The book I want:
I want a male lead that is at the peak of his damaged human condition. He's been military or LEO, but became jaded after too many bad actors and an incident that left him injured. He's become some manner of investigative type professional (PI, journalist, part-time vigilante, etc,). He begins pulling a thread and begins finding clues that tie into some form of shadowy shadowy organization that seems to be black hat (supercriminal mafia, Illuminati govt, hidden world of supernaturals, etc). He is abducted and tortured for the information he knows, but not by the group he initially thinks has taken him. He is then rescued by the overpowered female character who, whether he has pieced it together or not, is the leader of the org he's been investigating.
During the rescue/escape, he proves his worth in some way, and from then on he sticks in her mind, just as she does, blahblahblah, normal romance flavoring all over those inner dialogues. After a time of orbiting each other, he investigates the events she or her people are involved in and he begins to see a pattern. He can be a part of the org or not, at this point, but he has, at the least cultivated a contact or two, someone relatively close to her. This contact only ever offers information after the fact, so as not to break operational security (hard side-eye), but they also are being the helpful third wheel. Eventually, a situation arises in which he has to use all of his skills to rescue her. Maybe he recognizes a threat she doesn't see, maybe she's betrayed, maybe her 'power' is nullified somehow making her an easier target (but still not helpless by any fucking means, thank you). During the fracas he admits feelings for her, shocking her, allowing him another opportunity to prove his worth, and she returns the favor. They kiss, ride off into the sunset and prepare for the next book or whatever, you know.
by Stalker2148