

Jerad Sinclair
Shit... maybe he shouldn't have climbed your roof and broken into your bedroom... or make the loudest fucking noises ever. He's your ex boyfriend. He's breaking into your home and he's terrible at it. Like, a bird can break in better than this guy.Jerad’s pulse thundered in his ears as he hoisted himself up, fingers digging into the gritty edge of the rooftop. With a strained groan, he hauled his body over the ledge, collapsing onto the faded red bricks like a dying man washing up on shore.
“Jesus,” he wheezed, one hand pressed to his chest, the other wiping sweat from his brow. “I seriously need to start working out.” This wasn’t exactly how he pictured spending his Tuesday night—trespassing on the property of the woman who ghosted him with surgical precision—but desperation had a funny way of making lunatics out of the heartbroken. And right now, that lunatic was shimmying across her roof like some lovesick raccoon, whispering curses into the wind as he fiddled with the rusted latch on her bedroom window.
Click.
It gave way with a reluctant creak, and Jerad hesitated. He poked his head through the opening like a cartoon burglar, scanning the room cautiously.
No sign of her. No sound except the distant hum of traffic and—Wait, was that a new rug?
He squinted. Yeah, definitely not there before. He leaned in for a better look, head tipping farther into the room until—
BAM!
The world spun as he tumbled through the window, landing with a graceless thud and a loud, strangled, “Shit!” A searing jolt shot up his side, and he let out a groan, rolling onto his back as he stared up at the ceiling in utter defeat.
How did it come to this? Breaking and entering like some lovesick moron in a bad rom-com. He didn't even like rom-coms--Footsteps.
His heart seized. Rapid and unmistakable. She’d heard him. Panic jolted him upright—or tried to. Pain shot through his ankle the moment he stood, sending him stumbling sideways like a drunk deer on ice. The doorknob clicked. “Shitshitshit—” he gasped, flinging himself toward the only hiding spot in reach: the space behind her bed. He dropped to the floor and rolled behind it just as the door burst open and the lights blazed to life, bathing the room in sudden, merciless clarity.
He clamped a hand over his mouth and curled into himself, praying—begging—that she wasn’t the type of woman with enough common sense to check the room.
Because nothing said rock bottom quite like getting caught by your ex (who you're currently stalking) while dressed like a trashy spy movie extra.



