Chapter 58

Chapter 58

Easton

My best friend wants to murder me and stand over my bleeding corpse,

smiling and kicking until I breathe my last breath.

Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if he actually just grabs a shovel from

the garage in a vain attempt to knock me out and bury me in his

backyard next to the tree we carved our initials in.

Huh, how fucking poetic.

I walk behind him, angry that it's come to this but also angry that he

can't see how much I care for Harper.

worst and has it out for Harper. The look she gave us yesterday is

burned into my mind. She's officially taken it too far.

“Grab a roller,” Ryan barks.

I grab one of the rollers.

He's silent. He grabs two cans of white paint, a tray, and some plastic. I

grab another brush and one more roller, then follow him out of the

garage.

Harper is standing in front of it in tears.

“Harper.” It comes out harsher than I would have liked. “We'll take care

of it, just go inside.”

She crosses her arms over her chest like she’s embarrassed.

Does she regret last night and this morning?

Shit, we had sex at least three times, or was that four?

I was kind of rough with her the last time.

Maybe she feels like a whore now?

Clearly the words on the garage could have been written at a better

time.

Shit.

I'm not used to feeling insecure. I want to go comfort her, but I figure

Ryan and I need to talk before I touch her.

Ryan sets the paint down and curses. “Easton's right, go inside, call

Sadie or something, eat chocolate, do what girls do when they're sad.”

“You should know what girls do when they're sad.” It's like I can't stop

myself from saying these things.

“Not now, Easton.” He doesn't even look at me. “Harper, we'll figure it

out, all right?”

She gives us both one last tear-filled look, then slowly walks toward the

door. I fight like hell not to stare after the perfect ass I sunk my teeth

into last night and nearly fail as turn.

Ryan's watching me, and I can't stop my feet as they move toward her.

Harper's right hand reaches for the front door. I spin her around-

possibly my last moment on this earth since I'm touching her in front of

Ryan-and pull her against my chest, thankful that both parents are

already back inside so they arent suspicious of anything.

She relaxes instantly against me.

I hold her tight.

Ryan can go fuck himself.

She starts to sob as I clench her tighter, whispering in her ear. “We'll

figure it out, I promise, okay?”

"B-but who would do this?”

“I can think of a few people who aren't so happy right now.” I pull back

and wipe the tears from beneath her eyes, damn she’s so pretty, even

when she cries. I want to go back into that house and lay in bed with

her. I want to hand her all the ice cream and candy she needs then

worship her body with my mouth. Her surrender would feel so good.

She needs me, I think, as much as I need her, but I have an angry

brother/best friend behind me. So, I gently pull away and kiss her on

the forehead. “He's right. Go call Sadie and try to relax. We've got this.”

Harper nods and then looks over my head at Ryan. “I like him, please

don't kill him."

“No promises,” Ryan seethes.

I hope I don't look too panicked as Harper kisses me on the cheek and

goes inside. Like an idiot, my hand goes to the spot on my cheek she

touched.

A hard shove comes from behind.

I stumble onto the pavement, nearly falling. “What the hell Ryan?”

He grunts, “Grab a brush.”

"Oh..." I walk past him and grab a brush. “So, we aren't talking about

it?”

He jerks open both cans of paint. “If I talk about it, I might actually go

to prison, so no, we aren't talking about it.”

“We should.”

He freezes, his hands hovering over the metal lids. “Anyone but her,

bro. Why did it have to be her? Why?”

The fact that he looks sad kills me.

I sigh and start pouring one of the cans of paint into the tray. “You

probably won't believe me, but I didn’t know it was her.”

“Huh?” He looks at me for the first time, really looks at me. “How did

you not know it was her?”

I shrug. “I fell for a girl I was making out with in the dark, and by the

time I realized it was Harper, I was already too far gone to do anything

but jump.”

He frowns. “Holy shit, did you just go all poetic about my fucking sister

right now?”

I'm agitated because he’s right. “No, I'm just saying, you know..."

“You're a simp.” He mocks and dips his roller into the tray. “And she’s a

handful.”

I want to say yeah, a handful of tits, ass, and every other fantasy I have,

but I restrain myself.

“Look...” I work on my spot on the garage door. “Right now, the most

important thing isn’t you kicking my ass, it's us finding out who did this

shit to your garage. It has to be Aisha, she's been all over me for

months.”

He snorts. “What makes you think it wasn’t someone else?”

“She was pissed yesterday and in complete attack mode, it didn't help

that Harper and I took off or kissed or...” I realize the more I talk, the

more Ryan looks ready to murder me. “Never mind. It just makes the

most sense.”

“Maybe.” Ryan is silent.

This sucks.

I don't want to lose my best friend.

But I don’t want to lose Harper either.

We work in silence.

Harper comes back outside with coffee and some breakfast burritos,

then goes back inside without saying anything.

I hang my head. “Bro, are we good?”

“No. Not right now.”

“If I say I'm sorry, it means I regret her. I can't do that.” I hate myself for

my honesty.

Ryan tosses the roller down and looks over at me. “You lied to my face.”

"Yes.

“So, how would you be doing in my position?” He scowls and goes back

to painting.

I feel like shit the rest of the morning.

I want to say yeah, a handful of tits, ass, and every other fantasy I have,

but I restrain myself.

“Look...” I work on my spot on the garage door. “Right now, the most

important thing isn't you kicking my ass, it's us finding out who did this

shit to your garage. It has to be Aisha, she's been all over me for

months.”

He snorts. “What makes you think it wasn’t someone else?”

“She was pissed yesterday and in complete attack mode, it didn't help

that Harper and I took off or kissed or..” I realize the more I talk, the

more Ryan looks ready to murder me. “Never mind. It just makes the

most sense.”

“Maybe.” Ryan is silent.

This sucks.

I don't want to lose my best friend.

But I don’t want to lose Harper either.

We work in silence.

Harper comes back outside with coffee and some breakfast burritos,

then goes back inside without saying anything.

Thang my head. “Bro, are we good?”

“No. Not right now.”

“If I say I'm sorry, it means I regret her. I can't do that.” I hate myself for

my honesty.

Ryan tosses the roller down and looks over at me. “You lied to my face.”

AYER:

“So, how would you be doing in my position?” He scowls and goes back

to painting.

I feel like shit the rest of the morning.