You’re Mine by Penny Brooks

Chapter 69

Harper

Sadie and I are still chatting in the living room when we hear car engines pulling into the driveway. Then the slamming of car doors.

Sadie’s eyes widen and she turns toward the window that faces the front of the house. “Oh shit. Your brother’s here.” She hesitates. “And he brought Easton with him.”

My heart skips a beat. I’m both excited and angry, which is not a normal combination for me to experience. I want to see Easton, but I’m also still really mad at him for ditching me

for Ryan. I know they’re best friends but…

I jump to my feet at the same time the front door bangs open and Ryan and Easton walk

They’re angry. I can feel it radiate from the both of them, see it written all over their faces. And it’s super intimidating. They’re both so big and broad, their expressions fierce, jaws clenched, mouths grim.

Sadie remains frozen on the loveseat, as if she’s afraid to move and I stand there in front of the both of them, ready to face them down.

They don’t scare me.

Well, not really

“Where the hell were you?” I ask with way more bravado than I’m feeling, my gaze on

Easton.

Ryan takes a step toward me. “Harp, you need to sit down. We have to tell you something.”

“Blake did it,” Easton says without hesitation.

Ryan sends Easton an irritated look. “Nice. Real smooth.”

frown, confused. “Did

Blake.” Easton reaches behind him, pulling his phone out of

Then another one, like! need the distance. “No. No way. I don’t believe it.

he thrusts the phone into my face, a shadowy

out what I’m seeing.

black. In the back of Blake’s car. He fucking did it, Harper. He’s

looks as horrified as I

his SUV in a restaurant parking lot and I walked up to the car to make sure it was his before I went inside because I was going to chill with him, you know? But then I saw the cans.” Ryan shakes

went to him. He wanted me

about me and Easton

garage door. He’s responsible for all of

a minute.” Sadie holds up her hand as if she’s in class, and Easton goes

frowns. “Cheerleader paint? What the

don’t know what you call it. It’s the paint they

mean washable

locker and the cars were painted

two people are responsible for this shit?” Ryan

shrugs. “Maybe? I don’t know. Whoever did the stuff at school wasn’t brave enough to make

has more to do with whatever’s on hand at the time. We were at school, so that washable paint shit was readily available,” Easton says. “Aisha didn’t do

something,” Ryan says carefully. “Maybe

that many enemies? Bullshit,” Easton

Two of them? Like Sadie told me earlier, I barely talked to anyone. I keep to myself. And now there are people at school who actually hate me? Enough to vandalize my locker and my brother’s

makes absolutely

I can only think of one person who hates

I announce. “That bitch hates my guts. She confronted me in the hallway

meaningful look but otherwise

the hell was

Sadie noticed