Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

The air in the room got heavy, tension crackling just beneath the surface.

No one wanted to be the first to speak. It wasn't that they didn't want to call Dylan out-everyone was thinking it—but no one knew for sure if this was the end for him or just another bump in the road. If they stepped out of line and Dylan came out ahead, they'd be the ones paying for it later.

Only Aaron dared to break the silence.

"Grandpa, the reason I haven't been around the Ferguson house lately is because Dylan's had me locked up. If your men hadn't dragged me here today, I'd still be locked away right now."

People started glancing at each other, whispers breaking out at last.

"Dylan, you've gone too far. No matter what Aaron did, he's still your nephew. How could you treat him like some kind of enemy?"

"Exactly. He's family, and you're supposed to set an example as an elder."

Aaron just snorted, a cold, bitter laugh. None of them had the guts to say what they really meant.

He shot to his feet, voice sharp and loud. "And another thing I think Dylan had something to do with my brother Lincoln's death!"

The room froze. Dead silent.

When Lincoln died, Walter himself had ordered an investigation, but it turned up nothing. After Aaron came back from overseas, he'd butted heads with Dylan again and again—always losing.

Now he was accusing Dylan of murder. Maybe he finally had proof.

for the first time, something flickered

to him for years and never got close to anyone else. Who knows what she's been wrapped up in with Dylan? If

words hit the room

he was right. Eden really did know something

all these years, Dylan had never let anyone at the Ferguson estate see what he was really feeling. That unreadable calm made it impossible for

enough storms in his life, but Dylan was the one mystery

fingertips to his temples, brow furrowed tight. "Dylan, did you send Eden out

voice casual. "For the Ferguson family's reputation, I didn't have a

།

you are, Dylan. Weren't you the one who leaked Eden's background in the first place? Stop pretending to be the good

it was me?" Dylan's eyes swept the

at each other, but no one

they

face turned red

He stood up fast, nearly shouting, "You're the only one in this family who knew about Eden's past! If it wasn't you,

brother knew," Dylan said

but the entire room

the start, and now his face burned red. But when he met Dylan's gaze, all his fight just drained

stern and sharp. "Michael, did you

almost twenty years ago. Maybe Dylan had told Michael something back then-but if

was hot with

facen