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Chapter Ten

Just as he'dpulled into the apartment parking lot after getting back from the art supply store, Kell had seen Parker's Bentley rolling into through thegate.

He decidedhe would try and sneak up on him. It'd be fun to jump from the bushes and scare him, or something like that. He wondered if Parker was the kind of guy who would jump in the air and get all freaked out, and then try to play it off afterward. He laughed to himself, thinking about it. He hopped out of his car and found a well-hidden spot behind a tall bush of bougainvillea and peeked out to watchParker.

Parker climbed out,went around to the rear driver-side door and ducked into the car. Then, when he came back out, Kell's stomach flipped. Parker was holding a little boy in his arms. The boy held on to Parker around his neck, and the two of them chatted as Parker walked up the sidewalk towards the apartmentcomplex.

Whose child was that?Did Parker have a baby brother? If he did, why wouldn't he have mentioned that he'd be visiting today? And he hadn't seen a child's seat in his carbefore...

Kell felta dizzying chill spread through his body as he thought back to Parker's odd insistence that he not see his apartment.Was he hidingsomething?

That couldn't beParker's kid, couldit?

Why couldn't it be?

Kell had only just movedinto his apartment here, and he'd never even seen the outside of Parker's apartment. He hadn't spent enough time here to run into him a second time, let alone run into him with a kid...Or...

Amate.

Another chill wentthrough Kell's body.Jesus. Could Parker already have a mate? He knew so little about him. He was so secretive at school. He had no friends in class that he'd talk to, so there'd never been a chance to overhear him talking about his homelife.

Kell's heartwas racing as hard as it had the first time they'd kissed. He watched Parker walked into the complex, and slowly followed after him, making sure to stay hidden. Parker hung a corner towards the opposite side of the complex from where Kell lived, and finally, he stopped in front of a door. With the boy still up in one arm, Parker set down his bag and moved to unlock the door. It flew open, and Kell's heart just about stopped. Standing there was a young man around his age, maybe a year or twoyounger.

"Daddy!"the boysquealed.

"Hi, sweetheart,"the man said. And then he pulled Parker into a tightembrace.

Kell's head spun wildly.Everything blurred. He didn’t want to believe it was true, that he'd been deceived. How could Parker do this? He was furious that Parker would do this to his mate. And he was furious for allowing himself to be drawn into this. He felt sick. He'd invited Parker into his home, and they done those things together while his mate and his son were waiting for him to come back? That was the kind of alpha that Parker was? Kell wanted to scream. He stumbled back to his apartment and collapsed onto thebed.

He couldn't stay here.Parker would come by looking for him soon, and he did not want to be here to face him. He called Jessie, and when she picked up the phone he found himself spilling everything out to her in a frantic jumble. Soon he was at her front door, and she pulled him inside and hugged him tightly. He was too angry to cry. He'd never felt so betrayed in hislife.

"That bastard,"she said. "That complete, fucking, son of abitch."

She sathim down on the couch and went to the kitchen to get him a drink. She had her easel set up in the middle of her living room and had been working on a painting. He thought of the portrait he'd started painting for Parker and pushed his face into his hands. Why'd he have to let himself fall so hard for Parker so damn fast? He was so sure it was the start of something good. All those hopes he'd built in his head... Why'd he let himself get so carried away? He should've knownbetter.

Jessie broughthim back a mug of hot tea. "I've got stronger stuff, if you want," she said, and he shook hishead.

"Thanks, Jessie,"he saidweakly.

"Has he contacted you?"sheasked.

He rubbedhis eyes and shook his head. "I turned my phone off. I don't want to see anything fromhim."

"Jesus,"she muttered. "A mate and a kid... You're sure it washis?"

"He calledParker sweetheart and hugged him," Kell said. "Yeah."

"Jesus.Well... I guess it's better you found this out early, Iguess..."

He nodded."Yeah, I guess. I just feel likeshit."

"It's not your fault, Kell,"she said. "There was no way you could've known. This is all onhim."

"Yeah..."Kell felt numb. He held the mug of tea in his hands but didn't drink fromit.

"Stay over here tonight,"she said. "Keep that phone off and just stay over here.Okay?"

"Okay,"he said, nodding. "Yeah. ThanksJessie."