The Truth Between Us

Jax didn't move. Neither did Grace.

The knock came again—louder this time.

Grace swallowed hard, her grip tightening around the phone. Her heart was racing so fast it felt like it might burst. She didn't know what she expected to happen next, but every scenario running through her head ended the same way: disaster.

Jax finally exhaled and took a slow step toward the door. "Stay here," he muttered, voice low.

Grace let out a sharp laugh. "You're kidding, right?" She folded her arms, her gaze burning into his. "Like hell I'm staying out of this."

Jax hesitated for a second but didn't argue. He ran a hand through his hair, muttering a curse under his breath before unlocking the door.

The moment it swung open, Sienna stepped inside without hesitation, shaking off the rain from her coat. She didn't even acknowledge Grace at first. Her eyes were locked onto Jax, and the look on her face made Grace's stomach twist into knots.

Like she still belonged here.

Like she still had some kind of claim over him.

"I thought you weren't going to answer," Sienna said, her voice smooth and laced with something Grace couldn't quite place—relief? Desperation? Possession?

Jax sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Sienna, now's not a good time."

Sienna let out a small, humorless laugh. "Yeah? You think I care?"

She finally turned her head, and her eyes landed on Grace. Her expression barely changed, but there was something in her gaze—a flicker of amusement, maybe even pity.

"So," she said slowly, tilting her head. "You must be Grace."

Grace didn't move. She kept her face blank, refusing to give Sienna the satisfaction of seeing any kind of reaction.

Sienna smiled, like she had already won whatever twisted game she was playing. "It's nice to finally meet you."

Finally?

Grace clenched her jaw. "Can't say the same."

Jax stepped between them slightly, his voice firm. "Sienna, why are you here?"

Sienna raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? After everything, you're really going to ask me that?" She scoffed. "You ignore my calls, you leave me on read, and then you act like I'm the crazy one for showing up?"

Jax pinched the bridge of his nose. "Sienna—"

"No, don't 'Sienna' me," she snapped, taking a step closer. Her voice dropped, almost as if she didn't want Grace to hear. "You told me you weren't over me."

Grace stiffened.

Her nails dug into her palms, and she forced herself to keep her breathing steady.

Jax's expression didn't change. "I never said that."

Sienna's lips curled into something that wasn't quite a smile. "No? Then what would you call it?"

Jax opened his mouth, but Grace beat him to it.

"That's a good question," she said, her voice sharper than she expected. She turned to Jax, her arms still crossed. "What would you call it?"

Jax's eyes flickered to her, something unreadable in them. "Grace—"

Sienna smirked, like she had already won. "See? This is exactly why I came." She looked back at Jax, ignoring Grace completely. "You and I have unfinished business."

Grace felt something hot rise in her

Grace felt something hot rise in her chest—anger, frustration, something dangerously close to heartbreak.

Unfinished business?

Her fingers curled tighter around her arms, nails pressing into her skin as she took a step closer, refusing to be ignored. "That's funny," she said, her voice icy. "Because from where I'm standing, it looks like whatever you two had should've been finished a long time ago."

Sienna didn't even flinch. She just glanced back at Grace, amusement flickering in her eyes. "You'd think that, wouldn't you?"

Jax exhaled sharply. "Sienna, enough."

Sienna ignored him. She shifted her weight onto one leg, tilting her head like she was about to say something sweet. But Grace could see it for what it was—calculated. "You have no idea what's really going on, do you?"

Grace's stomach twisted. But she didn't let it show. Instead, she lifted her chin. "Why don't you enlighten me, then?"

Sienna's smirk grew. "Gladly."

Jax tensed, stepping in between them. "Sienna." His voice was firm this time, leaving no room for argument. "We're not doing this."

Sienna arched an eyebrow. "Doing what?" She crossed her arms. "Telling the truth?"

Grace's heart pounded. Jax looked at Sienna like he wanted to strangle her. But more than that—he looked nervous.

And that? That sent warning bells ringing in Grace's head.

Sienna noticed too. Her lips curled slightly. "You didn't tell her, did you?"

Jax's jaw clenched. "Sienna, drop it."

But it was too late.

Sienna turned back to Grace, her eyes full of something too smug to be innocent. "Jax and I..." She let the sentence hang in the air, as if she was choosing her words carefully. "We weren't exactly over when you came into the picture."

Grace felt like the ground had just been ripped out from under her.

She stared at Jax, waiting for him to deny it—to call Sienna a liar, to say anything that would make this less painful.

But he didn't.

He just stood there. Silent.

And that silence? That told Grace everything she needed to know.