You’re Mine by Penny Brooks

Chapter 137
Easton
There are moments in a guy's life where he questions if he’s seen it all.

I had about a million of those moments tonight.

Never thought I'd be the sort of guy to stare longingly at the knives just a little bit too hard and wonder how the hell I could get just injured enough that I'd have to go to the ER by way of an ambulance.

I mean, I clearly couldn't escape in my own car, why not use the health insurance my dad so generously provides?

People slip all the time, right?

It's the holidays! Turkeys explode.

Houses burn down.

Tree's get desecrated.

It could have worked.

So could making a run for it into oncoming traffic, but I couldn't do that to Harper, I doubt she'd want my death on her hands by way of her dad scaring me shitless and mentioning trigger words like pregnancy, buns, and tree.

I shudder and find myself laying on the couch, staring up at the ceiling, high as fuck, missing my girl and sleeping like shit.

My eyes get heavy as I turn on my side and throw my arm over my eyes since I'm in direct sight of the Christmas tree.

Motherfucker, was that on purpose?

I groan and flip to my other side toward the couch and finally settle in with visions of sugarplums and Harper's dad dancing on my grave in my head.

Nice.

“Get up!"

Harper's voice hisses from behind me.

I nearly fall off the couch in an attempt to turn around and stare up at my girlfriend.

Ryan's sleepy gaze goes from high to completely sober as he stares at her holding up her phone at me.

This can't be good.

I literally can't see at first, despite how bright her screen is and have to rub my eyes a few times before things get more clear.

“Are you kidding me?"

I grab her phone, fully aware my girl has tears of anger in her eyes and that this could potentially be really bad for me—again.

Should I just start expecting this on the daily?

I momentarily wonder if I need to have a therapist on speed dial, then I think of Leigh, and see the picture of us talking, along with a video that seems to have just posted, showing me reaching for her.

I want to snort.

I wasn't reaching out for a hug, can nobody tell

thing I needed was her trying to touch

I shudder.

the hell did I ever even see other than an

an oh

bang her cell over my head until either my

Perfect.

More certain death.

now, you still gotta keep it down so Mom and Dad don't come out here and lecture

time you get upset and, yes, that's selfish,

out a sigh and stares down her brother in a way that sends alerts all over my brain and toward my body, like I might need to actually cover my

“Ryan,"

says through

friend that he is, starts to bolt from the room, then suddenly stops and looks over his

on your side, Harper, you're my

at some point

leave you guys alone, at least not anytime

I lick my lips,

“Look..."

to her and

the day some

grabs his phone and stares down at

know what

not because I need to hide shit, but because she wasn't

wait for her to

phone and hands

"So..."

He yawns.

I say cupcakes, I mean I'm off

"Not now,’ I interrupt.

toward Harper's bedroom, like he's Tom Cruise

of the creaky stairs and crawls across

to myself as I fall back against the couch and stare up at my

onto the carpet, then

“I'm sorry, I just...panicked.

are going to talk

I interrupt

important is how

lightly grip her chin between my

what is it,

What do you believe?"

“You."

leans forward, our foreheads softly

“Il believe in you."