Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

Chapter 617

Clara's brow furrowed, that familiar knot of worry tightening in her chest. She liked to think she understood him-sometimes his silence felt less like calm, more like the warning before a storm.

But would her leaving really make him that angry?

His eyes flashed through her mind on a loop, making her uneasy. She didn't dare gamble on what he'd do. If she set foot back in Dylan's territory, she'd be walking right into a showdown she couldn't win.

So, she stuck to her plan: disappear to another city, lay low until news broke that Dylan had married Tara, and then maybe just maybe she'd come back to the Capital.

She took a deep breath. "Don't tell anyone where I'm going. I'll head to the next city. Once I'm settled, I'll let you know."

Ryan's voice wavered. "So you're not coming back to the Capital for a while?"

Clara was beyond exhausted but still managed to lean down and gently coax Emily to eat some chocolate.

Emily barely had the strength to chew, but she forced herself. She wasn't ready to give up.

Clara finally answered Ryan. "I won't be back for at least a year. When Dylan gets married, let me know."

Ryan's eyes instantly reddened. "So that's it? I'm just never going to see you again? Clara, I shouldn't have accused you of wanting the Bradford family money.

I was wrong. You can have it-everything. Can't we just go back to how things were?"

He finally said what had been weighing on him.

it, he could just give it to her. It wasn't like having

her voice rough and

there was a sense of relief. Ryan could handle the company on his own, anyway. She'd been away from the Bradford Group for a while, and things

say more, but when he saw Clara's eyes closed in the rearview mirror, he knew she was

the gas pedal

later, they finally

into a fancy

motel that didn't care

and grimy windows, panic written all over his

too hard to get away-she wasn't about to get

the sagging sofa and was out in seconds. Their

up

the nicest options he could find. When he got back,

out, "Clara, I've

the bathroom door,

looked and felt a little more

she had more to

address. When you get back to the Capital, go find him. Tell him where I'm staying and have him come here. I'll help him buy a place nearby, and

did that guy get

him so deserving?

clenched his jaw and said

how