Finding Grace

Chapter Thirty-Two

Jess knocked on Jerome's door looking side to side. She frowed and kicked the door. It flew open and she sighed walking in.

"Mom!" Rome yelled running up and hugging her. "I did it. He's over there."

Jess followed Rome to where Jerome was tied up. "Wow. You got a grown man?"

"Who are you?" Jerome asked after having the tape pulled from his mouth.

"Who do you think I am?"

"A lying spy. Both of you. He's not really my son."

"No, he is." Jess said walking up. "I guess I should tell you since it's your last few moments alive. Sadly."

"Tell me what?"

"Rome is your son." She said. "And I'm his mother. His biological mother."

"There's no way." He said smiling and shaking his head. "You can't fool me with that again."

"Jerome. Don't you remember what it was like when we were young?"

"Shut up."

"I know something nobody else does." She told him. "This should make you believe me. You have one secret that you've never told a soul." Jerome eyed her and shook his head.

"There isn't one."

"So you don't still have my ultrasound pictures?" Jess asked.

"What pictures?" He asked sweating a bit. Nobody should know about those. He hasn't looked at them since he got them from Grace. They've been tucked so far away he doesn't even remember where they are.

"Did you loose my pictures? Don't you remember you showed up to my doctor's appointment and didn't leave. You were salty about my bad attitude towards my child. You didn't want me to lose the pictures so you took them. And we kissed. That was the last time we saw each other for 16 years."

"No, anybody could know that. We were out in public."

"I didn't even get to touch my pictures before you took them."

"Look, why don't you let me go and we can talk about this?"

"I can't. Look Smiles is holding us captive. He said that if Rome or I falls out of line he'll kill him."

"Why does any of this matter?"

"Because now I have to kill you." Jess said sadly. "I won't let Rome die. And I'm truly sorry about Camiella."

"Why should you care?"

"I was the one that killed her." Rome said stepping up. "You guys were still at Diamond's warehouse and we needed a sure way to get you out. Smiles said if I didn't kill her he'd kill my mom. I didn't wanna do it."

"But you were kidnapped."

"No he wasn't." Jess said. "He faked it. It was part of the plan to have a standby go in for Rome. Smiles planned all of this."

"No way."

"Yes. From me dating Trayvon, to me meeting Kelly, to me seeing Demon and his death, to me being kidnapped. Rome just gave him an extra playing piece. He planned us coming back, me killing Ronnie, me raiding your spots, Rome getting taken, and us killing Diamond, to now. Where I kill you." She said smiling. A lone tear dropped on to Jerome's face. "Don't you see I've always been his pawn. Ever since Grayson destroyed his family. He's been set out to destory mine."

"You are not Grace."

"I am. But it doesn't matter it's all over now. Kingston and Monty are back with their family. I just gotta kill you. And Grayson will be left with nothing. Monty, Kelly, and Kington are headed to his trap as we speak to shoot it to the ground. In broad daylight."

"If you are Grace."

"I am. I always dreaded this moment. I told myself I'd keep my distance, but after hearing you confess the way you loved me, it resurfaced some old feelings."

"I wanted to feel that feeling again." She dropped her voice to a whisper. "So I slept with you again."

"And now I regret it."

"I have a question. Did you ever really love me? Grayson knew as soon as he saw me who I was. Even after a showed him the mves I learned in New York. He said he believed me, but he always knew sdddp down I was Grace. Did you?"

"Of course not. I'm not crazy. Grace would never do such a thing." He said blinking real hard.

"What's wrong?" Jess asked.

"The reality is hitting." Jerome said. "My son shot my daughter in cold blood and killed her."

"And now sadly I have to do the same." Jess said pulling the safety lock back and held it pressed firmly against his chest.

"I never thought my first love would be the death of me."

"I never thought I would have to kill my first love." Jess said squeezing the trigger a little. It was so hard for her.

"Don't make it take longer than it has to." Jerome said. "Just kill me. I'm ready to die."

Jess looked him in his eyes sadly before pulling the trigger. His body went limp and Jess stepped back.

"Let's leave." Jess told Rome. Rome stood there for a second before following Jess.

The next morning they all left back for New York. The entire west side of Jefferson City's drug trade had fallen and was detroyed. All that remained was Trayvon's. Knowing that he would be the Chamberlin's next target. Smiles intervened himself and threatened to eliminate the rest of his family had another family member of his been killed. After receiving the approval, Jess and Rome were free to go and live their lives as they please under one condition. They never return there. Jess took it and Smiles had their identity changed again for their safety.

"Hey Jess." Kelly said stopping her. She stopped and turned around.

"What?"

"You know you don't have to leave." He said opening his arms. "You could just stay with me."

"Kelly. I'm. Free. Why would I blow that by staying here?" Jess asked.

"Exactly you're free. Which means you can leave when you want. I mean do you really wanna start over again?" She nodded.

"I can make my own life decisions now." Jess said. "I'm not your lapdog anymore."

"You're not my lapdog. Come back to Manhattan with me please." He begged. "You won't regret it."

"Smiles just paid me 20 million dollars." Jess told him. "I don't need anybody, but my son."

"He can come, too." Kelly said. "I ain't got nothing against him."

"I don't even know why I'm entraining you. I don't wanna be with you. I don't wanna be in a relationship built on hate."

"It's not hate." He told her. "I was with you because I liked you. Sure I needed your trust and my dad told me too be with you, but I love you."

"Bye Kelly."

"I mean come on." Kelly said behind her.

"It's a tempting offer, but I'll pass. It's my life now. I gotta start living for me and my son." She said. "You're right. The old me is died. And now Jess is dead, too. I'm Kiera now." She said smiling and walking away leaving Kelly behind.