Page 83 of Tempting the President

The memories almost had me gagging. Even now, a part of me was still unable to comprehend how my own father could have made me say those words. I was a kid –histwelve year old kid.

How could he bear hearing me say it? How could Amelie not do anything to stop him? How? Dammit, how?

“Ma’am?” The bodyguard still had his hand out.

On the other end of the line, Kellion was waiting for me. Because of Kellion, something – something reallybad– hadn’t happened. Because of Kellion, I had started living again. But it was also because of Kellion I had forgotten the only important thing my parents had taught me.

With Ashton gone, no one left in this world could be trusted.

Slowly, I shook my head. “P-please...say...thank...you...for...me.” It hurt so much more to speak now, my wildly careening emotions making my throat feel rawer and exposed. “But...please...tell...him...I...don’t...want...to....talk...to...him...again.”

Chapter Fourteen

Dear Ashton,

If anyone ever hurts you, you gotta tell me, okay?

I’ll kick their ass for you.

Love, Your Big Sis

P.S. I know you’d do the same for me, but don’t worry about me. I’m very strong. Also, you’re too cute to scare anyone.

KELLION

KELLION WAS SEATEDon a fur-covered nook next to the windows, the city of Athens glowing like a jewel underneath him. A jewel of another kind was on his lap, curled up against his chest, a girl who was just as beautiful and precious as any gem.

He didn’t say a word as Jacqueline cried in his arms, simply stroking her hair. The sound of her tears hurt like it always did. She didn’t have to be in this much pain, would never have experienced this much hurt if only she had chosen to see him.

“I’m so scared, Kel.” Her words were a shaky whisper, her voice so fragile it made Kellion instinctively tighten his arms around her.

He murmured comforting words in Greek, willing her to relax. “Don’t be. I’m here for you. I won’t let him do anything to hurt you.”

A long time passed before she spoke again, her voice slurred. “I wish...I wish I had fallen for you instead.”

Only when Kellion was sure she was sleeping did he answer. “I wish the same thing, too, Jack.” Lifting her into his arms to carry her back to her bed, he placed a kiss on her forehead.

Looking down at her, his voice was toneless as he said, “Always did.” After tucking her in, Kellion closed the lights before leaving the room.

Dinah, Jack’s nanny since childhood, was outside, an anxious look on her face as she asked, “Has she settled down?”

He nodded. “For now.”

The older woman sighed in relief. “Thank goodness. The past week has truly been hard for her.” With her hair neatly tied back and dressed in a stark white uniform, Dinah still looked almost exactly like she did the first time he had met her decades ago, if not for a few white strands of hair.

When Dinah caught him looking at her, she smiled. “In our mutual worries, we have both neglected proper niceties, have we not, Master Kellion?” She spoke in a very stiff tone, her upper lip curling. It had been her way of disciplining Kellion and Jack when they had been kids and unwilling to attend English lessons with her during the weekends.

Returning the smile, Kellion gave her a brief, warm hug. “It’s good seeing you again, Dinah.”

“You, too, Master Kellion. Life seems to agree with you in the States.”

He nodded. “It...does.” And for some reason, instead of the Afxisi coming to mind, he found himself thinking of a curvy girl with blue-violet eyes.

“I’m glad to hear that,” Dinah murmured. “Sometimes, I wish my little Jacqueline could do the same.”

Kellion’s jaw hardened. “She could have.” In fact, he had asked her to come study with him in the States before leaving. But she had turned him down, like she always did.

Dinah sighed. “She could...and she couldn’t. You know how it is with her. She feels like she can’t live without him.”