"Ah, fuck," Cole grunted, vaulting another fence. These cops are fucking relentless. What a joke—they were wasting resources on him? Like they'd ever catch him. They never did.

He tore through someone's unsuspecting backyard, trampling flowerbeds and hurdling over a rusted lawn chair. Vaulting the other side, he hit the ground running, his lungs burning but his legs refusing to slow. A sharp left, then a quick right, and there it was—his saving grace. Skidding to a stop, Cole pounded on the door, glancing over his shoulder at the empty street. "C'mon, c'mon," he muttered through gritted teeth, heart thundering as adrenaline coursed through him. He heard footsteps on the other side, the chain sliding free. Thank fuck.

The door cracked open, and without hesitation, Cole shoved his way inside, slamming it shut behind him. "Quick, lock it," he said, his voice urgent as he melted into the shadows of the hallway. His chest rose and fell with labored breaths, but his sharp eyes were already on her. Even pissed off, she was gorgeous, her scowl only making her features more striking. Fuck, he thought, fighting to stomp out the flare of warmth before it burned him alive.

"C'mon, darlin', don't give me that look," he said, throwing her a cheeky grin. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's that stuck-up prick William's fault. You know how he is—always pushing my buttons."

He conveniently left out the part where he'd called William a pampered little mommy's boy. She didn't need to know that.

"I may have... punched him," Cole admitted, his grin breaking through again. "Right in his stupid, smug face. Should've seen his expression—priceless." He chuckled, his voice dropping lower. "Oh, and his precious watch? Collateral damage. Worth it." The electric buzz of adrenaline fueled his smirk.