Chapter 95 He Walks Out of the Smoke and Fire
I wasn't sure if Holden would agree.
He'd only heard about my abilities from others. The opportunity I was promising him was something pretty vague.
Holden's sharp gaze fixed on me. "Seems like you really love Lucas."
"Wrong. I just want to experience the fun of threatening Lucas too." I said with a smile.
That sounded like I was deliberately mocking Holden. His face darkened, but after a moment, he agreed.
"As long as you can walk out of Dawnharbor alive tonight, I'll give you the stuff."
"Give it to me now. What if you go back on your word later?" I said.
"How dare you!" A Caporegime beside Holden scolded me angrily.
Marcus flicked the fruit fork in his hand. The fork grazed the man's cheek, leaving a bright red bloody mark.
Marcus stared straight at him. "Don't yell at my sister."
The atmosphere grew tense again. A fierce conflict was about to break out.
"Fine, I agree." Holden suddenly said. He stood up. "I'll have it sent over later."
I watched him leave uneasily. Half an hour later, someone delivered an antique-style peachwood box.
Inside the box were just two pieces of jewelry and some old photos.
Marcus found a tracking chip in the gap between the brass lock and the box. He snorted coldly, showing his contempt for Holden.
Close to midnight, we drove toward the exit on the south side of Dawnharbor.
I guessed Holden wouldn't let us go easily. Sure enough, when we were still five hundred yards from leaving Dawnharbor territory, a large group of killers rushed out from the darkness.
Roughly counting, there were at least fifty people, armed with guns and machetes. In an instant, we were engaged in fierce combat. In the hail of bullets, the few Soldati around me fell one by one, leaving only Marcus and me. Adrian was half-conscious, and Cole's right hand was injured.
The situation was critical.
Marcus firmly protected me behind him. I gripped my gun tightly, watching the killers closing in around us, looking for a chance to retreat.
Just then, intense gunfire suddenly erupted from behind the enemy. In less than a minute, a large group of people wearing black combat uniforms with a small snake emblem on their chests rushed into the battle.
I stared wide-eyed in surprise. They were the killer force Lucas had carefully trained for years, nicknamed the "Silver Serpent Syndicate"!
Lucas rarely deployed these people, and they usually guarded Lucas's headquarters in Starstream City. Why would they appear here at this time?
With them here, wouldn't the Northern District be left unguarded?
The appearance of the Silver Serpent Syndicate instantly changed the situation. Lucas walked toward me through the smoke-filled crowd. Moonlight fell on his tall figure and handsome face. I saw blood spatters on his cheek, making him look incredibly dangerous,
and incredibly attractive.
He walked up to me. Marcus puffed out his chest, blocking me like a mother hen protecting her chick. Lucas asked Marcus, "Want to compete?"
Marcus's eyes lit up. "Compete at what?"
Lucas pointed at the enemies still alive. "See who can kill more?"
"You're on!" Marcus excitedly charged at the enemy. "I'm definitely going to win!"
I looked at Marcus's back somewhat helplessly. Lucas suddenly grabbed my hand, looked me over, and asked, "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." I brushed off his hand. "Marcus has already taken down three people. If you don't go now, you'll lose."
"If I lose, I lose." Lucas shrugged indifferently. "Let's go. I'll escort you out of the city."
Before I could agree, he forcefully put his arm around me, holding me as we walked forward.
Marcus noticed and realized he'd been tricked. He shouted excitedly, "Wait for me! Lucas, you sneaky bastard!"
Marcus wanted to come over but was held up by enemies. He had to change his tune. "Take care of Bella!"
"Got it!" Lucas called back, then openly pulled me into his embrace, chuckling softly in my ear, "You heard that, right? Marcus entrusted you to me."
I urged him irritably, "Let's go!"
The last three hundred yards, two hundred yards, one hundred yards.
I walked across the blood-stained ground, weaving through the dense gunfire and sounds of fighting, calmly walking out of Dawnharbor.
"Bella!" Brian stood not far away, calling out to me excitedly.
"Brian!" I ran over excitedly and threw myself into Brian's arms. "Where's Gale?"
"Gale's in Starstream City. Someone has to hold down the fort there." Brian gently patted my back, looking at Lucas with complicated eyes. "Thanks for this time."
"It's what I should do." Lucas didn't come closer, stopping a few steps away. He looked back at the battle nearing its end and volunteered, "I'll clean up. You guys go ahead."
I looked at him. Brian gripped my wrist and nodded. "Alright, we'll leave it to you." He called Marcus over and quickly took me to the airport, where we boarded a private plane back to Starstream City.
Although the three-day escape was relatively easy, my nerves had been on edge the whole time. Suddenly relaxing, I slept for over ten hours before feeling satisfied.
The familiar bed, the familiar bedroom—I was back at the home my brothers and I shared in Starstream City. Those thrilling days in Dawnharbor seemed like a dream.
I walked into the bathroom, washing up while thinking, feeling like I'd forgotten something.
While applying moisturizer, I saw the electronic calendar marking my period next to the makeup mirror and suddenly remembered what I'd forgotten—I hadn't used contraception!
On the way back from inspecting the business that day, I still remembered to buy a box of 24-hour emergency contraceptive pills, but then I was invited to meet Holden, and later I had no time to remember this.
Taking the pills now was completely too late.
I calculated my safe period using the electronic calendar, then consoled myself that getting pregnant wasn't something that happened easily. Most likely I wouldn't get pregnant. I probably didn't need to worry.
Not long after I got up, Lucas came.
"Thanks for this time." I invited Lucas to the living room and thanked him first.
The Silver Serpent Syndicate was his trump card. Coming to rescue me, he took a huge risk.
I was somewhat afraid to look directly at him, always thinking of that night of crazy sex not long ago.
"No need to thank me. We don't need to be so formal with each other." Lucas's expression was calm, impossible to guess what he was thinking. Suddenly, he asked me, "Did you draw that middle finger on my abs?"
I didn't expect that was what he'd bring up first.
"Yes, I did. Do you have a problem with it?" I asked him back.
"No." Lucas smiled slightly. "Next time you can draw something else."
I refuted somewhat embarrassedly, "There won't be a next time!"
Lucas didn't speak, just looked at me with an aggressive gaze.
"Although you saved me, I also saved you. We're even." I said hurriedly. "At the press conference, where's the necklace you got back from Amelia?"
"Here." Lucas took a dark blue velvet box from Alfred. When the box opened, that sapphire necklace lay quietly inside. Because the real gemstone had been replaced, it looked somewhat dull.
I reached out to take it, but Lucas pulled it back. His eyes brewed deep, complex emotions. He asked, "Bella, is this your necklace?"
I frowned, not too happy. "What do you mean? I already explained very clearly at the horse ranch. This is a gift from my mother."
"When I was trapped by Amelia at the hotel, I suddenly remembered something." Lucas said. "Many years ago in Silverpine Town, the person who saved me was indeed a young girl. I regained consciousness briefly while unconscious. I didn't see her face clearly, but I remember she wore a sapphire necklace around her neck."
Lucas pointed at the velvet box. "Exactly like this necklace."