Cracks in His Armor (Straight to Gay MM Romance Part 1)

Chapter 1

Travis

The fluorescent lights of the FBI-SWAT joint task force briefing room cast a sterile glow over the assembled team.

Travis McAllister stood at the back of the room, arms crossed over his broad chest, steel-blue eyes scanning the space with practiced precision.

He unfurled his arms to take a long slow sip of his black coffee as he took in all the familiar faces.

The room was filled with agents he knew well. Men and women he trusted with his life. But today, the one new person caught his attention instantly.

Travis took a few measured strides through the room to find an unobtrusive good side view to scope out the newcomer.

He was shorter, leaner, and far more at ease than anyone had a right to be in this line of work.

The guy looked like he belonged in a tech startup with his thick black-rimmed glasses.

He did not look like someone about to be thrust into the middle of a dangerous operation.

With his sandy blond hair, neatly styled and freckles dusting his nose he didn’t look like he’d ever seen any actual danger.

Travis, inexplicably, couldn’t look away from him.

The guy was wearing well-worn jeans, a lightweight hoodie, and sneakers that had seen better days. In total contrast, Travis was wearing a fitted black tactical shirt that hugged his muscular frame, paired with cargo pants and heavy-duty boots, ready for action at a moment's notice.

“McAllister. Steele. Step up,” barked Commander Harris as he strode into the room. A stern, no-nonsense man in his fifties, he had a graying buzz cut and a face lined with years of hard decisions.

Travis moved forward, drinking his hot coffee with the easy confidence of a man who’d been doing this for years. The new guy—Steele—rose smoothly from his chair and joined him at the front.

Harris wasted no time. “This operation requires coordination between SWAT and Cybersecurity. We’re targeting the Whitaker gang.

We need intel on their upcoming shipments, locations, and contacts.

” Without breaking stride, Harris gestured between them, his attention already shifting back to the briefing.

“Cole Steele, fresh from the academy is our finest hacker meet Travis McAllister our best SWAT captain. Steele will be infiltrating their network directly so we can see when and where they’re running their drugs. ”

Travis forced himself to stay still, clamping down on the restless frustration building inside him.

He hated the idea of this mission already.

Infiltrating sounded a hell of a lot like putting yourself in harm’s way, and he’d seen far too many rookies charge into danger with a cocky sense of invincibility, only to find out too late that they weren’t.

He stole a glance at Cole, studying the hacker’s bright, attentive expression.

He didn’t look the least bit intimidated.

That easy confidence that was bordering on recklessness made Travis's muscles tense uneasily. He’d seen that look before.

The ones who thought they were untouchable were usually the first to end up in body bags.

Beneath the irritation, an uncomfortable stir of protective instinct made itself known. He didn’t want to be responsible for any casualties. He might not know Cole, but if it was his job to keep him safe, Travis wouldn’t let him down.

Losing someone under his protection was not an option.

“You’ll be Steele’s field support,” Harris continued, directing his gaze to Travis. “His guard. You make sure he gets as close as he needs, does his job, and gets out alive.”

Travis kept his smile professional even if he wasn’t happy about babysitting. “Understood, sir.”

“Excuse me, sir,” Cole interjected smoothly, his tone professional and confident. “I understand the need for backup, and I’ll do my best to follow Captain McAllister’s lead. But I just want to assure you that I’m prepared for whatever the field throws at me.”

Travis’s lips tightened. He turned, locking eyes with Cole.

“This isn’t about doubting your skills, Steele.

It’s about making sure that everyone gets out of this alive,” he said, his tone steady but edged with a hint of concern.

“Fieldwork’s unpredictable, it’s a different kind of challenge than what you’re used to behind a screen at the academy. ”

Cole raised an eyebrow, lips curving into a faint, infuriating smirk. “Good thing I’m quick on my feet, then. I won’t slow you down, Captain.”

“Besides.” Travis eyed Cole suspiciously. “I thought hackers stayed behind their desks.”

“The gang is using high-level security measures, including frequency jammers and rotating encrypted signals.” Cole adjusted his glasses, his subtle smirk just deep enough to irritate Travis.

“Forgive me, I don’t understand what that means.” Travis’s tone was professional and to the point.

“It means their network is locked down so tight that we can’t break in from a distance.

If we want access, I need to be close enough to bypass their security in real-time.

” He tilted his head, green eyes flashing with challenge.

“So unless you’ve got a magic wand tucked into that tactical gear, Captain, I’m your best shot at getting this done. ”

“Enough,” Harris snapped, his sharp gaze falling on Steele. “You two need to get on the same page because you’re both the best at what you do. This operation is too high-stakes for ego clashes. If you can’t trust each other and work as a unit, this city will be overrun with fentanyl.”

Like a man with no time to waste, Harris turned back to his big display board and addressed the entire room.

“Listen up. We’re going to shut the Whitaker gang down once and for all!

They’re highly organized, heavily armed, and ruthless.

Our intel suggests they’re planning major drug shipments starting next month, which gives us weeks at best. Steele will be infiltrating their network to pinpoint locations and secure contacts.

When we have what we need, McAllister and his SWAT team will get in there and shut these pill pushers down once and for all.

These people won’t hesitate to pull the trigger if they smell a threat. ”

He looked around the room, letting the gravity of the situation sink in. “This will require precise coordination. We don’t get second chances here. Stay sharp and watch each other’s backs. Understood?”

Once the meeting wrapped up and the team filtered out, Travis lingered, his blue eyes fixed on Cole. The hacker was busy tucking a folder under his arm, completely unbothered as if he hadn’t just volunteered to walk into the lion’s den.

Cole was younger and much shorter at 5’6”—a full nine inches beneath Travis’s 6’3”—yet he carried himself with an effortless confidence that didn’t sit right with Travis.

Cole wasn’t cocky, but Travis read it as the self-assurance that came from acing every test without ever facing the kind of fists that didn’t need a reason.

The kid triggered a simmering in Travis’s stomach, it was familiar, he recognized it from years of dangerous missions. He imagined it like water behind a dam, strong, contained, and restrained by the sheer force of his will.

“Steele,” he said, his tone low and controlled as he stepped closer, arms crossed over his chest. The responsibility of leadership pressed down on him, the expectation to stay composed, to be the unbreakable one.

“I need you to understand something. This isn’t a game.

You try any stunts out there, and you’re going to get yourself—and the rest of us—killed. ”

Cole turned to face him fully, green eyes bright with determination and a flash of challenge. “I hear you, Captain. I’m not planning on dying. I’m here to do my job, and I know damned well that I’m good at what I do.”

The dam of Travis’s self-control tightened under the pressure of Cole’s defiance. “Knowing and doing are two different things, Steele. I’ve seen people with that same confidence walk into danger and never walk back out. Confidence can turn into recklessness faster than you think.”

Cole’s expression didn’t waver, but the sharpness in his gaze made it clear he wasn’t about to back down. “Respectfully, Captain, my confidence isn’t recklessness. I know what I’m capable of. You’ve got your expertise, and I’ve got mine.”

“Good.” Travis nodded.

The pressure inside Travis’s chest eased a fraction.

The dam held, and he stayed calm and unmoved.

And yet, Cole sat in the back of his mind—an irritation, a curiosity, an instinct he couldn’t quite shake.

Travis had a feeling that working with Cole Steele was going to test his patience in more ways than one.