the small amount of money she had saved working part-time at a bakery. She managed to rent a room in a dilapidated building on the edge of town, where the walls were thin and the ceiling leaked when it rained.
She kept going. She always did.
The bakery soon shut down, and with it, her only steady source of income. She was nineteen. Alone. Exhausted. But not broken.
Eventually, she found work at Rooney's, a cozy little café downtown. The pay wasn't much, but it was something. The owner, an older woman named June, was strict but fair, and Mia appreciated that. For the first time in a long while, she wasn't constantly looking over her shoulder.
She still carried the trauma of her past-she always would. But she had survived. And that meant something.
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