CHAPTER 146: LILY’S ADMONISHMENT

As they moved across the hall, Samantha asked, "Where’s the sales staff?"

"I’m not sure, but I think Kayden got them to leave for a while," said Lily. "He said ’now that they’re gone, we can have some fun’ just before he dragged me into the changing room."

Each changing room had a couch, armchair, and table, so when they entered the changing room, he walked over and sat in the middle of the couch.

He had assumed that Miranda and Samantha would sit on either side of him and Lily would sit in the armchair.

Except as soon as he sat, Lily climbed into his lap, right leg folded under her, left leg hanging off the side of his lap.

She snuggled into him with her face pressed into his neck, her right hand on the small of his back, and her left hand clutching his shirt.

Miranda just shrugged and sat next to him on his left, then leaned into him and started rubbing Lily’s back.

Samantha gave him a knowing look, and a thumbs-up Lily couldn’t see, then sat on his right and snuggled up to him as well.

Noticing the way Samantha had snuggled up to him, Lily turned, looked at Miranda, then up at Jack and asked, "Three?"

"I have six girlfriends," he said, counting Katie, even though they hadn’t officially started dating. From what Samantha had told him, it was probably a given.

Lily’s eyes widened, and she gasped, "Six!"

He shrugged.

Lily looked at Samantha. "And you don’t mind?"

"Mind? I think it’s hot!" she replied.

She leaned back so she could see Miranda’s face and gave her an inquisitive look.

"I think he’s hot, and I don’t mind sharing," replied Miranda.

Lily looked at Jack and pleadingly, "Can I join your harem?"

Miranda snickered, Samantha smiled, and Jack groaned to himself. It was probably his soul strength combined with whatever it’s called when the rescued person falls in love with their rescuer.

"I don’t know the name for it, but people that have been rescued will develop strong feelings towards their rescuer for a while. So you need to remember that what you are feeling towards me will fade once that effect wears off."

"It’s called a trauma bond," said Miranda. "The rescued person will feel intense trust and intimacy towards their rescuer. The hormone oxytocin helps form social and intimate bonds and being rescued causes your body to produce a ton of it."

"So, you’re saying I’m not in love with Jack?" Lily asked.

Her calm acceptance of his and Miranda’s explanation surprised him. He had expected her to be reluctant to accept or deny what they had said.

"Correct," said Miranda.

Lily looked up at Jack and asked, "Can we still be friends?"

Okay, maybe she was still holding onto her trauma bond induced feelings and was just trying to avoid open conflict.

"Lily, how old are you?" he asked.

If she was underage, and that seemed likely, he would need to be far more careful than if she were an adult.

"You’re not supposed to ask a lady that question!" declared Lily haughtily.

He gave her a flat stare, like the one Fran would give him that said, "enough with your bullshit."

Lily hmphed, then sighed before saying, "I’m fifteen." Then in a more chipper tone, "But I’ll be sixteen in two months!"

Fifteen! What’s wrong with her grandfather? What kind of parent lets their fifteen-year-old daughter, or granddaughter, go out with an adult?!

"Wait, how old is Kayden?!"

"Twenty-two," she replied matter-of-factly.

"What?!" cried Samantha and Miranda.

"Why would your grandfather let you date a man six years older than you?!" asked Jack incredulously.

"He didn’t want to at first. But he gave in when I threatened to hate him forever and run away if he interfered."

"So, you’re telling me you used emotional blackmail to force your grandfather into letting you date Kayden, a man that just tried to rape you?"

"Yes?" she said quietly.

He sighed, "You’re an idiot."

"W-w-what?!" she said, sounding shocked.

"You heard me. You are an idiot. And your grandfather is a fool."

Lily jumped off his lap and stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at him.

"I am not an idiot and my grandfather is a wise man!"

"Was your grandfather right about Kayden?"

"Um, I mean, I guess."

"You guess. Are you trying to imply that there is anything good about the man that lied to you about his feelings and tried to rape you all so he could get his hands on your family’s wealth?"

"Well, no, not when you put it like that."

"So, you admit your grandfather was right about Kayden. Right the whole time. Yet you ignored his warnings, and even used emotional blackmail to get what you wanted. Please, tell me, if that’s not idiocy, what is it?"

She crossed her arms and frowned, but remained silent.

"And your grandfather, knowing, even just suspecting what kind of man Kayden is, just let you go. Not even sending guards to trail you. Is that not foolish?"

"My grandfather is a wise man!" She didn’t sound as certain as the first time she’d said it.

"He may be wise in business or other aspects, but he’s a fool when it comes to you. You know it and you used it against him. I bet you take advantage of him all the time."

Lily looked like she wanted to object, to refute his claims, yet couldn’t. He suspected if anyone else had told her this, she would have denied it vociferously. But his soul strength was probably making it easier for her to accept the truth instead of staying in denial.

"Your grandfather loves you and is probably afraid of losing you, and you use his fear against him."

Her shoulders slumped, and she looked at the floor. After a moment, she turned and climbed into the armchair and curled up, hiding her face in her hands.

"Um, was that really necessary?" whispered Samantha. "She was almost..."

"Yes," replied Jack. "I think it was. She needed to hear it from someone, so it might as well be from me."

He stood and said, "Come on, we’re here. We might as well look at what they have while we wait."

Then he walked over to Lily and put his hand on her shoulder. "Come on. We’re going to look at the displays and I can’t leave you here alone. Let’s go."

"No! I don’t wanna. You hate me anyway. Why do you care?"

"I don’t hate you Lily. I just think you’ve been rather cruel to your grandfather and behaved foolishly. If I hated you, I would not have told you what I thought of your behavior. You don’t help the people you hate."

She nodded, but didn’t seem much mollified.

"Okay, enough sulking. Stand up!"

She got up immediately, seeming a little surprised at her own response.

He put a hand on her back and gave her a gentle push towards the door.

"Come on, you and Miranda can consult and give me a recommendation for what to try on when the salespeople finally return."