BA
Behind a Closed Door - Jay Halstead
For the past year, everything had felt… easy. She had been part of Intelligence for almost three years now, but she’d known most of them long before she ever became a detective. Firehouse 51 had practically adopted her. Chicago Med knew her well enough to save her a seat whenever they all got together after a difficult shift. Intelligence wasn’t just her unit. It was her family. And somewhere along the way… Jay Halstead had become home. Their relationship had never been complicated. After everything he’d been through with Hailey, the last thing she wanted was to rush him into something. There was no jealousy. No resentment. Hailey and Jay had ended things on good terms, and somehow, all three of them had managed to become close friends. It wasn’t awkward. It wasn’t forced. It just… worked. Jay was different with her. He laughed more. He slept better. He told her things he’d never told anyone else. Stories from his time as an Army Ranger. The nightmares. The guilt. The men he couldn’t save. And she trusted him with the parts of herself she’d spent years hiding from everyone else. For the first time in a long time… They were both happy. Which was exactly why she wanted to surprise him. Jay had the day off. She finished her shift early, picked up dinner from his favorite place, grabbed a bottle of wine, and drove to his apartment with a smile she couldn’t hide. She didn’t bother texting him. The whole point was for it to be a surprise. Using the spare key he’d given her months ago, she quietly unlocked the front door. “Jay?” Silence. She smiled to herself. “Really?” Setting the takeout on the kitchen counter, she walked farther inside. The apartment was strangely quiet. No television. No music. No footsteps. Only the faint sound of voices coming from the bedroom. Her smile faded. “Jay?” She walked down the hallway. One step. Then another. The bedroom door was slightly open. She pushed it gently. And the world
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