Page 34 of Shattered By Grace

Few hours intense hours had slipped by as Victoria assisted through a difficult emergency C-section. Now finally catching her breath at the nurses’ station, she pulled off her surgical cap and let it drop beside her on the table. Her fingers pressed into her temples, trying to massage away the tension left behind by the long, chaotic shift.

As she dug through her bag for her phone, her fingers brushed against a crumpled piece of paper. The note that had been taped to her door. With a quick glance around to make sure no one was watching, she carefully pulled it out and held it in her hands, her curiosity piqued.

The note was scrawled in elegant handwriting that she didn’t recognize.

What in the actual fuck is this?she thought, her eyes scanning the note over and over again, trying to make sense of it.

She was so engrossed in the words that she didn’t hear anyone approach.

“I see you found my note,” a deep voice whispered next to her ear, and her heart nearly stopped. She jumped in her seat, instinctively pressing one hand against her chest and clamping the other over her mouth to stifle a scream.

The note slipped from her fingers and fluttered to the floor as she whipped around to see who had startled her.

Victoria gasped as her eyes met Tristan’s. A smirk tugged at the corner of his busted lip, his dark eyes glinting with amusement, but his battered face told a different story. His left cheek was swollen, a jagged stitch cut across his left eyebrow, and his skin was bruised, the remnants of the fight he’d been in days ago. His presence was unsettlingly close.

Even battered and bruised you still make me liquefy.

“You’ve seen better days,” she said, her voice tinged with concern but sharp with something more, like she knew he’d pushed himself into this mess on purpose.

Tristan raised an eyebrow, the smirk still lingering. “Yeah, that’s what every guy wants to hear, Grace.”

“What are you doing here?” she sounded harsher than she intended, her pulse racing. She struggled to steady herself, still reeling from the scare.

God, he’s beautiful. Hang on, WHAT?! No, stop that.

He met her gaze, his silence stretching the moment uncomfortably. It felt like he was dissecting her thoughts without giving anything away.

Victoria leaned back, stunned into silence. Her brain scrambled to catch up. Finally, she managed to ask, “How are you, Tristan?” The way pain flickered across his face sent a jolt of dread through her, making her immediately fear the worst.

Before Tristan could respond, Justin appeared at his side, his expression all business as he said, “The car’s ready. We need to go.”

Oh, fuck. It really is Justin.

Tristan’s gaze softened for a split second. “I’m healing, Grace. Thanks for asking.” There was a raw edge to his voice, but before she could decipher it, he turned and walked away without another word, leaving her with more questions than answers.

Victoria stood frozen for a moment, the confusion gnawing at her.How the hell did he know where I live? How did he find me so easily?The unease settled deeper into her chest as she watched him leave, her mind racing to catch up with the mystery that seemed to surround him.

“That’s it?” Victoria forced out, her voice tight.

Only Justin turned around, but the look on his face froze the words in her throat. Recognition flickered in his eyes, turning them sharp and cold. For a heartbeat, they both stood there, the air thick with unspoken tension.

She knew that look, it wasn’t just shock. It was the realization of who she really was. His best friend from when they were neighbors, and now he was staring at her like she was a ghost from a past they both buried.

Victoria’s stomach twisted, fear clawing up her spine as she saw the shift in his expression, he wasn’t the same Justin she once knew.

Chapter Fifteen

Victoria stood frozen, her mind short-circuiting as she watched Justin disappear down the hall. Justin, her Justin, working for the Lockes? Her stomach twisted violently.Why?

A wave of nausea surged, and she barely made it to the bathroom before slamming the door behind her. Gripping the sink, she forced slow, steady breaths. The betrayal burned through her, relentless and raw.

Images of childhood flickered in her mind. Justin pinning her in the grass, laughing as he let her win at their endless wrestling matches. He was supposed to be safe, familiar. Not this. Not tangled up in the very world she’d been running from.

How did he get involved? Why didn’t he walk away?

She splashed cold water on her face, but the shock didn’t dull. Instead, the panic clawed deeper. How much does he know? And worse—will he tell Tristan or Tyson who I really am?

Victoria leaned closer to the mirror, searching her own reflection for answers. “What do I do?” she whispered.Run? Disappear again? How do I even fight this?The illusion ofsafety she’d clung to now felt as fragile as glass, ready to shatter at any moment.

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