The Castle of Gold [Bk 2]

ch.27 Protect

"Angie" he groaned and he held my hands so I couldn't protest at his forward actions.

"The salad for the miss" the hoarse voice interrupted again.

I breathed a sigh of relief.

Liam glared at her and gave some distance between us.

“And the steak for the boy” she spoke though clenched teeth. She made sure to pronounce “boy” instead of “sir.”

Liam noticed this and he tightened his grip around me waist.

She set the food down slowly and glared at Liam.

“I thought your seat was on this side?” she expressed with casual concern. She looked over at his old spot and back to where he sat squished up against me.

Liam stared at her.

She rested her hand at her hip and returned Liam’s stare.

“I didn’t know the waitresses told customers where to sit” Liam retorted equally as casually, but coldly.

The waitress ignore him and turned her attention to me.

“Do you need anything, miss?” she asked me kindly.

I looked at her and there was a sort of motherly concern in her eyes.

What was I supposed to tell her? Make Liam disappear and reverse everything so that Harry would come back?

So I shook my head “no.”

She looked slightly disappointed that I had refused her help. But what could she have done anyway?

“Alright” she sighed. “Let me know if you need anything” she told me. Then she glared at Liam.

I nodded.

Liam returned his attention to me again.

“Aren’t you hungry?” he asked and let his gaze follow down my chest and to my stomach.

I glared at him, then picked up my fork and took a bite of the salad.

Then he cut up a piece of his steak and held his fork up to my mouth.

“What’s the matter, you allergic to meat?” he teased when I refused to eat the steak.

“You’re gonna need your energy” he winked.

I shook my head “no” again.

“Oh, come on” he pleaded and swirled the fork in front of my lips.

I glared at him.
“Suit yourself” he shrugged his shoulders and continued to eat.

 We ate in silence- well; I sat there in silence while Liam talked about the lacrosse team and all the goals he’s made.

He even demonstrated with his fork and a piece of steak.

“And there was only two seconds left but I was quick and the goalie flinched for a second, so I scored” he described like one of those ESPN reporters. Then he winked at the word “scored.”

I sighed in frustration.

Liam sat there and waited for me to applaud him or something.

But I did nothing but glare at him.

“You still haven’t come out to one of my games” he shook his head in pretend disappointment.

“I’ve been busy” I replied tersely.

“Well, now you won’t be busy with anyone but me” he grinned and he wrapped his arm around my waist again, tugging me closer to him.

I shrugged him off.

“Angie, stop with the moping” he pleaded quietly and he moved a stray lock of my hair from my neck.

“Just forget about him” he advised me. “Forget all the pain and torture he put you through” he whispered quietly by my ear.

I pushed him off.

“I would rather go through a thousand years of pain and torture than be with you!” I shouted.

His eyes widened in momentary despair before hardening again.

“Well he’s gone and he’s NEVER coming back!” Liam growled.

 “SHUT UP!” I screamed back.

He blinked, completely taken aback by my sudden explosion.

“Can you just shut up for one minute?!” I demanded.

“Harry’s already gone. I’m here with you. What more do you want?” I demanded in desperation.

“A lot more” he replied through clenched teeth. He leaned closer to me again and stared into my eyes.

“You’re not giving me half of what you gave that criminal” he shouted.

“He’s not a criminal!” I shouted.

A woman from a nearby table glanced over at us momentarily.

I took a deep breath.

“I want to go home” I told him through gritted teeth.

“No” he shook his head and there was a dangerous gleam in his eyes.

“LIAM!” I shouted again and pushed at his chest.

“No. You are going to walk along the pier with me and you are going to hold my hand and enjoy it” he commanded as he yanked my wrist and pulled me to his chest.

Enjoy it, echoed in my head.

I swallowed hard; I can’t believe I actually semi-enjoyed that kiss at my graduation party.

The waitress came back again.

“Please lower your voice” she stared at Liam.

“We were just leaving” Liam spat coldly.

He handed the woman his credit card.

She swiped it and handed it back to him.

He took it back and slid it in his back pocket.

Then he grabbed my wrist and tugged me along.

I wanted to strike across his smug face, but I couldn’t get myself to do it. Not in front of all these people, all these wealthy businessmen and lawyers and doctors.

“Let’s go” Liam hissed and he wrapped his arm around my waist and tugged me outside.

I jerked away, but he only tightened his grip.

Once we got outside, a cool breeze snaked around us.

 Liam took off his jacket and held it out for me.

I shook my head “no.” I would rather freeze to death than wear his jacket.

“Wear it or you’ll get a cold” he hissed.

A few people looked at me weirdly, thinking I was being stubborn to a nice boy who was offering his jacket to me.

I grabbed it, but I felt even colder when I put it on. Liam’s jacket felt bulky and alien-like on my body, like the jacket couldn’t protect me from anything, unlike Harry’s armor. Liam’s jacket was made of fancy thread and silks of unpronounceable names, but it did nothing but look nice on.

I sighed in desperation as I looked out at the dark alley way close to the restaurant. 

That was wear Harry had first kissed me. It all seemed so long ago, like another life time that was quickly drifting to the back of my mind, like a special fantasy.

What have I done to my knight? The knight who always wore leather armor?