Page 125 of Tempting the President

She smiled at him, the loveliest smile in the world. Had he told her that? He would be sure to include it in his speech later once he was officially President and presiding over his first meal with the club. He would tell her he loved her and in front of every damn biker of the Afxisi, he would even go on bended knee and let everyone know she had him pussy whipped from the very start.

It should make a little monster like her very happy.

Finally, the time came for him to stand on stage, going through the rites of passage, Helios on his right and the club’s honorary member and officer, Leandro Christopoulos, on his left. Once Kellion became President, Helios would have the same standing as Leandro.

When the rites were over, Helios asked in a strong, clear voice, “All members in favor of Kellion Argyros becoming the next President of the Afxisi, shout ‘aye’.”

The thunderous roar coming from the club’s hundred-strong members nearly shook the rafters.

A smile slashed across Helios’ lips at the members’ unanimous approval. He looked at Kellion. “Members, welcome then your new President.”

In unison, Kellion, Leandro, and Helios, together with the rest of the Afxisi, raised their fists in the air.

“AFXISI.”

They roared out the name of their club, a symbol of their determination to rise and grow at all costs.

Kellion waited for the fear and despair to set in, waited for the doubts to crawl back to his heart and whisper sly thoughts about his inability to lead, to exist, to be important.

But none of that happened.

Instead, he simply felt the most amazing sense of completion.

Because of Aria, he no longer felt lost, no longer felt the need to be seen in order to exist. Because of Aria, he was able to realize his purpose.

As the applause died down and members came forward to congratulate him, Kellion couldn’t help but search the crowd for Aria. This time though, she was near impossible to find, with the bikers already on their feet, and most of them bearing imposing height that was sure to conceal Aria’s tiny form.

And then he saw something.

He would have thought it was the cruelest form of hallucination until beside him, Helios asked, “Did you invite her?”

Kellion started. She really was here then? “Jack?”

Helios swore. “So you did invite her?”

He shook his head. “Hell no.” This time, he felt it, a strangling kind of pain that consisted of fear and desperation. He excused himself from the stage, even more determined to look for Aria.

But Jack was suddenly there, blocking his way. She looked prettier than he remembered, but thinner, too, making him frown. “Jack.”

She smiled up at him, and for a moment Kellion could only gaze at his childhood friend, stunned. Bikers all around them were staring at Jack in rapt attention. It was normal, for Jack had always been extraordinarily beautiful, the kind that turned heads wherever she went.

What wasn’t normal? The fact that there was nothing in his heart that leapt into life at the sight of her smile.

Nothing.

He felt nothing.

That smile used to pack the strongest punch, but now it was just a smile, from one friend to another.

Looking at her, he almost wanted to thank Jack. If she had been the tiniest bit unfaithful to Eugene, if she had allowed herself to take advantage of Kellion’s feelings for her, who knew if he would still be free to love Aria now?

Clearing his throat, he asked, “Are you okay now?”

She nodded. “I heard from...Helios that you’re about to be President, so here I am.”

His eyes narrowed.Helios?And yet Helios himself had been stunned to see her here.

“Why,” he asked slowly, “are you lying?”