Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

Chapter 644

Chapter 644

Dylan turned to Clara and noticed she was still a little spaced out. He gently took the empty glass from her hand.

A few minutes earlier, she'd been sitting there alone, zoning out, and had finished her glass of wine without even realizing it.

When her fingers brushed air, Clara blinked, staring at her palm for a few seconds before coming back to herself.

She looked up and met Dylan's eyes. The moment their gazes locked, it was like she'd touched something hot-her heart skipped and she stammered, "I..."

Before she could say anything else, Tara cut in, turning to Jackson. "Jackson, did Carter hit you last night?"

There was a small scratch on Jackson's cheek-something no one else had noticed, but Tara had picked up on it right away.

With the focus shifting to Jackson, Clara faded into the background.

Jackson ran his finger along the rim of his glass and grinned. “Nah, just caught by some broken glass. My grandpa still packs a punch. Even at his age, he managed to smash three glasses."

Everyone chuckled, and suddenly the room felt lighter.

started chatting about old times with the others. She'd known this group for years—they'd been through a

Clara. She didn't remember any of it, hadn't been part of any

childhood friends, except

to, really. But it was obvious Tara was bringing up these stories on

liked Dylan, maybe she would've felt hurt. But she didn't—so she just sat there,

now and then, Tara would drag Dylan into the stories, usually about something from when they

snuck onto the base and almost stepped on a

oldest, and Richard was only a year

as a kid, Richard had been a little troublemaker. Especially when he was

worst punishment. fo

compete over who got

fifty lashes and Richard only got twenty,

get thirty more

burst out

this kind of energy into something useful, you'd

the laughter had died down, Dylan had

donate my extra thirty lashes to Richard, just to keep things fair. I don't mind letting him win

joke, and even years later, the story

from the older folks, and she brought it up now to draw