Chapter_82
Chapter 82
The deep voice that reached Emmeline’s ear was unmistakable. “It’s me, Abel!”
“Mm.” Emmeline felt a sudden lump in her throat and tears welling in her eyes. She leaned into his chest for support.
“I told you I’d pick you up. Why did you leave on your own?” Abel grumbled, his frustration evident.
“I…” Emmeline stammered. “Help me take this bag off.”
Abel grabbed the bag and tugged, but it didn’t come off. The other end was tied with a string.
The thugs had split into two groups. Four of them engaged Luca, while the other three surrounded Abel.
Without backup, Abel found himself at a disadvantage. He had purposely left his bodyguards behind to avoid drawing attention.
“Put me down,” Emmeline said urgently. “You’re at a disadvantage.”
“No,” Abel replied firmly. “You’ll be a hostage if they get their hands on you.”
Emmeline reluctantly accepted his reasoning, tightening her grip around his neck.
In the chaos, one of the thugs saw an opening and lunged at Emmeline with a dagger, aiming for her back.
“Emma!”
Abel turned just in time. The dagger missed her, but a sharp slice cut across his arm instead.
“Ugh!” Abel grunted, the pain momentarily clouding his focus.
Emmeline smelled the unmistakable scent of blood. “Mr. Ryker! Are you hurt?”
“It’s just a scratch. Stay close to me!” Abel gritted his teeth, pushing through the pain.
The three remaining thugs rushed toward them. Emmeline could hear their movements and, using her body as leverage on Abel, kicked backward twice.
She hit them squarely, causing them to stagger back in pain.
At the same time, Abel knocked the remaining thug to the ground and crushed his face with his boot.
“Answer me now. Who hired you?” Abel demanded.
The thug, pinned to the ground, grimaced in pain. “No one hired us! We’ve been following her for a while… because she’s pretty.”
“I’ll give you one more chance to tell me the truth,” Abel’s voice was low and menacing.
The thug hesitated, clearly torn between the possible outcomes. But he stuck to his story. “No one hired us! It was just an impulse!”
“You have a death wish!” Abel snarled, delivering two brutal stomps that drew blood from the thug’s body.
The other two thugs, seeing their comrades’ fate, attempted to flee. But Abel was faster. He kicked each of them squarely between their legs, sending them crumpling to the ground.
Through all of this, he never let go of Emmeline.
Meanwhile, Luca had dealt with the four thugs on his end. All seven were now sprawled out, groaning in pain.
Luca wiped his hands clean. “What should we do with them, Mr. Ryker?”
Abel’s eyes were cold, his voice dangerous. “Break one of their arms and hand them over to the police.”
“Yes, Mr. Ryker!”
In one swift motion, Luca broke the right arm of the two closest thugs.
The remaining thugs, their faces pale, fell to their knees and begged for mercy.
Abel’s voice was chilling as he kicked one of them away. “If you have anything to say, tell the police. Your only other option is death.”
“Please, call the police! We’d rather go to jail!” the thugs pleaded, understanding full well that the police would show more mercy than Abel ever would.
Abel’s demeanor was calm, but his gaze was lethal. His words were like a warning, and his actions backed it up.
In the blink of an eye, all seven thugs had their right arms broken, and they lay writhing on the ground, wailing in agony.
Luca quickly took out his phone and dialed the emergency number.
Abel, holding Emmeline close, guided her to the car. Once inside, he carefully removed the cloth bag from her head.
Emmeline’s face was drenched with sweat.
“Why didn’t you listen to me?” Abel frowned. “I told you I’d pick you up.”
“I… I forgot,” Emmeline replied softly. “I didn’t expect to run into those criminals.”
“The streets of Struyria shouldn’t be so dangerous,” Abel said, his voice tinged with anger. “There’s someone behind this.”
Emmeline’s eyes widened. “Who could have set me up?”
“The police will look into it,” Abel said grimly. “That was too close. If I’d come any later, they would’ve stuffed you into their car.”
“Thank you… really,” Emmeline whispered, her voice shaky.
As she sat there, she realized she was sitting on Abel’s lap. Her face flushed a deep crimson, and she instinctively tried to shift away.
But Abel tightened his hold on her, keeping her close.
