Page 127 of Shattered By Grace

She made the move to the door handle but Tristan was already heading around the car to open her door.

“WIll you stay here this time?” Tristan pulled her close.

“Yes,” she agreed, looking up at him with more sexual tension than she thought possible.

“You keep looking at me like that I will take you in my car.”

“Promise?” she murmured, testing him.

“As much as I would love to lose every brain cell I have in you right now, I have to go and take care of this. I will see you tomorrow,” he drawled, brushing a strand of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. He rubbed his fingers down her jaw, grabbing her by the nape of her neck and pulling her in for a kiss.

“Don’t play with me, love,” he warned, his voice like silk-wrapped steel. “Because if I start, I won’t stop.”

Her heart slammed against her ribs, but Tristan was already shifting gears.

“I have to go,” he murmured, almost like an apology. “But I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Then he kissed her. Not just a kiss, but a claim. Slow, deep, and utterly ruinous, stealing the breath from her lungs like he had every right to it. His fingers tangled in her hair, anchoring her to him, like letting go wasn’t an option.

And then, just as quickly as he unraveled her, he pulled back.

His forehead rested against hers for a single heartbeat before he smirked. “Go inside, Victoria.”

And just like that, he was gone. Slipped into the car, leaving her standing there, wrecked, breathless, and aching for more.

Victoria forced herself to move, stepping inside and shutting the door and locking it. Because Tristan would lose his mind if she forgot.

Only then did she realize…the roses. Forgotten until the moment the door shut behind her and then they were all she could see. The weight of the last few hours pressed into her chest, twisting what had been something so undeniably special into something far darker.

She inhaled the soft, familiar scent as she walked further inside, letting her fingers drift over the petals. That’s when she noticed a plain white card with her name scrawled across the front.

She opened it, her pulse stumbling at the words inside.

Her breath hitched.

A single tear slipped down her cheek, followed by another. She pressed her hand to her mouth, trying to hold in the raw emotion that threatened to spill out, but it was no use. The tears fell anyway, warm and uninvited, tracing the curve of her jaw.

Not because she was sad, but because no one had ever seen her like this before. Had ever cared enough to put it into words.

“Tristan…” she whispered his name, barely a breath, a prayer that only the walls heard.

Her chest burned with the strain of held-back words, she knew, without question, they had to be said.. But not like this. Not over a text.

Still, she reached for her phone, her fingers trembling as she hovered over the screen before typing.

Victoria

Every word you wrote… it’s like you see me in ways no one else does. You’ve got me in ways I can’t put into words. Whatever this is between us, it’s the most real thing I’ve ever felt.

A second passed, then another. Three dots appeared, disappeared, then reappeared.

Tristan

I meant every word, love. Sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow.

She smiled softly, brushing a stray tear from her cheek. Tomorrow.

Saturday flew by in a whirl of laughter, pampering, and girl talk. By the time they were seated for brunch, Victoria and Taylor had caught up on everything, from the drama of the past week to their hopes and fears for the future. Taylor eyed Victoria over her mimosas, her smirk never fading.

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