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

whore on the garage door. It was Blake.” Easton reaches behind him,

a step backward. Then another one, like! need the distance.

he thrusts the phone into my face, a shadowy photo on the screen. “We

squint, trying to make out what I’m

back of Blake’s

Sadie, who looks as horrified as I feel.

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

He wanted me to see

sure he was disappointed about me and Easton getting together, but Blake is a total

cars. The garage door. He’s responsible for all of it and I’m going to

Sadie holds up her hand as if she’s in class, and Easton goes silent. “The locker and car incidents

What the hell are you talking

what you call it. It’s the paint they use for

washable paint?” |

snaps her fingers. “That. The locker and the cars were painted

are you saying? That two people are responsible for this

did the stuff at school wasn’t brave enough to make

with whatever’s on hand at the time. We were at school, so that washable paint shit was readily

Ryan says carefully. “Maybe it was two

many enemies? Bullshit,”

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

makes absolutely

think of one person who hates me

it’s all Aisha,” I announce. “That bitch hates my guts. She

and Blake share a meaningful look but

hell

Sadie noticed it