Page 56 of Liam

Astrid glared at her. “Shut up.”

Laverne and Evelyn laughed and dropped the subject, but Taamira wondered if there was way more to that little exchange than anyone knew.

With the tension over they continued getting ready, doing hair and make-up before slipping into their dresses, or in Astrid’s case a black, backless jumpsuit. She would be helping Mitch with overwatch as she was a sniper, which was a surprise to Taamira and, therefore, a dress was not practical.

Glancing in the mirror she was happy with what she saw, confident even, the tiny flutter of butterflies the only sign of nerves about her upcoming speech.

The dress was sapphire blue chiffon, with long flowing sleeves of a single layer chiffon with gold embroidery and golden cuffs at her wrists. The layers and layers of chiffon that dropped from a wide intricate gold band at her waist fell to the floor with no adornment. The neckline was a keyhole style which showed off a good amount of cleavage without seeming cheap or too daring. Crystals and pearls adorned the shoulder and neckline. The headband she wore in her hair was gold with a single teardrop sapphire on the centre of her forehead.

“You look absolutely stunning.”

Taamira looked up to see Liam standing behind her in the mirror; the other women now nowhere in sight. He looked so handsome in a black tuxedo, white shirt, and black cummerbund. He took her breath away every time he looked at her; she caught her breath to think he was hers.

“You look very dashing.”

Taamira turned and saw the admiration in his eyes as he rested his hands on her upper arms.

“Are you ready?”

She put her hand on her belly as nerves assailed her. This speech would change everything, but she had the backing of the man she loved and perhaps even the father she thought she had lost. “Am I doing the right thing? Making this speech, speaking out against the traditions of my country?”

He looked at her intently. “Does it feel right?”

“I don’t know. What if I mess it up?”

“You won’t, you know that speech inside out and backwards. What is your heart saying?”

“That I need to do this.”

“Then follow your heart and whatever happens, happens. I will support you one hundred and ten per cent. I think what you’re doing for the women of your country is brave and from what your father said of her, your mother would be incredibly proud of you as well.”

Tears burned, and she swallowed them down. “I hope so.”

“I know so. Just go out there and speak from the heart and don’t worry about anything else. The team will be watching the entire time to make sure nobody gets anywhere near you.”

“What about you?”

“I’ll be no further than two feet from you the entire time, except when you make your speech, and the team will be in the crowd. I’ll be in the wings.”

“I’m not worried about me. I just don’t want anyone to get hurt because of me.”

Liam cupped her cheeks and tilted her head, so she was looking into his beautiful blue eyes. “Nobody is going to get hurt because of you. Whatever happens, this is not your doing. You’re innocent in this.”

Taamira nodded, not quite accepting his words but wanting to appease the man she loved.

“Now give me that smile I love so much.”

Taamira smiled at him, not helping herself where he was concerned.

“That’s better.”

He offered her his arm which she took, burying the unsettling nerves deep as she put on her public persona.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

LIAM CAST HIS EYE UP AND AROUND THE VAST ROOM, LOOKING FOR THE DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF HIS team when all he wanted to do was gaze at the vision in front of him. Her beauty took his breath away, but it was the way she turned to him when her nerves had been getting the better of her that made him feel like the luckiest bastard alive.

He spotted Alex and Evelyn looking like the original power couple talking with a couple of movie stars. He knew Jack was to his left, not two feet away with Laverne on his arm as they shadowed them. Zack and Dane were over by the band that was playing some sort of classical shit he hated. K and Zin were standing at opposite ends of the bar nursing drinks and fighting off women, successfully he might add.