Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

Chapter 738

Back in the guest room, Clara took a hot shower, hoping it would calm her nerves. As she undressed, her eyes landed on the bite mark on her shoulder.

She froze, heat rushing from her toes all the way up to her cheeks. For a long moment, she just stared at it. Then, with a frustrated sigh, she tried scrubbing it away, but the mark stayed stubbornly in place. No matter what she did, it was still there—proof she couldn't erase. There was no way anyone would believe nothing happened between her and Dylan. Even a ghost wouldn't buy that story.

She flopped onto the bed, but sleep wouldn't come. Her mind raced. Her chest felt tight, like something was sitting right on top of her heart.

She reached for her wrist, fingers brushing over the little charm bracelet-still there, thankfully. She let out a shaky breath. At least that hadn't vanished.

She tried to push everything else to the back of her mind. Right now, she needed to figure out who had set up Z.

But since sleep was hopeless, she got up and went looking for Charles. She wanted to get a handle on everything that had happened recently, maybe make some sense of it all.

Walking past the study, she heard voices-Aiden's, tense and pleading. "Mr. Prescott, please. The doctor says you need to put everything else aside and rest. Just one month, that's all. Your body can't take much more."

Clara almost never heard Aiden sound that anxious. She frowned, then quietly pushed the door open.

Inside, Dylan was at his desk, eyes on a stack of documents, completely ignoring Aiden. He acted like he hadn't heard a word.

lit up

a word, she walked over, picked up

her cough. But Dylan

her. She clenched the spoon, expression darkening. "What's wrong

stilled. Was she actually worried about him? She was, wasn't

unsure of what to say. Before he could answer, Clara covered his hand with hers, looking him straight in

talk to me. What's going on?" Her voice was steady, but her worry was obvious. Had he

but Aiden cut in. "Mrs. Prescott, the

off before he could finish.

her hand away from Dylan and turned

at Dylan.

was strong,

in a faint, helpless smile, his gaze fixed on the bookshelf like he was trying

too. We've been getting prescriptions to help, but a few months ago, he switched to some really strong medication with bad side effects. He's not supposed to take it often, but he can't stop himself. The doctor said if he keeps going, he could start hallucinating, hearing things, even lose his

burning hotter than ever. She was already

this? Was he not