Page 83 of Shattered By Grace

Silence stretched between them, thick and suffocating.

Tristan took a step toward her, his expression unreadable, but his voice was softer now. "You alright?"

Victoria opened her mouth to sayyes, to force the lie, but the words wouldn’t come.

Her chest tightened. The walls of the gym seemed to shrink around her, the edges of her vision blurring. She could still taste blood on her tongue, but it wasn’t the pain that made her tremble. It was the realization.

His father sent them.

The words rang in her head, over and over, drowning out the pounding of her heart. Her breath hitched. Her fingers tingled. Her chest…too tight, too small…she couldn’t breathe.

She was spiraling and her body wasn’t listening.

A choked sound escaped her throat as she stumbled back, her knees giving out.

Before she could hit the floor, strong arms caught her.

“Shit,” Tristan muttered under his breath.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

She barely registered being lifted, the world tilting as he carried her swiftly through the gym. She could hear his heartbeat beneath her ear, steady and strong, a contrast to her own frantic pulse. The sound grounded her, but only for a moment.

She barely had time to register where they were before the soft rush of water filled the space. The locker room.

Then…warmth.

Not scalding, not cold, just lukewarm as the shower rained down over them both.

Tristan still held her, his grip firm yet careful as he slid down to the tiled floor, pulling her onto his lap. The water soaked through their shirt but he didn’t move.

Didn’t let go.

“Breathe, baby.” His voice was low and steady. A command wrapped in a plea.

Victoria squeezed her eyes shut, but the tears still escaped, hot and endless.

“I—” She tried to speak, but her throat closed up. Her body was betraying her, trembling beyond her control, suffocating under the weight of it all.

Tristan shifted slightly, pressing her tighter against him. “I got you,” he murmured, his lips near her temple. His hand slid up her back, fingers threading through her wet hair as he rocked her gently. “Igotyou.”

She clung to him. She wasn’t sure when the sobs started, but once they did, they wouldn’t stop.

The water poured over them, drowning out the rest of the world, leaving only Tristan’s arms around her, his breath against her skin, his body anchoring hers.

He didn’t tell her she was okay.

Didn’t try to make her stop crying.

He justheld her.

Minutes passed. Maybe longer.

Her breathing eventually slowed. The panic receded, leaving exhaustion in its place.

She felt raw, exposed. But Tristan hadn’t moved.

She shifted slightly in his hold, tilting her head just enough to look at him. His dark hair was slicked back from the water, beads of it clinging to his sharp jawline. His shirt clung to his body, completely drenched, but he didn’t seem to care.

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