Her survival instincts kicked into action. Summer struggled with all her might, flinging herself to the ground together with the chair.
“Damn it!”
The kidnapper swore, flinging his leg to kick her in her stomach and reaching to grab her hair, wanting to pull her back up. Summer felt pain explode in her abdomen, cold sweat popping out of her skin. She could not think of anything else other than to free herself from the disgusting hand of the kidnapper.
Before the kidnapped could drag her back up, she heard a loud bang. Outside, someone kicked the door open. The man grabbed her hair with such a force that it hurt like a bitch.
She bit her lips, trying to look toward the doorway. When she saw the figure standing at the doorway, she instantly recognized it. She let her fear burst out of the dam of her emotions, drowning in it. Her tears rolled down her cheeks unstoppably, but she was not crying. Smiling at the man at the doorway, she muttered, “Douglas, you’ve come for me.”
The moment she saw “Douglas”, she suddenly realized that one who gave her strength to remain calm and to resist was the one she had in her subconscious, the one whom she believed would come for her, the strongest one she had ever known. And that man was “Douglas”.
When Leonardo took in all the information of the situation inside, he had clenched his hands into fists, his face grim like a messenger of death from hell who could strike fear in a mortal’s soul with just a glance.
Fear seemed to have seized the two kidnappers, their voices shivering. “Who-who are you?” The Jarretts had not warned them that a ghastly guy would come to Summer’s rescue when they kidnapped her.
“Leave this question to your next life,” Leonardo stepped toward them, his low voice cold. “for it is too late for you to know in this life.”
As his voice trailed off, he suddenly lunged forward. Before the two kidnappers knew it, he had come close and struck them to the ground with two loud, muffled thuds. They curled up and moaned in pain.
Leonardo crouched, carefully held up Summer, who was still tied to the chair and untied her at once. His face lacked emotions, but with a strong air of vengeance. Summer was worried about something else, though. She did not see anyone else behind “Douglas”. That meant he came alone.
“Are you okay?” “Douglas” asked her.
“I’m all right. Why did you come alone?” She had no idea how he found her, but it was too dangerous to come here alone.
“Me alone is more than enough.”
His eyes were half-closed as he spoke. It was hard to make out what he was thinking. Leonardo then spoke. “Wait for me outside.”
It sounded like an order. Seeing his confidence, Summer became somewhat at ease. But just when she tried to lift her leg, she found her strength had left her. She could not walk. She could pretend to be calm as much as she wanted, but her body was more honest than her mind. Summer started to fret.
Just then, Leonardo took off his tie, using it to cover her eyes by tying it around her head. He then sat her back down on the chair and pushed it to the corner of the wall.
“I won’t be long,” he whispered into her ear.
Seconds later, Summer heard the sounds of fighting and shouts, and then smelled a metallic scent-it was blood. As the smell got stronger, the groaning dissipated. It all returned to normal.
Summer felt a big hand hold hers followed by “Douglas’s” voice. “Now, let’s go.” She reached her hand, wanting to take off the tie that wrapped around her eyes. But “Douglas” stopped her.
“Let’s get out of here first. Follow me.”
With her eyes covered, all Summer saw was black. She followed the steps of “Douglas” with him holding her hand. She had never felt so safe and secure, but at the same time, her heart was trembling.
Out of the door, “Douglas” took the tie off her head. Summer blinked, trying to adjust her eyes to the light in the surroundings before her vision normalized.
The sky had turned dark, but she could still vaguely make out the withered grass in the surroundings. She found that they were still somewhere in the middle of nowhere. The only difference was that the location had changed from an abandoned car scrapyard to here.
Their hands were clasped tightly together; hers was cold and his was warm. For the very time, Summer did not consciously avoid him. She let “Douglas” hold her hand as she stood beside him. She followed her heart this time. Just this time.
Before they went, Summer looked back into the house through the ajar door. The two kidnappers lay on the floor in a pool of blood. The eyes of one of them still stared dead in their direction, but there was no life in them. No life in them? A chill washed down through her guts. Did “Douglas” beat them to death?
As if he knew what she was on her mind, “Douglas” glanced over at her with a meaningful look and swept her up in his arms.
“You… I can walk myself.”
When Summer came to know what was happening, she subconsciously wrapped her hands around his neck. “Douglas” still did not say a thing. And then she only realized how few words he had said since the beginning.
“Douglas” carried her into the car. She had tons of questions in her mind. But it was too warm in the cabin, and with “Douglas” beside her, her tense muscles and nerves eased up and she fell asleep from exhaustion.
It looked like apart from her messy hair, Summer had suffered no injury. Not even a bruise on her arms or face. But the close call had definitely scared the daylights out of her. He hated kidnappers the most. They all deserved to die. Just then, his mobile rang. It was Tim calling.
“Young Master, where are you?” Tim sounded worried. He was told that the young master had gotten into his car and sped off somewhere.
Leonardo instructed with a low voice, “I will send you the location. Bring some men to clean up the scene.”
Tim was transfixed for a second before he replied, “Aye.”
…
The warmth woke Summer as the heater was on full blast. She looked over to her side; “Douglas” was not there. Her eyes searched around and saw a spark and a figure, tall but blurry as if it had blended in with the darkness outside, standing outside. She opened the door, and the chill wind in the winter night sent a shiver throughout her body.
Sensing the movement, “Douglas” turned his head around. “Stay in the car. I will come back inside in a while after I finish this cigarette.”