Chapter 41

**G R A C E**

I’m barely dry by the time I slip into the bedroom. The cool air from the A/C hits the back of my neck, raising goosebumps on my skin as I stand there with the towel Matt threw me, still in Alex's oversized shirt, which is now damp and sticking to me in the most uncomfortable places. I really need to get out of this.

It takes me a second to remember where my luggage is—tucked away in the corner of the room, still untouched from when Alex had it brought here. Another small thing that keeps messing with my head. He took care of all that, but now… nothing. He hasn’t even come to check on me.

It’s like I don’t exist.

Not that he has any reason to check on me, right? He did his part—swooped in like a knight in his stupid suit, bandaged my foot, and then vanished. Who does that? I mean, seriously, after everything, you’d think a simple “Hey, how’s your leg?” wouldn’t be too much to ask. But no. Radio silence.

I peel the wet shirt off and toss it onto a nearby chair before opening my suitcase. My hand hovers over the pile of neatly folded clothes for a moment, but my mind is still stuck on Alex. Why am I even thinking about this so much?

It’s not like I care.

I grab a soft T-shirt and a pair of shorts, slipping them on as my thoughts spiral. Maybe he’s busy. Maybe he’s handling business, making deals, doing whatever it is big businessmen do. It’s not like he owes me anything, right? But he did pick me up when I fainted. He held me in his arms, carried me to the car like I was something fragile, something that mattered.

And now? Now it’s been almost 24 hours, and there hasn’t been a single word from him.

God, this is so stupid.

I pull my hair into a messy bun and glance in the mirror. The girl staring back at me looks tired, confused, but also a little bit… pissed? Yeah, I’m pissed. Maybe I shouldn’t be, but I am. It’s not fair for him to get under my skin like this. Not after everything that’s happened.

I grab my phone from the bedside table—still nothing. No calls, no texts. The guy can take care of me when I’m passed out, but he can’t send a damn text? I mean, sure, it’s not like he’s obligated to, but he did touch me. His hands were on me—cleaning my wounds, changing my clothes. He was there. And now? He’s gone.

Whatever. I’m not gonna sit here and stew in this. I have better things to do, like meeting Sophia. I haven’t seen her since I fainted in the store, and she’s probably worried. I owe her an explanation… or at least some kind of apology for disappearing like that.

Sophia’s house is quieter than I expected. The moment I step inside, the familiar scent of lavender and fresh linen greets me. It’s comforting. I make my way to her bedroom, and of course, she’s still in bed, snuggled up under a mountain of pillows like the princess she is.

“Grace!” she exclaims, the moment she sees me standing in the doorway. “Oh my God, I was just about to come check on you! I thought you were dead or something.”

I smile sheepishly. “Sorry… I’ve been out of it.”

“Yeah, no kidding. I came by your room last night for dinner, but you were out cold. I figured I’d let you sleep, but I was about to drag you out of bed this morning if you didn’t show up soon.”

“Well, here I am,” I say, making my way over to her bed. “How’s the birthday girl?”

“Don’t try to change the subject,” she says, sitting up. “How are you? What happened? You just vanished after that whole mess at the store. Did Alex do something to you?”

Her question catches me off guard, and I stiffen. My mind flashes back to the store, to the heat of his body against mine, his hands on my skin, the way he looked at me—like he wanted to devour me, body and soul. I swallow hard.

“I… I don’t know,” I say, my voice barely a whisper. “I just got overwhelmed.”

Sophia watches me closely, her eyes narrowing slightly. “Grace, are you sure?”

I nod quickly, avoiding her gaze. “Yeah, I just—needed some air.”

“Okay… fine. But what about Matt? You met him after that, right?”

The mention of Matt makes my stomach twist. “Yeah… about that. Who is he, exactly? And why is he here? On the island, I mean.”

Sophia’s eyes widen. “How do you know he’s on the island?”

“He came to my beach house.”

She blinks. “Wait—Matt came to your house? When?”

“This morning.”

Sophia stares at me for a long moment before shaking her head. “You need to stay away from him, Grace. He’s not someone you want to get involved with.”

I frown. “Why? What’s wrong with him? I mean, yeah, he gives me weird vibes sometimes, but he’s been nice. He paid for my food, bandaged my foot…”

“That’s great and all, but trust me, Grace. Matt’s family—his business—it’s not good. They’ve always been rivals with ours. He’s got ulterior motives, and he’s not someone you can trust. Alex doesn’t trust him.”

I roll my eyes. “I don’t care what Alex thinks.”

Sophia opens her mouth to argue, but then she stops herself, sighing. “Fine. Just… be careful, okay?”

“Yeah, sure.”