Page 128 of Tempting the President

“STOP IT!”

His voice broke, and Kellion whispered, “I just wanted it to be special, baby. That’s all.”

I closed my eyes, unable to bear looking at him any longer. If I did, I would really start to believe, and for both our sakes, I couldn’t let it happen. “You already made...me...okay.So please...just behappy...withJack.”

“I love you.”

God.His insistence was driving me crazy with pain and longing, and with a sob, I tore free from his hold and struggled to my feet.

“Aria, I love you—-”

God, this biker. He was so damn stubborn. So damn nice.

“You don’t love...me.”

“Yes, I do.” Again, he reached for me, and again I stepped away, out of his hold.

“You don’t love...me.”I closed my eyes. Did my best to close my heart. Because the next words I had to say would kill us both. When I opened my eyes, Kellion nearly took a step back, and I knew I had succeeded. My face was cold. Expressionless.

“Kellion—-”

He started to shake his head. “Whatever you have to fucking say—-”

A smart man, my biker.

It was just one of the many reasons why I fell for him, one of the many reasons why I needed to do this. It was the only way to make him leave and forget about me.

“When I came...here...when I saw...Ashton’sgrave...Irealized...I didn’t love you...either.”

Kellion whitened. “What the fuck are you saying, baby?”

The endearment nearly broke me, but I held on to my blank mask.Happy, happy,I reminded myself hysterically. This was all so Kellion would be happy.

And so I forced more words out, each word a knife to stab his heart. “I think I...neededyou. Not...love. Just...need.”

Kellion shook his head. “Stop saying shit—-”

“I don’t think...Iever...saw you...at all.”

Kellion jerked. When his gaze met mine, I nearly cried out at the pain in his eyes. Pain I alone had inflicted. I wanted to run to him, but I made myself stay still, to keep my blank mask on my face because it was the only way to force Kellion to let me go.

“Why?” he demanded hoarsely. “Why would you say that?”

“I don’t think...I ever saw you.”

Kellion stalked towards me, shaking my body as he choked out, “Stop saying that!” His gaze was wild and desperate as he looked into my eyes. “You promised,” he whispered. “Didn’t you promise you’d always see me?”

I had to close my own eyes. I couldn’t bear to see how I’d ruin him as I said, “I just...pretended...to seeyou...because you made mesee....Ashton in others—-”

“No.” But even as Kellion said the words, his arms had already fallen from my shoulders. “Take that back—-”

“I...can’t.” I bowed my head, struggling for control.

“Then tell me what I have to do to make you see me.”

Ah, God. Why couldn’t he just give up?

I shook my head. “I’m sorry—-”