You’re Mine by Penny Brooks
Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Easton

I don't remember driving to Julia's house. I mean, clearly I was parkedin front staring at the large two-story brick house deep in the suburbs,but I was still thinking about Harper.

About her taste.

About the way she threw me out of her fucking house like I wasyesterday's trash when I was completely innocent-well okay, so notcompletely innocent but

Aisha had been all up in my business for the last few months, and I'm aguy, so I took her up on it a few times, but now I have a different tasteon my tongue.

Too bad she hates me.

With a groan, I kill the engine to my Jeep and distractedly snatch myphone in my hand. It feels like betrayal, even though I know I didn’t doanything wrong.

I let it slide.

Shake it off and get out of the SUV. Is Harper pissed? Yes. But I am toobecause she’s constantly jumping to conclusions, constantly waiting forme to do the shitty thing.

Do you blame her? A voice says in my head.

“All I do is fuck.” My own stupid ass brain reminds me.

I groan and make my way to the door, but before I can even knock,Aisha is opening it. “You made it."

Her grin is way too wide and excited like I'm here delivering candy andfree weed when really I just want to get in, get my fucking paperwritten, and leave.

I'm already suspicious of her because, let's face it-it's her, so I shovepast her and mutter a “whatever” and make my way into the sizablestark home.

It's one of those houses that tells you exactly what type of people livethere without even confessing all the secrets.

Perfect family photos line the white walls.

Expensive candles are littered around the living room-with its fur rugsand high end furniture. Anyone would expect Julia to have the perfectlife.

Instead, she flew solo most of the time and used that time to dive intoher studies and, in her words, not mine. “Make my parents pay when Ihave a company bigger than Amazon and give them nothing.”

A bit vindictive? Yes, but I don't really care.

I just need the paper written so I can get the fuck out of here and gohome, then potentially try to figure out where it all went wrong withHarper.

My brain chooses that moment to show me all the moments we hadtogether, her thighs, her mouth, her taste.

“Hey,” Aisha snaps her fingers in front of my face. “You here or what?"

I literally have no idea how I even made it into the kitchen.

With a shrug, I sigh and fall onto one of the metal bar stools. Julia is onher phone texting. Her blonde hair is in a high ponytail that keepswhipping around every time she turns her head.

The doorbell rings.

“Probably Ryan,” I say more to myself than anyone.

Aisha shrugs and leaves the room.

Once she's out, I drum my fingers against the white marble countertop.“So, Julia, how long will this take?”

“Depends. How much money do you have?” She grins at her screenthen looks up. “Chill, I'm kidding, we can get it done in an hour or so.”She licks her full pale lips. “By the way, payment should be negotiatedfirst.” Her eyes drop to my cock and she scoots closer to me.Seriously?

Months ago, I would have said, I'm down.

Now I want to yell.

Because her smell is wrong, just like her mouth, just like her everything.Everything is fucking wrong.

“No.” I replace myself saying. “I have a thing with Ryan at my parents, sothis has to be fast.”

“I can be fast.”

“I mean the paper.” I clarify, clenching my teeth. Ryan's voice fills theroom as he and Aisha argue, and honestly, I can't take it anymore.“Aisha,” I bark. “Go to the Jeep and grab my bag so I can get this shitdone.”

“Whoa,” Julia smirks. “Someone needs a Xanax.”

"How perceptive.” I glare. “For real, Aisha.” I toss her my keys, “Just grabmy shit so I can get out of here.”

“You sure Aisha going through your shit is a good idea?” Ryan saysunder his breath.

I sigh. “And don't leave your panties behind like last time. That shit isn'tfunny.”

Aisha visibly deflates. “Fineeeee, be right back, limp dick.”

“That's a lie, and you know it,” I yell after her.

She flips me off, her heels clicking against the marble as I hear the dooropen and then slam closed. I can't even be pissed. “Yo, Julia,” I snap myfingers in front of

her. “Time is ticking-let's get this done.”

“Oh sorry.” She puts her phone down, not looking the least bit sorry.“All right, we still have terms of payment.”

With a growl, I reach for her neck, pull her close and kiss her cheek. Mybody doesn't feel a thing as she tries to cling to me. “Done. Next.”

She shoves me against the counter. “You're such a dick.”

I hold out my hands in surrender. “At least I paid.”

She rolls her eyes. “Fine, let me grab my laptop. I need to read oversome of your notes so it sounds like some shit you'd actually write, andthen you and princess Ryan over there can leave.”

Ryan ignores her.

I elbow him.

What the hell is taking Aisha so long?

Finally, the front door opens, she’s smoothing down her black leatherskirt like she just had a quickie, and on top of that, she’s looking hellasuspicious.

“Find something in there?” I ask.

She holds up my leather messenger bag and shrugs. “You mean otherthan all those used condoms?”

“Jealous?” I tease.

“Always.” She winks and drops my bag on the table.

It's maybe fifteen minutes before I'm ready to pull my own hair out.Without realizing it, Aisha had taken a picture of all of us “studying”and posted it to her stories, so now Ryan's phone is blowing up, andmine isn't.

Which pisses me the hell off.

I mean, she follows me now, so why isn't she mad?

Why isn't she fighting with me at the very least?

Whatever.

*...another five minutes.” Julia yawns, typing on her MacBook Pro.“Nah.” I grab my shit. “I have somewhere to be.”

“Me too.” Ryan follows suit.

“What?” Aisha’s lower lip pouts out. “I thought we were gonna hanglater?”

“Ryan's sick.” I lie.

Ryan, to his credit, manages a fake cough and looks at me for approvalwhen I want to strangle him, only to cough again.

“See?” I point out. "He's been feeling sick all day. I gotta follow himhome.”

Aisha’s eyes narrow while Julia's face takes on a disappointed look.“Email me, Julia.” I grab the rest of my shit and shove Ryan toward thedoor without saying goodbye to Aisha, which I'm sure pisses her offeven more.

We make it to my Jeep.

Memories assault me.

“Bro, who were you hooking up with?” Ryan shoves me.

"Huh? What?" I stumble back.

“I get it now.” He smiles. “Why you didn’t want to stay, got some girlyou wanna get back to.” His smile makes me want to punch him. “Nicehickey, by the way, and the scratch marks, I'm sure Aisha wasn't happy.”“Huh?” I touch my neck where he points and sure enough, I feel thescratches, and when I look in the rearview mirror, I see the small hickey.Planted by his sister.

Why isn't she fighting with me at the very least?

Whatever.

*...another five minutes.” Julia yawns, typing on her MacBook Pro.“Nah.” I grab my shit. “I have somewhere to be.”

“Me too.” Ryan follows suit.

“Ryan's sick.” I lie.

Ryan, to his credit, manages a fake cough and looks at me for approvalwhen I want to strangle him, only to cough again.

“See?” I point out. "He's been feeling sick all day. I gotta follow himhome.”

Aisha’s eyes narrow while Julia's face takes on a disappointed look.“Email me, Julia.” I grab the rest of my shit and shove Ryan toward thedoor without saying goodbye to Aisha, which I'm sure pisses her offeven more.

We make it to my Jeep.

Memories assault me.

“Bro, who were you hooking up with?" Ryan shoves me.

"Huh? What?" I stumble back

“I get it now.” He smiles. “Why you didn’t want to stay, got some girlyou wanna get back to.” His smile makes me want to punch him. “Nicehickey, by the way, and the scratch marks, I'm sure Aisha wasn't happy.”“Huh?” I touch my neck where he points and sure enough, I feel thescratches, and when I look in the rearview mirror, I see the small hickey.Planted by his sister.