Page 16 of Tempting the President (Oro Nero MC)

Dear Ashton,

Someone called me a – are you ready for this – MONSTER.

Yes, yes, a monster! You don’t think I am, do you?

I’m still the prettiest sister in the world, right? Right?

Love, Your Big Sis

ARIA

BEFORE LEAVING FOR class, I peeked through my door’s peephole and saw...no one. The hallway was empty.

Yay!

The word sounded forced even to my own ears, but I told myself it was only because I was so used to being stalked. This was just another form of Stockholm syndrome, I told myself.

So Kellion Argyros had been walking me to school every single day of the entire week. It wasn’t like I had wanted it. Actually, the biker had been the one to force his company on me, not the other way around.

If he never showed up again—-

I faltered in my footsteps.

Weird. My chest felt so tight. I glanced down at my blouse. Maybe it had started to shrink? Or maybe I had gotten even curvier?

Rounding the corner to reach the stairs, I was about to take the first step down when I realized someone was blocking my way.

“Good morning, terataki .”

“Aaaaaaah!” Shock at seeing Kellion Argyros had me losing my balance, and his hard arms wrapped around me as I stumbled against his strong, powerful form.

His body vibrated with laughter against me even as his hands spanned my waist. “You’re throwing yourself at me now?

” he teased in a low whisper. “You missed me that much, eh?” Normally, Kellion spoke like any ordinary American guy but when he was with me, his Greek accent seemed to thicken, like he knew how I found it so secretly thrilling.

Red-faced at his words, I pulled away. Pulling out my board from my jumper’s pocket, I wrote. Go away.

But he only laughed and, covering my hand, he made me put my board back into my pocket. “You can just look at me, terataki, and I’ll know what you want to say.”

Weeeeeeird . My chest always felt tight around him. Maybe this was a posthumous symptom of my trauma.

Kellion was pulling my hand, and I knew by now there was no force on Earth that would make him let me go. He was supposed to be one of the most easygoing members of the Afxisi, so why was he so darn stubborn with me?

We were still playing tug of war by the time we left my dorm. Everyone still stared at us, but because he – we – had been doing this for days, they were no longer shocked. Now, they were just...puzzled.

What was Afxisi’s VP doing with a sick person like me?

Honestly, I wish I knew the answer to that, too.

Kellion was quiet as he dragged me to school. I would never admit it to anyone, but his silence was refreshing. He was one of the few people who really got me. Just because I couldn’t – didn’t – speak didn’t mean they had to fill the silence for me.

“I can feel your pretty eyes on me . ” Kellion didn’t look at me as he spoke, but I could see the way a grin was tugging at his beautiful thin lips as he did.

Embarrassment flooded my cheeks with color, and I tried tugging away from him harder.

Kellion looked at me with a shake of his head. “It was not a complaint. You do know that, don’t you?”

Tingle, tingle. I hated the way he made my body feel so alive with just a few words. I felt so stupid around him. Those were all just lines, darn it. Why couldn’t I get my body to understand those were all just empty words to get me in his bed?

When we reached my building, I forced us to a halt by digging my feet.

Kellion stopped as well, reluctantly. “You don’t want me to go up with you?”

My eyes bored through him.

He gave me a hurt look. “You’re embarrassed of me?”

I nodded profusely.

Kellion laughed. “Too bad for you, I know you’re lying.” His grip loosened but before I could pull away, he brought my hand to his mouth and pressed a wet, warm kiss against my palm.

Aaaaargh!

He had done it again.

He always, always, always managed to take me by surprise with that.

Kellion released my hand, and I quickly rubbed my palm against the denim of my jumper, wanting to get rid of the feel of his touch. Over my head, I heard Kellion chuckle, the sound low and seductive.

Tingle, tingle, tingle – so many of them it was impossible to count, but I told myself it was because he grossed me out and not for any other reason.

“See you later?”

I shook my head without looking up at him.

“See you later or it’s not your hand I’ll kiss the next time.”

I quickly looked up at him and nodded firmly. See you later.

His lips twitched. “That’s my girl.”

And then he was walking away, like a beautiful elusive dream that I could only have at certain times – but never forever.

When I reached my class, most of the other girls were scowling at me while the guys were looking at me like I was a piece of curiosity. This time, I didn’t have to lie about feeling repulsed. I was disgusted, the looks in their eyes telling me clearly what they thought.

Was the fact that I was sick – that I had Trauma – was that what made me so attractive, so exotic, in Kellion Argyros’ eyes?

My fists clenched, but I managed not to look their way as I took my usual seat next to KC.

She nudged my foot with hers, making me glance at her. Sorry, she mouthed.

I took out my phone. While it was easier to write on my board, I used my phone when I didn’t want anyone reading what I had to say.

Me: I’m used to it.

And I was. There were just some psychos in the world that thought dating a sick person was hot. Once, I heard a guy say that it was because of the way we knew pain. It made our screams sound lovelier to their ears.

Remembering the way the guy looked when he said that made me breathe hard. Around me, the world blurred, and there was no Kellion Argyros to brighten my surroundings.

KC nudged me again with her foot. When I looked back at her, she lifted her notebook up, using it to cover her mouth as she said, “I know you’re not going to like me asking this but...” A grin flirted with her lips. “Are you really sure you don’t like him?”

I shrugged.

Her eyes widened. “Oh my God, you do!” The words came out in an awed whisper.

I typed furiously on my phone. I DO NOT.

KC only smiled. “Yes, you do, and...” She touched my hand gently. “Don’t you think it’s time?”

Because KC was one of the few persons who knew what I had gone through, the words made me inhale sharply.

Was it time?

If it was time for me to live, did it also mean it was time for me to forget Ashton?

I shook my head at KC and touched my heart. The way her smile faded, I knew she got what I meant. She got it because she was the opposite of me. If there was someone I didn’t want to forget, she had someone she didn’t want to remember.

KC gave me her phone and I saw she had typed something. Do you think he really likes you?

I bit my lip as I took my phone, my fingers directionless over the keypad. Finally, I typed my answer. He’s Kellion Argyros. I doubt it.

KC only nodded.

A tiny part of me was sad that she did. Both of us knew it was likely the truth. That the biker only thought of me as a novelty, a challenge, someone to play with. It was a sensible conclusion, but even so it made my chest squeeze.

Tightly.

Almost as tight as it did the first time I saw Ashton’s lip trembled while trying not to cry after being shouted at.

I looked away from KC, not wanting her to see how I suddenly had to fight off tears. I miss you, kiddo. I really, really, really miss you.

HE WAS THERE AGAIN when classes ended. The biker. I preferred thinking of him that way because it made him less...real.

He was waiting for me outside the building, leaning against his bike.

I knew from Bobby that the bikers liked to call their rides their ‘beasts’, and, well, his beast was beautiful.

It had a black body, accentuated by silvery highlights.

The metallic color threw me off a bit. Somehow, it felt too.

.. elegant for him. He struck me as the flamboyant type.

Not in a shallow way, of course, but rather, in a way that told everyone to fuck off while he enjoyed life’s greatest thrills.

Girls surrounded him, chatting him up. I tried to use it to escape his notice and creep away, but I hadn’t even turned around when I heard him speak.

“Aria.”

I stilled. Busted. Again. I touched my chest, which was squeezing again, but not painfully this time. Just the kind that made it hard to breathe, the kind that made me wonder if I was excited to see him.

I grimaced at the thought. Yuck.

Kellion was suddenly in front of me, a Greek god in a black leather jacket and jeans.

A laugh escaped him when he caught sight of my grimace.

The sound drew everyone’s attention towards us.

The way everyone reacted to him made me grimace even more.

It was like he truly no ordinary mortal, and every little thing he did was. .. groundbreaking .

Yuck.

Kellion suddenly pinched my cheeks, stretching them to force me to smile. “Stop looking at me like I disgust you.” But he sounded far from insulted. If it wasn’t so ridiculous, I would have thought he sounded... pleased .

Releasing my cheeks to hold my hand, he said, “Today’s a Friday.”

His grip felt so familiar. That was bad.

“Aria?”

I cocked my head to the side. So what if it’s Friday?

“You don’t have any classes tomorrow.” Kellion gestured to his bike. “Want to go somewhere?”

I didn’t have to think. I just shook my head.

His lips twitched. “Actually, forget I asked. I’m taking you with me anyway.”

No! If I could have blurted it out, I would have. If I could have pulled away from him, I would have. But he was too strong. Too beautiful. Too...everything that reminded me of a hero, the kind that I needed because people like him were capable of saving people like Ashton.

The girls who stood in our way looked like they were about to cry as Kellion walked past without looking at them even once. I hated it. Really, really hated this sneaky part of him, making me feel like I truly was the only girl who existed for him.

When we reached his bike, he stopped and turned to me with narrowed eyes. “Stay there. If you move, remember what I told you this morning?”

I did, and so I nodded quickly.

“Good.” He swung one leg over his bike. His beast roared to life at his command and when Kellion was settled, he offered me his hand.

Even knowing what could happen if I refused him, I hesitated.

As if sensing my inner turmoil, Kellion said quietly, “Don’t be scared. It’s okay.”

My breath caught at the words.

Those words – weren’t those the ones he said the day he saved the Deaf person? The day he saved me?

I took his hand, trembling, and my body shook harder as Kellion made me wrap my arms around his waist.

He covered my hand for a moment. “Ready?”

I nodded against his back.

And then we were flying.