The city had a way of swallowing its own. The busy streets, the endless pulse of traffic, the blur of faces that never seemed to stop. And yet, Damien Cole couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed within him after the accident. Something deeper than just the usual rush of adrenaline. A gnawing sensation in his gut that tugged him in directions he wasn't sure he wanted to go.
His shift had ended, but his mind wouldn't let him rest. He drove through the quiet streets, the usual hum of the cruiser now a background noise, his thoughts trapped in a loop. The woman's face haunted him still—her wide, frightened eyes, her soft voice, her grace even in the chaos. Isabella Hart. A name he had learned from the hospital records after the paramedics had taken her away.
He shouldn't have been so concerned. It wasn't like him to get attached, especially to someone he barely knew. He had a job to do. His duty was clear. The streets, the people who needed him, those who didn't get second chances. Yet, that one moment—her vulnerability, her beauty, her need for help—had done something to him.
He parked in front of his small apartment building, the engine's idle hum finally stopping. Damien sat there for a moment, staring at the building. He was alone. Again.
The door to his apartment creaked as he stepped inside. He hadn't even bothered to unpack his bag from work. He tossed it into the corner and went straight to the small kitchen, pouring himself a glass of water. The coolness of it did little to settle his restless mind.
His phone buzzed, pulling him out of his thoughts. He glanced at the screen: a message from his partner, Wells.
"Got something you might want to look into. A few unsolved robberies in your area. The guys think we might have a connection."
Damien's mind briefly snapped back to his responsibilities. The job. He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he leaned against the counter. He could lose himself in the investigation, forget the strange pull he felt toward Isabella. He opened his phone, scanning the details Wells had sent him, his eyes narrowing as he processed the information.
His thoughts, however, were once again disrupted by the faintest memory of her—Isabella's face, that soft touch of gratitude she had given him. The way her eyes had lingered on him for just a fraction longer than necessary. He hadn't imagined it. There was something there, something undeniable. The sudden pull of it left him unsettled.
The next morning, Isabella stood in front of her closet, staring at the array of clothes. Her father's assistant had messaged her again, reminding her of her meeting at the office. It wasn't a surprise—her father always expected her to keep busy. To be the model of perfection.
But today, her mind wasn't entirely on her work. Her fingers traced the collar of a blouse before she pulled it off the hanger, the cool fabric soft beneath her fingertips. Her head throbbed lightly, a reminder of the crash and the rush to leave the hospital. Yet, what lingered with her more than the pain was the image of the officer—the one who had helped her.
Damien Cole.
His name had been on the paperwork at the hospital. He was a cop, but something in the way he held her, steady and firm, yet gentle—it had stuck with her. She had met countless men in her life, men from her father's circle, business moguls, rich sons of politicians. But none of them had looked at her the way Damien had. There was no pretension, no hidden agenda, just raw honesty in his gaze. The kind of honesty that made her feel something she hadn't expected—vulnerable.
She shook her head, trying to clear it. She had more important things to think about. Today, she had to prove herself to her father's company. To show that she wasn't just the pretty face he showed off at parties. That she could do this on her own.
The thought of Damien Cole, of the moment their eyes had met, kept creeping back, though. It wasn't supposed to matter. She had her life, her career, her future. A man like him didn't fit into that picture.
She dressed quickly, her mind refusing to stay focused on one thing for too long. The entire morning felt like it was in a haze.
At the precinct, Damien sat at his desk, scrolling through the case files Wells had sent him. His mind kept returning to the moment when Isabella had looked at him—her face filled with confusion and fear, but underneath it, there had been something else. Something deeper.
His phone buzzed again, this time a call. Wells.
"Got a lead on the robberies," Wells said without preamble. "We might have a suspect."
"Good," Damien muttered, trying to focus. But his thoughts kept drifting back to Isabella.
"Hey, you alright, Cole?" Wells asked, his voice suddenly more concerned.
"Yeah, just... a long night," Damien replied, forcing his voice to sound steady.
"Right. Well, let's catch this guy, alright? I know it's been a rough few days. We can go grab a drink after we catch this guy."
Damien chuckled softly, trying to push his unease away. "Sounds good. Let's get to work."
The call ended, and Damien stared at the screen in front of him, his mind not on the case but on the face of a woman he barely knew, who had managed to worm her way into his thoughts without meaning to.
The office building loomed ahead, its sleek glass walls reflecting the sun's glare. Isabella pushed the door open and stepped inside, the cool air from the air conditioning hitting her skin. The building was polished and pristine, just like everything her father demanded from her life. The walls were lined with expensive artwork, and the smell of fresh coffee lingered in the air.
She had no time to dwell on the crash. No time to think about the officer who had come to her aid. She was here for one reason—to prove herself.
Her assistant, Rachel, greeted her at the front desk. "Isabella! Your father's waiting in the conference room."
"Thanks, Rachel," Isabella said, forcing a smile as she walked past. She knew that smile would have to last for the next several hours, until the meeting was over and she could return to her apartment, free to let her mind wander once again.
She entered the conference room, where her father sat, already pouring over some documents. His cold, calculating gaze lifted when he saw her.
"There you are," he said, his voice as sharp as ever. "We need to discuss the merger proposal. You've been distracted lately. It's time to focus."
Isabella straightened her back, pushing aside any lingering thoughts of Damien. She couldn't afford to let anything get in the way now. Not the crash, not her father's demands, and definitely not some officer who had shown her kindness.
Her heart was set on her future, and she couldn't let anything—anyone—distract her from that.
Damien's day had been equally uneventful. The robbery cases were starting to piece together, but something was still nagging at him. He found himself looking out the window more often than he'd like, staring at the skyline as his thoughts wandered.
He needed to clear his head.
That's when his phone buzzed again, breaking him from his thoughts.
It was a message from Wells: "Found our guy. He's linked to several of the robberies. I'll meet you at the address."
Damien shook his head, trying to focus on the task at hand. He grabbed his jacket, ready to head out. But as he reached for the door, his phone buzzed once more. This time, it wasn't a message from Wells, but from an unknown number.
He hesitated.
Damien clicked on the message.
"I hope you're doing alright. It was nice meeting you yesterday. - Isabella."
He stared at the words, his heart skipping a beat.
For the first time in what felt like forever, a spark of something real ignited inside him.
The unexpected message from Isabella left Damien momentarily stunned. He stared at the screen, unsure of what to do. A simple message. Just a few words. But it felt like something much bigger.