Page 136 of Delilah In Discretion

“You know I don’t care about that. If you feel like crying, then that’s what you need to do. Don’t hold anything back, Princess.”

I sighed heavily, and he rubbed my back soothingly as if to let me know it was okay… that I would be okay.

“Michael and Marissa... their names don’t sound like anything to me. I have no love for them, no desire to build a connection with them; they’re just empty to me. But when I saw him yesterday, I realized how empty I was because of it, and even though it was only a small void in me because of them, it felt large and so overbearing, like it would overtake me. And I know I shouldn’t give them any emotion, but I can’t help but feel absolute hatred for what they put me through, for what they put my mother through… No eighteen-year-old is ready for a premature baby, and no eighteen-year-old should have to spend their next eighteen years raising their sister’s child. And yet she did it—wonderfully at that, with the help of my father. With no complaints towards me, no regrets… She’s my everything, and those people deserve to rot in hell for everything they’ve done to us,” I said, doing my best to hold in my tears.

Archer listened patiently as he ran his fingers through my hair. He wiped away a few of the fallen tears and stared deeply into my eyes. I could feel that he wanted to say something, but he looked conflicted.

He finally placed a kiss on my forehead and sighed.

“I know you know this, but I’ll say it again...they don’t deserve you. You have every reason to feel the way you do… but I don’t want them to take anything else away from you, whether it be your happiness or tears.”

I smiled at him sadly as he rolled us over and placed another kiss on my neck.

“Let’s stay in bed… I know a few ways I could cheer you up,” he muttered.

I rolled my eyes. “So your father can ask where you and I are?” I asked, and he shrugged.

“He’ll be fine… we’re just taking the day off.”

“Fine, but just because I want to go back to sleep.”

He sighed heavily and shook his head as he whispered in my ear.

“You’re no fun.”

Waking up once again, I saw that only two hours had passed, and it was now ten AM. Archer wasn’t in the room, but I could hear the small symphony of a piano being played in the next room. I got out of bed to brush my teeth and do my business before stepping out of his room, but not before wrapping my shoulders with one of his throw blankets. I walked into the living room slowly as he continued playing softly.

He stared blankly as he continued playing, and I placed the blanket on the couch, slowly wrapping my arms around his shoulders from behind him. He stopped playing, and I rested my head on his chin.

“My mother… left my father and I when I was a baby,” he muttered as he stared intensely at the wall as if he was trying to block out the hurt. “She was a one-night stand, and eventually, she and my father agreed to stay together for me... but that didn’t end well. She ended up leaving her first and only child... and sadly, when my father tried to reach out to her, she was dead. Sometimes it makes you wonder if you’re the one whoruined it all… if you should take the blame for someone not wanting you.”

I slowly intertwined my hand in his as I listened.

“My father met Vivienne before I was born, and they had Stephan. Being the smart and independent woman she is, Vivienne decided to leave my father and take Stephan with her. A few years after my mother passed away, my father found Vivienne once again, and for better or for worse… she couldn’t get away from him because he simply wouldn’t allow it. So now we’reone big happy family—minus Stephan, who thinks I’m the favorite, which is partially true,” Archer muttered, looking over and winking at me.

I giggled as I rolled my eyes, and he slowly directed me to sit beside him.

“My point is, Princess, it may be upsetting now, but it’s not your fault, no matter how much you think it is. I’ve been in your position of guilt and fear of those who were supposed to be with us, but I promise you, it’ll get better,” he muttered, and I nodded as I laid my head on his shoulder, silently thanking him.

“Can I ask you something?” I muttered after a moment, and he nodded as he looked over to me. “…Is that my name at the top of that music sheet?” I asked him, giggling as I tried to lighten the mood.

He ripped it off of the stand. He stood up and walked away as I pouted.

“You’re no fun,”I muttered.

He gave me another look before shaking his head, chuckling as he walked into the other room. I chased after him, and just as I was going to jump on his back, he coincidentally picked something up off of the ground. My now miscalculated jump sent me over him and onto the bed. I huffed heavily, and he climbed onto the bed as he tilted his head.

“I’m no fun?”he asked me, and I knew I was in trouble just by his tone.

Before I could sit up, he grabbed my ankle and pulled me over to him quickly, causing me to let out a gasp. Trailing his fingers up and down my thigh, he tilted his head.

“I have a game we can play,” he murmured as he eyed me up and down, and his hands played with the hem of my shirt. He kissed my neck, and I bit my lip to contain myself.

I raised my hands to his hair, but he abruptly pulled away.

“It’s just too bad I’m no fun...” he whispered, and I grabbed a pillow from behind me and threw it at him. He chuckled, and I turned away from him, glaring.

“You’re mean,” I muttered, and he placed a few kisses on my face as I did my best to ignore him, but ultimately couldn’t as my lips felt like pulling into a smile.

---