Chapter One Hundred and Thirty
For a brief moment, Kirk couldn't form any words, there were too many emotions slamming into him. Nobody had ever told him something so meaningful before. Kelley wasn't his friend, he was barely an acquaintance and yet, here he was, telling Kirk he had him, had his back and it was a pivotal moment for Kirk. Somebody cared enough about him to actually say they had him and mean it. He'd never really fit in with the Elites, not really, but here, in Kelley's kitchen, he felt like he had a friend.
“I know, Kelley.”
Kelley looked intently at Kirk, like he was trying to solve a mystery but there was no regret, no disgust and Kirk knew then that Kelley would have his back, no matter how this played out and he let out the breath he'd been holding in slowly. He'd been so blinded by the Elite, by the lies they told but now he felt like he could see clearly, like he'd been awakened after a too long slumber.
“At some point though you’re going to have to tell your parents. You can’t live a lie forever.”
“I know, but that day is not today.” Kirk smiled and Kelley nodded his head. Admitting his secret to his parents would break their hearts.
Kelley left Kirk in the kitchen with the bottle of whiskey. Back in his study he checked in with Blaire and waited as the line rang.
“Yo dude, this is sick.”
“Hello, Blaire.”
“Right, hi, Kelley. Connor really is an artist. This dude for real looks dead, deader than dead. I love it! Can you be deader than dead? If you can, Kirk is that, deadest. Yeah, I like it, that's my new word, deadest.”
Kelley smiled and sat down behind his desk as Blaire went on and on about the craftmanship of the blood and the detail of the grimy cell floor. At one point Kelley closed his eyes and then the line went quiet.
“What?”
“I said the photo’s been sent anonymously to Marcus Holt’s private email.”
“Thanks, Blaire.”
“Have you spoken to Blain? He hasn’t called me today.”
“I spoke to him this morning, briefly. He said they were in Greece and were planning to stay there for a while, little fishing village near the beach.”
“Cool. Okay man, I’ll talk to you later, there’s a Swiss bank I want to hack into.”
Kelley grinned and shook his head. “Why?”
“To see if I can.”
Kelley laughed and ended the call. Blaire was always trying to hack the impossible and crossing them off his list of unhackable things. Kelley switched the television in his study on and listened to the news with half an ear as he continued to go through paperwork.
Six days went by and still no police had kicked down their doors and even Durandt assured them that the police hadn’t been contacted. Blaire confirmed that Marcus had opened the email and Kelley ran down the stairs to the living room, his heart beating wildly.
“Did something happen?”
“They’re planning revenge.”
“We all know that, Kelley.”
“Yeah, but I mean, they’ve been quiet because they’ve been looking for our family. That’s why we haven’t heard from them. They’re frustrated as hell because they can’t find anyone.”
Lee smiled and Mason grinned as Connor sat down with relief. “Looks like we won this round.”
Mason nodded his head as he looked over at Lee. “You’re right. We won, this time at least.”
Kelley sat down on the sofa and smiled as he leaned back. The moment was a victorious one. The Elites were finally scrambling around and they wouldn’t find anyone, they’d made sure of it. They all looked relieved, satisfied and they were smiling.
Connor moved first and scooted forward in his seat, frowning as he did so. “Unless …”
Mason shook his head. “Unless nothing, Connor. Take the win, for once.”
“You’re right.”
“So why are we all so glum?”
Kelley shook his head and stood up. “I think we’re so used to fighting this war that we’ve never taken the time to celebrate even the small victories.”
Lee grinned and Kelley could see the mischief in his eyes. “Does that mean that someone else will give me my sponge bath tonight? Instead of Mason?”
Mason looked offended as Connor grinned. “Excuse you, Mr Munroe.”
“You do have small hands, Mason, but man, you’re rough sometimes.”
Kirk laughed and looked at Lee. “I could always do it. I might even enjoy it more than you.”
They all burst out laughing as Lee looked at Kirk, deciding if he was kidding or not. “Uhm …”
“Don’t stress it, Lee, you’re not my type.”
“I’m not?”
Kirk smiled. “No, not even close.”
Lee looked him in the eye, his face an unreadable mask. “Now I’m not sure if I should feel offended or not.”
Connor had tears in his eyes as he laughed. “I bet Kelley’s his type.”
Mason scrunched his nose. “Kelley’s everyone’s type.”
“Actually my type is more like …”
Everyone turned to look at Kirk as he stood behind the sofa with his hands on his hips. “Who? Is it someone in this room?”
“Actually, if I had to pick one of you guys … it’d be Mason.”
Mason pumped his fist in the air victoriously. “Yes!”
“Yes?” Kirk smiled as he looked at Mason.
Mason's whole demeanor changed and his body seemed to relax. “I mean … cool.”
Kelley couldn’t stop laughing and Kirk took a step towards Mason and he took one backwards. “I’m just kidding, Mase, you are pretty, maybe too pretty for me.”
“Ah you like them shorter and maybe leaner … like Connor.”
“I’m very happy with Jeannie, thank you.”
Kelley stood up from the sofa again and slapped Kirk on the back. “Lee doesn’t cuddle, Connor does. Mason likes to dry hump things and I don’t do any of the above.”
“So Mason … about that dry humping …”
Kirk burst out laughing as Mason ran from the living room and Lee held his stomach as he winced. Connor struggled to breathe and Kelley had to sit down again. It was a good night for them. It had been too long since they'd all laughed like that and Kelley knew they'd needed it.
