Page 45 of Shattered by Grace (The Locke Empire Duet #1)

Chapter Thirty-Six

D ress shopping had been a success. Taylor had walked away with a stunning emerald green velvet gown, the long sleeves and floor-length cut making her look effortlessly elegant.

She had already started planning how to style her hair and makeup, gushing about the dramatic look she wanted to pull off.

Victoria’s dress was something else entirely.

A deep red, spaghetti-strapped gown adorned with black floral appliqués.

The plunging neckline and open-back design, with delicate crisscrossing straps, made her feel…

beautiful. Powerful, even. She wasn’t used to feeling that way, but for once, she embraced it.

Now, back home and with Taylor long gone, the reality of everything else crashed down on her.

The dress, the masquerade, Tristan’s note with the rose—it all faded into the background as she sat on the edge of the couch, staring at the notebook.

She exhaled slowly, running a hand through her hair. There was only one thing left to do.

Grabbing her phone, she scrolled through her contacts until she landed on Detective Adams.

Her thumb hovered over the call button. Once she made this move, there was no taking it back. But hesitation wasn’t an option anymore. She tapped the screen and pressed the phone to her ear, bracing herself as the line rang.

One ring. Two.

Then, a voice. “Adams.”

Victoria took a breath. “We need to talk.” Adams had said he’d be over within the hour.

Victoria did what she always did when stressed—she hit the bag. The rhythmic sound of leather meeting leather filled the room, a brief distraction from the whirlwind of thoughts crashing through her mind.

It was five now, and she still had a bit of time. But the anxious knot in her stomach was already tightening, each jab and cross doing little to ease it.

This was it. The moment that could change everything. She wasn’t just handing over evidence, she was taking down Cassian Locke and the empire he’d built. The weight of that responsibility pressed on her shoulders with a suffocating heaviness.

But what would it mean for Tristan and Tyson?

They were both part of that empire, whether they liked it or not.

She could already hear their voices in her mind.

Tristan, the fighter who’d turned his back on his father’s empire, but would he stay with her after this?

And Tyson… who was so deeply involved in the business side of things, would he even forgive her for this betrayal?

The thought of losing them both made her chest tighten. They had become something to her in ways she wasn’t sure she understood yet, and the reality of what this could cost her felt like a cold weight sinking into her bones.

Her fists landed harder against the bag, the sting of each punch reminding her that there was no turning back. She didn’t have a choice. She couldn’t let fear stop her now.

“Coming,” Victoria muttered, slowly peeling off her gloves. She used the hem of her shirt to wipe the sweat from her forehead, then unlocked the door with a deep breath, trying to steady the anxiety that had been gnawing at her all afternoon.

“Hey, come in,” she said, voice steadier than she felt. As she opened the door, a flash of thunder cracked across the sky, making the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.

Detective Adams stepped inside, his presence just as sharp as she remembered.

With his neatly pressed shirt and badge clearly visible on his belt, he looked every bit the part of the official detective.

He was built like someone who’d seen his share of trouble, muscular, but not too bulky.

His square jaw, thick eyebrows that gives his face a constant look of focus, and dark eyes that seemed to pierce right through to her thoughts.

His hair was dark brown, slightly messy as if he didn’t care to comb it just right, and he had a light stubble that added to his rugged, no-nonsense look.

“Looks like we’re about to get hit with a bad storm later,” he said, glancing out the window as the wind picked up.

“I love when it rains,” Victoria offered, forcing a smile. “It’s calming, especially when it taps against the windows.”

She gestured toward the kitchen table, trying to ground herself in the mundane. “Something to drink? Water? Wine?”

“Water, thanks.”

Adams walked to the table, his movements sharp. He sat, folding his long fingers together as he waited for her to join him. Victoria walked to the table and handed him the water, then slowly took a seat across from him, her pulse pounding in her ears.

His eyes didn’t leave her as he took a sip, setting the glass down before leaning forward slightly. “Let’s cut to the chase. You said we needed to talk. What’s up, Victoria?”

The words hung in the air, heavy. The silence was deafening as she locked eyes with him, trying to steady herself. This was it. The moment that could change everything.

Her hands trembled slightly as she reached for the red notebook that had been sitting on the table under the folder he’d given her days ago. She slid it toward him, her fingers brushing against the smooth surface.

“I found this at my old house,” she said, her voice quieter now, almost a whisper. “In a hidden area that led to the panic room.”

She watched as his expression slowly shifted, the pieces clicking together in his mind. He didn’t touch it right away, his gaze flicking between her and the notebook. The weight of the moment hung thick in the air.

Finally, he reached forward and took the notebook from her, flipping it open with the careful precision of someone who understood the gravity of the situation. Victoria could see his jaw tighten as he scanned the pages.

“Everything you need to take down the whole Locke Empire,” Victoria whispered, her voice barely audible as if the very walls might be listening.

Adams paused, his fingers lingering over the pages for a moment longer before he looked up at her, his eyes searching. “This… this is it, isn’t it? This is the proof we’ve been looking for.”

Her throat felt dry as she nodded, unable to find the words. All she had was the weight of everything she’d just handed him, the key to destroying Cassian Locke and the empire he’d built. The key to the world that had held Tristan and Tyson in its grip, the world she was about to tear apart.

“Yes.” Victoria hesitated for just a second before fixing her gaze on Adams. “I do have one question. Why didn’t you tell me there was an actual full court case and the judge on my father’s case was dead? Ironically, he and two other judges, who were also on Locke’s payroll, are all dead.”

Adams exhaled sharply, his expression tense.

“Because you were a minor and under witness protection, it was necessary to keep many details from you, including the full scope of the court proceedings. The truth is, until recently, I didn’t have enough evidence to prove the corruption.

The judge presiding over your father’s case received a substantial financial deposit right after ruling there wasn’t enough evidence to prosecute.

That decision let every suspect involved in your father’s murder walk free. ”

He paused, his fingers tapping against the table as he continued.

“The same pattern follows with the other two judges. Each of them had ties to Locke, each of them made rulings that benefited his operation, and each of them died under circumstances that appeared accidental or due to natural causes. Without definitive proof, any attempt to connect their deaths to Locke would have been circumstantial at best, until now.”

Victoria’s jaw tightened, her pulse hammering in her ears. Adams leaned forward, his voice lower but firm.

“We both know Cassian Locke eliminates liabilities. He doesn’t leave loose ends, and he doesn’t allow anything to trace back to him.

That’s why this notebook is critical, it’s the first tangible link tying these judges to his criminal network.

And it’s why he’s after you.” He motioned toward the notebook.

“One, because he believes you’re in possession of it. And two… because you escaped.”

The weight of his words settled over her like a suffocating fog. This wasn’t just about her father’s case anymore. It was about dismantling an entire system of corruption, one that had taken years to build and had buried countless victims in its wake.

Victoria swallowed hard, her fingers tightening around the edge of the table. “It’s not just because I escaped, Adams. My father signed me over to Cassian. The contract is in that notebook. So this isn’t only about the evidence; it’s about silencing me before I can use it.”

Adams’s eyes widened, a flash of disbelief crossing his face. “A contract? You’re saying your father actually signed you over to him? I… I had no idea that existed. That changes everything. No wonder Cassian’s desperate to keep you quiet.”

Well, fuck.

She had already known, deep down, but hearing it said out loud made it terrifyingly real.

“I didn’t have the notebook until two days ago,” she admitted.

Adams’ expression darkened. “And you waited this long to hand it over?” His frustration was palpable, his voice rising slightly.

“I needed time,” Victoria defended, her grip tightening. “I wanted to go through it first, to see my father’s words, to figure out what he knew. I had to understand it before I gave it away.”

Adams let out a slow breath, reining in his irritation. His eyes flicked to the notebook before carefully reaching for it again. As he flipped through the pages, his trained gaze skimmed over the scrawled handwriting, absorbing the weight of the information in front of him.

“If this holds up,” he said, voice steadier now, “this could be enough to finally take down the entire Locke empire.”

Victoria exhaled, the weight of it pressing down on her. “But at what cost?”

“Is that a real question?” Adams met her gaze, his expression grim.

She hesitated. “No… Just wondering what happens to Tristan and Tyson.”

Adams scoffed. “Why are you worrying about them? They have blood on their hands, more than you can even imagine.”

Because I—What? Feel something for them? Be for real, Victoria.

She swallowed hard, pushing the thought away before it could settle.

“Is there enough to tie them to anything, or just their father?”

Adams exhaled, his expression unreadable.

“As of now, there’s nothing concrete linking them directly to criminal activity, at least not on paper.

But once we initiate a full-scale investigation, we’ll follow every lead.

Financial records, communication logs, witness statements…

if there’s anything incriminating, we’ll find it. ”

Victoria let out a dry laugh. “Gotta love that saying, innocent until proven guilty, right?”

Adams shot her a sharp look, his expression somewhere between disbelief and irritation. “What the hell did you just say?”

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Where’s this aggression coming from?

She shrugged, but he was already shaking his head. “I’m taking this back to the office. The fact that only you and I know about it keeps things simple.”

Victoria hesitated. “Umm… I told Taylor.”

I shouldn’t have said that.

Adams froze mid-motion, his jaw tightening. “ Are you trying to get her killed?”

As they reached the door, Victoria exhaled, her nerves still frayed. “I know it was stupid,” she admitted quickly, guilt gnawing at her. “But I was stressed, and I needed to talk to someone. She already knew about everything else.”

Adams pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a slow breath. “Victoria, that was reckless.”

“I know.” Her voice was quieter now. “I’m sorry. All of this… it’s too much, and I needed someone.” She pulled the door open, the weight of the conversation still heavy between them. “I’ll keep her safe.”

Adams gave her a long look, as if debating whether to say more, then finally nodded. “Be careful.”

He stepped out into the night, leaving Victoria standing in the doorway, the storm clouds rolling in above.