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.”

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 through the torn fabric of my pants, steadying pressure, something to focus on

That he wasn’t

my head. “I thought! imagined it. At first. But they were-“I suck in air like the memory knocks it loose. “They were glowing.

weight shifting, and I flinch before I can stop it, drawing my arm tighter around my middle like I’m keeping

you?”

I nod, like I’m ashamed. “Not

saw him talking to Pierce. When he saw me eavesdropping on them, they quickly vanished outside making me a little bit

know it’s

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Chapter 118

to stop them. He’s not ready yet. His body’s still changing, still rebuilding itself around what I gave him, still figuring out how to shift without

They’ll sedate him or chain him or talk at him until the part of him

I won’t

This is

I can’t go back out there with nothing

Blood wells up thick and dark and I press into it harder, until it starts dripping down past my knee. My jaw locks.

is racing too hard now and I can feel it in the tips of my fingers, but

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

first

breath catch. Drag my bloody hand against the frame for

“What the hell happened?”

myself. “I think I need

you bleeding?” he asks, eyes already dropping to the streaks down my thigh, the way they trail

up, showing the edge of the fresh gash. “I… I must’ve scraped it when he threw it at me.

stepped forward

a fall,” he says,

“Excuse me?”