Devotion

Chapter 4

ARES

Leomi looks breathtaking in that outfit, and I can't seem to take my eyes off her-not that I want to. I settle into my chair as we wait for the stylist to finish with her hair before she begins.

When she notices me seated, she cocks her head slightly to the side, brows knitting together in confusion before she realizes I'm in a producer's chair. I wink at her, causing her to gulp and briefly close her eyes.

I can tell she's nervous, so I give her a comforting smile, and she smiles back.

The director yells "action," and the scene begins. She pretends she's running, with a green screen behind her that will later be edited to make it look like she's in the desert.

Leomi slips and falls hard on the floor, her bottom hitting it with a thud. I immediately get up, knowing that wasn't part of the scene.

I rush to her side, reaching her first and helping her up. "Are you okay?" I ask, noticing tears welling in her eyes.

"Get medics here now!" I yell when she doesn't respond. I know how hard the floor is, and she fell hard.

The medics quickly arrive, but instead of letting them help, Leomi moves away from them slightly and adjusts her clothes. "I'm okay. It's fine. I don't need medical treatment," she tells me, avoiding my eyes as if she's embarrassed.

I reach out and gently grasp her chin, turning her face to look at me. "Look at me," I say softly, but she keeps her eyes closed.

Leomi opens her eyes, and for a moment, I forget everything else, captivated by their beauty. It's as if they tell a story of their own.

"It's normal to mess up. Everyone does. I sure did multiple times, and I still do. I promise it'll be fine. Just silence your mind and focus on what's in front of you," I reassure her, my voice stern as she stares into my eyes with a glitter of hope in hers.

She nods before replying, "I want to try again."

"Are you sure? We can have them check you out first."

"I'm not hurt," she insists, but my gaze remains fixed on her. When she notices I'm not convinced, she exhales and adds, "I promise."

I nod before stepping away to let her do her thing. Sitting back down in my seat, I watch as she re-does the scene with even more emotion and improved movements. A smile spreads across my face, feeling proud.

In the movie, Scarlette's powers are special, which is why her people wanted her to be the leader. But leadership was never what she desired. All she ever wanted was revenge against those who wronged her and her parents. So she ran.

We spend hours filming her journey from the mountains to the city. This time, every scene she performs is perfect, with no need for retakes.

Later, everyone enjoys donuts as they discuss the day. They all praise her performance, and I watch in amazement from where I'm standing at how much she's grown in just the past few weeks I've known her.

While eating with Zamira, she suddenly turns her head, looking around as if searching for someone. When her eyes find me, she smiles. Putting her donut down, she says something to Zamira before walking over to me.

When she's close enough, she says, "You didn't eat." Three very simple words that make my black heart pump faster than ever.

"Have you been staring at me the whole night, Rose?" I tease in my rough, deep voice, tired from the day's work.

"It's not like that," she responds, making me chuckle.

"I don't like sweets," I answer honestly, making her gasp in shock.

"Who doesn't like sweet?" She asks, her eyes widening, and her mouth falls in disbelief.

"People with a brain."

"Are you saying I don't have a brain?" she asks, feigning sadness. She moves closer to me, and I feel the urge to grab her waist and kiss her, something I've wanted to do since I first saw her but I don't.

Instead, I stand up and walk toward Leomi until her forehead is almost touching my chest. She looks up, meeting my eyes. I smirk before replying, "I might be willing to make an exception."

"For me?" she asks, a small smile forming on her face.

"Farei qualsiasi cosa per te, mia Rose," I reply in Italian.

"What does that mean?" she asks curiously, tilting her head slightly in an adorable way. Who am I kidding? Everything she does is adorable to me.

"You have a big forehead," I smirk, our eye contact never faltering. I decide to tease her instead of telling the truth, so I don't scare her.

"Hey! No, I don't," she says, making me laugh. Everyone turns in shock at the sound of my laughter, realizing it's not something I normally do.

This woman made me forget where I was.

I shrug, and she playfully hits my arm. "Ow," I say, making a hurt expression. My brows furor and my lips form a pained frown.

She covers her mouth in shock, her eyes widening. "Oh my God! I'm so sorry. Did I hurt you?" she asks, making me laugh.

Leomi covers her mouth in shock, her brown eyes widening. "Oh my God! I'm so sorry. Did I hurt you?" she asks, making me laugh.

Seeing that I'm not hurt, she tries to hit my arm again, but this time I stop her by grabbing her hand. I pull it towards me until her hand and mine are wrapped together, feeling her warmth against my chest.

"Do not tease me," she says, her lips forming a pout.

"I can't help it, bellissima. You're too beautiful," I whisper under my breath. I lick my lips and her eyes briefly flutter to them.

Then I pull away from her, saying, "I'll see you tomorrow," as I walk away without looking back until I've reached my car.