Page 60 of Liam

“Atta girl.”

Opening the door, she saw Alex and Blake waiting for them to walk her back to the relative’s room which was now full of her family and friends.

“Taamira.” Her father rushed to take her hands, but she pulled them away. Hurt flashed in his eyes before he spoke again. “Is there any news?”

Taamira crossed her arms and glared at the people who should have protected her always and had failed, and now through their own ignorance had allowed one of their most trusted to commit a crime that could change her life forever.

“Why are you here?”

She saw her father’s face fall and fought to keep from going to him.

“Taamira!” scolded her brother.

She turned her glare on him. “What? I have no clue why you would be here. When I was attacked, you could not be bothered, so why now? Come to make sure your man hit his mark or maybe to kill me as I was the intended target?” She fought to keep her voice even as she spoke those words.

Her brother paled. “How could you think such a thing? We are as shocked and disgusted as anyone. We had no idea Mustafa was involved in anything like that. We love you.”

“That is the problem. You did not know because you are lazy and entitled. It is your job to secure the safety of your country, and yet you do not even know what is going on inside your own home. As for love, you need to go away and learn what love is. Love is always, and I mean always, being there for the people you love, it is showing them they have worth, caring for their feelings, and putting them before yourself. You do not show that, and you certainly do not have it.” She cast her eyes to Fawzaana as she said the last.

The woman had the grace to look away, sadness in her eyes.

“You are upset. We should leave you.”

Her brother backtracked towards the door with Fawzaana, but her father stayed and looked at her with pain in his eyes. “Everything you say is right, we have failed you, and I will fix this. I will make this right. Please know that Liam is in my prayers, as are you.” He turned to Jack. “Please keep me updated.”

Jack shrugged. “Not up to me. Taamira is the one in charge of that.”

King Saud dipped his head and left the room and Taamira sagged, Mitch catching her as she did. He led her to the couch and sat her down beside him, his arm staying around her shoulders.

“You did good, Princess. Liam would be proud of you.”

She offered him a wan smile. “I hope so.”

“I know so.”

HOURS LATER, a doctor walked into the room and looked around at them all. “Who is next of kin?” he said in heavily accented English.

“She is,” Jack pointed at Taamira.

The doctor who nodded and moved towards her. “Mr Hayes received injuries to his liver, kidney, and right lung. We had to remove part of his liver and the right kidney as the damage was too extensive. His lung is now functioning after it collapsed, but he is not out of the woods, and a will have a long recovery.”

“But he will be okay?”

“The next forty-eight hours will tell us more. Once he wakes, we can ensure there were no neurological injuries caused by the lack of oxygen to his brain.”

“Brain injury? You never mentioned a brain injury.” Taamira gasped as she held tight to Mitch and Laverne who were either side of her.

“He didn’t receive a brain injury as such, but his heart stopped twice on the operating table, and we can’t be sure that he didn’t sustain any damage while we got his heart started again.”

Taamira bit her lip as she tried to fight the tears and be strong. “Can I see him?”

“He is in the ICU, so it’s one at a time and only for a ten minute period. Rest is what his body needs right now.”

“Thank you.”

The doctor squeezed her hand his kind eyes promising nothing. “I will send the nurse to get you when we have him settled in a room.”

He left the room, and it remained silent as everyone took in the seriousness of the news. Liam was alive, but he had a fight on his hands, and she and everyone in that room would be fighting for him.