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That must be Holden. His British accent gives it away.
Ava wrenches out of my grasp and sprints to the backyard gate. But just as she attempts to scramble over the obstacle, I race after her. I know how to open the gate, unlike Ava who falls down twice while trying to get over the gate. She finally tumbles over the barrier just as I swing the gate open and sprint toward the corner of the house. Veering around it, I finally see what's happening.
Thane has Holden pinned to the ground with one knee on the jerk's chest and both his hands fastened by one of Thane's. Holden's face is red. He snarls words through his clenched teeth, like a rabid dog.
"Release me, you wanker!"
The chickens are huddled inside their coop while Odin shuffles around, clearly agitated. He makes his alarm sound occasionally.
I halt beside Thane and his captive. "Looks like you've got things under control."
"Aye, for the moment. He's a wriggly snake, though."
"Should we call your friends? Maybe they could help."
"They're already on their way." He swerves his attention away from Holden and straight to me. "Go inside and find something to restrain him with."
Ava finally rounds the corner of the house and reaches us. "Thane, are you all right? At least you've got the knob in hand. I can get those restraints for you."
I raise my brows at her. "You don't know where anything is in Thane's house."
She huffs. "How difficult can it be to find a rope or...something."
"Fine. You go hunt around for 'something' while Thane and I do the real work. Try opening the gate this time instead of making pitiful attempts to climb over it."
Ava scowls at me, then stomps off like a toddler who didn't get her way.
Thane winks at me. "You're a force to be reckoned with, mo chridhe."
"What does that Gaelic phrase mean?"
He opens his mouth to speak, but Holden rams his head into Thane, knocking him off balance. He teeters and almost falls over, flailing a hand out to stop his tumble. Just as Thane regains control of Holden, the bastard knees him in the balls.
I point the gun at Holden. "Stop now! I will shoot you."
Holden freezes, though he has a sneaky glint in his eyes. "Oh, I'm terribly frightened of your girlfriend, Buchanan."
"Ye did stop trying to get away. So, I'm thinking she does scare you."
Ava comes racing out the back door of the house, which I had completely forgotten existed. It's a narrow doorway that opens off the kitchen. The most annoying woman I've ever met halts beside me, though she focuses on Thane.
She holds up a leather belt. "This ought to do."
Thane scrunches up his mouth as he studies the item Ava has brought for him. "That's not long enough, and the buckle doesn't look sturdy enough to restrain this cacan. Nice try, but I doubt it will work."
Ava's entire demeanor deflates. She really must have hoped to impress Thane with her gift. Her bottom lip quivers the tiniest bit. I swear her eyes seem to be tearing up too. Does she have genuine feelings for Thane? I'd assumed she was being bossy and annoying because she feels like she owns him, since he was her agent for years. But I'm beginning to reassess that assumption.
I think Ava wanted to save Thane from Holden.
She thrusts the belt at Thane. "Try it. He could hurt you if he keeps thrashing."
Thane stares at her with confusion riddling his expression. But he reaches up to take the belt, almost as if he doesn't want to offend her by refusing the gift. He wraps the belt around Holden's wrists, cinching it up as tightly as he can. Holden's ankles remain free, though Thane still has them pinned with his own legs.
When the prisoner thrashes again, the belt loosens.
Ava falls to her knees and starts fiddling with it. "You haven't done this up tight enough. Let me try."
Thane swats her hands away. "Stop interfering."
