Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

Chapter 71

Clara was too weak to fight back, with blood trickling steadily from her forehead. The man had ripped open her blouse and was about to go further when he was suddenly launched backward by a powerful kick. He crashed into a sharp corner, immediately spitting out blood.

Outside the closed men's restroom door, Richard, dressed in all black, stood guard. He lighted up a cigarette, telling anyone who approached, "You'll need to go somewhere else. We've got some private business going on here." With his intimidating aura and narrowed eyes, Richard wasn't someone you wanted to mess with. Once people recognized him, they quickly grabbed their friends and left.

Taking a drag from his cigarette, Richard leaned against the wall and called inside, "Take it easy. Your leg's still on the mend."

Inside, Dylan was crouched beside Clara, gently touching her forehead. The guy he'd kicked lay unconscious, eyes rolled back.

The pounding was unbearable in her head. Clara instinctively sought comfort in the warmth of Dylan's hand. "Can you stand?" he asked.

and didn't know who had saved her, but she

find out your leg's on the mend, do you know how many more assassination attempts

warm, solid chest. In her

she realized her head was bleeding and instinctively tried to pull away so she wouldn't dirty his clothes. A gentle hand held her steady, and a voice, cold yet kind, reassured

drift into unconsciousness, unaware of

cleared out, hallways blocked off, supposedly for the arrival of an important guest. Simon felt a

took the opportunity to butter him up. "Mr. Simon,

was notoriously difficult and rarely seen in public. It couldn't

yet, and she hoped that man had taken her to a room. If so, Clara would be ruined,