Kellion

by Marian Tee

  I saluted him. Yes, sir.

  His lips twitched, and his serious mood dissipated.

  When we reached the drawing studio, KC was already there, setting up her easel. “Hey!” She waved at us with a smile, but her surprise at seeing us was evident on her face.

  “Good morning, KC.” Kellion’s tone was gentle, and I had a feeling he saw the younger girl more like a kid than anything else. As always, my friend looked unbelievably cute, her wide-collared dress, knee-high socks, and Mary Jane shoes transforming KC into the kind of schoolgirl every guy with a Lolita fetish would want to devour.

  Whoever her future boyfriend would be, he already had my condolences.

  “I’m so glad you’re okay now,” KC was saying as she finished setting up her easel.

  I shrugged, unable to meet her gaze. It still made me feel embarrassed, having to lie about the real reason why I hadn’t been able to leave my room for three straight days. Or five, if you counted the weekend.

  Thinking about it had my face flaming, and just like that, the memories came flying into the forefront of my mind, one sizzling hot scene after another.

  Kellion teaching me to ride him, eating my breasts as I bounced on his cock—

  Kellion turning me over on top of him, both of us pleasuring each other with our mouths at the same time—

  Kellion placing me on all fours as he pounded into me from behind while playing with my clitoris—

  Kellion fucking me so hard that he actually managed to break my bed’s headboard and leave cracks on the wall. But even then I had begged him not to stop, begged him to fuck me harder, harder, harder—

  “You’ve really been bedridden all those days?” KC asked sympathetically.

  “Yes, she has.” Kellion had answered for me, and the way his eyes gleamed made me hurriedly reach for my easel, needing something to hide my face from everyone.

  KC made a choking sound.

  It had me jolting out of my thoughts, and when I looked at her in askance, she pointed at Kellion. He was leaning against the back of his chair in a relaxed fashion, his legs stretched out before him. But there was something different about Kellion right now, something that made him seem more…satisfied—

  Oh no.

  “He just told me why you were really absent,” KC said.

  And then she burst into laughter while I did my best to kick Kellion out of his seat.

  God, this biker.

  I would have kept on kicking him if Professor Edison hadn’t come in by then, followed by a tall, good-looking guy who turned out to be…KC’s male model.

  My eyebrows shot up as I glanced at the model and then KC.

  She laughed. “No. Nothing’s between us. He’s my friend from high school.” She gestured to the newcomer as he took a seat in front of KC. “Jace, I’d like you to meet my friends, Aria and Kellion. Guys, this is Jace.”

  I waved at him. Hi.

  As Kellion and Jace shook hands, KC whispered in my ear. “Kellion told me about the broken bed, too.”

  Oh, did he?

  I straightened in my seat, waited for Kellion to glance at me, and then I kicked him on the shin again, as hard as I could.

  Kellion grunted while Jace asked warily, “Is that part of the job description?”

  “Just mine,” Kellion said with a grimace, but his eyes were laughing at me.

  God. This. Biker. He was just too irresistibly wicked for his own good, and right now, it was taking everything in me not to smile.

  In front of us, Professor Edison clapped his hands, calling for our attention. “Start drawing, everyone, no time to waste.”

  Kellion and Jace made good models, both of them able to remain still in their seats. I could see Jace reading manga on his phone while Kellion was browsing through photos of customized bikes on Instagram.

  “So…” KC turned to me with a sly grin. “Did you get the bed fixed or are you staying at Kellion’s place in the meantime?”

  I glared at her. Why were we even talking about this?

  “My place.” Kellion had answered for me again.

  I badly wanted to kick him, but I couldn’t, afraid that it would change his position on his chair and cause me to draw from scratch again.

  KC looked impressed. “You must be really good at persuasion,” she told Kellion.

  It was my turn to grimace. If only it was that simple, but I knew deep inside that something entirely else was the reason why Kellion was almost in complete control of my life.

  Now, he was the one who handled my parents’ correspondence for me andtook charge of investing my savings. He even had me living with him. Was it really okay, the way he was suddenly the center of my world?

  When my class ended, Kellion and I said goodbye to KC and Jace right away.

  “You could stay behind and talk with KC if you want, you know,” Kellion murmured as we left the room. “You’re not actually required to attend the meeting with me.”

  I shook my head, writing on my board, THEY SEEMED LIKE THEY HAVE MUCH TO CATCH UP ON.

  His grip on my hand tightened. “You seem distracted.”

  His intuition no longer surprised me, something I now accepted as another way of us loving each other even without having spoken the words.

  “Was it because of what KC said?” His tone was flat. “Did I pressure you into moving in with me?”

  My eyes flew up to him in dismay and I tugged on his hand, forcing him to halt in his stride and face me. How could he be so blind, even now?

  I touched his face. “If anything scares…me…right now, it’s…that I’m so…happy.” A moment later, I felt his body relaxing, and I only realized then he had been tensely waiting for my answer.

  “If it’s any consolation,” Kellion said unevenly, “I’m damn terrified, too, for the same reason.” He hauled me towards him, his mouth covering mine. “You just don’t know,” he whispered against my lips, “how much I need you to see me.”

  I pulled away, a smile wobbling on my lips. “I’ll always see…you. Even if my eyesight…fades, my heart…will always…see…you.”

  The moment I said the words, both of us froze—

  Did I really just say that?

  The thought had me scowling.

  A grin broke over Kellion’s lips. “That was so hot, terataki. Mushiest thing I ever heard,” he added cheerfully, “—but still sweet.”

  “Shut. Up.”

  Kellion didn’t answer. Instead, he started walking faster.

  “Are we…late?” I asked worriedly, doing my best to keep up with him.

  He shook his head. “We need to get to the club as soon as we can.”

  “Why?”

  He looked at me like I was crazy. “Because you said something really hot.”

  I almost stumbled. Surely he didn’t mean—

  “So now I know I won’t be able to concentrate on the meeting until I fuck you,” Kellion finished.

  I choked on his words. Was he for real?

  When he was close to running, I shook my head, gasping, “Kel-lion!” He couldn’t be serious.

  “Just be thankful I’m willing to wait until we reach the club.” Glancing at me over his shoulder, he asked seriously, “Unless you’re okay with the ATM center again?”

  What. A. Choice.

  I shook my head vehemently.

  “Thought so.”

  One hour and two quick consecutive orgasms later, Kellion and I were the last to make it to the meeting room of Afxisi’s officers.

  “You’re late,” Helios Andreadis, seated at the head of the table, growled.

  “Personal emergency,” Kellion said easily. “It won’t happen again.” He took his place at Helios’ right before pulling me down on his lap. I would have protested – if not for the fact that MJ was also seated on the President’s lap.

  I glanced at her with equal parts of embarrassment and disgruntlement. Was this normal?

  Her face flamed. Kinda.

  The meeting proceede
d smoothly, the officers only coming to a disagreement about one matter, which was who would be succeeding Helios.

  “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—

  “It’s a friend of mine. Jack’s asking me to fly to Greece. It means I won’t be able to be at your exhibit if I do.”

  And he had, in the end, chosen “Jack” over me.

  “Kyria?” The woman’s voice from the other end wrenched me out of my thoughts. “Please, you should know what this VIP list means, right? So please let Master Kellion know that Ms. Jacqueline hasn’t been eating for a week, and she needs him terribly.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  Dear Ashton,

  I never knew I was stuck-up…until today.

  When you tell me I’m the prettiest sister in the whole world, when you tell me you love me, you…meant it, right?

  Love, Your Big Sis

  KELLION

  It was midnight by the time Kellion returned to his room. His private meeting with Helios had exhausted him, but somehow, it had been liberating, too. For the first time in his life, he had voiced out loud what used to be his greatest secret and shame.

  “I fear a part of me will always doubt myself, will think I am incapable of leading our club.”

  Helios had shaken his head at Kellion’s admission. “It’s not a part of you. Rather, it’s the echo of your parents’ voice in your mind. It’s goddamn baggage from your past, and it’s time you got rid of it, don’t you think?”

  Kellion’s lips twisted. “Would it really be that easy?”

  Helios didn’t smile back. “Look at you now. If someone told you years ago that you’d be admitting such a thing to me, what would you have thought?”

  “That the other person was a lunatic.”

  “Exactly. And yet you’re here now, and it wasn’t as hellish as you thought it would be, was it?” Helios clapped a hand on his back. “I don’t love the club any less than I did the day I started it, but my time to lead is over. It’s your turn now. It’s your fucking destiny, so can you fucking stop with the dithering? It’s not like you, Argyros.”

  Thinking about that exchange made Kellion shake his head. Only the President could give damn good advice combined with a healthy dose of cuss words. But it was advice Kellion had heeded, and now he had good news to share with Aria. She deserved to be the first to know since it was only because of her he had the courage to put the past behind him.

  But then he saw her pale face, and Kellion’s heart nearly stopped beating. In three swift strides, he was kneeling in front of her. “What’s wrong, baby?”

  “Someone named…Dinah called.”

  Kellion froze.

  “She says her…mistress…Ms. Jacqueline…needs you.” Aria’s voice was flat. “The woman says Jack—”

  Kellion flinched, knowing at that moment Aria must have figured out why he had to leave during the day of her exhibit. “Aria—”

  But Aria continued as if she hadn’t heard a single thing. “—Dinah says Jack…hasn’t been eating…for a week.”

  All the time Aria was speaking, her gaze was focused somewhere behind him. He had a feeling she would rather look at anywhere but him and, Kellion t
hought bleakly, he couldn’t blame her for it.

  “Aria, look at me.”

  He expected her to refuse, but instead, she squared her shoulders and slowly faced him.

  Ah, God.

  The pain in those blue-violet eyes nearly broke him. Kellion wasn’t sure how much she knew, but clearly, she knew enough to feel hurt. Betrayed.

  “It’s not what you think, baby,” he said hoarsely. But even to his own ears, his words sounded like the lie it was.

  He took her hands in his and flinched at how cold and weak they felt in his grip. “Aria, please.” He could hear the desperation in his voice, and he didn’t give a damn. All that mattered was that he reached her. That he made her believe. Because right now—

  It felt like she was slipping away from him, so far away that he had a feeling he would never be able to catch her if he let her go.

  “Please. Believe me. Whatever you think—it’s not like that.”

  A tear slowly trailed down her cheek, and he ached, everything in him goddamn ached at the way she bit her lip hard, as if she was doing her best to stop it from trembling.

  Ah, God. She looked so broken, and somehow her very silence made it even more terrible, like she had been crying out for him all this time – and he hadn’t heard a single damn thing.

  And that was when it became clear.

  This time, everything became clear, and there was no room for doubt and ambiguity.

  His Aria had started as a rebound, had been his way to forget the girl who owned him for so many years. His heart hadn’t belonged to her at the start, but it did now.

  He loved her. He loved her like he had never loved Jack, like he had never loved anyone. His love for her had such depth that it made his feelings for Jack seem paltry. He loved her so much he found himself wishing he had the power to turn back time. Because if he did, then he would wish that they had never met. That way, he could ensure she was spared the pain she was suffering now – because of him.

  “Aria, listen.” He wanted to cup her face, wanted to kiss her, wanted to lick that teardrop away because he felt like it was burning her skin, a reminder of his betrayal.

  He wanted to do so many things but he couldn’t because right now, he felt like he didn’t deserve to even look at her.