Page 128 of Shattered By Grace

“So, spill. What’s going on with you and Tristan?” Taylor teased, studying her friend. “There’s something different about you. You’re like, glowing.”

Victoria took a sip of her mimosa, trying to find the right words. “It’s like... it’s all-consuming, Taylor. When I’m with him, I feel like I’m on fire. Every part of me is... awake. And when we’re apart? Nothing. Like there’s this hole in me that can’t be filled.”

Taylor nodded, her gaze softening with understanding. “I get it. It’s not just attraction. It’s like he’s become a part of you.”

“Exactly.” Victoria leaned back in her chair, lost in thought. “But it scares me, too. I’ve never felt anything like this before. And I don’t want to get lost in it.”

“You won’t get lost,” Taylor reassured her, squeezing her hand. “This is about you finding yourself. And if this love burns like that, you lean into it. You deserve that kind of fire.”

Victoria smiled, the warmth of Taylor’s support helping to ease the tension in her chest. “Thanks, Tay. I just need to figure out how to let go of the fear. I’m not sure I’m ready to face it yet.”

“You will be,” Taylor said with certainty. “And Tristan? He’s not going anywhere. You’ve got something real.”

Victoria hesitated, then glanced at Taylor with a small smirk. “Though… fair warning, your date tonight might have a black eye.”

Taylor blinked. “Wait… why, what did Tristan do?”

“Tristan didn’t do it.” Victoria leaned in, lowering her voice. “I did.”

Taylor’s jaw dropped. “What the hell happened?”

Victoria sighed, launching into the chaos of Friday night. Taylor’s face cycled through every emotion as she listened.

“So where do you come in?” Taylor muttered.

“I tried to break up the fight, but Justin grabbed my leg to stop me, so I kicked him in the face… hard. He backed off, but not before I made it very clear to never touch me again. Tristan lost it after that, slammed Tyson to the ground, and nearly went after Justin too. As we were leaving, Justin had the nerve to smirk and say, ‘See you tomorrow,’”

Taylor let out a low whistle, shaking her head. “Remind me never to piss you off. And also, if that man so much as blinks at me wrong at the ball, I’m kicking him somewhere way worse than the face.”

Victoria snorted, “I still can’t believe you're going with him after everything.”

“Well it’s too late to back out now.” Taylor said with a shrug, the tension finally breaking between them.

As the conversation turned to other topics, the day passed quickly, and before long, they were being led into the spa for massages. The relaxation of the moment was soothing, Victoria allowing herself to unwind completely, pushing aside the swirling thoughts of Tristan and everything that lay ahead.

Next came the hair and makeup appointments, where they laughed and chatted about everything and nothing. The stylist worked magic on Victoria’s hair, giving it loose waves that framed her face perfectly, while her makeup enhanced hernatural beauty. Taylor, ever the enthusiast, kept complimenting her, making her feel like a goddess.

After a whirlwind of spa treatments and getting ready, they found themselves back at Victoria’s apartment. As soon as they stepped through the door, Taylor froze, her eyes wide in disbelief. “Damn,” she whispered under her breath, her gaze scanning the room in awe.

Victoria’s eyes followed her friend's gaze, and she couldn’t help the soft laugh that escaped her lips. The apartment was filled with thousands of roses, an ocean of deep red and blush petals. Each one seemed to shimmer in the soft glow of the lights, their sweet fragrance filling the air.

But what really caught Taylor’s attention was the card. Her eyes locked onto it as she walked toward the table, picking it up with reverence as though it were something sacred. As she read it aloud, her voice softened with every line.

“To the Girl Who Fights Like Fire,” she started, her voice cracking slightly with the weight of the words. Her eyes darted to Victoria, wide with surprise. “He wrote this... for you?”

Victoria nodded, her heart beating faster as the memory of reading the poem earlier flooded back. “Yes.”

Taylor set the card down, still in disbelief. “This is next-level romance. He sees you, Vic. The way he loves you? That’s something special.”

Victoria swallowed hard, the emotions swirling in her chest. She had never had someone look at her, truly see her, the way Tristan did. She wasn’t just some fighter, some pawn in a game. With him, she waseverything.

“Yeah,” Victoria whispered, her voice almost reverent. “It’s... it’s more than I ever expected.”

Taylor reached over, squeezing Victoria’s hand, a wide grin on her face. “More than expected? Girl, you’ve got yourself a king, and you’re his queen. Don’t ever forget that.”

Victoria smiled softly, overwhelmed by the truth in Taylor’s words. For the first time in a long while, she didn’t feel afraid of the fire that was Tristan. She was ready to let it consume her, every inch, every moment.

Victoria opened the door, expecting Tristan, but instead, a young man in a sleek black suit stood before her, holding a single red rose and a small box. He couldn’t have been older than twenty, but the way he carried himself told her he worked for the Lockes.

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