Page 20 of Liam

“Hassan,” the man almost squeaked.

Liam paused for effect and then stepped back, righting the chair as he did. “See, wasn’t that so much easier?”

The man nodded as his gaze stayed firmly on Liam, as the main threat in the room.

“Now, who do you work for?”

The man remained tight-lipped at this question, his mutinous face closing down. What Liam wanted to know was if it was fear or loyalty that kept him silent. Luckily, he knew just how to test that.

He turned and nodded at Waggs. “Find his family and have them tortured until he gives us a name.” The man paled but remain silent. A loyal man would give up his loyalties to protect those he loved. “Until then, Hassan can remain here and enjoy the accommodations.”

Liam heard Waggs leave and then smiled. “Now we can get started on some real torture techniques.”

Hassan blanched, the colour seeping from his face as Liam pulled on black leather gloves. He didn’t enjoy interrogations, but they were necessary in their line of work. Growing up on the streets of the Eastend of London while his mother worked three jobs to pay the rent, meant Liam had gotten into more than a few scrapes.

His skillset had been refined in the SAS but underneath, the kid who fought dirty still survived, and he had every intention of using whatever he had to in order to keep Taamira safe.

He landed the first blow to the man’s gut, doubling him over as his breath left his body, the uppercut to his chin knocked the chair clean over. Blood exploded from Hassan’s face, and he began to shriek in pain.

Liam pulled back and lifted the chair upright again. “Who. Do. You. Work. For?”

“I work for no one.”

Liam shook his head. “Are you really going to do this, Hassan? Take a beating and then watch as we torture your family?”

The man was mute as blood poured down his face. Liam had barely gotten started, but this man would not last the distance and Liam had no interest in playing this game with him.

Waggs stepped back into the room and moved to Liam, whispering to him which had Hassan tensing.

“Hassan Bahri, forty-six years old, with six children no less, and a loving wife.”

“Stay away from my family.” Hassan bit out the words with hostility, but he lacked conviction and Liam knew it.

“My pleasure, Hassan. I have no interest in hurting anyone. All you have to do is tell me who you work for because, and make no mistake, while I don’t want to hurt innocents, I will do what it takes to protect the Princess.”

Hassan reared back and spat on the floor at Liam’s feet. “She is a whore who flaunts the rules of her God and her King.”

Liam almost rolled his eyes at the trite response. “I ain’t doing this, Hassan. Names now or we pay your family a visit they won’t forget.”

When Hassan said nothing, Liam turned to leave and nodded at Waggs. “Let’s go.”

They did indeed have the address for the man’s family, but it was in Eyan and while he could go, he wouldn’t. The threat should be enough, and even if it wasn’t, he now knew where the danger was coming from, and he could lock it down without Hassan.

“What are you thinking?” Mitch asked as they stepped into the living room they’d set up with cameras as a command base of sorts.

“It’s obvious to me that the attack originates from the palace.” Liam crossed his arms as he watched the man on the screen snivelling.

“You don’t think he did this alone? Just some fanatic that didn’t like the Princess’ take on modern society being part of Eyan culture?” Waggs enquired.

“Nah, he’s a pussy, and most of the Eyan people are poor. There’s no way he would spend his money to come here and do this without someone funding him in some way.”

Mitch tipped his head to the side. “You think it’s the brother?”

“My guess is yes but we can’t know for sure. I want the Princess somewhere safer.”

“Home?”

“Home,” Liam confirmed.