Page 6 of Shattered by Grace (The Locke Empire Duet #1)

Chapter Four

V ictoria paced her apartment, the glowing red numbers taunting her. Three a.m. She had to be at the hospital by eight a.m. for rounds, but sleep? Not happening.

Even a scalding shower hadn’t cooled the fire still raging in her veins.

The Lockes.

Tristan and Tyson Locke .

She had just come back to the city. She had spent ten years in hiding. Ten years looking over her shoulder. Ten years building a life where they couldn't touch her.

And tonight she’d not only found the sons of the man who destroyed her life…She had flirted with one of them.

Her stomach twisted.

"Oh, God."

She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to recall every word, every look, every reckless move. Tristan had leaned in, testing her boundaries, and instead of recoiling, instead of keeping her distance, she stepped back just enough to play the game.

And he had noticed.

A shaky breath left her lips as she grabbed the bottle of Riesling from the fridge. She poured a glass, paused, then filled it to the rim.

"What the hell is wrong with me?"

She took a long sip, then another.

"Okay, options," she muttered, pacing again. "I could call Detective Adams…"

Her eyes flicked to the clock. Three forty-five a.m.

“Yeah, because waking him up in the middle of the night won’t scream ‘ Hey, I did something stupid! ’”

Adams had been in her life since she was fifteen, since the night she lost everything. He wasn’t just a detective. He was the only person who had ever truly looked out for her.

And if she called now, she’d just make him worry.

She let out a breath, staring at her reflection in the mirror propped against the wall. Flushed cheeks, wild hair, oversized t-shirt, wine glass clenched in her hand like a lifeline.

She looked unhinged.

She pointed at herself.

“You get close to them. Gain their trust. Dig for information.”

She blinked.

“…No. That’s stupid.”

Another gulp.

“…Or is it?”

Victoria took another drink, only to find the glass empty.

“Don’t be stupid, you’re an experienced midwife.”

She muttered the words like a mantra, as if reminding herself of her actual profession would somehow keep her from making very questionable life choices.

But still, she poured another generous glass.

Clawdia was already stretched out across the counter like she owned the place, her fluffy tail flicking lazily beside the bottle of wine.

Victoria ran a hand over her face, then reached out absentmindedly, scratching behind Clawdia’s ears. “You’re the only one who understands me.”

Clawdia barely acknowledged her, too busy lounging like a queen.

“Don’t judge me.”

Victoria swirled her wine, staring at the ceiling. “Okay. Let’s say I do this. Get close to them. I could…” She paused. “…steal their phones?”

Clawdia flicked an ear.

“No, that’s dumb.”

She took a sip.

“Hack their accounts?”

Another flick.

“Still dumb.”

She groaned, gripping the edge of the counter. “Ugh. Clawdia, how do you infiltrate a criminal empire without getting murdered?”

Clawdia let out a slow, dramatic stretch, her massive paws pushing the wine bottle an inch closer to the edge.

Victoria narrowed her eyes. “Don’t even think about it.”

Clawdia blinked, utterly unbothered.

Victoria sighed, staring into her glass. “Right. Flirting with Tristan already happened, so… leaning into that might not be the worst idea?”

Silence.

“…It’s a terrible idea.”

She took another sip.

“…But it’s also my best one.”

And that?

That was the real problem.