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.

she cared about

away, and she rushed after him.

were urgent. But right now, it slipped out naturally, like she'd said it a thousand times

as fragments of old memories

Dylan.

Dylan.

she called after him, "Did I used to

on the wheels.

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

massaged her temples, feeling a little better, and tried

back with me. He seems

her, eyes locked

There was something burning in Dylan's eyes, like he could

waited, hoping he'd give

cold laugh—a sound she'd never heard from

you see in a

disbelief. She'd always thought

in love with Shelly for years,

understand-sometimes feelingmet

didn't make sense. It didn't matter who was

cared about things like status, just like

frozen for a few seconds, then

felt stupid for ever thinking she could reason with

There was no way

at his side slowly curling into

to the first door she'd found, but it was

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

*

of town, Simon had

Dylan hadn't shown his face in ages. If he really was keeping Clara locked up, what was he doing