His Trouble Maker

Chapter 180

JESSICA

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“If I don’t mark you, someone else will.” His voice is raw, ground down to its bones. “If you don’t choose me they’ll tear you apart.”

Kade mutters something sharp under his breath, but it barely registers. My eyes don’t leave the tree line, the place Grayson vanished into–and now returned from–his shirt torn, blood soaking through, his shoulders braced like he’s still fighting ghosts out there.

Riot.

He was here.

“Are you okay?” I step toward him, fast, hand catching his jaw before I can stop myself, tilting his face into the light. “Thank the goddess,” I breathe, chest shuddering, though I don’t know if I’m saying it for him or for me.

“I can handle him.”

My relief curdles into

anger.

“You’re bleeding.” My voice shakes, sharp edges cutting. “Handling him looks like this? You disappear into the woods, come back soaked in blood, and I’m supposed to just–just what? Pretend this is fine?”

His eyes cut to mine, dark, heavy. “Jessica.”

I bare my teeth in a smile that doesn’t reach my eyes. “Don’t Jessica me. You vanish into the woods with your psychotic brother and come back promising to put your mark on me like I’m some prize you’re trying to guard.” I step closer, shoulders squared, refusing to back down. “You don’t get to scare the hell out of me and then act like I should just bow my head and say thank you.”

“Shut up,” he said before shutting me out with his lips.

When he rips away, I’m left gasping, my lips swollen, my pulse out of control. My head says punch him. My body says more.

“Don’t-“I choke, trying to steady myself. “Don’t you dare use me like that.”

His eyes are black around the edges, wolf straining. He doesn’t answer me. He looks over my shoulder, straight at Kade, and gives him a single nod.

I whip my head around. Kade’s leaning against a tree, arms folded, smirk sharp enough to draw blood.

“You two are always this entertaining?” His gaze crawls over me. “Or is this just for my benefit?”

“Go to hell,” I snap, even though my throat feels tight.

of me, giving me another

Chapter 180

throws me behind him like some fragile thing, and

my voice, him

I storm back toward the house. I don’t even care if he’s bleeding out somewhere–I’m just happy he’s damn breathing. But him always doing this to me? Leaving me in the dark, kissing me quiet, tossing me scraps of half–truths—it’s getting fucking

a shaky hand through my hair, pacing the small space. My wolf claws at me, restless, snarling, demanding I tear out there and hunt down the answers myself. But I shove her down.

I’m some pet on a

comes out sharp, bitter. “Yeah, real

here? And why does he

know, I’m already out in the woods, trailing

to my knees, palms pressing dirt, nose to the ground. Blood. His? Someone else’s? I don’t

eyes, listening. “Riot?

I whisper, though my voice shakes. “If you’re going to stalk me,

cuts

My name drips from the shadows, shredded raw in his throat. “Still sniffing after things that’ll

fast, my knees nearly buckling, but I

I snap, even though my stomach’s twisting. “W–Where’s Pierce?

Silence.

again, softer, desperate. My chest

by my ear, close enough that

“He’s dead.”

you touched him–if you did anything to him-” My threat breaks apart, dissolves. My knees threaten

but there’s nothing. Only shadows shifting,

I scream, the sound raw

Chapter 180

down, but there’s no trail, no weigh in the air. Just that copper tang of blood, growing fainter

He’s gone.

he was never here at

shaking, fists balled, eyes burning, until my lungs won’t hold another breath. Then the truth cuts me open in a

truth… if Pierce

“No.”

in the trees, the next I’m slamming through

to turn before I’ve got him by the throat and pinned

eyes flash–shock, then wolf–but I don’t let him speak. “Why didn’t you

“Jessica-”

I slam him harder into the wall. “He said Pierce is dead. Do you hear me? Dead! And you–you keep me