You’re Mine by Penny Brooks

Chapter 52

Harper

Easton whirls around when he feels me touch his arm, his blue eyes widening in surprise that I’m the one standing next to him. Confusion fills his gaze and he glances toward Blake, who I was with only seconds ago.

I couldn’t take it anymore, pretending Blake was a sufficient substitute. And it definitely didn’t feel right with his arm around my shoulders, as if he was trying to claim me when he’s not the one I want.

That’s why I ran to Easton. It killed me, witnessing the agony on his face while Blake yelled at him. My brother may be watching us, as well as the rest of the entire school, but I don’t care.

I want to be with Easton.

But does he want to be with me?

“Say it,” I whisper, fear gripping me. “If you can’t tell my brother you want to be with me, I can’t keep doing this.”

He blinks at me, his lips parting and my heart stalls in my throat.

What if he tells Ryan he doesn’t want to be with me? What then?

“Get your pretty ass over here, Harper!” Blake bellows. “Show that asshole who vou really want!”

“Shut the hell up, Blake!” Ryan yells.

A trickle of relief flows through me at my brother’s words, but Easton still hasn’t said a damn word.

Dread curdling in my stomach, I stand a little taller.

“What’ll it be?” I ask, my voice low so no one else can hear me. “Do you want to be with me? Because I refuse to be your dirty little secret.”

“Harper.” He breathes out my name, taking a step closer, and I don’t retreat. He reaches up to lightly touch my face and my eyes fall shut, savoring the sensation of his fingers on my skin.

He immediately drops his hand and I open my eyes, watching as he looks over at Blake, who’s positively fuming, and then my brother. His two closest friends, yet here I am, like I’m coming in between all of them.

of my life,” Easton says, his voice strong. Everyone can hear him.

I grab his hand and pull him to me, his

In front of everyone.

The entire parking lot.

the entire

hard, as if he’s proving a point, and in a way,

the actual

“Finally!” Sadie squeals.

“Fuck you, Easton!”

This comes from Blake.

so warm despite the rain. His kiss is drugging, lulling me into a trance with every

look exactly

murmur. “You told my

forehead to mine,

feel it stretching my lips as I slip my arms around

my fingers into his

can say anything else, he kisses me again, ending it quick when Ryan screams a string of curse words. My brother storms off, Sadie right on his heels as she calls his

staring at us, his face red, his eyes blazing with

know it. You just hate to lose.” Blake thrusts his finger at us. “He’s going to use you up and spit you out, baby girl. And when it’s all said and done, don’t bother running back to me, looking for comfort. The

but he tightens his

his mouth to my temple as Blake jumps into his truck and starts the engine. “He’ll

fills me, along with a giant dose of regret. This isn’t how I imagined it would go down between us. Not

at me,

shake my head. “No. Of course not. He was always so kind to me.” Funny. Flirty. I didn’t understand Blake’s sudden interest. Like he almost knew Easton and I had a secret thing going, though I don’t know how he

lips shut, not wanting to explain myself

knew you were vulnerable. He could

laugh,

me, about to

Aisha.

the rest of the crowd, Julia beside her. They both have looks of utter disgust on