Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

Chapter 734

Charles leaned over from the passenger seat, grinning. "Sis, are you and your

boyfriend really that close? You have to check in with him every time you go out? I barely ever tell my brothers where I'm going-or when I'm coming back. I just do my own thing."

Clara felt her cheeks warm. She hadn't even realized she was doing it, but she had glanced back earlier and seen Dylan sitting by himself, looking so alone. The sight lingered in her mind.

She wished his world was always full of laughter and people, not so quiet-like he was always waiting for someone who never showed up. That lonely look on his face made her uncomfortable.

She kept her eyes on the road, already used to Charles's straightforward, almost childlike honesty. Other people thought he was a bit slow, but she never saw him that way. "Hey, want to come with me somewhere tonight?" she asked.

"Sure, wherever you go, I'll come along," Charles replied, sounding so sincere it pulled at her heart a little. She couldn't quite remember how they'd met, but being around him felt easy and safe.

Charles folded his arms and turned to the two dogs in the backseat. "You two better behave. If you make trouble, I'm never letting you ride in my sister's car again."

Milo and Buddy, both smart as ever, barked once and settled down instantly.

Clara drove them across town to Z's old place. The place was just a shell now, the remains of what used to be a home. A heavy rain a few days ago had washed away any lingering scents. If not, she might've let Milo and Buddy try to track something.

As they got out of the car, Charles looked around with his hands on his hips. "Someone actually lived here? This place is trashed. Why'd you bring us here?"

where a gravestone used to stand. Last time she came, Z told her it was for his brother. Now,

an accident

He gathered some powder and sniffed it. "Someone set off a bomb here. I don't know how things work in this country, but back in North America, you need permits and paperwork for this kind of stuff. Guns, sure, but explosives? That's a whole process. Usually, you just track

to be someone powerful to make something like this happen. Someone with connections in

was it? The person

then said, "Someone important to

things. When you were out cold, he never left

found herself smiling. She never expected to talk this much with

him. Somewhere along the way, she'd stopped seeing him

grinned. "What do you mean by 'don't

with a little swagger.

guess

wasn't ready for, she still pictured him as untouchable, above

with his foot. "Doesn't look that way to me. I ran into him once, back in North America. My

to steer clear. Honestly,

weird energy. Can't put

Milo and Buddy sniffing around. "Can you get them to