His Trouble Maker

Chapter 182

JESSICA

2$ ཏྲཱི, 58%°

It was hard to decide what to wear. I don’t think I have enough in my wardrobe either. Grayson had a lot of clothes here but I have nothing but his shirts.

My heart won’t stop pounding, like it’s trying to escape before tonight can chain it down. I hate this. I hate how nervous ! am. Jack saw it–he called me out without even blinking. And he’s right. I’m terrified. Not of Grayson, not of the ceremony, not even of the bond. I’m terrified of me. Of faltering. Of proving I’m not the fierce, unbreakable girl I’ve always told myself I was.

“Trouble?”

I bite my lip, grateful he can’t hear my thoughts anymore. The mirror betrays me, though–his reflection filling the doorway, steady, unshakable, eyes locked on me like I’m the only thing that matters.

He never wavers.

“Keep doing that,” he says, voice low, dark amusement curling through it.

My brow furrows. “Doing what?”

His gaze flicks to my mouth, and heat curls down my spine when I realize–he means my lip. “That.” His smirk grows, wicked and sure, like he owns the ground I’m standing on. “Makes me want to ruin your composure all over again.”

My cheeks burn. “Grayson-”

He steps closer, until the solid weight of his presence surrounds me. My breath stutters when his hands settle on the back of the chair I’m perched on, caging me without touching me. “You’re nervous,” he murmurs, his lips brushing the shell of my ear. “I might not be able to hear your thoughts but I can still read your expressions, Jessica.”

“Geez. Thanks for reminding me you’re my obsessive stalker before.”

That earns me a low chuckle, “Do you know my mother used to love you when you were a kid?”

I blink, thrown. “What?”

Said you were going to be in trouble one day.” His lips graze

heat crawling up my neck. “Trouble? That’s what she called

of his shirt that drowns me. “Beautiful trouble.” His voice drops lower, husky. And I’m the idiot who can’t get enough of

try to laugh it off, but it comes out

mirror shows his grin–wolfish,

“Am I?”

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Chapter 182

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was in control–of the pack, of myself–but then you…” His eyes burn into mine through the

hammering so hard

you. Do you understand that? I’d tear it apart, claw it bloody, just to keep you in my arms.”

look in my eyes, the way his mouth hovers at my

behind my eyes spills over. A single tear slips free, trailing hot

cheek. Then another.

His hand stills on my hip, trembling just enough for me to notice. “Hey… look

my head, pressing my lips tight, but the tears keep falling

“So am I.”

fall

He paused and I saw him on the verge of tears too. “There have been a million times I’ve been scared-

catches, my tears freezing midfall.

fucking invincible. Every time I think I’ll lose you, that some bastard will take you away from me…” His forehead presses hard to mine, his words breaking apart as his grip on me shakes. “That terrifies me, Jess. You terrify me. Because you’re the only thing in this world I can’t

whisper, small,

“So don’t you dare say I don’t get scared. I’ve been scared a million times, every

tearing me open in ways, I never thought possible. Then he moves. Swift, decisive. His hands leave my hips only to grab mine, tugging me up from the chair and

“Grayson–what are you-”