Page 124 of Tempting the President

Her eyes widened.

“He knows...I now know...aboutyou.And so he...doesn’t want...to hurt...me.” Each word felt like a knife I had to pull out from my own body, exposing my wounds and making me bleed even more. But even so, there were still more knives to pull, more blood to bleed before I could be sure Kellion had the happiness he deserved.

“Kellion needs you...now.You can make...him believe inhimself.Be the President...of theAfxisi.Tomorrow, it will...be the ceremony...for hissuccession.Pleasecome.Please be there...for him...for a change.” I bit my lip hard after that, needing more than a few moments to get myself back in control.

Just a few words more, I thought. I just had to hold on a little longer, do whatever it took to stop the tears until I said everything and this girl wouldn’t see me crying.

“If you really...care aboutKellion...pleasecome.If you don’t...I’ll take him...away. Forever.” Turning away, I walked towards the coffee table at the opposite end of the room. Placing a note on the table, I said, “If you’re coming...please...give this note...toKellion.”

I didn’t wait for Jacqueline to answer. I couldn’t afford to. I was already at my limit, and I only managed to step out of her room before the tears fell and the sobs came out in choking bursts.

I love him, I love him, I love him. My heart sang the words. No other girl, not even the perfect Jacqueline, could love Kellion asmuch as I love him, so why, dammit, why? Why couldn’t he love me instead?

KELLION WAS WAITINGby the sidewalk when our school bus slowed to a stop. The moment I stepped out of the bus, he was already there, pulling me into his arms.

“I miss you,” he whispered to my ear.

I hugged him more tightly. I really wanted to say the words back to him, and I had to bite my lip hard just so I wouldn’t. There was no better time than now to start moving on, to start accepting that soon, really soon, the day he wouldn’t be mine would come.

When Kellion drew back, his face was heartbreakingly tense and I had to command myself not to move, had to control myself from soothing his frown away with kisses.

“It feels like you’ve been gone for an eternity,” Kellion said hoarsely.

I shook my head. “Just...fiftyhours.”

He didn’t smile. “Something’s still wrong.” His eyes were bleak. “You still don’t believe me, do you?”

Willing myself not to cry, I forced a smile on my face instead. “Sillyboy.” I tweaked his nose, the way I did with Ashton when I was teasing him. Doing it hurt, but somehow it felt right, too. I had loved both of them, and just because Kellion didn’t love me back didn’t mean I had to regret loving him.

“You’re just...nervous abouttonight.” I covered my mouth in feigned shock. “Maybe you’re...nervous...about filling Helios’shoes...asPresident?” I gave him a helpful look. “Shall...I let him...know?”

Kellion didn’t hesitate, answering evenly, “Up to you if you want to die.”

And just like that, we were both smiling. Real smiles. It made me close my eyes for a moment. I wanted to remember this forever.

As we started to walk, I told him, “Don’t be nervous.”

“I’m not nervous.” However, he only sounded half-irritable. The other half was pure nervousness.

I rolled my eyes. “I have a...gift. You’ll get it...once you’re thePresident.”

“What is it?” Kellion asked immediately.

I smiled up at him even as my heart shattered. “The best...surpriseever.”

And it was.

So please, please, please be happy, Kellion. It’s all I want.

KELLION

Why the hell did the ceremony have to take place in the university’s largest presentation hall? The thought had Kellion irritable and restless in his front row seat. Sure, the place was able to accommodate the huge number of guests invited, but it also meant a long thirty-minute walk from here to the club’s headquarters. That meant thirty minutes of not being able to make love to Aria once this was all over.

Also, the ceremony was taking too fucking long to finish. It was only his personal opinion of course, and one he didn’t dare share with anyone. If Helios got wind of it, Kellion was sure the President would wipe the floor with him. After all, the ceremony had been organized by the President’s wife, and as everyone knew, everything MJ did was perfect as far as Helios Andreadis was concerned.

Time and time again, his gaze would flit towards Aria, a part of him needing assurance that she was still there. Since the day she had found out about Jack, Kellion hadn’t been able to shake off the feeling that he was losing her. Couldn’t keep himself from being terrified that he had alreadylosther.

Again, he searched for her, his body only relaxing when he found her still seated at the back row.