Page 89 of Shattered By Grace

But eventually, reality tugged at her. Her mind went back to everything—the gym, the fight, the chaos of the day. The storm outside might’ve been calming down, but the storm inside her head wasn’t as forgiving.

Victoria pulled away, her fingers lingering on his chest before she fully disconnected, feeling the cool rush of air between them. “I’ve had a long day,” she said, her voice quiet but firm. “And I’m tired.”

Tristan didn’t try to stop her, didn’t protest as she stepped back, but his gaze never left her. His hand dropped to his side, and she could feel the weight of his eyes on her, even in the dimness of the room.

She walked toward the couch, her steps slow and deliberate, but just as she reached it, Tristan’s hand shot out, grabbing her arm gently but with enough force to stop her in her tracks.

“What are you doing?” he asked, his voice low, steady, but with an edge of something unreadable.

Victoria turned to face him, lifting an eyebrow. “I’m going to sleep, Tristan.”

His jaw tightened, the shadows in the room flickering across his face, but there was something in his eyes that softened the moment. “Not there,” he said, his voice soft but insistent. “You sleep in my bed.”

Victoria blinked, taken aback for a moment. “Where are you going to sleep?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Tristan’s lips quirked up slightly, but there was no humor in the expression. “With you.”

Chapter Forty

Victoria swallowed, her heart picking up speed as his words hit her in a way she hadn’t expected. She could feel the weight of his gaze, the invitation in his tone, the way his body leaned just slightly toward hers, as though he was waiting for her answer.

For a second, she couldn’t think of anything but the tension that lingered between them. She didn’t know whether to be cautious or to give in, to stay where she was or to follow him. But as the storm outside calmed, something inside her shifted. She realized that whatever this was between them wasn’t something she’d be able to ignore for much longer.

Her body moved before her mind could catch up, and she found herself nodding. “Okay,” she whispered. “Let’s go.”

Tristan didn’t say a word as he led her up the stairs. Victoria’s heart pounded, every step amplifying the uncertainty twisting inside her. The air between them felt heavier than before, thick with unspoken words and something she wasn’t ready to name.

He walked her across the room, moving beyond his own side to the space near the window, away from the entrance.Confused, she glanced up at him, searching for an answer in the sharp angles of his face, but his expression gave nothing away.

Tristan pulled back the covers and gestured for her to get in.

She hesitated. “Tristan?—”

“Just sleeping tonight, love.” His voice was softer than she expected, quieter.

Still unsure, Victoria slid under the covers, watching as he pulled them over her, tucking her in with a care that made her chest ache. He smoothed a hand over her hair before bending down, pressing a lingering kiss to her forehead.

As he moved around to the other side of the bed, she found herself wondering…how many people get to see this side of Tristan?

Then he pulled back the covers and stripped down to his boxers.

Fuck.He expects me to sleep next to him like that?Her fingers curled against the sheets, wishing she had something sexier on.

At some point in the night, the weight of him shifting the mattress pulled her from the depths of sleep.

She felt his warmth pressing against her back and the way he fit himself around her. One arm slid beneath her pillow, the other settled against her stomach, fingers splayed as he pulled her closer. Heat radiated through the thin fabric of her shirt, sinking into her skin, sending a slow, liquid awareness through her veins.

His breath brushed the shell of her ear, warm and steady, before he pressed a lingering kiss to the exposed skin on her neck .She shivered, and he pulled her closer, mistaking it for cold. But warmth had nothing to do with it.

This was something else.

Something far more dangerous.

It was him.

It was this quiet, unguarded moment.

Damn.

---