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.

says, “You

look at him.

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

He sighs. “Jess…

“Don’t,” I whisper.

“You were shaking. I’ve never seen you like that.

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09:47 Tue, 5 Aug

Chapter 32

“No.

again, firmer this time.

towel like a shield. “No,

Pierce looks unconvinced

Imeet his eyes anyway.

me, I repeat, “I

just broke my heart.

“Jess

If talk about it, I

about to reach for

away and

like if let go of this stupid fucking dish towel, if let my hands

trying not to scare me off. “You’re not

squeeze my eyes

I know I’m not.

inside out, my heart cracked wide

I whisper. “Please, Pierce. Just let me get

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

But he doesn’L

weight like he’s hurting too, like he’s still seeing the pieces of me i

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

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 against the steel,

him dead,” I whisper. “I just

I cover my face with my hands and suck in a breath so sharp it stings my

next second, his arms are around me, pulling me into

try to shove him away. I try to push at his chest, beat my fists against him because it’s not fair, it’s not fair that he’s being kind when