The Coldest Summer✓

Thirty-four

"Are you deaf? I said let go of her!" Liam thunders.

"Easy there, bro." Jeremy releases me from his grip. "We're just talking," he says and my eyes are on my wrist, faint finger marks accented on my skin.

"Don't call me bro, kid!" Liam snaps, his fists clenched as he glares at Jeremy with blazing eyes while pacing closer. "Are you okay, Kira?" He glances at me . . . at my wrist, too, and I nod like a little girl would.

Jaw ticked, he pulls me to his side and his cold gaze returns to Jeremy. "She told you to leave her alone, didn't she? Why were you forcing your hands on her?"

Now he strides forward, standing between Jeremy and I. Restless, I lag behind him.

"I said we were just talking, bro! So calm down," Jeremy says defensively.

"And I told you not to call me bro!" Liam lashes, and I can feel him getting more explosive, the muscles in his arms tightly rippling as though he's battling with his self-control.

They glare at one another like beasts, their chests almost touching. Maybe I should rejoice somehow, but causing a scene here is the last thing I want, so I decide to intervene.

"Liam . . ." I hold his hand cautiously, but he doesn't look at me.

"Get out of here!" he tells Jeremy, whose gaze has turned into a disturbing glare at the sight of me in close contact with Liam-almost intimate.

His eyes crinkle and anger resurfaces in his eyes.

"Jeremy, leave," I also tell him curtly.

As though he can read the signs, Liam's hand slips behind my waist, protectively, pulling me back to his side. Again he doesn't look my way, but I can still feel the rage in him.

"Look, young man," Liam says, moving quite closer to Jeremy while scratching his chin arrogantly. What a sight! "I'm really trying to be civil here. Get the fuck out of here! Right now! Unless you really want me to lose it."

My skin shudders at the sound of his hard voice.

"And who the fuck do you think you are?" Jeremy clenches his fists, angrily, ready to pounce on Mr. Intense.

"I dare you." Liam smirks as he says this. He lets go of me and confronts Jeremy. "Go ahead and try it, kid. Do it."

No, this shouldn't happen. Instinctively move over and firm my grip around Liam's tight waist. He stares down at me, his face hard and puffed with anger.

"You asked if the guy outside is the one I'm . . . fucking? No, he's not." Which means this man here is the one-technically speaking. "Now can I have your absence as I prefer?' I blurt out whatever comes in my mind, caring so little about its repercussions.

I feel Liam's muscles flexing, and his gaze directed to me as If I've grown horns.

Jeremy takes a hint and backs off while scoffing like a mad dog. He laughs like a jerk he is, and I stay calm. Glaring icily at me, he opens his mouth to speak but an interruption stops him.

"What's going on here?" Sam asks suddenly, startling the three of us.

That's all I needed.

I look at her over my shoulder and I can see her eyes resting on Liam's possessive hand around my waist, and I his. She gulps tightly, her eyes frost. I inhale sharply and free Liam.

My skepticism doesn't help at all as Sam's face tells exactly how disturbed she feels about the little gesture. And I feel like she knows something, or feels something about us.