Rescue

At that voice, all activities ceased as if someone pressed a Pause button on the scene. Kieran strode in, his face like thunder. My heart leapt with joy, but I still couldn’t move. Though my arms and legs were still restrained, I knew I was safe now. ‘We, ah, we are just following orders,’ the man to my left spoke up carefully. ‘Rusty said that—’ The rest of his words were swallowed in a grunt as Kieran’s fist ploughed into his stomach. The man released his grip on my arm, doubled over in pain. Two other men moved at the same time, one going for Kieran’s face, the other aiming a punch at his chest. In a few swift moves, too fast for my swollen eyes to track, Kieran put both of them out of action.\ They dropped to the floor, clutching their stomach, groaning. I sank to my knees, overwhelmed with relief. Kieran removed his coat, draped it over my shoulders. ‘Sorry, honey, I was late.’ I threw both arms around his neck and wept. ‘It’s all right now, honey. It’s going to be okay.’ He strok