He never bragged.
Never flexed.
Never told stories.
The frightening thing about Cole was that he never needed anyone to know what he could do.
Derek finally abandoned the body lock and reached for Cole’s leg.
That was when Cole moved.
His right hand controlled Derek’s shoulder.
His left caught the wrist.
His foot stepped behind Derek’s heel.
There was no dramatic slam.
No explosion.
Just a perfectly timed turn.
Derek’s entire 210-pound body suddenly seemed to forget where the floor was.
He hit the mat flat on his back.
The sound echoed through the gym.
A few people actually flinched.
Cole remained standing.
Derek stared up at him.
His expression was almost comical.
“What the hell was that?”
Cole shrugged.
“Balance.”
The black belt scrambled up.
“Again.”
Cole glanced toward the timer.
“Four minutes left.”
“I said again.”
Something in Derek’s voice made the owner, Mark, finally step away from the wall.
“Derek, maybe—”
“Stay out of it.”
Mark stopped immediately.
That told Cole everything.
Derek didn’t just train there.
He controlled the place.
I had known that emotionally for months.
Now everyone could see it physically.
Cole nodded once.
“All right.”
Derek came forward slower this time.
He reached for Cole’s shoulders, trying to establish grips.
Cole allowed him to.
Derek seemed surprised.
Then pleased.
He yanked downward and attempted to drag Cole into a front headlock.
Cole’s posture barely changed.
Derek pulled harder.
Cole stepped forward instead of back.
His shoulder touched Derek’s chest.
His arm threaded beneath Derek’s elbow.
trapped.
Cole rotated.
Derek dropped to one knee.
Then both.
Cole guided him face-down.
There was nothing flashy about it.
That somehow made it worse.
Derek was pinned beneath a man who looked as though he were demonstrating a technique to a beginner.
Cole controlled Derek’s wrist behind his back.
Not painfully.
Not yet.
“Tap.”
Derek’s face pressed against the mat.
“No.”
Cole increased the angle by perhaps an inch.
Derek’s breathing changed.
“Tap.”
“Screw you.”
Cole’s expression remained calm.
He released the hold completely.
