Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

Chapter 576

She didn't snap out of it until a voice whispered in her ear.

"What are you staring at?"

She lowered her lashes, repeating softly, "Dylan, please. Just let me go back for a bit."

She meant it—she needed to make sure Z was okay. She couldn't let Walter's anger land on him.

Dylan went silent. He always did this whenever she brought up Z-like it was some kind of trigger.

Clara took a deep breath. The question had been on her mind for so long, she finally just blurted it out.

"Do you really hate Z?"

With everyone else, Dylan always seemed untouchable, like nothing anyone did could ever bother him. But Z was different. Dylan's whole vibe shifted whenever Z came up even the corners of his mouth would drop lower than usual.

Clara had never heard of Dylan hating anyone. How could he possibly have beef with Z?

She watched his face, searching for the tiniest hint of emotion.

What she didn't expect was how honest he was.

"Yeah. I really do."

Clara was speechless for a moment.

A weird, hot anger bubbled up inside her, and she let out a short, almost bitter laugh.

"Why? What's he ever done to you?"

Z mostly kept to himself. He was always alone, except for the occasional shift at Nightshade. He barely talked to anyone. If someone didn't like him, it definitely wasn't Z's fault.

when she cared about

wheel himself away,

she'd call him Mr. Dylan, only using his first name if things were urgent. But right now, it slipped out naturally, like she'd said it

stopped, confused, as fragments of old

Dylan.

Dylan.

"Did I used to always call you

froze, hands still on the

her forehead. Honestly, not really. She was just tired-too many sleepless nights, her nerves

feeling a little better, and

me. He seems capable, right?

eyes locked on hers,

hard to meet his gaze. There was something burning in Dylan's eyes, like he could melt straight through her, even

waited, hoping

he let out a sharp, cold laugh—a sound she'd

you

at him in disbelief. She'd always thought Dylan was

love with Shelly for years, stayed single just for her. She thought

understand-sometimes feelingmet

make sense. It didn't matter

she realized he cared about

frozen for a few

thinking she could reason

Z. There was no

leave, his hand at his side slowly curling

to the first door she'd

stood there quietly, regret trickling in. Maybe she should've just

*

side of town, Simon had been

he really was keeping Clara locked up, what was he doing with her all this