Chapter 138: A Kiss On The Hand’s
Julia’s sharp gaze took in their surroundings. She knew immediately that the danger Jared had warned her of was actual, partly due to her years as a special agent.
“Stay close to me, Maddie,” Julia said in an urgent whisper.
Maddie gazed at her, her eyes wide with perplexity. “What’s the matter, Julia?”
Julia, who generally had a calm demeanor, wore a stern expression, her eyes gleaming and alert. Maddie felt anxious since she had never seen Julia act like this before.
Maddie, puzzled by the heightened tension, stared intently at Julia. She saw numerous masked individuals approaching them from the darkness.
Maddie felt a chill go down her spine. She was an ordinary girl who had never been exposed to anything dangerous. “Who are they, Julia?”
“They’re Paul’s henchmen, and they’re coming for me,” Julia said quietly, hurriedly.
Maddie’s voice was shaky, and her heart was pounding. Inquiringly, “Should we… call the police?” With her eyes fixed on the approaching strangers, Julia shook her head. It’s too late. Simply stick close together. The thought of asking Maddie to go had crossed her mind, but she was confident that the men wouldn’t let a witness escape.
As they braced for the impending attack, they heard a familiar voice reverberating down the alley. “Let’s meet here, Boss.”
When Julia realized it was Lincoln, she sighed in relief.
However, the kidnappers also saw him, and the tone of their whispered chats became increasingly frantic.
Someone mumbled, “We need to move quickly.”
“Who’s the guy she’s with?” the other
guy
asked.
“Take him as well,” he replied.
The man nodded. “Understood.”
They made a beeline for Julia without any further hesitance. Yet she was prepared. She punched the nearest kidnapper square in the ribs with pinpoint accuracy. She took advantage of his temporary weakness and threw him flawlessly, sending him tumbling.
Maddie stared, gaping, as she watched in disbelief. Did she recognize Julia? How could her closest friend be so skilled in battle?
When Lincoln stepped into the fray, he praised the boss, saying, “Boss, you’ve still got it!”
But he looked at Julia with a trace of longing as if recalling when she was even more formidable.
More so, there were some unanswered questions regarding Julia’s past. We rumored her to have undergone rigorous training, including trips up snowy slopes and through thick jungles, making her a formidable agent.
While Lincoln was fighting, he couldn’t help but think about the hard times Julia had been through. Though less toughened by experience, modern Julia appeared calmer. It was better to have somebody to lean on than to go through life alone.
Julia backed away as a sudden ache raced through her wrist. Lincoln saw the contrast between the scarlet mark and her fair skin.
11:24
Chapter 138: A Kiss On The Hand’s
He saw her vulnerability and said, “Boss, let me handle this. Take care of Maddie, please.”
Julia hesitated because her instincts to be protective and the pain she was still experiencing from previous wounds were at odds.
Lincoln’s statements carried with them an air of logic and urgency. They had to keep Maddie safe first. The unsettling idea persisted in his mind.
What if the other kidnappers were hiding nearby, ready to surprise them at any moment?
The threat was real, and the tension was thick.
Lincoln cared for the people who had taken the boy in just five minutes. His actions were quick and exact. He handled things so expertly that there was no room for error.
“Boss, what do you plan to do with them?” he asked, his eyes narrowing with suspicion as he looked at the subdued kidnappers.
“Clearly, this isn’t their first time. They have plenty of experience. We should take them to the police station and throw the book at them,” Julia remarked firmly.
Lincoln indicated his agreement by nodding his head.
Maddie ushered Julia out of the way, her eyes wandering to Lincoln a few times out of interest and bewilderment.
“Who is he, Julia?” she asked softly. “He keeps calling you “Boss,” but I don’t see why. It looks like the two of you have a wonderful connection.”
Julia responded, “He’s a friend I made before.” Her voice was casual, but her eyes were guarded. “A friend?” You have such a good–looking friend! Why haven’t I heard about him before?” Maddie laughed and smirked playfully.
“Don’t you have any friends I don’t know about?” Julia retorted, a grin tugging at the corners of her mouth.
Maddie’s mouth opened and closed as she fumbled to respond to Julia’s words.
“No, that’s not what I meant.” She sputtered, her cheeks reddening.
“Then what?” Julia asked, her eyebrows raised in bewilderment and her eyes bright with inquiry. Maddie stole another look at Lincoln, whose handsome features would have stopped any girl in her tracks and sent her imagination racing.
“Julia, tell me the truth. Are you having an affair?” Maddie said it out loud, her voice full of worry and surprise.
Julia’s mouth dropped open in shock, and she twitched the corner of her eye. You have a really full imagination. If you have so much to say, why don’t you write novels? Cheating? Do I come across that type? Would I have stuck with Carter, that dead end, for so long if I genuinely accepted new ideas?”
“Perhaps you gave up on yourself because of Carter, so your personality changed, and you’re being mean to yourself?” Maddie asked, worry lacing in her voice, convinced that her assessment was spot on.
Julia’s mouth opened and closed, her eyes welling up with frustration, but she could not speak.
Frustrated, she turned to Lincoln and said, “I don’t want to waste my breath on you.”
She asked with genuine interest, “How did
end here?”
up you
Lincoln casually pointed to a nearby mall and said, ” My shop is there. I was bored and went to the
shop to see what was happening. I didn’t expect to see you here.” As he said this, his eyes narrowed in suspicion as he surveyed the scattered bodies on the ground.
Worriedly, he questioned, “Boss, do you know who they are?”
With scorn, Julia said, “I know Paul’s people.”
“Paul? That is a sleazy old man! I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again! This kind of evil has no place in the world,” Lincoln sputtered, his voice filled with rage and regret. “If I had taken care of him earlier, today’s incident wouldn’t have happened.”
Lincoln kicked the nearest kidnapper in anger, his body taut with hate. His anger was building as he thought about it.
His voice was firm with resolve as he announced, “I’m going to Andrew’s enterprise now to take revenge for you, boss.” A loud male voice sounded, full of power and assurance, right after Lincoln’s words had fallen. “It’s too late. You have no reason to leave. I’ve already taken care of it,” whispered the voice, sending shivers down Lincoln’s spine.
Lincoln was immediately angered by the voice, his body tensing and his eyes narrowing. It was Jared.
He looked at Jared, who was approaching and said, his voice filled with contempt, “You’re already late. I’ve taken care of all these people. The situation was so critical just now. She might have been in danger if I hadn’t arrived on time. You’re not qualified to protect her. Leave this kind of thing to me in the future.”
Jared didn’t react to Lincoln’s deliberate attempt to provoke him. Instead, he quickly went over to Julia. He looked distraught, and his manner was calm and collected.
“You showed up-” Julia started to speak, relief filling her voice, but the man gently grabbed her wrist, cutting her off.
welled up eyes
At the sight of the bruise on Julia’s wrist, Jared’s brows wrinkled, and his almost spilling over. His expression was one of deep worry and affection.
“Does it hurt?” he asked, his voice deep, soothing, and full of genuine concern.
with grief,
When Julia heard that soft, low voice, she felt her heart began to pound wildly. She felt the man was staring at the entire universe with love and devotion in his deep, dark eyes.
Surely no woman could resist such a stare!
“Hey, hey, hey! What are you doing? Do not touch her! Put her down!” Lincoln yelled, his voice full of rage and hatred, his body tight and ready to leap.
Jared looked briefly at Lincoln before he took Julia’s wrist and kissed the injured area with gentle and caring lips.
His touch was delicate and compassionate, a quiet promise of protection and affection.
