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"But the belt---"
"Quit your havering. I know what I'm doing."
Ava reaches for the belt again, and Thane tries to push her away which causes him to lean over a bit too far.
Holden slams his head into Thane's.
Ava frantically tries to get control of the belt, but it's too late. It all happens so fast that I have no chance to intervene. Thane seems slightly dazed by the head butt, and Ava finally gives up on the belt. Holden kicks out with both legs. Ava tumbles over backward with her ass in the air while Thane gets thrown to the side.
Holden leaps up, punching me in the gut in his haste to sprint toward the back door. The gun drops out of my hand. I lose my breath for just long enough that I'm too late to stop the bastard.
Thane leaps to his feet, roaring like an enraged beast as he barrels toward Holden. When the jackass realizes he's ticked off the wrong Scot, he seems to panic, suddenly veering toward the front gate.
Odin races after Thane, moving faster than I ever imagined a llama could. The animal's alarm call echoes off the house.
Where's the gun? I glance around but can't see it.
Then I turn to watch the men racing toward the gate. Holden has the gun in his hand. If I shout to Thane, Holden might shoot him. But I have another option.
I pull my phone out and punch a button on the screen.
Boom!
The sound reverberates in my ears as earth sprays up from the spot where the land mine had gone off. Thane was too far away and off to the side to be affected by the blast. Holden freezes for just long enough that Thane can catch up to him.
Ava and I hurry after the men and the llama. Poor Odin seems frantic and more concerned with Thane than with the small explosion I detonated.
Thane seizes the back of Holden's shirt collar, effectively snaring the creep. He pins Holden to the gate. Odin comes up beside Thane and spits in Holden's face, releasing a greenish goop. Holden cringes. Whether it's because Odin terrifies him or Thane terrifies him, I can't say. Maybe he doesn't like being spit on by a llama.
Holden's lips peel back from his teeth, and his pathetic moans are interspersed with tiny sobs. "Get that thing away from me. What sort of pathogens has it spat on me?"
"Pathogens?" Thane chuckles. "No, you aren't in any danger of catching Ebola. Odin spat out saliva and a wee bit of undigested hay."
Holden turns his head to the side, avoiding the llama. "Make it go away."
Odin spits on the creep again and stomps his feet.
"Ah!" Holden tries to wipe away the bit of undigested hay Odin just deposited on the creep's lips, but Thane slugs him in the gut. "Don't let that beast touch me. What if I catch a disease from it?"
Thane grunts. "You can lap up the llama spit with your tongue. After the way you punched Rebecca, you'll get no sympathy from me." He shakes Holden so hard that the man's head snaps backward. "I should kill you right now for what you've done. Assaulting women is a capital offense in my book."
His nasty tone gives me a warm shiver.
Odin stomps his foot and clucks his tongue.
And our captive whines. He wilts like a flower, his knees buckling.
Thane drops Holden on the ground, eying him with a mixture of disdain and bafflement. "Who knew a former spy would have the spine of a jellyfish."
Ava throws herself at Thane, forcing him to catch her. "Oh, I'm so glad you aren't injured. I was desperately worried for you."
Thane sets her down on her feet and gives the annoying woman a gentle shove away from him. "But you weren't worried about Rebecca, aye? Not sure you're much better than Holden."
Her joy crumbles away. "What? But I came here to save you."
"Save me?" Thane sighs. "Get it through your head, Ava. I do not want to be with you. Rebecca is my girlfriend."
Ava straightens and lifts her chin. "I had you first. You belong to me, Thane."
