Page 51 of Delilah In Discretion

“I don’t,” I hissed, and in an instant, Archer grabbed my arm that was not hurting and pushed me against the wall, caging me with his body.

“Is that right?” he muttered in that voice of his, and I pushed against him, which proved futile as he held my wrists against his chest.

“Let me go,” I seethed, and he leaned down, his eyes angrier than before.

“I thought I told you to stay clear of Crawford.”

“It’s not like I went searching for him.”

“Find that hard to believe, considering you are always looking for trouble in places you’re not supposed to be.”

“Go to hell,” I fired back, trying to break free from his grip, and he stepped in closer, ignoring my attempts. His hand traveled down my arm, and I shuddered softly as he rubbed his thumbover the tender skin that was hidden by my blazer. His eyes softened a bit, and I looked away from him.

“He hurt you…”he muttered, and I sighed.

“Archer, I’m fine.”I’m not.But crying in front of him again wasn’t on the agenda for the day. Not when classes were about to end, and students would be roaming the grounds, more than the few that lingered only for a moment or two.

“Princess…” he whispered, and I flinched slightly as he pushed a strand of hair behind my ear. He ignored the gesture, and I shook my head.

“Why can’t you ever leave me alone?” I said softly, and he tilted his head as he continued to tower over me, overwhelming my senses.

“Because you’re mine,” he murmured, his voice a mixture of possessiveness and something softer, almost tender. Instead of feeling nervous like he’d make me feel when he said these things, I felt annoyed and aggravated.

“I don’t belong to anyone. Not to you, not to Luca, not to anyone,” I fumed, and Archer’s jaw clenched. “I don’t need to be protected. I can take care of myself.” The words felt almost like lies as they left my mouth.

My heart continued racing as I awaited his response, and slowly, his hands let go of me. Placing them in his pockets, he scoffed, a mocking smile gracing his lips as he rubbed his chin lightly.

“Is that what you think?” he uttered, and I remained silent as his eyes met mine again. I could feel his anger radiating off of him, but I hadn’t expected his next words.

“Because for as long as I can remember, that scared, pathetic little girl was always in need of saving. Want to fight your own battles and play hero for a change, then be my fucking guest.”

My eyes widened slightly as he pulled away and walked off to his next class without another word. Tears pricked at the cornerof my eyes as I watched his retreating back, and I half expected him to turn back, to walk over, and apologize, to wipe away the tears he forced out of my eyes.

But when he turned the corner, refusing to even send me a glance, I realized that this time, it was different: that he wasn’t going to come back and remind me I was his, that he wasn’t going to hold me close to him even when I pushed him away. And even though I’d wished for this before, I couldn’t ignore the deep ache in my chest that appeared as he left.

Omniscient

Stephan walked into his father’s office and dropped the documents he had finalized on the desk. Calvin glanced briefly at his son and returned to his computer. He sat patiently, knowing Stephan wanted to speak, but sighed as his son remained silent.

“You could’ve easily handed it to your PA to deliver it to me, but rather, you decided to come to do it yourself. Obviously you have something on your mind, and I have work to attend to. If it isn’t clear enough, you have the floor.”

“I’m going to England tomorrow night to handle some business in London,” Stephan said, and Calvin leaned back in his chair with a smile.

“Astonishing. Say something else that I already know is on the agenda for the week.”

Ignoring his father’s antics, Stephan continued, his face remaining stoic. “I’m the one that’s going overseas, not Archer.I’m the one making the sacrifices every week, every day, to do what he doesn’t, and you still don’t want me to inherit the business.”

“I don’t recall me saying anything of that nature.”

Stephan scoffed. “You don’t need to say anything. I already know what you won’t tell me.”

“Stephan, I have rather ambitious plans for the future of our business and our family. The individual who demonstrates the most efficient qualities in pursuing these plans will undoubtedly have the advantage. And judging by your current workload and dedication, I’d say you’re already well ahead.”

Stephan scoffed, “But this shouldn’t even be a competition. There is no reason I should have to compete with myyoungerbrother.”

“Life is a competition, son. You either win or you lose. You will prevail if all you say is true and valid. You’ve already begun to see it as a competition, but Archer has yet to. The question is, are you going to let jealousy and envy control what you have accomplished, and if it does, will you embrace it or let it destroy you?” Calvin asked.

Stephan didn’t say anything. He wanted to believe his father’s words, to believe he had a chance at inheriting the business. For the work and devotion he put into his work, he didn’t understand why there was a discussion about this issue in the first place.

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