Devotion

Chapter 10

ARES

"Where to, sir?" Thomas asks, his British accent coming out.

"My place," I answer, finally relaxing in my seat and spreading my legs a bit. I skipped lunch today because of a meeting with the production team that ran over, and now it's two in the afternoon and I'm starving.

He responds politely with a "yes, sir." I take out my phone to check for emails as we drive to my house, a journey that should take less than thirty minutes.

I close my phone when I'm done and put it in my pocket. I look out the window and notice a woman entering a mall, her long legs striding with confidence, her coils forming a crown on her head.

She smiles at the sales associate as she tells her about a dress. Although she's in the middle of a crowd, she stands out as always.

"Stop," I abruptly say without thinking it over. Thomas complies.

"Sir, is everything okay?" he asks, a frown forming on his face.

"I'd like to shop at Sandy's." I don't wait for a response as I get out in the middle of the street, knowing that Thomas will find a parking spot.

I stride into the mall, slipping inside unnoticed. The first thing I purchase is a pair of black sunglasses, shielding my identity. I then make my way through the bustling crowd until I spot her.

She stands before a mirror, admiring herself in a radiant mini yellow sundress. Her fingers graze over the fabric, assessing the fit, her head tilting in contemplation.

"It's beautiful," I murmur softly as I approach. Startled, Leomi looks up, her expression shifting swiftly from surprise to joy as she meets my gaze, breaking into a bright smile.

"You think so?" she asks, straightening up. As she turns, I gently touch her waist, holding her in place. My head is close enough to catch the scent of cocoa butter in her hair, and I inhale deeply, savoring her fragrance.

"Penso che tu sia la donna più bella che abbia mai incontrato," I say in a rough voice, overcome by fatigue but unable to hold back my words any longer. She gasps softly, as if she understands what I said.

"That sounds beautiful. I love your voice," she tells me, a chuckle escaping me in response.

"Thank you, Rose," I say softly, lifting a hand to gently tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "Yes, I think so."

She closes her eyes briefly, savoring the moment, as if wishing it would last forever. I smile at her, sharing the same sentiment silently.

"What are you doing here?" she asks, snapping out of it with a giggle.

"What? I can't shop here?" I ask, stepping back and slipping my hands into my suit pockets.

Leomi turns to face me, scanning the surroundings. "They only sell clothes for women here—oh," she says, a troubled expression crossing her face, one I never want to see again.

"I don't have a girlfriend," I quickly assure her.

"I saw a beautiful lady here on my way home and I just had to stop and tell her how perfect she looks."

"Hmm," she responds, walking closer. She reaches up to adjust the lapel of my suit jacket. "I should mention how handsome she thinks you look in a suit." My gaze drops to her lips, and she bites down on them.

"My girl likes a man in a suit, huh?" I smirk, meeting her gaze as she smiles back, a hint of mischief in her eyes.

"Your girl?" she raises a brow, and I shake my head at her.

"Come on," I say, gently taking her hand. "Wait, I'm not done," she insists.

"We're not leaving yet. I'll wait for you," I say, deciding to leave out the part about waiting as long as it takes.

"Oh, that's great! I needed someone's opinion on these. You're the best friend ever!" she laughs, running to the fitting room with a bunch of dresses in her hands.

Soon after, the store manager approaches and asks if I need anything. I pay them to close the mall, ensuring we won't be interrupted. Then I sit patiently, waiting for her to come out each time, giving me a show as Leomi models each dress. She walks in them and asks for my opinion, but soon she stops asking why I keep telling her yes. She must think it's because I'm not really paying attention, but the truth is she looks perfect in whatever she wears.

An hour later, she starts trying on heels. She picks up a red pair, saying she's been looking for them, but then I hear her struggling inside the fitting room.

"Are you okay?" I ask, standing outside the room.

"I'm fine. I almost fell trying to put on these heels," she replies.

"Can I come in?" I ask, and she tells me yes. I open the curtain and then pull it shut behind me.

Kneeling down in front of Leomi, I take the heel from her hand. Gently, I lift her right leg and slip the heel onto her foot, then do the same for her other leg.

She thanks me, and I nod, then stand up to ask her what she thinks about the heels. She tries walking in them to see how they feel, then strikes a pose and smiles at her reflection in the mirror.

"It's perfect," she says, turning to face me. "Today was perfect. Thank you for always helping me," her voice sincere and gentle as always.

I smile at her and then step out, waiting for her to change back. When she's done, she hands everything to the sales associate, smiling as the woman takes the clothes from her.

Once the woman is finished and gives her the bags, I take all eight of them, splitting them evenly between my hands.

Leomi hands the sales associate her card, but the woman holds up a hand. "No need. Everything's already paid for."

She frowns. "How?" she asks, and the woman turns to look at me.

"Mr. Archer paid ahead of time and said anytime you come here to shop, just charge to his card."

Leomi gapes and turns to me with a defiant look. "What? No! Ares, it's fine. I can pay for it."

"I never said you couldn't. I was just giving a friend a gift."

"A gift? For what?" she asks, a confused expression etched on her beautiful face as she pulls her hair, which continues to fall over her face, behind her ear.

"You've been doing such a good job at work, and I think it's important to recognize that." She opens her mouth to say something, but I give her a look that tells her to let it go.

She huffs and grabs my arm. "Fine, but I'm paying for lunch. Let's go," she says, as if already knowing what I needed. I completely forgot I was hungry.