Page 77 of Grace's Redemption

Fourteen

MASE

Iopened my mouth, but no words came out.

The little voice stabbed me in the heart. It sounded like Mattie when he was a toddler. He had a high-pitched soft voice. I used to teach him cuss words and laughed my ass off when he said them in front of Greta. They sounded so funny with his voice.

Grace turned and stopped.

It was written all over her face, the guilt.

She hadn’t gotten rid of the baby after all. There he was, the right age and sounding so much like a Scott.

“Grace.”

“Shh.” She ran back down the steps and pulled on my cut, dragging me into the garage. “Let me explain.”

“You didn’t … who …why?” I stammered. I couldn’t believe it. I sent her away because my father thought she got rid of the baby, but she didn’t. He was alive and well.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I tried.” She said as her head dropped.

I lifted her chin.

I pushed her curls off her face.

“No you didn’t.”

“I did.” She whined.

My heart leapt as the little girl I knew came to life before me.

“You didn’t try hard enough.” I dropped her chin.

“You’re right. I stopped trying when you decided that revenge was going to be your new occupation.” She crossed her arms and cocked her hip. The sassy little girl made my heart beat fast as it made my brain angry and pissed.

“Gracie, we are family.” I held my chest to get it to slow down. “We would have taken care of you. You turned to strangers …”I waved my hand.

“Yeah, well, they don’t get bad news and shoot each other.” She shrugged. “They —”

I grabbed her arm and squeezed.

“Ouch.” She placed her hand on her chest and pushed back. “Get your hands off of me.”

I held my hands up.

“I’m sorry.” I dropped my head and shook the anger off. It worked a little. “Explain. Why would you keep my nephew from me.”

Grace bit her lip and looked off.

“Grace, talk to me.” I stepped towards her and placed my hands on her arms. She looked up at me, and blinked.

“He’s not your nephew.” She dropped her arms.

I did the same and took a step back.

“He’s your son.”