Chapter 535:
Ralphy didn’t budge. “I’m staying right here. What are you gonna do about it?”
“Last warning. Move, or we won’t play nice!”
Ralphy met his glare defiantly. “I’m not moving.”
“You asked for it! Folks, get him!”
The large men rushed toward Ralphy. One swung a punch. Ralphy dodged and kicked him down. The rest followed—and dropped just as fast.
At that moment, the leader of the fallen men arrived, ten hooligans trailing behind, their eyes sharp as daggers. “How dare you knock my men down!” he growled.
With a flick of his wrist, the hooligans pulled out knives and charged.
Outnumbered and with only his bare hands against their blades, Ralphy started to feel the heat.
The leader slipped behind Ralphy, ready to strike from the shadows. Dylan noticed it, his demeanor frosty. He sprang forward and landed a crushing kick. The leader stumbled back.
Then, Dylan stepped beside Ralphy. He’d had a bit too much alcohol tonight. A tiny slip cost him—he took a slash to the arm, courtesy of the leader. His eyes darkened, steely and fierce. He grabbed the leader’s wrist, snatched the knife, and stabbed it deep into the leader’s thigh. The leader screamed and collapsed on the floor.
“Sir!” his crew cried out and scrambled to help him.
“Retreat! Let’s get out of here!” he howled in pain.
The group fled like their lives depended on it.
All of a sudden, a soft voice asked, “Are you okay?”
The girl from before stepped up, eyes full of worry. She gently touched Dylan’s sleeve.
A flash of disgust crossed Dylan’s cold, unreadable gaze. Just as he moved to shake her hand off, a familiar voice rang out.
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“What happened?”
Christina studied the trio, her eyes finally settling on Dylan. The way a girl clung to his sleeve did not escape her.
In the next moment, Dylan swiftly pulled his sleeve back and immediately stepped back, putting a noticeable gap between himself and the girl.
Moments ago, hesitation had frozen Dylan in place. Otherwise, he would have yanked his sleeve back long ago. His hesitation stemmed from his memory of Ralphy’s so-called dating strategies—a little bit of jealousy might just do the trick. With the girl clutching his sleeve in Christina’s presence, he figured the perfect chance to test that theory seemed to have landed in his lap. But once Christina’s eyes found him, nerves kicked in. Instinct took over and he recoiled, tugging his sleeve away without a second thought.
Outwardly, Dylan managed to keep up a poker face. Inside, though, anxiety twisted his stomach. Christina had already witnessed it. What if she took it the wrong way? Suppose she started thinking he was the flirting, reckless type? Would that be the end for him?
“Heroes rescuing a damsel in distress, huh?” Davina asked, grinning as she looked from one face to another.
Dylan remarked coldly, “It was just Ralphy who played the hero.”
Ralphy almost jumped up in frustration upon hearing this. Both he and Dylan had roughed those large men up. How could Dylan dump all this on him? What injustice! Yet, despite his urgent desire to justify himself, words failed him. After all, he had indeed beaten those hooligans up, partly counting as the “hero,” given the situation.
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