The Drake Unwound Complete Collection (The Drake Series Book 9)(23)

That made me smile. I knew she was a big girl, but I loved being able to care for her. It was my thing.



Let me take care of you, Kate. It makes me feel all Dominant…



I could almost see her smile.



Yes, Sir.



Once I arrived outside the apartment, I texted her once more.



Ms. Bennet, your chauffeur awaits…



She responded immediately.



Ha ha! Should I start calling you Mr. Darcy? Or was it Heathcliff?



There are a few voice messages on your phone and while I was here, a woman called and said you should call her before you leave. Should you come up and listen to your messages?




I sat in silence, not responding for a moment, trying to figure out who it could have been. I didn’t give out my number to any of my subs. It had to be Maureen… That wasn’t a pleasant surprise.





Hmm. Maybe I should pop up and check. Let me park and I'll be right up.



I parked the car in a no-parking zone, figuring it would only take a moment to hear the message. I ran up the stairs to the apartment and entered, smiling when I saw Kate standing by the window.

I went to her and wrapped my arms around her, pulling her into an embrace and kissing her. I wanted her to know she was the first thing I thought of. Then, I turned to the answering machine and looked at it with reluctance.

"If you want, I can wait downstairs in the entry while you listen," Kate said softly.

I shook my head and hit the play button to listen to the messages. After a few messages from people wishing me a successful trip, I heard Maureen’s voice asking me to call her as soon as possible before I left for Africa.

"Maureen," I said after a moment. I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair in exasperation. I did not want to talk to her and couldn’t imagine why she was contacting me after almost five years of radio silence. "I should call her, see what she wants to talk about."

"I can leave if you need privacy…"

I shook my head. "No, you don't have to leave."

I dialed her number and as I waited, I stroked my fingers over Kate’s cheek, smiling to calm her fears – and mine.

Finally, Maureen came on the line.

"Hey," I said. "It's me. What's up?"

Maureen sounded distracted, upset.

“Drake, I don’t know how to tell you this, but I have a son. We have a son. I thought he was Chris’s as you can imagine. I wanted him to be Chris’s but when we had him tested, he wasn’t a match. He’s yours. I need to talk to you in person as soon as possible.”

I felt adrenaline surge though me, making my heart pound. I turned to stare out the window, listening to Maureen as she told me about the boy. Five years old. Born eight months after we split and she moved to California with Chris. I felt a bit weak and so I sat on the edge of the couch, holding my head in my hand.

"Why didn’t you tell me?"

“I didn’t know until just a few days ago. There was no reason to think he was yours. I’d been seeing Chris for weeks before we split and we’d only had sex once or twice… I thought I was safe. None of that matters, Drake. I need to see you.”

"Why?"

“I can’t tell you but you have to come and meet me. That’s all I can say.”

She hung up and I threw my cell across the room at the wall.

"Let's go," I said and turned to the door, not meeting Kate’s eyes. I was too angry and shocked to know what to say to her.

Kate followed me out of the apartment and down the stairs. I couldn’t think. I knew Maureen had a son, but I thought it was Chris’s. We’d had sex only a few times in the final month before she left. It meant she had been f*cking Chris while she was still with me.

I could barely believe Maureen never bothered to check to see if he was mine or Chris’s, giving that she was f*cking us both.

"Drake," Kate said when we arrived in the lobby. "Tell me what's wrong." I stopped in the entry, but said nothing, my mind still in a whirl over what I’d just leaned.

"Tell me!"

I shook my head, opening the door for her. I was so upset that when I got to the car, I dropped my keys before disengaging the locks.

"Fuck," I growled as I bent down to pick them out of the snow, wiping them off on my coat.

Kate got in the passenger side and I closed her door, then came around to the driver's side and got in. I sat for a moment, and stared at the console.

"Drake, you're scaring me." Kate reached out and took my hand and squeezed. "Tell me what's wrong."

Finally, I turned to her and exhaled heavily.

"I have a son."





CHAPTER TEN





I drove through the streets, struggling to focus on the road and not on Maureen and her news. We were traveling towards Ethan’s apartment on Park Avenue.

"Oh, Drake," Kate said, her voice a whisper. "Maureen was pregnant when you broke up?"

I nodded, unable to speak.

"Does she want you to meet him?"

"She didn’t say anything more than he was mine and we needed to talk."