Whispers and Warnings

Now, as they drove home, Jax was quieter than usual. His fingers tapped against his knee, his jaw clenched, and his eyes stayed glued to the window like he was anywhere but here.

Grace could feel the tension thick in the air, but she didn't ask. Not yet. Instead, she pulled out her phone, scrolling absentmindedly—until a new email notification popped up.

From: Victoria Hastings

Subject: Urgent.

Frowning, she opened it.

"We have a problem. Call me the moment you see this. Do not talk to anyone else about it."

Her heart skipped a beat. What now?

She glanced at Jax, but he was still lost in his own world. Quietly, she typed back.

"What happened?"

The reply came almost instantly.

"Not over text. Just get home. Now."

A cold shiver ran down her spine.

The car pulled into the driveway, and Grace barely waited for Jax to unlock the door before stepping inside. The house was quiet, but she could hear Jax muttering something under his breath as he tossed his phone onto the counter.

"Everything okay?" she asked, testing the waters.

Jax ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. "Fine."

It wasn't fine. But he clearly didn't want to talk, and right now, she had bigger problems.

She hurried upstairs, locked her bedroom door, and called Victoria.

The moment the call connected, Victoria didn't even say hello. "She knows."

Grace's stomach dropped. "Who?"

"The journalist from earlier. She wasn't just guessing—she actually knows. She went to the restaurant. She talked to people. She's put it together, Grace."

Grace's pulse pounded in her ears. "How—how much does she know?"

"Everything." Victoria's voice was tight, controlled. "And she wants money to keep quiet."

Silence stretched between them.

"How much?" Grace finally whispered.

"A lot."

Grace sat on the edge of her bed, gripping the blanket. "And if you don't pay?"

"Then by tomorrow morning, the world will know you're not really Jax's girlfriend."

Grace swallowed hard. This was bad. This was worse than bad.

"You don't have to do this," she said. "I mean... maybe it wouldn't be the worst thing if—"

"No." Victoria's voice was sharp. "This is my son's career. His reputation. If this gets out, it won't just be a scandal—it'll be a disaster."

Grace closed her eyes. "So what do we do?"

"I'll handle it," Victoria said. "But you need to be careful. No more mistakes. No more slipping up in public."

Grace exhaled shakily. "Okay."

There was a pause. Then Victoria softened. "I know this is a lot. Just... keep your head down, alright? And stay close to Jax. No matter what."

Stay close to Jax.

Grace wasn't sure that was going to be easy.

After hanging up, she sat there for a long time, trying to process everything.

Then—three sharp knocks at the door.

She jolted, heart pounding. "Yeah?"

Jax didn't wait for an invitation. He pushed the door open, his expression unreadable. "You okay?"

Grace hesitated. "Are you?"

He let out a short, humorless laugh. "No."

She studied him, taking in the tension in his shoulders, the way his hands clenched into fists before he forced them to relax.

The phone call. The shift in his mood. It all connected.

"Who was on the phone earlier?" she asked carefully.

Jax's eyes flickered. "No one important."

Liar.

"Right." Grace leaned back against the bedpost. "Because you totally looked calm and relaxed after that."

Jax exhaled, running a hand down his face. "It's nothing you need to worry about."

Which only made her more worried.

He moved to leave, but something in Grace snapped.

"Jax," she said quietly. "Is there something I should know?"

He hesitated. For just a second, she thought he might actually tell her.

But then—his mask slipped back on. "No."

And just like that, he walked out.

Grace sat there, her pulse still racing.

Secrets. Lies.

Whatever was happening with Jax, it wasn't over. And neither was the journalist's threat.

And she had a terrible feeling this was just the beginning.