His Trouble Maker

Chapter 49

Jessica

I’ve never felt so much pain in my entire life. It’s like everything inside me is being torn apart. I didn’t know where I was, but I knew something had gone horribly wrong.

“She shouldn’t have been out there,” Pierce’s voice snapped. It was so sharp, full of fury. I could hear his teeth grinding through the words. “You knew what would happen. You should’ve stopped her.”

I flinched at the sound of his voice. He’s always so damn protective of me.

“I couldn’t save her.”

Was that….Grayson? What is he talking about? Save me from what? The last thing I remembered–the rain. The downpour. The way it slammed against me, against the earth, as I faced Kael.

Had I… won?

Did I beat him?

I remember throwing him out of the circle when my vision starts to blur.

“Damn it, Grayson!” Pierce shouted. I heard some sound of chairs rattling. “You told me that there’s no fucking way she will make it as a

warrior!”

I flinched, though I wasn’t sure if I moved at all. I couldn’t even feel my fingers. But his words… they hurt like hell. I remember his exact words

when we were younger. He always excluded me from his training. Always. He never let me in. For what? Why?

“She’s stronger than you think.”

“No, she’s not!”

“Then what do you want me to do, huh? Tell her that no, Jess, don’t fucking try because Aria made sure you will never make it even if you fucking won the trial? Do you think how she will feel-”

Aria?

My mind was foggy, my body broken. But the mention of Aria…snap me back to reality.

“You think she’s ready?”

I wanted to answer, wanted to say something, but the words wouldn’t form. And then Grayson growl. I know that’s a sign Pierce is pushing his damn limits. “I didn’t have a choice,” he muttered, his voice low but raw. “She needed to do this. She needed to prove it.”

“Prove what?” Pierce spat. “That she’s strong enough to survive your fucking games? To survive Aria? To be your fucking Luna?”

Ready? Was I? Was I ever ready for what?

had been doing

Training me. Conditioning me because he had a damn plan. My mind flashed back to all those

working so damn hard, grinding

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Chapter 49

gather whatever strength I had left. Grayson’s words, Pierce’s anger, the pain in my chest, everything felt like it was crashing into me all at once. My

It’s disgusting.

them saw that I’m conscious, they quickly went to my side as if they hadn’t been at each other’s

how his lips parted but I cannot be weak when I just heard what they are talking about.”

did you do?” I pushed between them, my voice rising with each word.

J

He hadn’t expected this–hadn’t expected me to come

He reached for my

slapped his hand away. “Don’t

silent room. Aria took a step back, her shoulder bumping

finger into Grayson’s chest. “Some broken

me. Goddamn it.

just trying to-” Pierce

on him. “To what? Protect me? Save me?” My laugh came

flared. “You’re

into fists. “Was it fair when you went behind my back? When you talked about me like

fingers through my

you,” I whispered, then louder: “I TRUSTED

the walls. Something hot and wet rolled down my cheek. Fuck. I swiped at it

eyes looked like he was the one being hurt. The

like that,” I hissed. “Like I’m breaking your heart

nearest thing–a book–and hurled it across the room. It hit the wall with a

into Grayson’s eyes. “I fucking won. You saw it. I pushed Kael out of the circle.

no way I am letting them bully me into thinking that I am

is

refused to let them

but I see the reflection of my pain. It’s like he’s hurting too because I’m damn hurting. “I am on your side,”

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Chapter 49

through his hair. “But Jess, you’ve

“No…no…no..that’s not true.”

not real. He’s lying. There’s no way

now, I can go back and finish the next pool.” I straightened my shoulders, wiping

watch how his face crumpled in pain. Not all at once, but in pieces–first his brow, then his eyes, finally