His Trouble Maker

Chapter 32

JESSICA

I feel so bad. So fucking bad. But Pierce told me Mom’s coming home and I need to fix myself.

Soltry.

I’ve wiped my face a dozen times, I’ve told myself to breathe, to calm down, to hold it in for five damn minutes–but it just keeps coming. My chest hurts. My ribs feel like they’re caving in. My throat’s raw from trying not to sob out loud.

Pierce is next to me. He’s not saying anything, thank god, but I can feel him watching me out of the corner of his eye. I hope he doesn’t ask hope to god he doesn’t touch me, if he does, I’ll fall apart right here. I’ll scream. I’ll throw up. I don’t know

Mom’s car pulls up. When she entered the house and give us a warm hug, I try to pretend I’m glad I saw her. I press my face to her shoulder and try not to cry. “I’m happy you’re home,” I whisper.

She pulls back just enough to lock at me, her brows knitting as she tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. Her fingers are soft against my cheek. “You okay, Jess?”

“Y–Yeah”

“You look pale,” she says, brushing her thumb across my cheekbone. “Have you been eating?”

I choke on a laugh that almost comes out as a sob, “Yeah,” I lie again. “I’m fine.”

Pierce shifts beside me. I know he wants to say something, maybe call me out, maybe help–il don’t know–but he stays silent.

Mom doesn’t push. She just pulls me close again, arms wrapping around me.” Aw. Both of my babies are so sweet” Pierce growls in the background, making me laugh. He hates it when mom call us babies, “Did Pierce take care of you while I’m recovering, Jess?”

“He tried,” I say, smiling a little because that’s what she wants–what she needs. I can’t give her the truth, so I give her that.

Pierce snorts behind me.“I did take care of her. She’s the one who didn’t make it easy”

Mom laughs like that’s the cutest thing in the world, completely missing how tight my voice is. How stiff my shoulders are

in the kit

After eating dinner with mom and waiting for her to sleep, Pierce and I are left in the kitchen doing the dishes. I mean, I’m the only one doing the dishes He’s just standing there, watching me.

“What?” Lasked, bothered.

I scrub at the same dish twice.

he says, “You gonna

don’t look at

the sink, at the swirling soap, trying to pretend that if I just keep

He sighs. “Jess…

“Don’t,” I whisper.

shaking. I’ve never seen you like that. He

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09:47 Tue, 5 Aug

Chapter 32

whip around. “No.

firmer this

I turn around fast, clutching the towel like a shield. “No,

Pierce looks unconvinced

Imeet his eyes anyway.

hurt me,

just broke my heart. He shattered

“Jess

about it, I start

he’s about

away and

feels like if let go of this stupid fucking dish

like he’s trying not to scare me off. “You’re

my

I know I’m not.

bruised from the inside out, my heart cracked wide open and bleeding down into my stomach, making me sick,

need to get through tonight” I whisper.

neither of us moves, I can feel the words he’s holding back, the way he wants to push, to fix, to be the big brother who drags the truth out of me

But he doesn’L

he shifts his weight like he’s hurting too, like he’s

slowly, voice tight, “if you just said the word… I’d fucking

Pierce has and will always be protective of me. I know that Tears burn hot at the back of my throat. I shove the dish harder into the sink, hearing the porcelain crack

him dead,” I whisper. “I just want him to stop

my hands and suck in a breath so sharp it stings my

next second, his arms are around me, pulling me into him whether I want it or

chest, beat my fists against him because it’s not fair, it’s not fair that