His Trouble Maker

Chapter 75

JESSICA

I'm gonna lose it.

My body's going rogue, my head's on fire, and | can’t stop thinking about that damn phone. One stupid move

and everything blows up. One missed second and someone finds Theo’s backup plan before | do.

“Hey, Jess-"

Shit.

| almost punch Pierce's annoying face when he appeared beside me. He looks like he just went from a morning

run.

“You okay?” he asks, opening the fridge and grabbing a bottle of water.

“Dol look okay to you?” | snap.

He glances at me. His eyes narrow. “You're sweating.”

My spine straightens.

| wipe my palms down my leggings like that'll erase the sheen clinging to my skin, the way my breath’s coming

too fast, too shallow.

“It's hot.”

“You're pale too,” he adds.

Con, why does this asshole have tfor this? He steps towardlike he’s about to say something else-

maybe ask something, maybe push-and! stop breathing.

If he sees too much, he'll tell Grayson. He always tells Grayson.

“Pierce, seriously—just back off.”

| need to get out of here. Now. Before he sees too much. Before | give myself away. Before everything falls apart.

My brother might love me, but Pierce's loyalty is to the pack first. It's what makes him Grayson’s right hand.

It's what makes him dangerous toright now.

“Pierce, back the fuck off before | tear your throat out.”

“Jess-"

The front door slams open so hard it bounces against the wall.

“Fucking fantastic,” Pierce mutters, rolling his eyes.

Riot strides in like a king of his own delusion. Seriously?

“Well, well. The princess and her guard dog.” His voice is ice cold, amused at his own joke.

Pierce takes a step forward. “Learn to knock asshole.”

“Why? Afraid I'll catch you two doing something you shouldn't?” Riot’s gaze slides to me, lingering too long, too

uncomfortable. “You locked your

window?’

1/4

11:34 Wed 20 Aug

Chapter 75

“What the fuck does that mean?” Pierce growls quickly snatching Riot’s collar.

Riot laughs, actually laughs while Pierce has him by the throat. “God, you're predictable. So easy to push your

buttons.”

“Let him go Pierce, he’s just fucking with you,” I snap, trying to save myself from whatever this is.

But there's something in Riot’s eyes that makes my blood run cold. Something knowing.

I'm just so glad Pierce actually listens. The moment he let Riot go, | grabbed his arm and pull him outside of the

house. | know he’s here to annoyfor the training session.

Once were alone, | shove him on the tree hoping it re-arranged his guts. “What the fuck do you want?”

“Whoa! So early for this,” Riot laughs, not even flinching when my hands slam him against the rough bark. He's

acting like this is a game-like I'm amusing him.

“Answer the question,” Thiss, inches from his face.

His eyes drop to my mouth, then crawl back up, that smirk never leaving. “Maybe | just wanted to see you,

princess.”

“Bullshit.”

“No bullshit. Training doesn’t start for an hour, and | was bored.” His hands suddenly grab my waist, fingers

digging in just enough to make my breath catch. “Thought we could have sfun.”

| try to pull back but he holdsthere, thumbs pressing into my hipbones. “Get your hands off me.”

“You put your hands onfirst,” he whispers, leaning closer until | can smell mint on his breath. “Mixed signals

much?”

“Let. Go.”

“Fine. So feisty.”

Riot steps back, his hand brushing down my arm as he retreats. | watch him dig in his pocket before pulling out a

crumpled pack of cigarettes. My eyebrows lift—I didn’t know he smoked. He catchesstaring and taps one

out, offering it towith dirt-stained fingers.

“Want to try it?” His voice drops lower, almost intimate. “Bet you've never been bad before, have you?”

“Can 1?”

I'm so stress | need something.

Riot looks surprised, those dark eyes widening just a fraction before that cocky smirk returns. “Well, well.

Princess wants to play after all.”

He lights the cigarette with a flick of his lighter, taking a deep drag before holding it out to me. | reach for it, but

he pulls back at the last second, eyes dancing.

“Ah-ah. Cget it.”

“You're such an asshole,” | mutter, stepping closer.

As | reach again, his free hand catches my wrist, thumb pressing against my pulse point. “Your heart's racing,”

he says, voice dropping to a grave whisper. “Nervous?”

| snatch the cigarette from his fingers. “You wish.”

| take a drag way too deep for a first-timer, immediately feeling the burn hit my lungs. | double over coughing,

smoke coming out in pitiful bursts between gasps..

11:34 Wed, 20 Aug

Chapter 75

Riot laughs, a low, rumbling sound that somehow pissesoff and sends a shiver down my spine at the same

time.” Damn, girl. Slow down

| try to glare at him through watering eyes, but coughing fit takes over.

“Here,” he says, suddenly closer, one hand sliding around to press against the small of my back. “Stand straight.

You're asking it worse hunched over like

that.”

His other hand takes the cigarette, fingers brushing mine in a way that sends an entirely different kind of heat

through my body.

“Breathe,” he instructs, voice suddenly low and serious. “Shallow breaths.”

| follow his direction, acutely aware of how his thumb is now making small circles against my spine. When my

breathing steadies, he brings the cigarette back to my lips.

“Open,” he commands.

This time, when I inhale, his fingers guide my wrist, controlling how much | take in. “That's it,” he murmurs,

watching my lips with an intensity that makes my stomach flip. “Nice and easy.”

The smoke fills my mouth, less harsh this time, and when | exhale, his eyes follow the cloud that escapes

between us.

“Better?” he asks, still not removing his hand from my back.

“Yes,” | admit, hating how breathless | sound-and how it has nothing to do with the cigarette anymore.

We share the cigarette for several minutes, him shotgunning the smoke into my mouth, his hands alternating

between firm grips on my neck and softer, almost possessive touches along my jaw.

“Training starts now,” he finally says, dropping the cigarette and grinding it under his heel. “And trust me,

Princess, cigarettes are the easiest thing you'll be putting between those pretty lips today.”

My face burns at his implication. “You're disgusting.”

He just laughs, the sound harsh and mocking. “And you're too easy to rile up. Gotta toughens that skin if you

want to survive around here.”

| follow him in the field, which is now | call Riot’s training ground because I notice he really don’t meddle with the

other wolves.

My lungs are burning after three brutal rounds of whatever the hell he calls “basic training.” More like torture

with an audience. Sweat drips down my back as | collapse onto the grass, trying not to look as pathetic as feel.

He drops down beside me, too close, always too damn close.

“Giving up already?” Riot’s voice drips with mockery as he stretches out beside me, not a single drop of sweat on

him. Meanwhile, I'm here practically drowning in my own.

“Fuck off,” | manage between gasps. “Three rounds of your sadistic bullshit is enough.”

He laughs, the sound rumbling deep in his chest. “That was just the warm-up. The real wolves would eat you

alive.”

| turn my head to glare at him, finding his face inches from mine. “What if...I don’t have a wolf?”

“It's always been my fear, you know?” | continue, staring at the clouds. “What if I'm just...meant for nothing?

What if I'm just meant to be alone?”

He goes quiet-so quiet | wonder if he’s even breathing. When | chance a glance at him, his jaw is tight, eyes

looking directly at me.

“It’s okay Jess.”

Then he does the last thing | expect. He reaches over, brushes a sweaty strand of hair from my forehead. His

fingers linger, just for a second.

Chapter 75

“There is nothing wrong being alone.” He says, eyes still on mine. “Sometimes it's the only way to realize that, in

this world, the only person you really need... is you.”

AD

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