Page 23 of Shattered By Grace

Victoria swallowed hard, her eyes adjusting to the dim light as she took in her surroundings. The space felt like another world entirely, one that wasn’t made for the faint of heart. The air was thick with the scent of expensive perfume and the faint, underlying trace of something darker, something almost feral.

Chapter Ten

Victoria stepped into the club, her eyes struggling to adjust to the dim, throbbing lights. The bouncer had waved her through without hesitation, and she’d expected to find Taylor waiting by the entrance. Instead, she was lost in a sea of shadows, weaving through the crowd, her heart pounding as she realized Taylor hadn’t answered her texts.

Then, out of nowhere, a warm breath against her ear sent a jolt down her spine. “Are you afraid of the dark?” he murmured, his voice a low purr, every syllable dripping with menace and intrigue as he pulled her against him, one strong arm fingers spread over her stomach.

Her mind spun, desperately trying to steady the wild rush of emotions surging inside her. The hands holding her were deceptively gentle but unyielding, radiating a raw, restrained power that kept her anchored in the shadows.

Was he waiting for me? Did he follow me out here? Are we scared, or are we… something else?

Victoria’s breath caught, her pulse hammering as she forced herself to stand her ground. “Depends on what’s hiding in it,”she shot back, her tone sharp, though the flicker of nerves tightening her grip didn’t go unnoticed.

He chuckled softly, the sound sending a shiver down her spine. “You should be,” he whispered, his breath hot against her ear, “because I might be the worst thing in it.”

She bit back a retort, her pulse quickening. “Is that a threat or a promise?” she replied, her voice steady but betraying the mix of fear and excitement coursing through her.

I should be terrified right now. He was just with Razer hours ago. What was they doing?

"Oh Grace, I’m not just danger," Tristan whispered against her ear, his grip firm. "I’m the kind that’ll ruin you in ways you’ll beg me to."

Her pulse pounded, heat and fury warring inside her. He was intoxicating and infuriating, temptation wrapped in sin. For a moment, she wanted to let go, to give in just to spite him. But then she remembered.

His name. His family. His father’s bloodstained hands.

She let out a dry laugh, tilting her head against his chest. "Ruin me? That’s rich coming from a Locke." Her voice dripped with venom, but the heat between them made it burn differently. "If I ever let you touch me, Tristan, it wouldn't be because you won. It’d be because I wanted to watch you fall apart first."

His grip loosened, his hands falling away as he took a slow step back, eyes unreadable.

Tristan smirked, the kind of grin that promised trouble. "Good," he murmured, his gaze burning into hers. "I’d hate for this to be too easy."

The tension between them crackled, hot and volatile, neither willing to back down.

“Hey, there you are! Oh, and Tristan found you,” Taylor chimed in as she walked into the light, standing right next to the other Locke twin.

Fuck!Victoria's mind raced.

Turning away from Tristan, Victoria reached for Taylor, forcing a smile. “I was texting you before I was interrupted. Wow, you look amazing, Taylor.” She quickly pulled her friend close, positioning herself between Taylor and the Locke twins like a human shield.

Leaning in, she whispered sharply into Taylor’s ear. “What are you doing with them?”

“I was waiting at the bar for you, and, umm, that one,” she pointed at Tyson, “walked up to me and said, ‘I remember you from the Pool Stop when we were going to play pool,’ but that one,” she pointed to Tristan, “interrupted.”

“I remember. I was getting under your skin,” Tristan chimed in.

Victoria turned toward him, raising her voice to make sure he heard her. “Why are you still here?”

“Well, Tristan walked up to talk to Tyson, and that’s when you texted that you were here. So I told them, ‘She’s here,’ and then Tristan ran up here to make sure you could get in. And, well… here we are,” Taylor rambles with a playful attitude.

Her heart pounded against her ribs. She never wanted to be involved with the Lockes. Couldn’t be. If they ever found out who she really was, it would end badly. Even now, she didn’t fully understand why their father had killed hers, but she knew better than to take any chances.

Taylor gave her a bewildered look, as if she’d just grown a second head. “What’s wrong with hanging out with them?”

“Yeah, Grace, what’s wrong with us?” Tristan drawled, his voice dripping with amusement. Then, the bastard winked, slow and deliberate, like he already knew the answer and was daring her to admit it. “Afraid we’ll ruin all your fun? Or just afraid of how much fun you’d have?”

Victoria huffed out a laugh, folding her arms. “Please. I already know exactly what kind of fun you are, Tristan. And I don’t think you’re ready for what happens when I start playing back.”

Taylor groaned, throwing her hands up. “Are we done with the twenty-one questions? Because I swear, if I get one more wrinkle before my time, I’m blaming you. I need a drink and the dance floor, like, yesterday.”

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