Page 183 of Delilah In Discretion

“Princess…” he muttered, and she shook her head, silencing him.

“Can you just hold me, please?” she whispered.

Archer took a seat beside her and embraced her in his arms without question. She let out a sigh she’d been holding in and felt at peace.

“I love you,” he whispered in her ear, placing a warm kiss on her head, and she smiled internally as she hugged him tighter.

“I love you too.”

Meanwhile, Killian stood by the bar, taking a sip of his drink as he watched his little girl outside with the boy he wanted to strangle. He did manage to hold himself back as he knew she was upset with both him and their current situation.

He knew ignoring her wasn’t making it better, but that was all he could do at the moment without lashing out again. After all, she was still his little girl, but she was growing up. And by the way Archer took care of her, he knew they both cared for one another deeply—maybe even loved one another.

He debated whether he could really step back and let Delilah be loved by another man—or ratherboy—but that’s a discussion for another day.

His eyes lingered on the two of them for a moment, still contemplating whether or not he should intervene before he looked away with his answer. He’d let them be for the time being. He would need to grow to accept it soon, which would be much easier said than done, but he would do it. Only if it meant his little girl would be happy with him once again.

He walked away to approach Blaine and Shin when something stopped him in his path. He looked over at the hand on his shoulder of the man who’d stopped him.Eugene? What was he doing here?

Eugene didn’t say anything for a moment, but as if he knew what Killian was thinking about and what he would agree to soon, he whispered,“Fifteen years.”

Killian watched as he exited the building, almost as if he’d only come to tell Killian those two words…Or rather warn me… of what?Killian thought to himself.

Fifteen years? What could have possibly taken fifteen years? Thinking back for a moment, Killian’s eyes widened slightly as he reminisced back to his wedding day with Brielle when she told him something rather interesting.

“I don’t know how comfortable I am with Archer being so close to Delilah. The boy clearly knows a little too much and treats her like she belongs to him.”

Ever since they were younger, Killian did notice Archer’s closeness to Delilah, but he’d never let it get too far; at least, he didn’t think it would go too far.

As if noticing someone was looking at him, Killian looked up slowly to see Calvin laughing with a few of his associates, but his eyes had lingered on Killian for a moment. Maybe it was the several glasses of chardonnay and the shot of whiskey… but Killian noticed a glint in the man’s eye.

Fifteen years… Fifteen years.

“Something’s going to happen, Killy… I don’t know when. I don’t know how… But Calvin is playing a game of chess with all of us, and in his game, he wins.”

As it finally dawned on him, Killian glared at the man and whipped his head around to find his daughter now walking in from the garden. The daughter he’d been raising to inherit part of his business was in love with Archer, the boy who’d inherit his father’s business—and this was no coincidence.

Killian walked over to his daughter, and she looked up at him, doing her best to mask the crying she’d done in Archer’s arms just a few moments ago. Nonetheless, Killian spoke in a tonethat she didn’t want to hear, but at the moment, he couldn’t care. He would later, but now he was livid.

“Get the boy and your siblings and bring them into the room in the back. Tell him to bring his father too,” he growled.

Delilah simply nodded, doing her best not to anger her father even more.

Killian’s heart constricted slightly, but he had to get to the bottom of the bomb Eugene had just dropped on him.

“Let’s go,” Killian said, grabbing Blaine by the arm, who in return whined while Shin followed in slight confusion. Soon, they’d reached the office room in the back, and Killian did his best to ignore Andrew and his son.

Calvin sighed heavily. “Do tell, Killian: why have you dragged us all into this room?” he asked, and Killian crossed his arms as he gazed around the room briefly.

“Calvin, I have my reasons for not wanting Delilah to be with your son; however, I forgot to honestly evaluate the pros and cons of whether or not it would be acceptable to let her be with him. I don’t find it surprising how you are somehow the middleman in this relationship,” he muttered.

The room was silent.

Killian then looked over to Delilah. “You see… I am giving Delilah a choice to be with someone she loves. Sure, I may be fucking livid, but it’s her choice.” He spoke sincerely, and for the first time in the last few weeks, Delilah looked happy, and he was sad to see it was going to change.

“But Archer... doesn’t seem to have a choice in this relationship, does he?” he asked, looking over to Archer, who only remained silent.

Shin tilted his head. “What do you mean he doesn’t have a choice?” he asked.

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