Chapter 64. Stained

Ricard and Liam stood talking next to the sleek black car, its headlights illuminating part of the dark alley. The gang members had been subdued and were lying scattered on the ground, while Ricard’s security team was busy tying them up and preparing to take them away. Emma, her face expressionless, quietly approached the fallen thugs. She bent down, picking up the two baseball bats that the gang had used to mock her earlier.

Ricard noticed every move Emma made. He watched as she crouched down, then silently walked to her car trunk and opened it. Emma carefully placed the two bats inside, her actions calm but somehow endearing. A strange feeling arose within Ricard; he suddenly found this girl different from all the women he had ever met. She wasn’t just strong; there was a serene and charming quality in even her smallest actions.

Emma closed the trunk and turned to look at Ricard. Seeing him watching her, she gave a gentle smile. Ricard suddenly realized that in the dim