Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 91361 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91361 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
“It has to be you, Kellion,” Yuri said in his usual mild tone. “You are the VP, after all.”
“Bullshit.” I could feel Kellion tensing, and I instinctively placed a hand on his chest, trying to soothe him. “You or Andreus would probably be better candidates—-”
Andreus was already shaking his head.
“Kellion.” At Helios’ interruption, Kellion fell silent, and the President’s voice was soft but firm when he said, “I trust I’m right when I say all of you understand why I’m choosing to step down as President.”
“Ne,” Yuri said, speaking on behalf of the other officers.
Helios turned to Kellion. “However, I also understand that my decision may have taken you by surprise, so I will be giving you until Friday to think it over. I trust, in the end, you will realize what everyone in this room already know. You are worthy of being the club’s next President.”
After that, Helios called the meeting to a close and Kellion and I were both silent as we made our way to his room. The moment we were alone, I said, “Kellion?”
“Mm?” Kellion had seated himself on the edge of his bed, his gorgeous face drawn.
I knelt down in front of him. “What’s...wrong?” I hated seeing him like this, but I hated the fact that I couldn’t think of a way to reach him even more. I was his girlfriend. I was in love with him. Shouldn’t I know how to make him happy?
He shook his head.
“Please...tell...me.” I hated how the words came out as a plea, almost like a confession that I didn’t know him as well as he knew me. It made me feel selfish, but it also made me realize how little I knew him, how after all this time, Kellion was able to keep a part of him unreachable and hidden from me.
When he didn’t say anything, I whispered, “You know, right?”
“Know what, baby?”
I swallowed. “That I...think—-” I paused and shaking my head, I corrected myself, “—-that I know you’ll...make...a great President.”
His lips curved, just the slightest bit, but it was enough, like how the tiniest glimpse of a rainbow could make hope blossom.
“How do you know?”
The words were out before I could stop them.
“Because I...love...you, of course.”
A stricken look had crossed Kellion’s face at my words, and I couldn’t blame him. It really was yucky, having to say those words out loud, but for him, I was willing to say them over and over if I had to. Even if I died puking.
“Aria...” His voice was uneven and his green eyes strangely vulnerable.
I gripped his hands, holding them tightly as I whispered, “You will make...a great President.” I willed him to believe me, willed him to see how he looked in my eyes. “If you could...save me, you can save...the whole...world.”
Kellion pulled me into his arms. “I don’t deserve you, baby. I just—-”
I placed a finger on his lips. Don’t say it.
He shuddered, but after a moment, he was sucking my finger into his mouth, making me shudder, too. Releasing it, he said hoarsely, “I won’t say it.” We made love after that, but it felt different from all the times we had sex. This time, it wasn’t just tender, it also felt rawer, like both of us felt an inexplicable urge to cling to each other and not let others tear us apart.
When I woke up, I was alone in our room and the phone was ringing. I hesitated, but when it kept ringing for five straight minutes, I finally answered. “Hello?”
“Good afternoon.” The voice on the other end of the line was accented. Greek. It belonged to an older woman, and I would have thought I was speaking to his mother until the woman’s next words.
“This is Dinah, Ms. Jacqueline’s nanny.”
For some reason, my heart started to feel funny, and a curious mix of pain and fear started throttling me.
“Is Master Kellion there?”
I knew I should answer, but I couldn’t.
“Hello?”
There was this strongest urge inside me to put the phone down. End the call, the sensible part of me begged, and life would remain the same.
“Hello?”
My fingers around the phone tightened. If I ended the call, I would go back to square one, and God, I was tired of being a coward, of being afraid of life with all its pains and joys.
“Are you one of the...” The woman paused. “I forget what you call it...I believe...a recruit? A volunteer? If you are one of those, please check your manual. You should see my mistress’ name under the VIP list. It will be listed as Jacqueline Koufos. Or Master Kellion may have listed her as Jack.”
I almost dropped the phone at the name.
Jack.
No.
I tried not to remember, but it was impossible. I could see it so clearly, the sadness etched on Kellion’s beautiful face. And God, his voice, the pain in his voice—-