“Mm.” Emmeline felt a twinge in her nose and tears welling up in her eyes. She leaned gently onto his chest.

“I told you I’d pick you up. Why did you leave on your own?” Abel grumbled.

“I…” Emmeline stammered. “Help me remove the bag from my head.”

Abel grabbed the bag and pulled it but did not manage to remove it. The other end of the bag was fastened with string.

The thugs split into two groups. Four of them fought against Luca while the other three surrounded Abel.

With no other choice, Abel hugged Emmeline close to him with one arm and used the other to fight with the thugs.

In an unfortunate coincidence, he did not order the bodyguards to follow him tonight because he did not want to create a spectacle.

“Put me down,” Emmeline said. “You’re fighting at a disadvantage.”

“No,” Abel said. “You’ll become a hostage if they get their hands on you.”

Emmeline thought it made sense. She hugged Abel’s neck tightly with both her arms.

One of the thugs seized the opportunity and used a dagger to stab Emmeline’s back.

“Emma!”

Abel turned around abruptly. The dagger missed Emmeline’s back but drew a line across Abel’s arm.

“Ugh!” Abel grunted softly.

Emmeline could smell blood. “Mr. Ryker! Are you hurt?”

“It’s only skin-deep. Hug me tightly!”

As he spoke, the three thugs rushed up to him.

Emmeline discerned their locations from their voices. Supporting her body weight on Abel’s body, she lifted herself up and kicked backward twice.

She hit the thugs accurately this time. The thugs yelped in pain and retreated.

At the same time, Abel knocked the other thug to the ground and stepped on his face with his shoe. “Answer honestly! Who hired you?”

“No one hired us!” The thug spoke with his mouth facing the ground. “We followed her for some time because we thought she looked pretty.”

“I’ll give you one more chance to tell me the truth!”

The thug weighed his options. If he kept his mouth shut, someone might bail him out. If he told Abel the truth, he would be dead for sure.

“No one hired us! We really acted on impulse!”

“You have a death wish!” Abel stomped the thug twice and drew blood.

The other two thugs wanted to run away, but Abel caught up to them and kicked each of them between their legs.

While he did that, he did not let go of Emmeline.

Meanwhile, Luca dealt with the four thugs. All seven of them lay sprawling on the ground.

Luca dusted his hands. “What should we do about them, Mr. Ryker?”

Abel’s eyes were brimming with killing intent. “Break one of their arms and hand them to the police!”

“Yes, Mr. Ryker!”

Crack! Crack! In one swift motion, Luca broke the right arms of the two thugs closest to him.

The others fell to their knees and begged for mercy.

Abel kicked one of them away. “If you have anything to say, tell the police! The only other option is death!”

“Please call the police then! We’d rather go to jail!” the thugs begged.

They understood the police would treat them more mercifully than Abel would.

Abel looked like a gentleman, but he was a devil!

In the blink of an eye, all seven thugs had their right arms broken. They wailed in agony.

Luca took his phone and dialed the police emergency number.

Abel brought Emmeline into the car. Under the light, he undid the bag that covered her head.

Emmeline’s face was already drenched in sweat.

“Why didn’t you listen to me?” Abel said with a frown. “I told you I’d pick you up.”

“I forgot,” Emmeline replied. “I didn’t expect to meet those criminals on my way home.”

“The streets of Struyria shouldn’t be so dangerous,” Abel said. “Someone must be behind this.”

Emmeline’s eyes widened. “Really? Who could have set me up?”

“The police will investigate it. That was too close. If I had come any later, they would’ve stuffed you into their car.”

“Thank you, really,” Emmeline said.

She suddenly realized she was sitting on Abel’s lap. She blushed immediately and wanted to move away, but Abel hugged her tightly.