You’re Mine by Penny Brooks

Chapter 126

Easton

Her tears are killing me.

I can't reach through the screen and love her.

I can't hold her hand. It feels like I'm suffocating, falling deeper and deeper with each tear that streams down her cheek.

My hands shake. I hate it.

Because I know that I'm part of the problem and that I'm still pissed over not being claimed and I know it goes back to my own parents being kind of absent.

Harper has made me feel like I'm everything.

She doesn't realize the jealousy I had over how much her parents treated Ryan like an adult, how many times I had to come to their shitty suburbia house and watch them laugh with them both and do movie nights when mine were too busy making all the money to even contemplate doing a Netflix night with pizza and it's super super fucking shitty when you feel that way, but know if you express it the damn’s going to fucking shit all over the place.

All things considering I was rich, what did I have to worry about, right?

Don't get me wrong, I love my parents, and I know they love me, but we're rich and sometimes when you're rich, you tend to take a backseat to stock options and making more money that you can't take with you when you die.

I stop being a pussy just watching my girlfriend cry and wait for her to finally draw in a few deep breaths as she takes a swig from her water bottle. "Easton, She hiccups.

My hands shake with the need to touch the screen as if I can feel her warmth and dry her tears.

“That was...a lot. I don't even know what to say because things feel so messed up lately, you know?

It's like were fine, better than fine and then crazy things happen."

I wipe my hands down my face. "You mean Aisha?

Blake?

Spraypaint?

College pressure?"

She sniffles and smiles. “Yeah to name just a few."

"L wish I could take it all away, take all the bad back, you know I do."

Fuck it, I touch the screen with my fingertips like a total simp and nearly shout with joy when her fingertips meet mine pressing against her own screen. “Well,”

She drops her hand. I drop mine. "At least I beat Blake's ass at badminton today. Don't be jealous that you werent there.

shoved that shuttlecock right up his

choke out a

“Shuttlecocksucker.”

are nearly dry now. "Do you think we can meet tomorrow

shop next to the school

to her house and facing the wrath of her parents

love it.

“lL need you too.”

"Harper!"

through the room. "Did you finish your

“That's my cue.”

her mom. "I

is still sad but she

Then the video disappears.

up at my ceiling all night because I can't sleep worth shit thinking about meeting her, holding her, talking to her, and making her

doing push ups in my bedroom to calm my anxiety. I get ready so fast, I think I scare my mom when I run downstairs and out the door, if the spilled coffee

waiting at the shop the minute my Jeep pulls up. She looks fucking gorgeous in her jeans and crop top. Her blue peacoat is open giving me a perfect view of

again underneath the Christmas tree, let them all watch! SORRY BABY JESUS, SANTA,

why did I fucking scream that in my head like

her again and

help it, I pull her into my arms and squeeze her tight, relishing the smell of her against me.

“Sorry,”

I whisper. "Me too.”

to buy me coffee"—I smile, she smiles back—“tell me everything, so I can decide if I'm

is it going to

cream so it gets in that perfect hair of yours and looks like you jerked off and missed

“Violent.”

at least take a lot of time to forget when ordering a cold brew with extra

face. "When you

you just ruined your

"I'd lick

“Fuck.”

into that coffee shop with a boner. I'll

actually does look down, which just makes things worse and I have this sudden fantasy of

throat. She

"Sorry..."

“Your fault.”

grab her hand. "Time

the picture, why I took it, why it was necessary, and then I say what's been on my mind and heart since the incident.

not tell

She squeezes my hand.