His Trouble Maker

Perfect.

Chapter 118

JESSICA

“Hold still,” Grayson mutters, twisting the cap off and dumping disinfectant straight into the gash.

I bite the inside of my cheek, slow and deep. It hurts, sure, but that’s not why–I need control. Need the pain to look real. Controlled. Like I’m flinching for him, not for me.

He crouches close, cloth moving over my skin like he’s scared of breaking me. His fingers press steadier than they should, but his

eyes won’t meet mine.

My stomach flips. I swallow it. Nothing to feel bad about–except that I do.

“I shouldn’t have gone after him.” I let it out slow, quiet. The lie scrapes my throat raw. “I thought I could-“I stop before the rest

can crawl out.

“You were trying to protect us,” he says, cutting in. But the way he says it–it’s not for me. It’s for him. Like saying it out loud makes it real. “Could’ve been worse.”

I keep my eyes low. Watch the cloth darken with my blood. Could’ve gotten worse.

I wonder if Grayson will still forgive me after all of these lies.

“There, it’s good.”

Grayson leans back a little, his knees cracking as he shifts weight, and I can tell–he’s scanning me. “Can you tell me again what happened?”

I met his eyes this time. “W–What do you mean? I already told you everything.”

doesn’t belong to me, and that’s good–makes the fear feel real, even if it’s fake. I duck my head slightly, like the eye contact hurts, let my fingers dig into my thigh

he lunged. That

frantic, like I’m spiraling when I’m counting seconds in the back of my head. “I thought! imagined it. At first. But they were-“I

it, drawing my arm tighter around my

bit you?”

breath–and look away as I nod,

if he believes me or not. He just told me to get some rest before I saw him talking to Pierce. When he saw me eavesdropping on them,

it’s about Theo. About

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Chapter 118

yet. His body’s still changing, still rebuilding itself around

interfere. They’ll sedate him or chain him or talk at him until the part of him I gave voice to gets buried under whatever loyalty he still thinks he owes

won’t

Shit. This is worse

side. My skin’s already bruised where Theo hit me but it’s not enough–not the right kind. I can’t go back out there with nothing real. I drag in a sharp breath, steady my hand, and push my claws out–not fully, just enough for the edges to split skin when I drive them

hits instantly. Warm. Raw. Blood wells up thick and dark and I press into it harder, until it starts dripping down past my knee.

anyway. My pulse is racing too hard

my hand. My grip almost slips, but I tighten it and push the door open. They’re both there–Grayson and Pierce- eyes locked on me like they weren’t just whispering about

the first to

my breath catch. Drag my bloody hand against the frame for balance. He’s

“What the hell happened?”

trying to balance myself. “I think I

the streaks down my thigh, the

edge of the fresh gash. “I… I must’ve scraped it when he

the one who stepped forward and inspected

he says,

“Excuse me?”