My heart dropped in my chest. "What? What did you just say?" I asked, watching her skip back across the room and sit back at the kitchen table. "Mummy picked me up, and brought me back here." She said, and I looked around.
"How'd you know it was your mum?" I questioned, knowing that Grace had never seen any pictures of Brynn. "She had the same eye color as me. Plus, she told me. That's why I got in the car." She replied, not bothering to pause her coloring. I slowly walked over, seeing that she was drawing a picture of a girl and a taller woman with the same hair color. Brynn..
"Is she here?" I asked. "No, but dad, you lied to me. You said she was dead. She's not dead." She commented, looking at me.. I nodded, shoving my hands through my hair and looking around. "Yeah, I know that now." I murmured, really overwhelmed by everything going on today.
"I thought you said we weren't allowed to lie to each other?" She asked.
"I did say that. And I'm sorry. Your mum sort of disappeared one day, and everyone assumed she was dead.. Are you sure it was her?" I asked, confused as to how Brynn could have possibly beaten Ryan to my mum's place..
Grace shrugged. "No. But it sure did feel like she was." She replied.. I pulled my phone out, going through my pictures all the way back to five years ago. "Is this who you saw today?" I asked, showing her a picture of Brynn that paparazzi had taken a few months before she "died."
"Yup. She looked just like that. She's just as pretty as you told me she was." Grace said, going back to her coloring.. I sighed, pulling out a chair and sitting down..
"Ok.. Um..." I hesitated, getting up and grabbing my laptop. I accessed my security footage from the last hour, going through it, trying to figure out how Brynn possibly could have gotten Grace back into my house..
The footage showed a black SUV pull up, parking across the street just over twenty minutes ago.. A woman got out of the driver's side. She was wearing ripped black skinny jeans and a hooded sweatshirt, so I couldn't see her face. But it was definitely Brynn's body-type.
She walked around the car, opening the back door and helping Grace out of the car.. Grace held onto her hand as they crossed the street. I switched the camera to the one by the door next to the garage. She kept her head down as she plugged something into my keypad, hitting a few buttons and then unplugging it.
She opened the door, and then they were inside.. I moved the cameras to the inside ones, seeing her and Grace have a short conversation, and then she took her into the kitchen. Grace proceeded to show her a bunch of her drawings, and they talked some more. And then she left, leaving Grace here by herself...
But it was her. She was here. She was alive... I shoved my hands through my hair, trying to process this..
I suddenly remembered that someone had left that flash drive inside my house.. I quickly went through the different tapes, switching the cameras over..
Just as I'd thought, it was Ryan.. He got in the same way Brynn did, with something that hacked my lock-system.. I sighed, knowing I couldn't stay here. If he was able to get into my house to do that, he could absolutely come back and get Grace whenever.. I sighed, shoving my hands through my hair again, stressed out..
I went back into the kitchen. "So, what did the two of you talk about?" I asked. She shrugged. "She told me not to tell you that I saw her. But it was just too exciting not to. Plus, we don't lie to each other." She replied.
I nodded, thinking back over everything I'd heard on the tapes. "What else did she say to you?" I questioned, honestly really hoping she didn't scare Grace with some warning about life or whatever..
"She said she was sorry for not being around. She was kind of quiet. But I told her about my drawings, and about my friends and stuff that she's missed out on." Grace replied. I nodded. "Did she say anything about coming back? Or about me?" I asked. She shook her head, and I sighed. "Ok.. I'm going to call your grandmother and tell her that you're here." I said, walking out of the room and calling my mum..
She picked up almost immediately. "Hey, mum I found her. She's here at my flat with me."I said. "Oh thank god, I'll let the police know." She commented. "Yeah. Listen, I have something to tell you.." I stated, not sure how to explain this to her...
I talked to her for another half-hour, telling her everything I'd learned today.. After I hung up, I saw Jeff had texted me, letting me know that the new security guys were in place.. I relaxed a little, and went back into the kitchen.
I froze in the doorway, my heart stopping again. Grace was no longer sitting in her chair, and her drawing was on the floor. The chair had been pushed back against the cabinets.
"Grace?" I called out, panic running through my veins. She didn't respond, which immediately caused my heart rate to go up because she always responds..
"Daddy, there was someone at the door for you, so I let him in. He said he was your friend." Grace said from behind me, and I turned around. I cursed under my breath. "Grace, come over here." I stated, and she walked over, standing next to me.
"Go upstairs to your room and color some more pictures for me. I need to talk to him privately, and then you and I going to talk about not talking to strangers." I said. "Privately? Like you do with—" I looked at her, and she stopped. "Now, Grace." I stated, and she smiled, grabbing her crayons and her papers and going upstairs..
I turned to face Ryan. "What are you doing here?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest. "I came to claim what's rightfully mine. Brynn might've gotten to her first at your mom's place. But that doesn't mean I can't come into your home and take her." He replied. "She isn't yours. You aren't taking her." I stated, glaring at him.
He smirked. "I am, actually. Besides, you wouldn't even know Brynn was alive if it wasn't for me." He commented. "Grace isn't even your child. She's mine, and you aren't taking her." I said.
"You say that like you have a choice.. This isn't a negotiation, buddy. I'm taking her, and then Brynn will be forced to be with me if she wants to make sure the kid doesn't get hurt." He stated. I shoved a hand through my hair, leaning against the wall. I secretly pressed one of the many hidden buttons I have..
"She doesn't care about Grace enough to be with you." I said. He laughed. "That's where you're wrong. My buddy Jackson told me that she's been keeping an eye on the girl for years now. She stayed in the area, which you know is rare for Brynn. She usually doesn't stay in any one place for a long period of time. But she's stayed here, to watch this kid of yours." He explained..
I sighed, jumping when the door swung open behind him. "Alright, let's go. Out." The security guy stated. Ryan looked at me for a few seconds. "This isn't over. I will get her." He threatened, before turning and walking out of the house, the security guard following him....
***
I spent the next hour talking to Grace about how she shouldn't talk to strangers, and how she can't believe everything she hears. Like how she didn't even hesitate to get in the car with Brynn when she was told it was her mother. And she let Ryan right in, just because he said he was a friend of mine..
"When can I see mum again?" She asked, and I looked at her.. "Honestly, Grace.. I'm not sure you will.. She, uh.." I hesitated, knowing I couldn't tell her that her mum had no interest in being around for her..
"She's very busy."
A/N: Honestly I was pretty worried about posting the sequel. But I enjoyed writing it, so I hope you all enjoy reading it. <3 <3
