Marcus Hale had never been a fan of mornings. The smell of burnt coffee, the wail of the fire alarm, the jumble of mismatched socks and superhero action figures scattered across his kitchen floor—it was all part of a routine he’d grown accustomed to, though he’d never admit it made him happy. At thirty-one, Marcus was a man defined by duty and routine. Firefighter. Single dad. Protector. Life had a way of throwing him into chaos, but he liked to think he managed it with order. Mostly.