Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

Chapter 699

Ryan didn't even get the words out before gunshots shattered the air.

Between the rain hammering down and the rapid-fire cracks, he couldn't tell which sound hit first.

In his twenty years, he'd never seen anything like this. Not in real life. Not even on TV.

Less than three minutes later, every one of those thugs was on the ground-gone without even getting to bark a threat.

Ryan just stood there, stunned, wondering if he was hallucinating.

Every shot had been a headshot. Not one missed.

He slowly sat up, barely breathing, afraid even to blink.

That couldn't be Clara. No way.

But the figure moved closer, slim but somehow as solid and intimidating as a mountain.

His mouth opened, but tears spilled out before he could say a word.

Shit...

That wasn't Clara. That was Death itself.

He sniffled hard, trying to pull himself together, and finally looked up. "C-Clara?"

Clara crouched next to him, brows drawn tight at how pathetic he must look.

He braced himself for a slap-honestly, he kind of deserved it—but it didn't come. The wait was almost worse than the blow.

"Clara, you should just hit me. I always drag you down. I'm useless, I—”

get to finish. She grabbed a knife from the floor-one of the ones the men had dropped-and sliced through the ropes tied around

He leaned on the wall to push himself up, sweat sticking his shirt to his back. The rain

again. He hadn't seen Clara in so long. After that night in the motel,

at the sight of blood at

shrugged, taking a few

stopped and glanced back. "You

to follow her.

I mean,

Like someone else

Serious, unreadable, like she was made of

answer. She just kept walking down the

a fork. The tower split into two exits-left and

come from the left; there was a car waiting for her outside. But she turned and headed

hobbled after her,

with Dylan this whole time? Did he hurt you? Did

you? Your there was

he

pressing her fingers to her forehead, like she was trying to squeeze the chaos

drugs they'd given her still hadn't worn

ask more, but

He panicked. "Clara!"

in his

sweat sticking

forehead. veld.

do this,

it when her eyes finally opened, and she shot

annoyed glare. "Shut up."