Chapter One Hundred and Seven
For the next week it was quiet. There were no threats from the Elites and Kelley felt the impending doom. They never played nice and their silence were concerning. Mason had taken Grace for the paternity test as per the court order. He was informed that the results would be ready within five days and he received a summons to appear in court on the following Tuesday where the results would be shared and a determination would be made.
Nobody really talked about it although tensions ran high. Mason was quieter than normal and Lee worried about him. Mason hadn't been broken like he had, hadn't seen the dark side of the world like he had and he hoped that between him and Kelley they would be able to hold him up.
Lee stood in the kitchen with Kelley while Mason was upstairs with Grace, getting her ready for her bath. Lee took the envelope from the inner pocket of his jacket and handed it to Kelley. Kelley looked up at Lee after reading it.
“Shit, Lee.”
“I know.”
"This is going to break him," Kelley said.
"Not if we can help it. We'll hold him up, Kelley," Lee said determinedly.
Kelley’s fist slammed down on the marble countertop and he briefly closed his eyes. “Have Blain been able to locate Andrea?”
“No. He says it’s like she vanished into thin air after leaving Mason’s house.”
“Are we sure he didn’t kill her and bury her in the back yard?”
Lee huffed out a laugh. “I was here when she left.”
“Doesn’t say much, big guy.”
“Screw you, Alexander, at least I didn’t buy a wife.”
Kelley grinned. “No, you just can’t get one at all.”
“When you two are done flirting, can we sort out dinner before Grace collapses from hunger, according to her.”
Kelley smiled as Lee narrowed his eyes at him. “You’re an asshole, Kelley, but I still love you.”
“What’s that?” Mason nodded to the envelope on the counter.
“The paternity test results.”
Mason looked at Lee, his breathing instantly laboured and his face paler than normal. With shaky hands he picked the envelope up and pulled the test result out. His eyes darted over the letter and then it fell to the floor as his arm went limp. A thousand emotions flitted across his eyes in an instant.
“No.”
“Mase, I’m sorry.”
Mason leaned his arms and head on the counter in front of him and clenched his fists as he cried. Lee had tears in his eyes and he sniffed as he moved closer to Mason and put his arm around his back. Kelley turned and blinked his own tears away.
“I’ve lost her. Marcus is going to take her from me.”
“We’ll fight it, Mase, we’ll never stop fighting, right, Lee?”
“There’s someone else I can call, we went to law school together, she’s really good and specializes in custody suits.”
“I’m not her father, Lee, how’s a custody lawyer going to help me?”
“No, Mase, you’re not her father but you are her dad. Order a damn pizza while I make some calls. We’re not giving up this easy.”
“Daddy? Why are you crying?”
Grace’s eyes resonated sadness because Mason was sad and Kelley had to turn his back again and wipe his own tears away. Grace wasn’t even his, he hadn’t raised her as a daughter like Mason had but he felt the pain that her loss would bring because he'd shared enough of her life to be a second father.
“Uncle Lee is ordering the pizza, you should whisper in his ear before he orders everything you hate.”
Grace smiled but it wasn’t a full smile, she knew something was wrong. Lee went down on one knee and beckoned Grace towards him with a finger. “Tell Uncle Lee what you want.”
“Cheese pizza!”
“One cheese pizza just for you, got it.”
They placated Grace for the next half an hour while they waited for the pizza and settled in the living room on the carpet by the coffee table. Kelley had rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt as did Lee and Mason handed out paper napkins.
“Grace, you remember when I told you that Uncle Kelley and Uncle Lee are my brothers but we’re not related by blood?”
“Of course, Daddy, you’re blood brothers with no blood.”
Mason smiled and stroked her hair. “Well, I’m your daddy in that way too. We’re not related by blood but I’ll always be your daddy.”
Grace’s face scrunched up in confusion. “Doesn’t that mean that you’re not my real daddy?”
“When your mommy left you with me she thought I was your real daddy but it turns out that I’m not.”
Grace looked around at Kelley and Lee, both emotional and trying to fight it. “What does that mean, Daddy?”
“It means, Princess, that you … that you might …” Mason’s voice broke then and he shook his head as he covered his face with his hands.
“What Daddy’s trying to say is that you might have to go live with your real daddy.” Kelley kept his voice soft and gentle, not that it helped much.
Grace’s face was one of horror. “No! I don’t want to!”
Mason grabbed Grace as they both cried. “I’m going to fight it, Grace, but I need you to know that I’ll never abandon you or forget you. I’ll fight as hard as I can, Princess, but there’s a chance that I won’t win but I’ll always be here for you, no matter what.”
Lee and Kelley moved to either side and the four of them shared an emotional hug. After a long time they realized that Grace had cried herself to sleep and Mason stood up to put her into bed. Kelley and Lee cleaned up in the living room and poured a stiff drink for themselves.
Mason's own tears had dried on his cheeks and his eyes held the sorrow of the world. Kelley swore under his breath, feeling like he could have avoided the whole situation if he'd let Hanson Chadney go free. He felt responsible for everyone's pain and now he'd put Grace in danger. It was something he'd never forgive himself for and when he looked into Lee's eyes, he knew what he was thinking, saw the reprimand there.
