Page 64 of Shattered By Grace

“No,” Victoria whispered, shaking her head. “It’s not that. It’s… I like him, and I know I shouldn’t.” She exhaled, the weight of her next words pressing down on her. “He’s not just involved with dangerous people, Taylor. He’s the heir to a criminal empire. The Lockes don’t just have power, they own this city from the shadows. And somehow, I’ve gotten myself tangled up in all of it.”

Taylor didn’t make a sound, so Victoria pressed on.

She swallowed hard, forcing herself to continue. “I told you my father was killed, but I didn’t tell you who did it.” Her fingers trembled against the ceramic cup. “It was the Locke family.” The words sliced through her like a blade. “I was down the hall when they murdered him. I thought I was next.”

Taylor’s breath hitched. “Jesus, Grace…”

Victoria barely heard her. The past was unspooling in her mind, raw and vivid. “They took me. I fought like hell, but they knocked me out. When I woke up… I was in the back seat of a car.” Her voice dropped lower, steady but filled with the memory. “I don’t know what they had planned for me, but I remember one of them saying they couldn’t touch me because the market wouldn’t like it.”

She inhaled sharply. “After I escaped, I was put into witness protection, given a new name, a new life. That’s how I became Grace Scarlett.”

A heavy silence settled between them. Taylor’s face had gone pale, her mouth slightly open in shock. “What… what are you saying?”

“I came back to the city because I thought ten years was enough time to be safe,” Victoria said, regret lacing her voice. “I thought I could start over. But I walked right back into the samefamily that murdered my father… and now I’m falling for one of his sons.”

She exhaled slowly, the weight of her words pressing down on her. “The Lockes are at the center of everything. Underground fights, drugs, and trafficking. I can’t even trust the police.” Her throat tightened. “And Justin, my childhood friend is working for them, but not for the reasons they think.” She paused, biting her lip. “He’s trying to take them down, gather evidence to expose everything they’re doing. He’s always wanted to be a cop. But I don’t know if I can trust him anymore. Just hours ago…” Her stomach twisted. “I saw him talking to Mr. Locke. And now I don’t know where his loyalties lie.”

Taylor shook her head in disbelief. “Grace, are you serious? This sounds… I don’t even know what to say.”

“It’s messed up. And I’m stupid for coming back. An even bigger dumbass for falling for one of them.” Victoria covered her face as tears slowly started to fall.

Taylor leaned forward, her expression softening with sincerity. “Listen to me, Gra— I mean, Victoria. Wow, that’s going to take some getting used to.” She shook her head, but her focus returned to Victoria’s eyes. “You’re so much stronger than you give yourself credit for. You didn’t choose this, none of it. You’ve been thrown into a world of danger and lies, and yet here you are, standing, fighting, and still caring. You’re not stupid. You’re human. And being human means making mistakes and feeling things you can’t control. But that doesn’t make you weak.”

She paused, locking eyes with Victoria. “And as for falling for someone like Tristan? That doesn’t make you a dumbass either. It makes you real. You can’t help who you’re drawn to, but you can choose what you do next. And knowing you, I have no doubt you’re going to figure it out. You don’t back down, Victoria. Younever have. So don’t you dare think for a second that you’ve lost control. You’re not the one who’s lost here.”

Victoria took a deep breath, wiping her eyes, her voice shaky but filled with gratitude. “Thank you, Taylor. That really means a lot more than you know.” She hesitated for a moment, then her shoulders sagged slightly, the weight of her next words pressing in. “But… there’s more.”

Taylor raised an eyebrow, a small smirk tugging at her lips. “Oh, great. There’s more? I thought I was already sitting through the emotional rollercoaster of the year. Alright, hit me with it. I’m ready for whatever.”

Victoria leaned in. “There’s this thing called the Grand Reaping. It’s the biggest underground fighting circuit of the year. The wealthiest families fight for power, and while it looks like settling debts, it’s actually a cover for drug deals and trafficking. It’s brutal, and people die.” Her pulse pounded as she reached the point of no return. “It’s hosted at Crimson Veil, in the basement. That night at the club, Tristan and Tyson had fights.”

Taylor squeezed her hand, trying to lighten the mood, but her voice grew more serious. “Vic… is it okay if I call you that? You need to go to the police with this. They have to do something…they’re the cops. They’re supposed to protect you.”

Victoria smiled briefly. “Vic is fine, but at the hospital, you’ll have to call me Grace.” Her smile faltered as the weight of her next words hit her. “I can’t, Taylor.” She exhaled shakily, her voice trembling. “I used to think the same thing, but Justin told me the police are on the Lockes’ payroll. They control everything,the cops, the judges, anyone who could make a difference.” A shiver ran through her. “It’s not safe.”

Victoria looked down, her voice barely a whisper. “There’s more… A few weeks ago, someone broke into my apartment. Theonly things they took were pictures of my father and me, and a ruby necklace he gave me.”

Taylor gasped, her eyes wide with shock. “Oh my God. So what now? Are you just going to sit back and wait for them to come for you?”

Victoria’s lips trembled, the gravity of her situation crashing in on her. “I don’t know. But I can’t just walk away, Taylor. Not after everything that’s happened. The next move I make could be my last. I just need to be ready for whatever comes next.”

Taylor’s gaze hardened, her protective instinct flaring. “Then we make sure it’s not your last. You’re not doing this alone, Vic. We’ll figure it out together.”

Victoria’s voice trembled as she met Taylor’s eyes. “You have no idea how much this means to me, just having someone to talk to, the relief…” She trailed off, the severity of it all pressing down again. “But I’m scared, Taylor. I can’t ask you to put yourself in danger. If something happened to you because of me…” She swallowed hard, her throat tight with emotion.

Taylor squeezed Victoria’s hand, her expression unwavering. “Vic, you’re not asking, I’m choosing. And I’m not going anywhere.” She shot her a small, reassuring smile before her eyes suddenly lit up with mischief. “But, you know… now that we’re sharing deep, life-altering secrets, I think this is the perfect time to cash in on some emotional blackmail.”

Victoria groaned. “Oh, no. What now?”

Taylor leaned back, grinning. “You’re coming dress shopping with me.”

Victoria blinked. “What?”

“The Masquerade Ball, remember? The one I refuse to go to alone?” Taylor wiggled her eyebrows. “You just dropped a bombshell of a confession on me, so I think it’s only fair I get something out of it. And what I want is my best friend in a killer dress, dancing the night away with me.”

Victoria narrowed her eyes. “You’re using my trauma against me?”

“With love,” Taylor said sweetly. “And also, I’m not above bribery, so let’s go.”

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