You’re Mine by Penny Brooks
Chapter 58

Chapter 58

Easton

My best friend wants to murder me and stand over my bleeding corpse,smiling and kicking until I breathe my last breath.

Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if he actually just grabs a shovel fromthe garage in a vain attempt to knock me out and bury me in hisbackyard next to the tree we carved our initials in.

Huh, how fucking poetic.

I walk behind him, angry that it's come to this but also angry that hecan't see how much I care for Harper.

worst and has it out for Harper. The look she gave us yesterday isburned into my mind. She's officially taken it too far.

“Grab a roller,” Ryan barks.

I grab one of the rollers.

He's silent. He grabs two cans of white paint, a tray, and some plastic. Igrab another brush and one more roller, then follow him out of thegarage.

Harper is standing in front of it in tears.

“Harper.” It comes out harsher than I would have liked. “We'll take careof it, just go inside.”

She crosses her arms over her chest like she’s embarrassed.

Does she regret last night and this morning?

Shit, we had sex at least three times, or was that four?

I was kind of rough with her the last time.

Maybe she feels like a whore now?

Clearly the words on the garage could have been written at a bettertime.

Shit.

I'm not used to feeling insecure. I want to go comfort her, but I figureRyan and I need to talk before I touch her.

Ryan sets the paint down and curses. “Easton's right, go inside, callSadie or something, eat chocolate, do what girls do when they're sad.”“You should know what girls do when they're sad.” It's like I can't stopmyself from saying these things.

“Not now, Easton.” He doesn't even look at me. “Harper, we'll figure itout, all right?”

She gives us both one last tear-filled look, then slowly walks toward thedoor. I fight like hell not to stare after the perfect ass I sunk my teethinto last night and nearly fail as turn.

Ryan's watching me, and I can't stop my feet as they move toward her.Harper's right hand reaches for the front door. I spin her around-possibly my last moment on this earth since I'm touching her in front ofRyan-and pull her against my chest, thankful that both parents arealready back inside so they arent suspicious of anything.

She relaxes instantly against me.

I hold her tight.

Ryan can go fuck himself.

She starts to sob as I clench her tighter, whispering in her ear. “We'llfigure it out, I promise, okay?”

"B-but who would do this?”

“I can think of a few people who aren't so happy right now.” I pull backand wipe the tears from beneath her eyes, damn she’s so pretty, evenwhen she cries. I want to go back into that house and lay in bed withher. I want to hand her all the ice cream and candy she needs thenworship her body with my mouth. Her surrender would feel so good.She needs me, I think, as much as I need her, but I have an angrybrother/best friend behind me. So, I gently pull away and kiss her onthe forehead. “He's right. Go call Sadie and try to relax. We've got this.”Harper nods and then looks over my head at Ryan. “I like him, pleasedon't kill him."

“No promises,” Ryan seethes.

I hope I don't look too panicked as Harper kisses me on the cheek andgoes inside. Like an idiot, my hand goes to the spot on my cheek shetouched.

A hard shove comes from behind.

I stumble onto the pavement, nearly falling. “What the hell Ryan?”

He grunts, “Grab a brush.”

"Oh..." I walk past him and grab a brush. “So, we aren't talking aboutit?”

He jerks open both cans of paint. “If I talk about it, I might actually goto prison, so no, we aren't talking about it.”

“We should.”

He freezes, his hands hovering over the metal lids. “Anyone but her,bro. Why did it have to be her? Why?”

The fact that he looks sad kills me.

I sigh and start pouring one of the cans of paint into the tray. “Youprobably won't believe me, but I didn’t know it was her.”

“Huh?” He looks at me for the first time, really looks at me. “How didyou not know it was her?”

I shrug. “I fell for a girl I was making out with in the dark, and by thetime I realized it was Harper, I was already too far gone to do anythingbut jump.”

He frowns. “Holy shit, did you just go all poetic about my fucking sisterright now?”

I'm agitated because he’s right. “No, I'm just saying, you know..."“You're a simp.” He mocks and dips his roller into the tray. “And she’s ahandful.”

I want to say yeah, a handful of tits, ass, and every other fantasy I have,but I restrain myself.

“Look...” I work on my spot on the garage door. “Right now, the mostimportant thing isn’t you kicking my ass, it's us replaceing out who did thisshit to your garage. It has to be Aisha, she's been all over me formonths.”

He snorts. “What makes you think it wasn’t someone else?”

“She was pissed yesterday and in complete attack mode, it didn't helpthat Harper and I took off or kissed or...” I realize the more I talk, themore Ryan looks ready to murder me. “Never mind. It just makes themost sense.”

“Maybe.” Ryan is silent.

This sucks.

I don't want to lose my best friend.

But I don’t want to lose Harper either.

We work in silence.

Harper comes back outside with coffee and some breakfast burritos,then goes back inside without saying anything.

I hang my head. “Bro, are we good?”

“No. Not right now.”

“If I say I'm sorry, it means I regret her. I can't do that.” I hate myself formy honesty.

Ryan tosses the roller down and looks over at me. “You lied to my face.”"Yes.

“So, how would you be doing in my position?” He scowls and goes backto painting.

I feel like shit the rest of the morning.

I want to say yeah, a handful of tits, ass, and every other fantasy I have,but I restrain myself.

“Look...” I work on my spot on the garage door. “Right now, the mostimportant thing isn't you kicking my ass, it's us replaceing out who did thisshit to your garage. It has to be Aisha, she's been all over me formonths.”

He snorts. “What makes you think it wasn’t someone else?”

“She was pissed yesterday and in complete attack mode, it didn't helpthat Harper and I took off or kissed or..” I realize the more I talk, themore Ryan looks ready to murder me. “Never mind. It just makes themost sense.”

“Maybe.” Ryan is silent.

This sucks.

I don't want to lose my best friend.

But I don’t want to lose Harper either.

We work in silence.

Harper comes back outside with coffee and some breakfast burritos,then goes back inside without saying anything.

Thang my head. “Bro, are we good?”

“No. Not right now.”

“If I say I'm sorry, it means I regret her. I can't do that.” I hate myself formy honesty.

Ryan tosses the roller down and looks over at me. “You lied to my face.”AYER:

“So, how would you be doing in my position?” He scowls and goes backto painting.

I feel like shit the rest of the morning.