Strong women. Dangerous missions. Slow-burn desire.

Special Agent Elena Rossi built her life from the ashes.

A survivor of a past she refuses to relive, a fiercely devoted single mother, and one of the FBI’s sharpest investigative minds, Elena has one rule: stay focused, stay controlled, and never let anyone get too close.

Especially not her partner.

Special Agent Zayd Hassan is disciplined, observant, and dangerously patient. He sees everything—patterns in crime scenes, weaknesses in suspects… and the cracks Elena works tirelessly to hide. When a series of calculated abductions rocks the city, the two agents are forced deeper into a case that demands precision, trust, and long nights side by side.

The unsub is meticulous. Methodical. Always one step ahead.

As the investigation tightens and the danger escalates, so does the tension between them. Every close call blurs the line between professional and personal. Every shared glance carries something unspoken. Zayd is protective without overstepping, steady without controlling—and that might be the most dangerous thing of all.

Because Elena doesn’t just fear the killer they’re hunting.

She fears what happens if she finally lets herself feel safe.

In a world of shifting shadows and buried trauma, trust is a risk. Love is a liability. And one mistake could cost more than their careers—it could cost lives.

Lines of Protection is the gripping first installment in the Behind the Badge series—a slow-burn romantic suspense featuring:

- A strong, resilient FBI heroine

- A steady, protective partner

- High-stakes crime investigation

- Emotional healing and second chances

- Partners-to-lovers tension

If you love intense FBI procedurals, layered female leads, and romance that simmers beneath danger, this series will pull you in and refuse to let go.