Page 1 of Liam

PROLOGUE

HE STARED AT THE MAN IN THE LONG MIRROR, DRESSED IN A BLACK SUIT, BLACK SHIRT, HIS regimental tie, the medals on his chest, their weight heavy. The Military Cross, Victoria Cross among others, more undeserved than ever. He sighed, pushing away the feelings and placed the sand-coloured beret on his head, then looked away, unable to face what he saw.

Liam looked just the same as he always had, but his eyes held a pain so deep it would never leave him. His best friend, the man he had grown up with, got into trouble with, joined the army with, and then followed into the Special Air Service was gone—dead. All because of a group who wanted destruction and hatred to rule the earth.

He strode from the room, down the stairs, and out of the front door. He looked to the heavens and noted the rain clouds moving across the sky. He tossed his head and strode to his car. He would not be late for Ambrose; he would not let him down again—but that was because he would never get the chance.

Crippling grief stole through his body, and he fought the impact as if it were a physical blow. Fifteen minutes, that was all it had been, but he’d arrived too late to save his friend from the attack which had eventually taken his life. Stealing his life force, taking Ambrose’s soul one piece at a time as he faded away until he was gone. No longer of this earth, no more would he be beside Liam on a mission.

Never again would he hold his son and turn his smile of affection on the woman he loved. Natai would grow up without a father, but Liam would make sure he knew him. He would make sure he wanted for nothing that was in his power to give him. Liam just mourned that it would never be Ambrose doing that for his son.

He would give his own life in a heartbeat if he thought it would bring his friend—no, his brother —back but it couldn’t. So, as he pulled up outside the home where Ambrose had lived with his small family, he vowed he would do whatever he could the make the blow Ambrose’s son had been dealt a little less painful.

He glanced up as he climbed the steps to the front door and saw Gail standing in the doorway. She wore a long, black belted dress, black heels, and dark coat, her face pale and already tearstained before the day began.

“Hi, sweetheart,” Liam said as he came to a stop in front of her, leaning in to kiss her cheek. She turned empty, watery eyes on him before she spun without comment and walked back into the house. Liam hated the pain he saw in her eyes. Gail was normally so full of life, laughing and dancing with Ambrose in the kitchen.

He’d never seen a couple laugh so much together; they had been a match made in heaven. Her fire and his calm, the love they had for each other could be seen in every smile or look. Liam had envied them in some ways, wanting that for himself, yet he never begrudged either of them. They made him a part of their family. Gail had never wanted to come between the friends and accepted Liam as part of Ambrose.

Liam loved her almost as much as he knew his friend had but in a very different way. Gail was the sister he’d never had, so to see her so broken up over the loss of a man such as Ambrose was gut-wrenching.

“Uncle Liam.”

Liam looked towards the stairs and saw Natai at the top watching him. At three years old, he was the spitting image of his father. Liam saw so much of his friend in the boy it caused his chest to ache.

“Hey, little man.” Liam held out his arms to his godson, and the boy raced into them, jumping the last step so Liam caught him. “Wow, you’re getting so big, I won’t be able to catch you much longer.”

Natai regarded him seriously, his big brown eyes so full of sadness Liam almost sagged under the weight of it. “Mummy is sad.”

Liam’s chest ached where his heart beat an unsteady tattoo, but he had to ignore his pain and do what was necessary for this innocent child. Bending, he sat on the bottom step, the boy on his knee, as he heard the sobs from the living room, followed by a murmur of voices which he couldn’t face.

Twisting, he faced Natai. “Mummy misses Daddy, and that makes her sad,” he explained, not knowing how much to tell him.

“Why doesn’t Daddy come home then?”

The question asked by the child had him wanting to weep. He clenched his fist to try and control his own emotion as he swallowed. “Because Daddy had to go to heaven where he could help all the other angels fight for the good people here.”

Natai angled his head as he chewed his lip. “Like Thor?”

Liam fought the grin that was suddenly on his lips at the thought of his friend dressed as Thor. “Not quite but it does mean you won’t see Daddy anymore and neither will Mummy, and that’s why she’s sad.”

“Are you sad, Uncle Liam?”

God, this kid was killing him, making him want to lie on the floor and cry like a baby. “I’m very sad.”

“Me too. I don’t want Daddy to be an angel.” He laid his head on Liam’s chest. “I want him to play cars with me.”

“I’ll play cars with you, buddy.”

“Okay, Uncle Liam.”

He heard the resigned tone in his voice, it wasn’t the same as Ambrose doing it, and they both knew it.

Gail walked out from the room and peered at them with grief etched into her expression. “The car is here.”

She held her arms out for her son, and Liam stood and handed Natai to his mother who held on as if the child was the only thing keeping her breathing, and perhaps he was.

He opened the door and let Gail and Natai proceed him as the hearse carrying his best friend’s body drew up to the curb. A tight band of pain squeezed his chest and nausea swam in his belly as he saw the flowers covering the coffin. Son, Daddy, Ambrose, and their regimental insignia all made up in flowers so barely any wood showed.