Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

Clara scrambled to her feet, stunned. He'd seemed fine just moments ago-what happened?

They rode the escalator down in silence. Dylan didn't say a word. Neither did Aiden.

Clara, feeling a bit like an outsider, kept quiet too.

Back in the car, she grabbed a bottle of water and held it out to Dylan. "Want some?"

Dylan leaned against the backseat, his Adam's apple bobbing, but he didn't take the water. He looked completely lost in his own misery.

Clara started to say something to comfort him, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw a line of massive trucks barreling toward them.

Almost without thinking, she shouted, "Aiden!"

Aiden had already floored the gas before she even finished.

Clara forced herself to stay calm and glanced behind them. The trucks filled the entire road-they were on the only route back to the Capital. Someone clearly didn't want them getting back.

She took a deep breath. "So, what's the plan?"

Aiden's face was steady, totally unfazed. "We keep driving. Wherever we can make it to, that's where we'll go. Miss, I'll need you to look after the boss. He's not doing well."

Clara slid over next to Dylan and touched his forehead. No fever, but he looked awful.

"Dylan?"

She called his name gently, even brushing her fingers near his nose just to check he was breathing.

It felt a little ridiculous, but right then he seemed almost lifeless.

Dylan's eyes fluttered open. In the rush of the speeding car, with the wind whistling outside, he suddenly reached out and pulled her into his arms.

Clara was caught off guard-his arms wrapped around her neck, their bodies pressed together, heat and tension spilling between them.

Her mind went blank. She could feel how stiff he was, and the hand she'd meant to use to gently push him away just froze in the air.

Aiden said he was having an episode, but as far as she knew, Dylan only struggled with insomnia. Was there something else? What on earth happened in that building to mess him up like this?

She patted his back gently.

"It's okay. I'm here. Try not to worry."

Aiden glanced at them in the rearview mirror but didn't say anything. He had bigger problems right now.

He took a steadying breath, pulled out his phone, and called for backup, steering them onto an even lonelier stretch of road.

The trucks couldn't keep up, but a string of black sedans stuck to them like glue— and then the gunfire started.

Clara heard the sharp cracks and instinctively cupped Dylan's face in her hands. He still looked pale and shaken.

Not sure what else to do, she leanednoveldrama

in and planted a quick kiss his

lips

It's okay. Just close your eyes

and rest for a bit, all right?"

Maybe it was just her imagination, but it always seemed like her kisses calmed

him down more than anything else.

She turned her attention to the front. "Aiden, do we have a gun?"

There were at least ten cars behind them, and it couldn't go on like this. If

someone managed to hit a tire, they'd be done for.

"In the drawer to your left," Aiden replied.

Clara popped open the compartment, grabbed the gun, snapped it together in seconds, and cracked the window open just enough to aim.

She fired at the nearest car's tire. It spun out and tumbled off the road.

Aiden's jaw tightened as he watched her in the mirror, but he said nothing.

Clara didn't have time to care about anyone's reaction. She fired again—another tire, another car down.

She spotted a sharp curve ahead and played out the next few seconds in her head. Turning to Aiden, she said on my count, drift. I need your to line us up head-on with them.”

If things stayed like this, she'd have to pick them off one by one. But if they could face the other cars

directly, she

tbe able to take

them all out at once.

Aiden nodded, trusting her completely.

As they reached the bend, Clara shouted, "Now!"