Page 36 of Better Hide

Cole glances at me. “You ready?”

I swallow.

Cole runs his gaze over me, and he immediately stiffens. “Jo…”

I turn and run. If I don’t hide, I’ll stay. And I’m not sure I’ll survive that.

17

COLE

I seethe instant Jo decides to run. Her eyes are both vacant and full of fear, and it makes my stomach clench.

Fuck! I throw my shoes back on. “Jo!”

The door swings shut after her. I dart out after her. She’s already down the hall, running.

From me. She’s running from me.

Fiery anger fills me. I warned her. Told her not to do this. Not right now.

“Jo!”

She darts to the left into the grocery section. I follow after her. I round the corner of an aisle and see her running toward the front door. And then I see something that makes my whole world freeze.

There, at the counter, stands a cop. He watches Jo run, and his gaze bounces from her panicked face to the bandage on her arm.

A bolt of real fear runs through me.

Jo glances over her shoulder at me, then clocks the cop. She immediately slows.

The cop follows her gaze back to me, chasing her shirtless.

I slow my roll, giving him an apologetic smile and a you-know-how-it-is shrug. Then I lock gazes with Jo. “Let’s go, babe.”

She backs toward one of the doors. Not the one we came in.

Fear fills my veins. I plead with her in my eyes. Don’t do this. Don’t run from me. Not for real. Don’t abandon me.

Jo whirls and bolts out the front door.

My world grinds to a stop.

I can’t chase her. Not in front of the cop who’s watching both of us. She’s a missing person, and I’m wanted for murder.

I can’t chase her.

Helplessness washes through me. It cramps my gut. I haven’t felt this in years. Stopped feeling it when my mom didn’t show up for my graduation. I’ve avoided it ever since by kicking every girl out immediately after fucking. By making people run from me. Being toxic on purpose so that they run.

I never let anyone get this close. The only exception is Jayden, and he’s even more toxic than me. And now the only woman who’s managed to weasel her way into my heart is running. And not because I told her to.

Because she doesn’t want me.

I move to the back door. As soon as I’m out of the eyesight of the cop, I sprint to the car. Jayden must see me and sits up straight.

I yank the passenger door open, and my crushing realization is summarized in two words: “She’s running.”

18

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