His Trouble Maker

Chapter 121

JESSICA

They think I’m asleep.

Sedated maybe.

Like the wolfsbane’s enough to make me blind, or stupid, or soft. Fuck. I never thought my own brother would do this to me. He poisoned me. Can you believe that?

The chains dig in when I shift–just slightly–testing the cuffs again like I haven’t done it every ten minutes for the past however- many hours they’ve left me here. Cold stone under my back. Metal against my skin. Sickness rolling in waves through my stomach like I swallowed fire and it’s melting me from the inside out.

I need to get out of here as soon as possible.

I twist my wrist and it stings.

“Fuck,” I hiss, closing my eyes and trying not to make so much noise.

The cuffs bite deeper when I flinch. My shoulder’s out of place again.

“I swear to god,” I mutter, low under my breath, “if Pierce walks in here again acting like I’m the unstable one, I’m gonna rip his throat out with my fucking teeth.”

I breathe through my nose. Try to focus. One second at a time. One breath, then the next. Then I count. Not for calm. Just to keep track of time. I’m up to five hundred thirty–nine heartbeats since the last time Grayson stood at the door and didn’t come in.

“You coward,” I whisper, just loud enough in case he’s on the other side again. “You can string me up, but you can’t even look at

me?”

The chain rattles when I shift my weight. My ankle’s raw. I keep flexing it anyway. Gotta keep blood moving. If I lose circulation, I lose options. And I’m not planning to bleed out in this room like some feral kept on a leash.

1 twist again, slower this time, eyes locked on the door like I’m waiting for it to flinch first. Metal scrapes against skin and it hurts like a bitch, but I keep going. Can’t stop. Won’t. If I’m bleeding, I’m breathing.

“Fuck,” I mutter again, voice sharper now, throat raw from the wolfsbane but still mine. “Come on. Come the fuck on.”

like a warning bell that never shuts up. But none of it matters. Pain’s information. That’s all. And I can work with that. Use it.

is there, showing

slow enough to make it look like I’m dazed, Head tipping

crouched beside me, touching the side of my

mine for the kind of

want to–Pierce said-”

1/3

09:03 Tue, 2 Sept

Chapter 121

my chin lowers. “You

90%

He just breathes, slow and shallow. Still crouched in front of me like

make the chain rattle, then wince like it takes

“I’ve brought you something.”

navigating how to take care of a person. Well, at least he still cares. Not that I’m doubting his

me. You fucking chained me. Now you’re here wanting to spoon–feed

“You have

hoarse and cracked. My eyes find his. “Just tell me the truth. Are you going to kill me

clenched teeth. “What’s your plan, Grayson? Keep me up here until I stop fighting? Let

He doesn’t blink.

want him to hear it.

“Jess…”

again. That pathetic little motion–hesitation before he pretends this is still

“Don’t fucking touch me.”

hand suspended halfway and that look that he

are you doing now, huh? What’s your brilliant next move, Alpha? Gonna

the plan, Grayson? And where the hell are

doesn’t answer fast enough, and that’s how I know

“Jess-”

cut in, voice sharp now, body shaking hard enough to rattle the chain. “You stripped me down, put me in fucking shackles, and now you’re dressed like it’s judgment day and I’m not