You’re Mine by Penny Brooks

Chapter 37

Easton

I don’t remember driving to Julia’s house. I mean, clearly I was parked in 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 was yesterday’s trash when I was completely innocent-well okay, so not completely innocent but

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

Too bad she hates me.

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

I let it slide.

Shake it off and get out of the SUV. Is Harper pissed? Yes. But I am too because she’s constantly jumping to conclusions, constantly waiting for me 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 and free weed when really I just want to get in, get my fucking paper written, and leave.

I’m already suspicious of her because, let’s face it-it’s her, so I shove past her and mutter a “whatever” and make my way into the sizable stark home.

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

Perfect family photos line the white walls.

Expensive candles are littered around the living room-with its fur rugs and high end furniture. Anyone would expect Julia to have the perfect life.

Instead, she flew solo most of the time and used that time to dive into her studies and, in her words, not mine. “Make my parents pay when I have 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 go home, then potentially try to figure out where it all went wrong with Harper.

My brain chooses that moment to show me all the moments we had together, 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 on her phone texting. Her blonde hair is in a high ponytail that keeps whipping around every time she turns her head.

The doorbell rings.

I say more to myself than

and leaves

I drum my fingers against the white

screen then 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 negotiated

Seriously?

I would have said, I’m

want to

is wrong, just like

Everything is fucking wrong.

I find myself saying. “I have a thing with Ryan at my parents,

“I can be fast.”

fills the room as he and Aisha argue, and honestly, I can’t

and grab my bag so I can get

“Someone needs

real, Aisha.” | toss her my keys, “Just grab my shit so I can get

is a good idea?” Ryan says under

leave your panties behind like last

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

lie, and you know it,” I yell

marble as I hear the door open and then slam closed. I can’t even be pissed. “Yo,

“Time is ticking–let’s

not looking the least

I reach for her neck, pull her close and kiss her cheek. My body doesn’t feel a thing as she tries to cling to me.

me against the counter. “You’re

in

notes so it sounds like some shit you’d actually write,

Ryan ignores her.

| elbow him.

hell is taking Aisha

like she just had a quickie, and on top of that, she’s

something in there?” |

up my leather messenger bag and shrugs.

“Jealous?” | tease.

drops my bag on

Without realizing it, Aisha had taken a picture of all of us “studying” and posted it to her stories, so

pisses me

now, so

she fighting with me at the

Whatever.

five minutes.” Julia yawns,

| grab my shit. “I

too.” Ryan

lip pouts out. “I thought we

“Ryan’s sick.” | lie.