THE CEO'S PARAMOUR

14.

Peyton.

After surviving yet another paparazzi storm, I finally made my way home, I hadn't gotten used to people flashing cameras wherever I was, it somehow caught me off guard every time.

The expo had gone extraordinarily well and the company had yet again grown, the surprise Kol and Murdock had co-planned hadn't worn off yet, and I was sure it was going to stick around for a while.

I made my way to my bedroom relishing in the comfort of my own space and the clothes I had worn which were very comfortable, the doorbell rang twice and I wondered who was at the door, it was a little late in the evening for house calls.

I walked to the door ad swung it open, I hadn't expected him to be here, he barely made house calls of any kind and on top of that, how in the hell did he get my address.

"Mr. Tempest, what are you doing here?" I asked in surprise of his visit. "Peyton is that any way to treat a guest." I immediately felt embarrassed and gestured him to come in. "I'm sorry, didn't expect you to be here, and you never made house calls." I confess and he chuckled.

"This matter required a house call, come have dinner with me." He stated and I was baffled by the request, seeing as though he was already exploring my apartment, I knew he was serious. "How about I make it and you drink just a little." I offered and he nods in compliance.

"This place seems so homey and warm, no wonder Kol said it was a place you could escape the world." I immediately grabbed the island counter to steady my footing because of the shock that had me almost toppling over.

"Don't act so surprised Peyton, you can hide this from the world but I know you too well and Kol is my son, he's barely able to keep a secret from me." He explained and I wondered if this was the reason he had visited me.

"I know what you're thinking and yes, it is the reason why I'm here, well part of it anyway, but first I believe you owe me a bottle of wine, and a good meal then we'll talk." He asserted and I resigned on the matter because my mind was on a tailspin.

Why would Kol's father know about Kol and I, had he told him about us, had he found out on his own, it baffled me how much he knew which obviously meant there was more to it, I wanted answers from both men but I knew to get them I needed a little more patience.

"So how did you like your surprise?" He asked as I served the medium rare steak. "It was amazing, thank you for doing it, just wondering why it was suddenly acceptable when he called it garbage." I mumbled my reply and Mr. Tempest looked at me like a parent would to a sulking child.

"Are you still pouting about him telling you that, I thought he apologized and showed you why he didn't want your designs on any other platform than the biggest one of the year." The older gentleman argued and I slightly felt embarrassed knowing that Kol had indeed apologized in one way I could approve, yet for some reason, I was sulking.

"I see now." Mr. Tempest muttered. "What exactly do you see oh wise one." I chortled and he chuckled. "You want him to grovel at your feet and do something sickeningly sweet to earn your full forgiveness." He responded making me blush.

"Not exactly like that but—." I was cut off when he raised his hand. "Kol is nowhere near that Peyton, you should know by now he can barely say sorry, don't be surprised when he does things in apology form but never says the words." I rolled my eyes at his statement.

Though I knew it was true, I just had to take whatever I got from Kol, it was better than nothing. After we finished our meals, Mr. Tempest offered to clean the dishes, I strenuously refused but he was a father and he had his way.

"Now will you tell me?" I pleaded as we finally settled down in the lounge. "Kol is in love with you, not even the kind of love he had for his wife could contend with how he feels for you, I raised Kol and I know its true, I want you to be there for him, help him, guide him, he's a ball of unchecked rage and at times, he will lash out and regret it the next day." He expressed and I knew all of what he was saying was true.

"He needs you Peyton, more than you know, he may have been acting like an idiot but trust in him that it was for a reason, and as a parent, the one thing I would want for my son is to be happy so don't think I disapprove of your relationship with him, even how it started, it was bound to happen." I was stunned into silence by his request.

Kol needed me yet he pushed me away, he had a wife then why would he need me, I was only the man he had slept with and nothing else, I wondered if there was a missing piece to this whole puzzle Mr. Tempest was laying out for me.

I wanted to be with Kol, every part of me screamed for him but I couldn't bring myself to break apart his marriage, I know I wouldn't want someone to do that to mine if I eventually got married, Karma was a bitch and her prices were hell.

"Mr. Tempest I don't think I can do that, Kol and I, I don't know — it's just he's married probably planned a whole life with his wife and I'm walking in on that marriage and breaking it apart, he himself doesn't even know he's gay or any queer term really." I argued and the man chuckled.

"Kol has liked men since he was little, I could see it when he was a boy, there was no mistaking it, him marrying Kat, that wasn't his decision, it was drilled into him by his mother and I regret ever letting her influence him and lead him toward the path she wanted for our son, not the one he made for himself, so don't worry those pretty curls of yours everything will be okay." I felt reassured by his argument, as much as I wanted to doubt his words they held too much impact on me.

"I just want you to be there for him, I'm begging you, Peyton, he's going to need you more than you realize." Mr. Tempest pleaded and his words echoed deep within me, he was a man with the world at his feet and him begging me was something I never expected. "Mr. Tempest, you don't have to beg me for this." I asserted and he shook his head.

"Its the only way I could make sure you would do what I asked Peyton, it's no easy task being with Kol as you've seen but you'll manage, I know you will." He added and I felt a little conflicted with his request. I could be there for Kol but would he truly want me to be there for him, would we ever be normal knowing I was the other reason his first marriage went down the drain.

"I'm going to try my best Mr. Melrose Tempest, but I make no promises." He nodded. "That's good enough for me." He concluded and I felt better knowing he was okay with everything, we finished the bottle of wine and waited for his driver to come pick him up.

As he stood by the door, he turned to look at me with a mischievous smile. "By the way Peyton, update your passport or rather have Kol's assistant handle it, you're going to Europe for the Xalvic expansion there, oh and do check the news later on tonight, I'm sure you'll find something interesting." He stated with a wink leaving me shocked by the door.

"That conniving man." I mumbled obviously knowing I wasn't resigning anymore, I sighed going back to the lounge, settling down my phone buzzed with numerous notifications. The one that baffled me the most was the headline. "CEO of Xalvic Corp just ended his marriage in court today."

This was the surprise Mr. Tempest wanted me to see, and I didn't know how to feel about it, though this was one step in the right direction. "Kol you sneaky bastard." I mumbled with a smile.

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LMJ