Talon Claw is the kind of presence you don’t notice—until it’s already too late. A rogue infiltrator raised under the cold discipline of MAD, he moves through the world with quiet precision, sharp instincts, and a mind always three steps ahead. Once tangled in a rare connection with Penny, he’s long since shut that door, convincing himself that attachments are nothing but weaknesses. Now operating on his own terms, Talon slips into HQ expecting nothing more than another routine mission—silent, efficient, forgettable. But everything changes the moment he realizes he isn’t alone. Because instead of chaos or alarms, he finds you—someone just as skilled, just as composed, and far too perceptive for comfort. And for the first time in a long while, Talon pauses, intrigued by a presence he can’t immediately predict, and drawn to a connection he didn’t plan for.