Rescued by a Highlander(90)

Alex and Brodie kicked the door in. Robbie followed right behind them with several other guardsmen. Alex froze at the sight he saw after the door fell. His wee wife sat with a dagger at her throat being held by her stepbrother, Kenneth. Time stood still for him. He saw the sweat on her brow, the fear in her eyes and the fine trembling in her fingers. He stared into her blue eyes and willed her to be strong. He wanted her to know how much he loved her. He tried to tell her with his eyes, but felt he failed.

He had failed his wife in more ways than one. In the hands of a daft man right now, how could she ever forgive him? He had promised her that no other man would ever touch her and he had promised to protect her from her stepbrother.

Kenneth was a dead man. Alex’s focus returned.

Alex stared at his enemy. “What do you want, MacDonald?”

“I want revenge, Grant, and I will get revenge. It is just moments away. I will make you pay for what you did. You took the love of my life away, and I will take yours. As soon as this whore drops the bairn, I will kill them both while you watch.”

Every muscle in his body tensed as fury coursed through his veins. His eyes turned fiercely dark as he stared at his wife. He willed her to give him what he needed. Another pain gripped Madeline’s belly. She turned her head and let out another blood-curdling scream right into her stepbrother’s ear.

Kenneth started for a second, but that was all the time Alex needed. He reached over and grabbed Kenneth by the shoulders and threw him against the far wall near the window. Kenneth was momentarily stunned, but quickly stood up. What Kenneth saw at that moment was far more than he could handle. The three huge Grant brothers all lunged for him simultaneously.

Kenneth turned and jumped out the window.

Madeline heard Kenneth’s scream until he landed, then silence. Everyone in the room froze. The need to push returned. “Alex, please!” was all she could get out as she started to push.

Brenna shoved everyone out the door. She quickly wrapped a strip of linen around her arm to staunch the bleeding from her knife wound.

“Robbie, make sure he is dead!” Alex ordered. He remained in the room and Brenna tried to push him out.

Alex bellowed, “Nay, Brenna, I stay! My wife just had a dirk at her throat!” He gazed at Maddie as he strode over to the bed and said softly, “I need to tell Maddie that I love her, that I have always loved her.” He leaned over the bed and kissed her soundly.

Maddie gaped at her husband and smiled, “I love you too, Alex. But right now, I have more important things to do. Your son wants out,” she ground out through her teeth as she pushed again.

Alex glanced at his sister, then his wife, and did the unthinkable. He picked up his wife, sat down on the bed, and settled his wife in front of him. He positioned himself so as not to be in the way of the babe. “I am not leaving, and I do not think anyone here can force me out.”

“Then help me push, would you please!” Maddie shouted as her body heaved again.

Brenna and Alice lifted the sheet and got Maddie in position for the birth. Each time she pushed, Alex could feel her strength and the strain on her body. He wished he could assist her. Marveling at the amount of stamina present in his small wife, he whispered his love into her ear whenever she had to push and let her grip his hands.

“One more push, Maddie, I think!” Alice cried. “I can see the bairn’s head.”

Maddie pushed again and felt the bairn gush from her body and leaned back against her husband in relief. Alex wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek as he wiped the sweat from her brow. They held their breath until they heard the wee one cry.

“You have a son, Alex! He is beautiful, Maddie!” Brenna swiped at her tears as she cleaned up the squalling bairn and handed him to his parents.

Tears flowed from Maddie’s eyes as she looked at their son. “Oh, Alex, he is so beautiful, isn’t he?”

“Aye, he is,” the proud father said.

“You do not mind that he is not a lass?” Maddie pleaded.

“Nay, nothing could make me happier than our wee lad in your arms, my love.” He leaned in and kissed them both.

“Oh, Alex, I have to push again! Oh, Alice, I have to push again!” she announced as her body heaved again.

Brenna shouted, “Twins! Two bairns, keep pushing, Maddie!”

A few minutes later, Alex held their firstborn, and Maddie their second son. They both bubbled with joy when Maddie said, “I hope I am done now, Alice!”

They sent Alex out with one son in each arm so they could clean the bed and get Maddie washed up. They slipped a fresh night rail on her and allowed her to relax on the bed.

“You did beautifully,” Alice said as she kissed Maddie’s brow. “How I wish your mother could be here.”