You’re Mine by Penny Brooks novel Chapter 84

Easton

"I kept your secret, you motherfucker,"

Ryan spits at me, stopping me when I'm halfway down the hallway, my eyes glued to Harper and the way Blake is fondling her.

I try to ignore Ryan and move out of the way, but he stops me again and says, “Nice try, asshole."

He's in my face, making it impossible to focus on anything but him.

"You have some explaining to do before I'm done with you."

“What do you want, Ryan, I need—"

"I didn't tell Harper that you fucked Mrs.

Scott.

I saved your ass, I don’t know why I even bothered, but now you owe me some fucking answers.

If you're still hooking up with her, then what the hell are you doing with my sister?” As students pass us, I can feel their eyes on me, judging me for WHGOSSIP's post and probably thinking Ryan is defending his sister's honor.

I guess I deserve that.

But at least Ryan is keeping his voice low, preventing anyone from hearing what he’s saying except for me.

"I promise I'll explain everything to you, but I need to talk to Harper first.” “Nah.” He shakes his head.

"You're not getting anywhere near her unless you answer me."

I grind my teeth together, knowing every second I'm standing here, Blake's hands are touching more of Harper.

"I didn't fuck her, I swear on my life.

Now, I'm going to go talk to your sister and explain everything."

This time, he doesn't get in my way, and I rush down the rest of the hallway, glaring at Blake.

That vulture likes to prey on the weak and vulnerable—I'm sure that's how Harper is feeling at this moment.

When I got to school a few minutes ago and immediately started looking for her, I expected him to be with her, so this isn’t a surprise at all.

“Harper, can I talk to you?"

I'm standing only inches away from her, wanting so badly to reach for her.

She says nothing, she just stares at me with red, swollen eyes.

Eyes that tell me she's been crying, the thought breaking my goddamn heart.

AllI want to do is pick her up and wrap her in my arms and fill her with the truth.

"Easton, don't you think you've done enough damage?"

I had no intentions of saying anything to him, not wasting a fucking breath on that cocksucker, but I've had enough of his relentless attempts of making me look like a piece of shit in front of Harper.

"I'm only going to say this once,"

I tell him.

"If you get in between me and my girl again, I won't stop at one punch.

I'll break every bone in your fucking face."

His arm slips across Harper's shoulders.

"So, she's your girl now?"

My hands clench into fists, my patience running so thin.

"Blake, I'm warning you, leave now or I'm going to start swinging.” He glances at Harper.

“If you need me—for anything—you know where to find me.” Once he's gone, I say in a softer voice, "Please talk to me.” She takes several seconds to respond, "I don't know what to say, Easton.

What you did ..."

She pauses to take a deep breath, her eyes filling, “it hurts in ways you can't even imagine.

You cheated—"

"No.

I didn't.

That's not what happened at all."

I go to grab her and stop myself, knowing she'll back away from me.

“Can we go somewhere and talk? I want to tell you the whole story and I can't go another second without you hearing it."

When I see her hesitation, I add, "You always ask for communication and transparency and that's what I'm going to give you, just give me a chance."

The bell rings, which means we only have a few minutes to get to class.

"I'll get detention if I'm late,"

she says.

"We can serve it together.” I move next to her, placing my hand on her lower back.

“Come on, let's go.” She's quiet as we hurry down the hall and up the three flights of stairs to a padlocked door where I turn the wheel several different ways until it opens, stepping us out onto the roof.

"I want to ask you how you knew that code, but I don't think I really want that answer,"

she says.

Instead of replying, I lead us to the side, along the ledge that wraps around the air conditioning unit, giving us a perfect place to sit.

I wait until she's settled and facing me.

“I'm going to tell you everything and I swear every word of it is the truth."

"Okay."

"Leigh—"

I stop myself, shaking my head, “I mean, Mrs.

Scott, and I started flirting last year.

It began as just innocent conversation, and she would help me out when I needed it."

She wraps her arms around her stomach.

"Like giving you a higher grade or getting you out of trouble."

My fingers clench again.

"Is that what Blake told you?” "Yes."

That fucking dickhead.

"She didn’t change all my grades,” I admit, “but she altered a few.

And, you're right, when I'm late to class or I want to leave early, she gets me dismissed.” "So, that’s how you got us out of school.” She rocks forward and back.

"And why you weren't suspended when you punched Blake.” Another nugget of information I'm sure Blake spilled.

"Yes, Harper, and that's how things were for a while between Mrs.

Scott and me."

I place my hand on the back of her calf, breathing the anger through my nose.

"I slept with her at the end of last year.

It was fun and wrong and taboo as hell, and then she felt guilty because of my age and her husband, and she cut things off."

I immediately see the pain in Harper's eyes and it kills me.

“But the flirting continued and so did the favors—but that's it, I swear to you, it hasn't been any more.” "Until last night.” And I would do anything—fucking anything—to take that whole night back, to even rewind things and not have punched Blake so I wouldn't have landed myself in trouble.

“Harper ..."

I keep my hand still but rub my thumb across her calf muscle.

"When you watched her haul my ass into her office, she gave me an ultimatum.

I could either go to her house and fuck her or she was going to suspend me and tell your parents I took you out of school that day, earning you a suspension as well."

I look down, hating Leigh more than anything at this moment.

“I didn't want you to get in trouble because of me, and I couldn't risk losing you."

When I glance back up, a tear is falling from her eye.

Her lips quivering.

"So, you went to her house ..."

Another tear falls."And you fucked her.”