Page 58 of Liam

“Are you my sister’s guard or her boyfriend tonight?” Abdul enquired with a sneer at the word boyfriend.

Liam knew Taamira loved this man, but he didn’t like him and probably never would, but he would hold his tongue as best he could. “I will always be protector, lover, and partner to my Princess.” Liam saw the look of approval on the King’s face and didn’t give a shit about it, all he cared about was her.

“As I will be yours,” she stated, reaching for his hand.

Abdul said nothing for a moment. “Then, I welcome you.” He bowed slightly.

Fawzaana gasped, her look of anger barely contained. “Such an outrage to speak with such frankness in public.”

“It is what this family needs more of. I am sick of the sniping and the hateful words uttered with false smiles. Liam is laying his cards on the table, standing behind my daughter, and that is commendable. Perhaps you could learn something from him, Abdul.”

The King’s words were met with silence until Abdul bowed his head. “Perhaps you are correct, Father. I did not mean any harm, Liam, and I am sure neither did my wife.” He gave his wife a pointed look, but she mutinously kept her eyes away.

“No harm to me, just as long as there’s a smile on Taamira’s face, I’m good.”

Taamira leaned closer and linked her arm with his. “It is time I head back for my speech. Father, Abdul, Fawzaana.” She tipped her head, and they made their escape.

“Thank you,” she whispered as they moved towards the stage.

“Is it wrong to say it was an absolute pleasure?”

Taamira giggled, and he grinned back. Her smile had him wanting to harness the moon just to be on the receiving end of it.

As they moved behind the curtain, his shoulders tensed. This was the most dangerous part of the evening, when she would be out in front of all these people on her own, with a fucking spotlight shining on her, and him not close enough to do a damn thing to protect her.

“Digby is on the move,” he spoke into his wrist, letting everyone know they were minutes out from the speech. Taamira had chosen her own code name, and he laughed when she’d chosen the name of his donkey.

Blake met them and nodded. “Princess.” He turned to Liam. “This area is clean. I swept it myself.”

Liam lifted his chin in acknowledgement. “Mitch, you have eyes on the stage?”

“Good copy, I have eyes on.”

“Everyone in position?” Liam asked as the Prime Minister of Spain introduced the reason for the conference and gave a small speech before he announced Taamira as the guest speaker.

A series of confirmations came through, and his gut still churned. Something was off, everything was too smooth, too flawless and it was making him jumpy. Although he had to admit in these circumstances, he’d always worry because he was about to put his whole world in danger and could do nothing to stop it, short of wrapping her in cotton wool and hiding her away for the rest of her life, which would result in her slowly dying.

He heard the Prime Minister wrapping up and took Taamira’s hands in his. “If you have even the slightest doubt or see anything that makes you unsure, you get off that stage. Do you hear me?”

“Yes, I hear you. Do not worry, Liam, it will all be fine.”

Her name was announced, so he didn’t respond. Straightening her shoulders, Taamira walked on to the stage with a huge smile.

Liam noted Jack in the opposite wing, watching her earnestly, his eyes moving between the stage and the crowd. Liam was doing the same, although it was hard to see properly with the lights shining at them, even though he stayed out of sight.

He saw the audience entranced as Taamira spoke, enslaving them with her passion for her subject.

“All clear,” Mitch murmured.

Liam watched King Saud, along with Abdul and Fawzaana, who were close to the stage. The King looked proud and surprisingly so did Abdul, but Fawzaana looked satisfied. That surprised him and instantly put his guard up further.

“Keep an eye on Abdul’s wife. I don’t like the way she’s looking at Taamira.”

Liam looked around quickly for Abdul’s guard and didn’t find him anywhere. He should have been next to this principle, but he’d left his post. Their discussions with the King’s guard hadn’t helped any, so they still had no real knowledge of precisely where the threat lay.

“Find Mustafa, Abdul’s guard, he’s left his post.”

Liam stepped forward, seconds away from dragging Taamira off the stage when he saw Mustafa, but he was too late. The man already had his gun in his hand and was raising it towards Taamira.