Chapter One Hundred and Three
Lee unlocked the front door with his key and stepped inside Mason's house. Raised voices came from the kitchen and he headed in that direction. His heart was hammering in his chest and he couldn’t for the life of him think how Mason was feeling. He'd spent time with Grace, but he could never compare what he felt for her with what Mason felt.
“You called Lee!” Andrea’s voice was loud as he stepped into the room.
“Miss Christie, I’ll advise you that anything you say from this point onwards will be recorded and used against you in any capacity we see fit.”
“I can’t believe you, Mason!”
Mason turned around and glared at Andrea. “What did you expect me to do? He wants a paternity test and the only reason he’s asking for one is because you gave him the idea that Grace was his!”
Lee carried on as if they hadn’t said anything at all. “You retained custody of Grace James for exactly six days since her birth after which point you abandoned her on the doorstep of Carey James’s residence. Your letter claimed that Mason James was the biological father of the baby. Since my client never denied having sexual intercourse with you during that period he accepted the responsibility of acting as the baby’s father. For the next seven years he cared for her, clothed her and fed her and in that time had no contact with you whatsoever. My client will retain his parental rights until such time that it is proven that he’s not the child’s biological father, after which we will seek punitive damages. This is an expedited court order preventing you access to the child in question and to this residence. Should you fail to vacate this residence within six hours of deliverance you will be forcibly removed by the police.”
“Mason …”
“Miss Christie, I will advise you to refrain from speaking with my client.”
Andrea turned on Lee then, her eyes seething with anger. “Don’t Miss Christie me, Lee! She’s my daughter! Where am I supposed to go?”
Mason looked down and Lee fixed a glare on her. “That is not my client’s concern. Vacate the premises and refrain from making any contact with him and the child.”
“The child? Her name’s Grace! Say it, Lee. Grace!”
Lee shook his head and looked at Andrea. “I lived in a house with Grace for six years, changed her diapers, bathed her and fed her. You have no idea who she is so you don’t get to tell me anything about her!”
“Mason, I didn’t ask for this. I had no idea Marcus would do this! Don’t let them win, they want us apart!”
Mason pushed himself away from the counter and walked out of the kitchen. He couldn’t look at her anymore. His heart was torn in two because he wanted to believe Andrea but Grace was his daughter, no matter who said what and he couldn’t lose her, not even for Andrea.
Lee blocked the doorway preventing Andrea from following Mason. Tears streaked her face and Lee felt his resolve crumble just a little bit. “He’s in shock, Andrea. He loves Grace more than he loves himself. You have to understand what he’s going through right now and you being here isn’t helping.”
“Just tell Mason to be careful, Marcus knows his secrets.”
Lee frowned as he took a step forward. “What secrets?”
Andrea shook her head. “You’ll have to ask Mason, I’m not going to tell you but it’s bad enough that it will rip Mason and Kelley apart. Marcus will use that to his advantage, he already turned Mason against me, he’ll do the same with Kelley.”
“If it’s something that can hurt Mason and Kelley, you need to tell me.”
“Don’t let them win, Lee.”
Andrea pushed past Lee and this time he let her go. Fifteen minutes later Andrea walked down the stairs with her suitcase and without another word to Lee, walked out of the house. Lee raked a hand through his hair and took the stairs two at a time to Mason’s bedroom.
Mason sat on the edge of his bed with his head in his hands. When he looked up there were tears spilling from his eyes and Lee’s heart broke a little. He’d never seen Mason like this before, crying and broken.
“We’ll fight it, Mase.”
“If he’s her father … there’s not much I can do.” Mason was being realistic about the whole situation, no matter how empty it made him feel.
“Carey told you to do a paternity test …”
“I didn’t okay, I told Carey I did but I didn’t because Grace was there and Andrea said she was mine so I did the right thing, I raised my daughter.”
Lee swallowed, knowing that the next part would break Mason even more. “Mase … you didn’t read the second page of the court order, did you?”
“No. The first page was bad enough.”
“The judge granted temporary custody to a welfare agent until Grace’s paternity can be established. Naomi Watson is picking Grace up tomorrow morning at nine.”
Mason shot to his feet, his fists clenched tightly. “No fucking way, Lee! They’re not taking her!”
“You don’t have a choice, Mason, either you cooperate or they throw you in jail and take her any way.”
Mason looked beaten as he sat down on the bed again. “What the hell do I do, Lee?”
“You’re not going to like what I’m going to suggest but it gives you a fighting chance.”
Mason’s eyes searched his and Lee exhaled a shaky breath. “What? I’ll do anything to keep Grace.”
“Andrea’s her biological mother, if you two were married we could argue the case that you’re the father she grew up with and that Grace would be living in a house with her biological mother and the father who raised her. You can fight for custody on Andrea’s behalf.”
Mason shook his head vehemently. “No. She lied to me, Lee, she played me. For all I know she’s been lying about being sold too!”
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