53. Killian
Chapter fifty-three
Killian
A Few Days Later
W alking into my associate’s building, Zachary walked beside me as he spoke on the phone with Ivory. He sighed heavily as our guards escorted us to their conference room.
“Ivory. I don’t have time for this. We shouldn’t even be having this conversation... I already told you to stay out of my corner of the pantry. So leave it. I don’t want to hear it!” he seethed into the phone, and I held back a smirk as he grew angrier.
This was a constant fight between the two of them. Brielle asked me to end the bickering, and I did... for a day or two. It filled me with slight amusement watching Ivory make him agree to her requests. How does she do it, one may ask? Well—
“Ivory, I’ve had it. End of discussion,” he growled, and it seemed as though he was going to end the call when he ran his hand down his face and sighed heavily. “No tears... No, I didn’t scream at you... Okay, fine. Fine! Have it, okay?”
Finally, he bid her goodbye as we stepped into the elevator.
Patting him on the back, I chuckled. “No worries, son. You’re one step closer every day to telling her no... you’ll get there soon, I promise.”
He rolled his eyes, glancing over at me. “I wish I could believe you, Father, but looking at your track record with Mom, it seems you never got there yourself,” he muttered, and I nodded as the doors opened once again.
“Point taken.”
We walked into the conference room, and I nodded my head to the men sitting at the table.
“Our apologies, gentlemen. The children were a bit much this morning for Brielle to handle on her own… You know how it is,” I chuckled, causing the men to join in and Zachary to roll his eyes as they attempted to feed my ego, not that I minded.
However, my eyes immediately went over to the man, or rather boy , sitting with a stoic face as if the joke wasn’t funny. Granted, it wasn’t anything hilarious or something Blaine would pull out of his ass, but he could at least look as though he was interested… but he wasn’t. Noticing the arrogant look on his face and the designer cufflinks, I knew exactly who he was.
Archer Lockwood.
He locked eyes with me for a moment, and if I didn’t look away first, it felt as if we would’ve been in a staring contest for the rest of the meeting, neither of us bothering to let up and to let the other win.
Taking a seat with Zachary beside me, I listened to the presentation by a company looking for more investment. I sighed as I wished Shin could’ve taken my place. However, he’s been rather busy lately, and so has Blaine.
Learning that we had another dinner to attend in Calvin’s home has been causing both of them to avoid me. Blaine, I can understand, but it’s unlike Shin to avoid me. Well, I can partially understand his reasoning, as I did go into a fit of rage, taking it out on one of his patio chairs when I was told the unsettling information, but still, it was odd.
Bringing Zachary along was a regular thing as he often took notes, and it was good practice for him in the long run. He’s never questioned me about whether he or Delilah would be inheriting KR Inc. However, he seems to be fine with the idea of being the COO to her in the future, even if he has his little spurts of childish jealousy here and there.
Eventually, the meeting ended, and many of the men came over to me for my input about whether this company was good enough to increase their investment. The company CEO also seemed to be scared out of his mind as he waited for my thoughts.
Giving them some air to breathe, I approved of the presentation as well as their requests, and they immediately took my words into consideration. Soon, Zachary and I excused ourselves and stepped out of the room.
“You’re going soft, Dad,” he muttered, and I rolled my eyes.
“I am most definitely not. I’m simply helping them build connections… and your mother said I need to be nicer, so this is me being nice,” I compromised.
He chuckled as we reached the lobby of the building. “Helping them? Actually listening when Mom tells you need to be nicer? Yeah, you’re definitely going soft.”
I held back my smile as we continued walking outside, but I stopped as I glanced at Calvin’s son once again.
He was staring at his phone as he read a few messages, and as if knowing I was staring, he looked over at me.
“Staring is rude, Mr. Russel. You should know,” he said, tilting his head.
I crossed my arms. “Seeing as you stared at me throughout the entire meeting, I’d say we’re even. By the way, you didn’t contribute much to it. I would think Lockwood would have sent someone who was able to do so,” I muttered.
He shrugged. “Well, there wasn’t much to contribute to. I’m surprised you took the time to do business with such a mediocre company.”
Zachary looked at me cautiously as my jaw clenched. “Oh, believe me, I could be the first to tell you that, but some would suggest that building connections and being nice is a better way to approach such a situation.”
Lockwood shrugged once again. “Well, facts override feelings, and the fact of the matter is we just wasted an hour listening to a company that’s begging for a Kickstarter to even get on its feet. Feel free to stop me if I’ve said any lies.”
“Surprisingly, you haven’t. Judging as you’re Calvin’s son, I’m impressed you can go this long without lying.”
“And judging by how you haven’t flipped a car into the road like a raging madman yet, I’m just as impressed that Mrs. Russel still has so much control over your anger,” he said.
I stayed silent, wanting to choke the living hell out of him.
Noticing my lack of response, he chuckled. “Enjoy the rest of your evening, Mr. Russel.”
He walked in the other direction as his guards and car were waiting for him.
Zachary looked in his direction and tilted his head.
“He doesn’t seem a lot like his father to me,” he muttered, and I shook my head.
“Not at all. It was almost as if I was speaking to another version of myself.”
“And if he thinks everything is a competition like we do, then…” he muttered, and I groaned as I turned away and entered the car.
Then I just lost.
There is no possible way that I was just bested by Calvin’s son… in just a simple fucking conversation.