Total pages in book: 159
Estimated words: 149148 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 746(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 497(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 149148 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 746(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 497(@300wpm)
For a moment, he vividly remembered Herod and Odessa talking about the kind of fool he had become because of love.
But in the midst of the darkness, a spark of light flickered, and reflected on its flame was MJ’s face. A bravely smiling MJ who, after being rejected by Helios as his date, still hadn’t had a single bad thing to say about him.
She’s the kind of girl who loves her guy enough not to walk out like any sensible girl would when an asshole like you shames her in public.
The words tore the chains to his ugly past, allowing Helios to break free. When he looked at MJ, tears were running down her face, and the sight of it ravaged him. Why couldn’t he stop making her cry? What the fuck did he have to do to stop being the reason for her tears?
MJ whispered, “Why are you doing this to me, Helios?”
“Because I love you.”
“You don’t.”
“Yes. I do. And I’ll prove it to you. If you want a normal guy, I’ll be that guy for you. I’ll be whatever you want me to be, MJ, because you and me, we can be as normal as we can be, but the love we have—”
She started to protest, but he shook his head. “Yes, MJ. The love we have. It’s never been the normal kind of love. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing, an extraordinary love, and that’s what I’m fighting for. I’ve been all kinds of a fool in the past, and my stupid mistakes made you lose faith in it. But I’ve learned my lesson. I’ll find a way to make you believe again.”
Helios cupped her face. “I’ll make you fall in love with me as a normal guy, MJ. Because you and I, we’re meant to be together. Whether I’m normal. Whether I’m the President of the Afxisi. Whether I’m fucked up. You were always meant to save me, MJ. Falling for you was the only way to make me realize what I’ve always been missing and now that I know, I won’t let it go.”
Chapter Five
“WHAT’S UP, MJ?” YURI greeted her cheerfully the moment she came out of her class. Yuri wasn’t alone, either. Together with him were the other officers of the club, the wickedly charming Kellion Argyros and bad boy Andreus Economou.
Crowds of girls had gathered around them, near enough for MJ to hear their giggles and whispers but not so near they were within touching distance. Unlike other bike racing clubs, the Afxisi did not like being surrounded by groupies all the time. They took their privacy very seriously, and only the chosen few were privileged to be invited to their headquarters.
The chosen few being those who were lucky enough to play housekeeper to the club’s members, MJ thought ruefully, remembering the days she had spent in the club’s HQ. “Why are you guys here?”
“We thought we’d walk you back to your dorm,” Kellion said in a gallant voice. “You can’t have too many escorts, right?”
MJ rolled her eyes. “I don’t need an escort.”
Over her head, the three men exchanged looks. It appeared that Helios had not yet let MJ know of the danger she was facing, which was also one of the major reasons why Helios had chosen to work as an R.A. in her dorm.
“You’re right,” Andreus said. “The truth is, we just want to have an excuse to drop by and see how Helios is doing as an 'ordinary guy'.”
A blush stole over her cheeks at the Afxisi treasurer’s words. “You know about that?”
All three grinned.
“You didn’t really think we’d let him leave the club without finding out why, did you?” Yuri asked.
Kellion was grinning broadly. “Oh man, the ribbing he got from the boys. Helios being ordinary? Like fuck that’s possible.”
Their amusement was so infectious that she couldn’t stop herself from smiling a little, too. “I am kinda worried about it, too. Being an R.A.’s no joke.” They started walking together, with MJ flanked on one side by Yuri and Kellion and Andreus on the other side. The sight of it had all the girls they passed by dying with envy, but it was something MJ was oblivious to. In MJ’s mind, the three bikers were more like big brothers. In MJ’s mind, only one man could make her heart race.
Yuri and the others knew that, too, and the fact was both amusing and comforting. It was nice to be in the company of a girl whose mind wasn’t completely consumed with thoughts of either seducing them, or worse, making them fall in love.
“How did you find Helios’ new look?” Yuri asked.
“It was okay.” She looked up at him, asking, “Do you know why he had it cut?”
“He didn’t tell you?”
She shook her head. She was about to say something else when something was thrown towards them. “What was that?” She tried to pick up whatever was thrown at them, but Andreus kept her from bending down.