Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

Chapter 629

The fire at the little Victorian house hadn't spread far. Since it was ruled an accident, hardly anyone paid attention-just a couple of short blurbs in the local news that no one really read.

Ryan stumbled back home, completely lost. How was he supposed to break this to Clara? He rubbed his temples, thinking maybe he should just drive over and see her. Right now, she needed someone. He should be there for her.

He didn't know that Clara had already made her way to the scene, almost as soon as he left.

She stood under the old trees, watching firefighters move in and out. People passing by whispered to each other, "Burned alive—no family showed up. Probably just some homeless guy."

"This place has been empty for ages," someone else replied. "Never saw a single light on. Guess some vagrant snuck in and... well, that was it."

"Such a shame. Only twenty-six. So young."

Clara leaned against the trunk, eyes blank, hand curling tighter at her side. What little color she had left drained from her face. She turned and walked away, disappearing into the street as if she'd never been there.

Her clothes were still the ones from last night, mud splattered up her jeans, looking worn down and exhausted. She found her car right where she'd left it, got in, and started driving back. But she barely made it ten miles before her car clipped a rock by the side of the road.

Clara took a shaky breath, grabbed the water bottle on the passenger seat, and tried to calm herself down. But her heart felt like it was being ripped apart, the pain so sharp she could barely breathe.

little roadside motel. Lying on the bed, she couldn't help it -she called

off. It was like

trace, no message, nothing. Maybe no one

one

so bad she broke out in a

when Ryan called, his voice

with the people at the scene-nobody died in that house. Your boyfriend's definitely

opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She just

lie to

soaking the sheets, her stomach in knots, her

she was losing

from the pain.

gone straight to the city to find Z the moment she got

she

did she let Ryan bring the news-why hadn't she just gone

twisted inside her, leaving her drenched in sweat