The sterile air of the interrogation room felt heavy with the fluorescent lights buzzing like angry wasps. Liam leaned back in the chair with his gaze fixed on the hulking figure opposite him. The man was a mountain of muscle with a sneer permanently etched on his face and glinted defiance in his eyes. Liam recognized him as the leader of the thugs. The same sneer that had twisted his lips as he lunged at Isabelle in the park was present now as a chilling reminder of the fear that had gripped him.
“So, you’re the one who decided to make a play for my fiancee,” Liam said, his voice low and dangerous.
The thug, whose name was supposedly Jake, chuckled, a harsh, grating sound. “You think this is a game, Callahan? You think you can just walk in here and waltz out with some answers?”
Liam’s jaw clenched, the muscles in his face tightening. “I’m not playing games, Jake. I just want to know who sent you.”
“You think I’m stupid? I ain’t spilling any beans.” Jake retorted, leaning back against the steel table, his gaze unwavering. “You think I want to rot in this place? I’m getting out of here, and soon.”
Liam felt a knot of anger tighten in his chest. He wasn’t buying it. He knew this wasn’t a random attack. Something about it felt calculated and planned. “Who’s getting you out of here?”
Jake’s face remained impassive, but his eyes flickered with something akin to amusement. “Let’s just say there are people who are more than happy to see a certain someone disappear. And they’re not afraid to pull some strings.”
The air grew thick with tension. Liam was certain he knew the face behind the mask of this thug’s bravado. His mind flashed back to the night of the attack, the adrenaline pumping in his veins, the fear he’d felt for Isabelle. He was not going to allow himself to be taken down like this.
“You’re not going to tell me who it is? You sure about that?” Liam asked, his voice laced with a chilling calm.
Jake shrugged a gesture that seemed to mock Liam’s intentions. “Call it a game of cat and mouse, Callahan. But trust me, this game is far from over.”
Liam stood up, his chair scraping against the floor, the sound echoing in the room. His gaze locked with Jake’s, his eyes burning with a simmering fury. He slammed his fist on the table, the force of the impact making the table wobble.
“You think you can scare me?” Liam’s voice was a dangerous growl.
“I’m not trying to scare you.” Jake sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. “I’m just telling you the truth. You’re going to disappear, Callahan. Just like everyone else who gets in the way.”
Liam’s anger boiled over. He had had enough of Jake’s arrogance. He walked towards him, his footsteps heavy and deliberate, the weight of his fury pushing him forward.
“You’re playing a dangerous game, Jake,” Liam growled, his voice low and dangerous. “And you’re playing with the wrong guy. You think you can threaten me, but you’re not even close to understanding what I’m capable of.”
Jake, unfazed, met Liam’s gaze with a smirk. “Oh, I think I know exactly what you’re capable of, Callahan. You’re capable of being a little… too passionate.”
The words, laced with crude innuendo, pierced through Liam’s anger, igniting a fire of fury in his chest.
“You think you can talk about Isabelle like that, you piece of trash?” Liam roared, his voice shaking with rage.
Jake’s smirk widened, his eyes gleaming with something akin to triumph. “What are you going to do about it, Callahan? Are you going to break a few bones? I’ve seen tougher guys than you. You’re just a rich boy with a fancy title.”
Liam’s anger reached a boiling point. He slammed his fist on the table, the wood splintering under his force. Then, he grabbed the table and with a mighty heave, threw it across the room, the metal screeching against the wall as it crashed into the concrete.
Jake’s face contorted in surprise as he scrambled back, his eyes widening in fear. “You’re crazy! What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
Liam was already on him, grabbing his shirt and slamming him against the wall. The force of the impact sent a shockwave through Jake’s body, his breath catching in his throat.
“You’re going to pay for what you did!” Liam growled, his knuckles turning white as he tightened his grip.
Jake’s eyes bulged, his face contorted in pain. He struggled against Liam’s grasp, but it was futile. Liam’s rage was a force of nature, a tempest that threatened to consume everything in its path.
“Damn you!” Jake gasped, his voice choked with fear.
The sounds of the struggle echoed through the room, drawing the attention of the officers outside, their faces reflecting a mixture of surprise and apprehension.
“Callahan! Get off him!” One of the officers barked, his voice strained.
But Liam didn’t listen. His grip tightened, his fury burning through his veins.
“You’re never going to shut me up, Jake,” Liam whispered, his voice filled with a chilling intensity. “Never!”
Just then, the door burst open and two officers, faces grim, rushed in, pulling Liam away from Jake. Jake, his face contorted in pain, slumped against the wall, his eyes darting around the room, a mixture of fear and hatred in his gaze.
“Callahan, you’re going to have to calm down.” one of the officers said, his voice firm but laced with concern. “You can’t just go around assaulting people, no matter who they are.”
Liam, panting heavily, shoved the officer’s hand away. “He deserved it,” he said, his voice husky with anger. “He was talking trash about Isabelle, and I wasn’t going to stand for it.”
The officers exchanged glances, their expressions serious. “Callahan, this isn’t helping anyone. You’re going to get yourself into more trouble if you don’t calm down.”
Liam pressed his lips together, his jaw clenching. He knew they were right. But he couldn’t shake the feeling of simmering rage that still pulsed through him.
The officers led Jake away, his laughter echoing through the room as he went. Liam watched him go, his face hardening with a mixture of fury and disgust. He couldn’t believe that someone could be so callous, so devoid of empathy.
“Callahan, you need to come with us,” one of the officers said, his voice flat. “We need to take a statement from you about the attack, and we also need to discuss your actions here.”
Liam nodded, his eyes locking with Isabelle’s. He knew she was watching, her face a mask of concern. He reached out and took her hand, his fingers intertwining with hers. He squeezed her hand gently, a silent promise to protect her, to always stand by her side.
“I’ll be back soon,” he whispered, his voice low and reassuring.
Isabelle, her heart heavy with worry, nodded, her eyes filled with a mixture of concern and admiration. She knew he was right to be angry, but she also knew that his actions could have serious consequences.
As they walked out of the interrogation room, Liam felt Isabelle’s hand tighten in his. He glanced down at her, his gaze soft and tender.
“I’m sorry I lost my temper,” he said, his voice filled with regret. “I just couldn’t stand to hear him talking about you like that.”
Isabelle smiled sadly, her eyes filled with compassion. “I know, Liam. I just wish you hadn’t gone so far.”
Liam nodded, his heart aching at the sight of her worry. He knew he had crossed the line. But he couldn’t bring himself to regret his actions. He would do anything to protect her, to keep her safe…
CHAPTER 46
The Interrogation
The sterile air of the interrogation room felt heavy with the fluorescent lights buzzing like angry wasps. Liam leaned back in the chair with his gaze fixed on the hulking figure opposite him. The man was a mountain of muscle with a sneer permanently etched on his face and glinted defiance in his eyes. Liam recognized him as the leader of the thugs. The same sneer that had twisted his lips as he lunged at Isabelle in the park was present now as a chilling reminder of the fear that had gripped him.
“So, you’re the one who decided to make a play for my fiancee,” Liam said, his voice low and dangerous.
The thug, whose name was supposedly Jake, chuckled, a harsh, grating sound. “You think this is a game, Callahan? You think you can just walk in here and waltz out with some answers?”
Liam’s jaw clenched, the muscles in his face tightening. “I’m not playing games, Jake. I just want to know who sent you.”
“You think I’m stupid? I ain’t spilling any beans.” Jake retorted, leaning back against the steel table, his gaze unwavering. “You think I want to rot in this place? I’m getting out of here, and soon.”
Liam felt a knot of anger tighten in his chest. He wasn’t buying it. He knew this wasn’t a random attack. Something about it felt calculated and planned. “Who’s getting you out of here?”
Jake’s face remained impassive, but his eyes flickered with something akin to amusement. “Let’s just say there are people who are more than happy to see a certain someone disappear. And they’re not afraid to pull some strings.”
The air grew thick with tension. Liam was certain he knew the face behind the mask of this thug’s bravado. His mind flashed back to the night of the attack, the adrenaline pumping in his veins, the fear he’d felt for Isabelle. He was not going to allow himself to be taken down like this.
“You’re not going to tell me who it is? You sure about that?” Liam asked, his voice laced with a chilling calm.
Jake shrugged a gesture that seemed to mock Liam’s intentions. “Call it a game of cat and mouse, Callahan. But trust me, this game is far from over.”
Liam stood up, his chair scraping against the floor, the sound echoing in the room. His gaze locked with Jake’s, his eyes burning with a simmering fury. He slammed his fist on the table, the force of the impact making the table wobble.
“You think you can scare me?” Liam’s voice was a dangerous growl.
“I’m not trying to scare you.” Jake sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. “I’m just telling you the truth. You’re going to disappear, Callahan. Just like everyone else who gets in the way.”
Liam’s anger boiled over. He had had enough of Jake’s arrogance. He walked towards him, his footsteps heavy and deliberate, the weight of his fury pushing him forward.
“You’re playing a dangerous game, Jake,” Liam growled, his voice low and dangerous. “And you’re playing with the wrong guy. You think you can threaten me, but you’re not even close to understanding what I’m capable of.”
Jake, unfazed, met Liam’s gaze with a smirk. “Oh, I think I know exactly what you’re capable of, Callahan. You’re capable of being a little… too passionate.”
The words, laced with crude innuendo, pierced through Liam’s anger, igniting a fire of fury in his chest.
“You think you can talk about Isabelle like that, you piece of trash?” Liam roared, his voice shaking with rage.
Jake’s smirk widened, his eyes gleaming with something akin to triumph. “What are you going to do about it, Callahan? Are you going to break a few bones? I’ve seen tougher guys than you. You’re just a rich boy with a fancy title.”
Liam’s anger reached a boiling point. He slammed his fist on the table, the wood splintering under his force. Then, he grabbed the table and with a mighty heave, threw it across the room, the metal screeching against the wall as it crashed into the concrete.
Jake’s face contorted in surprise as he scrambled back, his eyes widening in fear. “You’re crazy! What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
Liam was already on him, grabbing his shirt and slamming him against the wall. The force of the impact sent a shockwave through Jake’s body, his breath catching in his throat.
“You’re going to pay for what you did!” Liam growled, his knuckles turning white as he tightened his grip.
Jake’s eyes bulged, his face contorted in pain. He struggled against Liam’s grasp, but it was futile. Liam’s rage was a force of nature, a tempest that threatened to consume everything in its path.
“Damn you!” Jake gasped, his voice choked with fear.
The sounds of the struggle echoed through the room, drawing the attention of the officers outside, their faces reflecting a mixture of surprise and apprehension.
“Callahan! Get off him!” One of the officers barked, his voice strained.
But Liam didn’t listen. His grip tightened, his fury burning through his veins.
“You’re never going to shut me up, Jake,” Liam whispered, his voice filled with a chilling intensity. “Never!”
Just then, the door burst open and two officers, faces grim, rushed in, pulling Liam away from Jake. Jake, his face contorted in pain, slumped against the wall, his eyes darting around the room, a mixture of fear and hatred in his gaze.
“Callahan, you’re going to have to calm down.” one of the officers said, his voice firm but laced with concern. “You can’t just go around assaulting people, no matter who they are.”
Liam, panting heavily, shoved the officer’s hand away. “He deserved it,” he said, his voice husky with anger. “He was talking trash about Isabelle, and I wasn’t going to stand for it.”
The officers exchanged glances, their expressions serious. “Callahan, this isn’t helping anyone. You’re going to get yourself into more trouble if you don’t calm down.”
Liam pressed his lips together, his jaw clenching. He knew they were right. But he couldn’t shake the feeling of simmering rage that still pulsed through him.
The officers led Jake away, his laughter echoing through the room as he went. Liam watched him go, his face hardening with a mixture of fury and disgust. He couldn’t believe that someone could be so callous, so devoid of empathy.
“Callahan, you need to come with us,” one of the officers said, his voice flat. “We need to take a statement from you about the attack, and we also need to discuss your actions here.”
Liam nodded, his eyes locking with Isabelle’s. He knew she was watching, her face a mask of concern. He reached out and took her hand, his fingers intertwining with hers. He squeezed her hand gently, a silent promise to protect her, to always stand by her side.
“I’ll be back soon,” he whispered, his voice low and reassuring.
Isabelle, her heart heavy with worry, nodded, her eyes filled with a mixture of concern and admiration. She knew he was right to be angry, but she also knew that his actions could have serious consequences.
As they walked out of the interrogation room, Liam felt Isabelle’s hand tighten in his. He glanced down at her, his gaze soft and tender.
“I’m sorry I lost my temper,” he said, his voice filled with regret. “I just couldn’t stand to hear him talking about you like that.”
Isabelle smiled sadly, her eyes filled with compassion. “I know, Liam. I just wish you hadn’t gone so far.”
Liam nodded, his heart aching at the sight of her worry. He knew he had crossed the line. But he couldn’t bring himself to regret his actions. He would do anything to protect her, to keep her safe…