His Trouble Maker

Chapter 19

JESSICA

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“Is she okay?” I ask Grayson after following him inside the pack clinic and not having the courage to go in. My hands won’t stop shaking. My chest is tight and everything in me is screaming that I need to see her, but my legs won’t move.

“She’s stable,” he says, and I exhale too fast. My eyes sting. “Pierce is already there. You should go inside too.”

hate how cold he sounds. It’s because he heard everything. Shit. I was angry. I was scared. I didn’t think it would matter because he wasn’t supposed to be there. He wasn’t supposed to hear the parts of me I don’t let out unless I feel like I’m drowning.

“I didn’t mean it,” I say, voice barely above a whisper, barely enough to carry. “I was just-” I stop. What? Upset? Hurt? Trying to prove something?

Grayson finally turns. Just slightly. “I understand,” he says.

I blink. Understand… what?

My eyes search his face before I can stop myself.

Grayson looks empty.

He’s never looked at me like that before. Not once. It’s always anger or control or that sharp edge like he’s about to say something reckless just to get a reaction.

“You said what you felt,” he says, quiet now. “I’m not going to punish you for being honest.”

“I wasn’t-” I start, but the words get stuck halfway out.

The clinic door creaks open.

Pierce leans out, face pale and drawn. “Jess.”

I turn to him fast, the sound of my name snapping through whatever held me frozen. My heart stutters, caught between one breath and the next.

His brows are furrowed. Eyes shift–me, then Grayson, then lower. “She’s awake,” Pierce says. “She asked for you.”

I nod because it’s all I can do. My throat is too tight and my chest is too full to answer properly, and I know that if I open my mouth right now, something else might come out instead. I try to find Grayson but he’s already walking away.

“Jess?” Pierce calls again, and I blink hard, dragging my eyes away and forcing my feet to move.

“I’m coming,” I say, even though the words scrape on the way out.

After that day, Grayson seems to be so busy. My mom has been discharged, and it’s good that the bite from the rogue is healing well. I don’t know how she got bitten inside our village perimeter though. I think Pierce is leading the

investigation, which is why I can’t ask him about Gray.

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Chapter 19

my life over whether I should knock or pretend I just passed by. I don’t even know what I’m going to say. Or

Jess,” I mutter, pressing my forehead against

“Uh… excuse me?”

slowly–I look up. And my heart drops somewhere

She’s gorgeous.

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to look effortless, lips painted soft but sharp, like she didn’t even try and still walked out of a magazine. Expensive perfume, perfect posture, a folder in one hand, and a face I recognize even

Grayson’s rumored girlfriend.

Or secret. Or whatever she is now. No one’s seen her in

smile is gorgeous. “I’m Aria, and I’m looking for Grayson’s office? I’m sorry, everything in here changes.

soft and breezy. “Oh, shit. I’m talking too

with her hands when she’s nervous,

Grayson inside?”

swallow, trying to find my voice.

she says, and her

I mean–kind of. Not really.” God, I sound

trying not to make it weird. “I didn’t mean to interrupt or anything. I’ve just been trying to find this

I say quickly, even though

“You look like

mean it in a bad way. She’s just… kind. Warm. The exact opposite of what I was expecting from the girl everyone

swings open behind me. I jump. Literally jump and then I freeze because

past me, throws her arms around his neck. “Oh my god—babe!” Aria leans back,

and

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Chapter 19

feel the urge to rip

What’s so funny, Westwood?

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says, looking up at him through a flutter of lashes that look

but subtle.

“Still arrogant, I guess?”

That makes me laugh.

at me,

I’m not eavesdropping. Not

a smile. Thankfully, Aria’s hands are no longer

straighten a little too fast.

even finish the sentence. My brain scrambles for something that makes sense, but all I end