Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run novel Chapter 263

""Of course you look great. That's a no-brainer. If you ever let the media have a field day with you, they'd probably go on and on about how amazing you are. But you've always been clear—no reports on your private life." Jackson, who was usually clueless about romance, squinted at Dylan as he spoke.

"Dylan, when a guy starts caring about his looks, it usually means he's got someone on his mind. So, you... got someone?"

"Nope." Dylan glanced down at the coffee table, reaching for his drink.

Jackson quickly moved it out of reach. "That stuff's strong. Sure you wanna go for it? You should watch your stomach. Heard Cedric gave you an earful the other day. Maybe stick to something lighter if you're gonna drink."

As luck would have it, the bottle Dylan reached for was the same one Clara had been drinking from earlier.

Jackson chuckled to himself, thinking about Clara probably throwing up somewhere. "Clara's probably tossing her cookies right about now. She should watch out—Moonlight's got plenty of sketchy types. If someone picks her up, who knows when she'd get away."

"Picked up?" Dylan raised an eyebrow, his fingers drumming lightly on the wheelchair's armrest.

Jackson smirked, thinking Dylan was clueless. "Yeah, it's when those drunks pass out on the street and someone takes them home. They wake up the next day, and there's nothing they can do about it. Clara might not win any popularity contests, but she's definitely got the looks."

Jackson sensed something was off with Dylan tonight. Normally, Dylan couldn't stand these social scenes, and it took a lot of convincing to get him out. Even then, he'd never show up alone. Yet here he was.

"Dylan, you meeting up with Nicholas or Richard tonight?"

"Nope."

Then why are you here? Jackson was full of questions, but his phone buzzed—it was the woman he'd been seeing lately. She was his type, both in and out of bed. He hadn't gotten bored of her yet.

"Gotta run. My lady friend wants to meet up. Maybe I'll introduce her to everyone someday."

Dylan noticed the grin on Jackson's face and, after a pause, asked, "Thinking of making it official?"

Jackson rubbed his chin, considering. "Maybe. Honestly, I'm pretty wild in bed, and she keeps coming back for more. You should try it, Dylan. It's way more thrilling than any business deal."

"Hmm," Dylan replied noncommittally as Jackson quickly made his exit.

Eden's purse hit Clara's head sharply, almost knocking her out. Struggling to her feet, Clara was met with a kick from Eden.

"Clara, you just won't go away. Everywhere I go, there you are. It's bad luck. I'm telling you, stay clear of where I am, or I'll beat you every time to teach you a lesson!" With that, she swung her purse again.

Clara's mind was a blur, too weak to dodge, her stomach cramping. Eden seemed satisfied, calling her friends.

"Alright, that was satisfying. Drinks are on me tonight."

Some glanced at Clara, worried, but all feared Eden and followed her inside.

Clara lay on the cold ground, every hit throbbing, her stomach's pain acute. She didn't even feel like throwing up, just tasted blood.

She truly despised Eden, and by extension, Dylan for letting Eden act this way. Clara was someone who stood tall in the face of belittlement, with a stubborn determination.

Fueled by anger, she regained some clarity. After a while, she slowly stood up, unsure who to call, finally dialing Megan.