Free Web NovelChapter 368: Chapter 369 Hostage on the Rooftop
Hudson’s POV
The alert on my phone hit me hard.
Christina. Kidnapped.
I’d had security watching her for weeks, but today she wasn’t supposed to go anywhere, so the team relaxed. When the guard got to the café, she was already drugged and taken.
As soon as I got the report, I shouted at Dominic through the mind-link. "Arrest the entire Granger family. Now."
"All of them?" he asked.
"All of them," I snapped. "Clive, Louisa, Willow. I don’t care that Louisa just had surgery. Get them and bring them where I tell you."
"Understood, Alpha."
I grabbed my keys and left my office quickly. My driver was waiting. I didn’t waste time with small talk.
"Move," I ordered.
Lycaon was growling in my head, fighting my control. "If he hurts her—"
"He won’t," I said coldly. "I’ll kill him first."
I got the address in a text. An empty building outside Highrise City. Of course. These idiots always pick obvious places.
When I got there, Dominic was waiting with two guards. He walked beside me as we went inside.
"The Grangers?" I asked.
"Coming," Dominic said. "Clive’s angry. Louisa’s unconscious. Willow’s crying."
"Good."
We went upstairs quietly. My jaw was tight, my hands in fists. The only thing stopping me from shifting was knowing Christina needed me calm. In control.
When we got to the roof, I pushed the door open.
And there she was.
Christina. Collapsed on the ground, her head hanging to one side. Her hands were tied with zip ties. Her face was pale, but she was breathing steadily.
She was alive.
I felt so relieved I almost fell. Then I saw Daniel.
He was kneeling beside her, holding a knife in his shaking hand. The knife was near her throat.
Lycaon growled. "Kill him."
"Not yet," I said quietly.
Daniel looked up quickly when he heard me. His eyes went wide, and he jumped up, pulling Christina up with him. The knife touched her neck.
"Don’t move!" he yelled. His voice shook. "Stay back!"
I stopped. My face didn’t change. I stared at him.
Behind me, Dominic moved, ready to act. I held up my hand to stop him.
"Mr. Laurent," Daniel said nervously. "I’m sorry. I didn’t want to do this, but I had to! Let Niall go, and I’ll release Christina. I know you have him."
I didn’t answer.
Daniel’s hand shook more. The knife moved against Christina’s throat. "He made a mistake, I know, but Niall is my half-brother. I can’t let you keep him prisoner."
I still said nothing.
I stayed quiet on purpose. I wanted him to get nervous and make a mistake.
He did.
Twenty minutes later, the door opened again. freewebnøvel.coɱ
Dominic’s men brought Clive, Louisa, and Willow to the roof. Louisa was unconscious, her head hanging against a guard’s shoulder. Willow was crying quietly, her hands tied. Clive was angry, his face red, but he couldn’t move with two guards holding him.
As soon as Clive saw me, he yelled. "If you want someone, take me! Don’t hurt Louisa. She’s sick!"
I didn’t look at him. I kept staring at Daniel.
Daniel looked pale. The knife in his hand was shaking so much I worried he might accidentally cut Christina.
When he saw me looking, he jumped. But he made himself stand up straighter. "Mr. Laurent, I won’t hurt her. Just let my family go, drop the charges, release Niall, and I’ll leave Highrise City forever. I’ll never bother Christina again." freewёbnoνel.com
Clive growled, "Useless! Can’t even do this right."
So Clive was behind this.
That made sense. Daniel and Niall were half-brothers, and Niall always hated Daniel for being illegitimate. Why would Daniel kidnap Christina just to free him?
Unless someone paid him.
I looked at Clive, then at Daniel. "How much did he offer you?"
Daniel’s face turned red. He didn’t deny it.
I looked at Christina again. She was still unconscious but breathing steadily. The zip ties on her hands were tight, but I didn’t see any injuries. No blood.
The tight feeling in my chest relaxed. Thank God I got here in time. If something had happened to her—
No. I wouldn’t think about that.
Now that she was safe, I could handle Daniel.
He was still trying to make a deal. "Mr. Laurent, please let them go. Louisa just had surgery; she’s sick. Willow didn’t do anything."
"What about Clive?" I asked flatly. "Is he innocent too?"
Daniel had no answer.
"Louisa and Willow," I said, "are here because of you. If Louisa dies today, it’s your fault."
Someone took the woman I love. I didn’t care about the kidnapper’s family.
I stepped forward.
Daniel’s eyes widened. He pulled the knife from Christina’s throat and pointed it at me. "Stay away!"
I signaled with my hand.
Dominic and two guards moved forward.
"Stay back!" Daniel yelled. He waved the knife wildly, moving backward and pulling Christina with him.
I used that moment. Before he could react, I reached him in three steps, grabbed his wrist and twisted it behind his back.
Daniel screamed. His arm twisted wrong. The knife fell to the ground.
Then he felt a cold gun against his head.
He looked sideways and saw the black gun. He started sweating immediately.
Dominic and the guards rushed in and pinned him down. I put my gun away, but Dominic kept his gun pointed at Daniel’s head.
I stepped over him and went to Christina.
She was still unconscious, her head hanging down. I knelt beside her and cut the zip ties with my knife. Then I picked her up and held her tight against my chest.
Finally, I could relax.
But then I got angry. How reckless she was, after everything, still meeting Daniel alone. She needed to learn a lesson.
"I never wanted to hurt her," Daniel said quietly. His voice sounded confused, like he couldn’t believe how badly things went. "I just wanted to save Niall. Clive forced me."
"Dominic," I said. "Handle him."
"Yes, Alpha," Dominic said.
I turned and walked to the door, carrying Christina in my arms. Behind me, Daniel screamed.
I kept walking.
Lycaon growled happily. "Good."
"Get the pack doctor," I ordered through the mind-link. "Tell him to wait at the house."
"Done, Alpha," Dominic said.
I carried Christina downstairs, my jaw clenched. She was safe. That’s what mattered.
But when she woke up, we would have a long talk about how she doesn’t protect herself.
Because this reckless, stupid decision to meet Daniel alone?
It stops now.
