Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

Aiden went quiet, eyes fixed on the road as he drove.

Clara woke up in the middle of the night, restless and uneasy. She was terrified of dreaming about Z again, so instead of lying in bed, she slipped out of the motel and wandered toward the beach. She'd already decided-she'd be gone from this city by morning.

The wind by the ocean was wild, whipping her hair around and making the black waves crash even harder. She found a rock to sit on and just watched the water, letting the salty wind tangle her hair and sting her cheeks.

That's when her phone rang. Scarlette.

"Clara, there's news about Dylan," Scarlette said, her voice low. "Nicholas told me he really hates someone-enough to want them out of the picture. I don't know who, though."

Clara stared at the churning waves, her face calm, almost blank.

Dylan had admitted before that he hated Z.

But she couldn't believe he'd actually do something so extreme to get rid of someone. She didn't want to believe it.

Still, if it really was him, she wasn't going to show any mercy.

She already owed Z too much.

If someone died while she was at her lowest and most guilty, she knew she'd never forget it for the rest of her life.

She took a steady breath. "Scarlette, I'm not coming back to the Capital anytime soon. I need to clear my head. I'll reach out to you when I can. Thanks for telling me."

Scarlette wanted to say more, but she let it go. Clara was an adult-she could make her own decisions.

Clara put her phone away, then sat and watched the sunrise alone on the beach before quietly heading back to the motel.

After hours in the cold ocean wind, all she wanted was a hot shower. It felt so good to wash the sea salt off her skin.

She changed into fresh clothes, threw her hair up into a messy ponytail, and booked a ride. She'd decided to lay low in the countryside for a while.

She'd come back in two months-then, she'd go to the Capital to look into what really happened to Z.

Right now, she was too unsettled. If she went back to the Capital now, she'd just be a target.

As long as Dylan stayed single, both the Ferguson and Warren families would keep their eyes on her.

She finished packing, grabbed her backpack, and headed downstairs.

The innkeeper's wife was coming up the stairs at the same moment. When she saw Clara, her whole face lit up with relief.

"Oh, there you are! I was just about

to come get you. Your car's

here quick, go on. Thank goodness.

I barely slept last night, worrying

Sothing might happen to you."

Clara gave her a small smile. "Sorry for making you worry."

The woman looked a little awkward at Clara's politeness-especially since she'd taken a hefty payment from her.

She wanted to say a few more things-maybe remind Clara not to fight with her boyfriend again. After all, e'd come all this way forcher; he

must care about her. noveldrama

But Clara moved too fast, and the woman didn't get the chance.

Clara kept her head down as she walked outside. A long, sleek car was parked at the curb.

Did she order something this fancy? It looked like a luxury car-definitely not the kind of ride she'd booked.

But she didn't have the energy to think about it. She pulled the door open and slid inside.

"Can you take me to "

She didn't even get the words out. The second she sat down, the air in the car shifted—tense, almost intimidating.

She turned her head. A man was sitting right next to her.

Her heart jumped. She reached for the door handle, but it was already locked.

Clutching her backpack, she stared out the window.

The innkeeper's wife hurried outside, waving and saying something through the glass-probably telling them not to argue anymore.

Clara felt her chest tighten as the car started moving. The partition between the front and back was up, sealing them off in their own private space.

The inside of the car was ridiculously nice—mini fridge, bed, everything.

How did she ever think this was her ride?

She turned her body away from him, eyes glued to the window, when he spoke.

"So, did you have enough fun this week?"