“Get your hands off her!” Liam yelled, and started to lunge at the guy when his friend grabbed him and tossed him to the floor. I could just barely see them fighting.
“I don't think we asked you for your opinion,” the guy told Julie. I fought my way through the crowd, trying my best to get to Julie and Liam, knowing they needed me.
“I don't think I asked for your permission,” she bit back, and I heard the guy grunt. Then the crowd gasped as I broke through. I saw Julie on the ground, and the guy standing over her, holding his crotch.
After the first punch, I blacked out.
♥
I only remembered looking down at my knuckles. They were puffy, and discoloring. I looked to the two guys on the ground, blood from their noses, and eyes swollen, lips busted, and somehow I connected the pieces that I must have done it.
My attention was to Julie in a moment. She was still on the ground, leaning against one of the game machines. I dropped to my knees in front of her, staring at the soft purple spreading across her cheek bone. It boiled the anger inside me all over again.
“Are you okay?” I asked her, my mouth feeling dry. “Did I hurt you?” I asked.
Julie was somewhere between scared and shocked as her eyes finally met mine. She was taking in slow breaths. Everything felt as if it had stopped, and there was only her and the silence between us.
“I'm okay,” she said softly. She didn't answer my question about whether I had hurt her, and that sent terrible shocks through my body. If I hurt her, I didn't know if I could handle it.
“All of you are a bunch of freaks!” one of the guys yelled at us as Julie held to my shoulders and we stood. I could feel her trembling as she got to her feet, but I knew it was anger.
“You might want to learn when to shut up before you get your butt handed on a plate again,” Liam said behind us. I looked at him, and he had a busted lip, and maybe some bruising, but mostly, he looked fine.
Julie looked at him, steadying herself away from me. I couldn't help but feel the rejection. Only minutes ago, I had been holding her, and leaning down to kiss her, and now, she was moving away from me.
“Let's just go, Liam,” Julie told him, and I watched as she grabbed to his arm and started toward the exit.
The guys were getting up, but I turned to follow Julie and Liam. I only wanted to get out of the arcade, and go home without hurting anyone else. I just wanted to apologize to Julie, and make everything better between us.
“Don't come back to our arcade, freak!” one yelled.
Julie stopped abruptly, and she pushed past me and bee-lined for the guy. I stopped too and went after her, but she had already punched the guy in the face.
“That freak wiped the floor with you. Just remember that,” she told him, and I thought she might let him have it again.
I saw him about to swing at her, and I quickly encircled my arms around her small waist and hurled her back, heading toward the door with her, despite her kicking and struggling.
“Let me go, Falon! If he has the balls to hit me then let him!” she yelled at me. It was a struggle to keep her in my arms as we walked out of the arcade, but I managed to do so.
“Don't come back again. Do you hear me Liam? I will call the police if you do,” an older man said to us as we passed.
Liam held up his middle finger as he walked past me and out the door. “Goodbye to you too, Mr. Fogerty!” he called out behind him.
I pushed Liam farther out the door with my arm, and kept Julie in my other. She had stopped fighting against me now, and simply had her arms crossed to prove she was not happy about the arrangement.
I didn't let her go until we got to Liam's car. Mostly because I was afraid she'd sprint for the door and start a fight again. A small part just didn't want to let her go.
She felt too amazing in my arms.
“I'm not a child,” she told me as we came to the car.
I found myself smiling despite the entire situation. “And you're not my bodyguard either,” I told her. She didn't remark to the comment. I tried to stop my laugh. “Are you going to behave?” I asked.
She looked at me, and I saw the urge cross her mind to hit me. I was glad she didn't, and instead, started to nod. I set her on the ground, and she straightened out her shirt as I did.
Her mouth was rueful, and twisted as she made a distance between us and walked the rest of the way to the car. I couldn't help but feel the sting of her actions.
I had really screwed up.
She opened the door and waited for me to crawl into the back seat before getting in and closing the door. I watched her pull her seat belt over her and buckle it in. She didn't look in my direction.
Liam got in, and started the car. I watched them both like a child in trouble. I was afraid to say anything, because they both seemed unwilling to talk about it.
It wasn't until we got out of the parking lot that Liam asked where to. Julie told him to drive to the
