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 someone, wasn't

himself away, and she rushed after him.

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

as fragments of old memories

Dylan.

Dylan.

called after him, "Did I used to always call you

on the

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

a little better, and tried

guy from earlier go back with me. He seems capable, right? Don't worry, I'll come back with

her, eyes locked

something burning in Dylan's eyes,

waited, hoping he'd give

a sharp, cold

you see in

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

years, stayed single just for her. She thought

understand-sometimes feelingmet

just didn't make sense. It didn't matter

realized he cared about things like status, just

few seconds,

for ever thinking she could

Z. There was no way

her leave, his hand at his

the first door she'd found, but it was

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

*

of town, Simon had been staking out

ages. If he really was keeping