A Laird to Hold by Angeline Fortin (free children's ebooks online .TXT) 📕

There was nothing to say to that. The very fact Hugh was standing there proved Jameson’s inciting statement false. As he knew the whole of Donell’s game now, though his own life was the least of Hugh’s worries. Only two lives would alter his endgame. Neither of them was Hugh’s.

One of them was safe above stairs. His wee ancestor. Aye, if Jameson had managed to kill her, all would be lost.

The other life…

“Now back away,” Jameson ground out, pressing the barrel to Hermione’s head again.

The reckless security guard did just the opposite.

“Enough, ye fool, do ye want to get the child killed?” Hugh barked at him and turned to Jameson. Surely he wouldn’t do it and leave himself exposed.

The security guard’s impatience was palpable. He wanted to take the shot. Probably would. The way Hermione was squirming against Jameson, he’d doubtless hit her instead.

Bugger it, Hugh hated feeling helpless. He dared not charge forward lest Jameson harm Hermione. He clenched his teeth, longing to eviscerate the man.

Jameson’s gaze bounced from Hugh to the guard and back again. The security guard shifted, prepared to take a shot, but Jameson hefted the child higher in his arms until only one deranged eye was visible. Hugh could only hope the guard didn’t overrate his abilities and try it. No one was that good a shot.

“Forget the child, Jameson.” Hugh kept his modulation calm, soothing, and his hands out to his sides. For Hermione’s sake, if not to disarm Jameson. “I’m the one ye want, aye?”

Hugh took a slow step forward, then another until he was between the guard and Jameson. The guard behind him cursed and inched to the side, but the wee lass watched him with trusting eyes. He couldn’t fail her. Jameson jerked the gun toward him.

Aye, Hugh thought. That’s it. Me, ye want me.

Then it was aimed once more at Hermione.

“If this child doesn’t destroy, killing one of the others will,” Jameson spat out, eyeing the guard again when he moved to a more advantageous position. “Either way, I’ll get what I want.”

“Killing them will gain ye nothing. They are nae important.” Hugh moved again in front of the security guard. “Merely friends.”

“I know they are more. Much more. Donell wouldn’t care otherwise.” Jameson turned the gun to the shifting guard and back to Hugh. “Should I kill them both to find out?”

The thought of Laird and Connor in a pool of blood sickened him. Och, he longed to charge the cruel bastard, beat him within an inch of his life. However, the gun was aimed at Hermione again, staying his hand. Forced inaction boiled his blood.

Sirens wailed in the distance. The police would be upon them soon. The gun swung toward him and back to the guard again.

“Let her go, Jameson. Run whilst ye still can.” Hugh took another step forward. “Gi’ her to me and make yer escape.”

Jameson lifted Hermione higher against his chest and backed away with the gun pushed to her cheek. The lass  whimpered for her mother. The bleak whine ripped through Hugh’s heart. Bloody hell, Jameson would run no doubt but he wasn’t planning to release his hostage.

“Dinnae point that thing at a defenseless child,” Hugh snarled, desperate to keep his attention. “’Tis I who made a fool of ye, Jameson. Point it at me.”

“You’re an aberration.” Spittle flew from Jameson’s lips. “An anomaly. The only way to fix all this is to get rid of you for good.”

“Then do it,” Hugh goaded, tamping down his desperation. “’Tis I ye want anyway. I, who am nothing more than a mindless savage to ye.”

The moment Jameson leveled the gun at Hugh once more, the guard fired. Jameson shot back and the guard fell to the ground. The madman turned the gun back to Hugh, his eyes narrowed and filled with hatred.

Fook, Hugh cursed inwardly. Jameson meant to do it.

Running footfalls slapped against the concrete, coming toward them. Hugh lunged forward, and panicked, Jameson threw Hermione at him. Hugh caught her against him and rolled to the ground.

Bang, bang, bang.

Hermione began to sob against his chest. “Hush, sweeting,” he murmured gruffly and smoothed back her auburn hair. “I’ve got ye.”

“Hugh!”

Glancing up, Hugh saw Connor running toward them.

“We’re fine,” he called. “Git after him.”

Connor turned in the direction he pointed and waved for the men behind him to follow. One of them stayed behind to check on the security guard and ran to fetch a doctor.

Wincing, Hugh pushed himself up and cradled Hermione in his arms. His thigh and back throbbed with pain where he’d taken two of Jameson’s bullets. At least the one in his thigh was only oozing rather than spurting the blood. No arterial damage then.

Most importantly, the wee lass was unharmed. Her safety was all that mattered.

Nay, there was another life in the balance.

Jameson was wrong in thinking Hugh’s death would solve all his problems. He wasn’t even aware another stood in the way of everything he wanted. It chilled Hugh to the bone what Jameson might do if he found out. He was already maddened to the point of folly. If he knew Claire carried Hugh’s seed…

All of it came down to that. A wee bairn deep within his bonny Sorcha’s belly. For all the evil he’d already done, his unborn babe was what Jameson truly sought to stop.

A new generation.

Hugh’s child was the key to it all. He’d known the truth from the moment he’d solved Donell’s puzzling game.

All the players put in place. Only his bairn hadn’t yet been played. Hopefully they could get through this without that happening.

“Mummy!”

Scarlett burst through the door. Hermione started bawling and kicked out of his hold. Sizzling pain engulfed him as she ran to her