Chapter 10

𝙻𝚘𝚗𝚍𝚢𝚗

I realized something was different the moment my dad touched down. It wasn’t ’cause he hugged me too tight or asked a million questions—nah, that was normal. It was the way Aries shifted when he walked through the door. Straightened just a little. Eyes sharper. Presence heavier.

Like the house clicked into place around her. I should’ve felt suffocated, but instead, I felt… safe. Which was blowin’ me for real.

“Dinner tonight,” my dad announced over breakfast, actin’ like he hadn’t just been ghost for a couple days. “Family. Dinner.”

I groaned, throwin’ my head back. “You just touched down, and we already doin’ the most? Can I breathe first?”

“And I missed you too, Lo,” he said smoothly, not even lookin’ up from his coffee. “But, certain people need to see you’re doin’ fine.”

I narrowed my eyes at him, my spoon hoverin’ over my cereal. “Certain people, meanin’…?”

“People who don’t need to know everythin’,” he replied, chill as ever. That’s when his gaze slid—real low-key—over to Aries, who was leanin’ against the counter pretending she wasn’t listening.

“Aries, you’ll go too,” my dad added, his voice leavin’ no room for an argument.

Aries looked at me, and I looked at my father. I felt the heat rise to my cheeks, but I kept my face tight. “She’s literally paid to, Dad. that’s the job description.”

“Yes,” he nodded, lettin’ out a huff. “But tonight, she’s also your date.”

I choked on my juice. “My what?!“

He waved his hand dismissively. “Optics, Londyn. You’re young, rich, single. That makes people curious—and curiosity leads to questions we don’t feel like answerin’. Bring a woman or man and people stop asking questions.”

I blinked slow, a smirk pullin’ at my lips. “You could’ve just said you wanted me to flex.”

He smiled warm and unbothered, shaking his head like I was the dramatic one. “So? Is that a yes?”

I glanced over at Aries. She didn’t flinch. Didn’t even blink. “If you’re comfortable,” she said evenly, givin’ me a shrug that felt like a dare.

That was the problem. I was. Too comfortable.

Later that night, I stepped out in a long black dress with a high-ass slit up my thigh, simple but expensive. The kind that hugged me like it knew what it was doing. Aries was already waitin’ by the door. She was in a black suit—no tie, collar popped open to show off those neck tatts. The lines were clean, fitted just right to catch every muscle. And a gold chain restin’ against her collar bone? Pressure.

We matched without even tryin’. Again. I stopped short, slowly closin’ my bedroom door behind me. “You look…decent…” I muttered.

Her eyes moved over me once. Slow. Respectful. But her jaw tightened just a fraction as she took in the slit of my dress. “You look good, Londyn” she rasped, her voice soundin’ lower than usual.

I smirked, feelin’ my confidence click into place. “I know.”

She stepped closer without hesitation, reachin’ up to adjust the strap of my dress like it was second nature. Her fingers brushed against my shoulder—light but deliberate. My body reacted before my mouth could. Fucking traitor.

I tilted my head, lookin’ up at her. “You play girlfriend often?”

“Hell nah,” she said, her gaze steady on me.

“Lyin’ ass, nigga,” I scoffed, though my heart was doin’ jump-rope.

She didn’t flinch. “I just play roles well.”

And just like that…her words did somethin’ stupid to my stomach.

𐃯

Dinner was… surprisingly easy. Like too easy. Aries sat beside me, close enough that our knees stayed locked under the table. She was playin’ her role to the letter—attentive, quiet, and protective. The whole damn package.

Her hand stayed near my thigh, about an inch away, keepin’ me on high alert. Every time a messy aunt of mine asked a personal question, Aries leaned in, answering like she’d been readin’ my diary since middle school.

“She gotta eat before she gets cranky,” Aries said, her face deadpanned.

My aunt laughed, lookin’ between us. “Oh, you know her real well, huh? How long has this been going on?”

I shot Aries a look. “Quit yappin’ and eat your damn salad.”

“She threw up on me the other night,” Aries added calm as ever, like she was commentin’ on the weather.

The table froze. Deadlocked. Forks paused mid-air, and the only silence was my heart doin’ backflips. I sucked my teeth, smackin’ her thigh from under the table, “Why the hell would would you broadcast that?!”

She shrugged, unbothered. “You asked for honesty, no? Real relationships got mess.”

My dad raised an eyebrow, clearin’ his throat. “That sounds… serious.”

I leaned closer to her, lowering my voice. “I told you I was sorry the next mornin’! Stop playin’ in my face!”

She looked at me, a tiny smirk playin’ at the corner of her mouth. She wasn’t just playin’ a role anymore—she was runnin’ the yard.

“I know. It happens,” she said. “You were just bein’ dramatic. Standard Londyn behavior”

“Rude.” I muttered, pickin’ at her expensive-ass salad.

“You cried and told me to switch classes more than once,” She continued, loud enough for my aunt to lean in, curiosity written all over her face as she tried to eavesdrop. “’cause you claimed Whitney’s face triggers your fight-or-fight.”

“Disrespectful.” I glared.

Her lips twitched like she was fightin’ a smile—and while the whole table was busy whisperin’ ’bout my “emotional” state, her hand settled on my lower back. Warm. Steady. Like it belonged there.

My breath caught. I immediately scanned the entire restaurant like the drink police was ’bout to cuff me. I felt exposed, but in a way that made my skin hum.

“You okay?” she murmured, leanin’ in so close our shoulders were locked.

“Yeah,” I said, the word comin’ out a pitch too high. “Just… hot. They need to turn the AC up or somethin'”

She leaned in, her voice droppin’ to a frequency only I could hear. “So why the hell is you shakin’ then?”

“I’m not.” I snapped, tryna’ regain my seriousness.

“You are, though?” she challenged, her fingers pressin’ just a little firmer into the small of my back.

…She was right. And the worst part? Every little thing she did—her thumb brushin’ my knuckle under the table, to her knee pressin’ into mine, the way she angled her body toward me like I was the only person in the room that mattered—my body was reactin’ like it damn-near knew the answer to questions I hadn’t even asked yet.

Imagine if this wasn’t just a calculated play. Imagine if it was genuine. Imagine if it was real…Yeah. Fuck no. I shut that thought down before it could even pay rent in my head.

I didn’t have the bandwidth for that kind of chaos. I needed air—and not ’cause the dinner was bad. It was ’cause Aries kept doin’ that fuck-ass thing where she leaned in too close when she spoke, her voice low like it was specifically for me. My body was startin’ to act real unserious, and I couldn’t have that.

“I’m stepping outside,” I announced, pushing my chair back. My skin felt too tight for this dress. “Before I start beefin’ with one of my aunties.” I murmured more to myself, but I knew Aries heard it.

My dad waved me off, lookin’ unbothered as ever. “Take your—” He paused, glancin’ at Aries with a look that said he knew exactly what he was doin’. “—girlfriend.”

I gagged dramatically, rollin’ my eyes so hard I almost saw stars, and walked off.

Aries followed. Of course she did. The patio lights were low, warm, makin’ everythin’ feel softer than it had any business bein’. The night air hit differently outside the restaurant, Atlanta hummin’ around us—loud & alive.

Valet lights were flashin’ in the distance, and I could hear the faint thump of a bassline from a car down the street. People lingering.

I leaned against the railin’, crossin’ my arms over my chest. “You be glued to me or something?”

“You walked away,” she said, her voice calm as the night air. She stepped in front of me, hands in her pockets, posture relaxed—alert like she always is.

“I followed.” she added.

“Sounds like some serious attachment issues to me.”

She let out a low chuckle, shakin’ her head. The gold chain caught the light. “Sounds like my job, Londyn. Don’t get it twisted.”

I side-eyed her, my gaze lingerin’ on the neck tatts. “You enjoyin’ this a little too much. The knee-touchin’, the whisperin’…you wolfin’ in front of my auntie.”

She stepped closer—closer than her “job” required. Close enough that I could feel the heat rollin’ off her suit without even touchin’ her. She wasn’t crowdin’ me, but she was definitely occupyin’ my space.

“You asked me to play the part.” she murmured.

“My dad did. I just asked you to show up,” I corrected, my voice draggin’ a little. “I ain’t ask you to commit to the bit this hard?”

Her eyes flicked to my lips for half a second before she looked away. “Too convincing?” she asked, her voice lower than before.

My stomach flipped. I deadass hated that it did.

“Yeah, nah, yo ass enjoyin’ this a little too much,” I said, recoverin’ my cool and clearing my throat. “My aunt ’bout to start lookin’ at venues. She almost asked when the weddin’ was.”

“She seemed serious, too,” Aries chuckled.

“Don’t encourage her,” I said, raisin’ a brow. “She already think we hunchin'”

“Mhm.” She hummed, but her eyes? Her eyes flickered back to my lips again. Dark. Dazed. Too focused for someone just ‘workin’ a shift. ‘Before I could even call her out, a group of girls walked past—dressed nice, laughs way too loud for the vibe.

One of them slowed when she clocked Aries in that suit. I felt the energy shift before I even saw it. That look. Up and down.

“Oh, she fine as fuck,” one of them whispered—and she didn’t even try to keep it lowkey.

I scoffed under my breath. “Damn, y’all subtle as hell, huh?” I muttered lookin’ them dead in the eye. “Keep it pushin’.”

Aries didn’t even flinch. Didn’t look. Didn’t smile. She stayed locked on me like I was the only one around.

“Told all y’all Atlanta was dangerous,” I muttered, but the girl waved anyway like she ain’t see me standin’ right here. “Hey.”

Aries just gave a polite-ass nod. “Evenin’.”

That was it. No smile, no lingerin’—just business. And somehow, that irritated me even more. I straightened up, steppin’ so close I could feel the heat off her suit. “You always this popular? You got a fan club I didn’t sign a waiver for?”

“I don’t pay attention, I’m not gon’ lie,” she said, her eyes stayin’ locked on mine.

“That’s worse,” I muttered, my heart doin’ that stupid jump-rope thing. “That’s how they get bold. That’s how they trap you into a whole conversation you ain’t ask for.”

She followed my gaze, then looked back at me, her brow liftin’ just a fraction. “You mad or sumn, Londyn? You look like you ’bout to start beefin’ with the sidewalk.”

“I’m observant,” I snapped. “And irritated.”

She leaned in slightly, her voice dropin’ to that frequency that makes my skin hum. “They just fuckin’ ’round. It’s the weekend.”

“So?”

“So you don’t have to worry,” she murmured.

I scoffed, rollin’ my eyes. “Girl, I’m not worried.”

She hummed, lookin’ completely unconvinced. “That jaw of yours says otherwise.”

I rolled my eyes as another girl group slowed down, clearly debatin’ if they should try their luck. I felt the heat crawl up my neck the slower they walked.

“She’s taken,” I blurted, my voice loud and clear over the Atlanta hum.

The girls on the sidewalk froze—deadlocked in the middle of the valet line.

Aries turned her head slow, lookin’ from them back to me, her brow arched. “I am?” she asked.

I grumbled, my face scrunchin’ up like I was disgusted, though my heart was doin’ backflips. “Yes, Nigga?? Did I stutter?”

The girls laughed awkwardly, probably realisin’ the “Rich Girl” wasn’t playin’ tonight, and kept walkin’. Silence stretched between us, thick and heavy with everythin’ I shouldn’t have said. Then Aries smiled.

It wasn’t her usual bodyguard smile—controlled, professional, polite. It was a real one. One that reached her eyes and made those russet tones glow under the patio lights.

“Is you jealous, Lo?” she asked quietly, her gaze searchin’ mine.

I rolled my eyes, lookin’ off at a passin’ SUV like it was the most interestin’ thing in the city. “Oh, please. Don’t flatter yourself. I just don’t like strangers breathin’ my air. It’s high-grade.”

“So I’m trippin’?”

“Overly,” I nodded, tryin’ to find my “unserious” mask on the floor.

“But you moved closer,” she murmured, her voice dropin’ an octave as she glanced down at the non-existent gap between our bodies.

“Because it’s cold,” I snapped, lookin’ anywhere but at her.

“It’s eighty degrees, Londyn. The humidity is literally pressin’ us.”

“Mind your damn business, Aries. I’m sensitive to drafts.”

She leaned in just enough that only I could hear her. “You just don’t like when people lookin’ at what you consider yours, do you?”

My mouth opened then closed shut. I swallowed. “I don’t consider you anything, Aries. You’re a line item in my dads budget.”

Her gaze dropped to where my hand had curled into her jacket sleeve. “Then let go,” she said softly.

I looked down. Didn’t move. Not one bit.

Her thumb brushed my wrist—light, almost accidental—and my pulse jumped like it was tryin’ to escape. “I got you,” she murmured.

I hated how fast I listened. I never listen to anybody.

The restaurant doors swung open, voices and clinkin’ silverware spillin’ out and breakin’ the moment clean in half. I stepped back first, fixin’ my dress and pullin’ my attitude back out of the trash.

“Don’t get it twisted,” I said, matchin’ her stare. “I was just playin’ the role. Optics, remember?”

She held my gaze, a slow, lethal smirk pullin’ at her lips. “You played it well, mama.”

Yeah. That’s ’bout to be a problem. A huge-ass problem.

“C’mon,” I said, clearin’ my throat and turnin’ away before I did somethin’ reckless. “Before my dad sends a search party.”

She followed, her hand briefly pressing to my lower back as she guided me inside.

She followed, her hand pressin’ to my lower back as she guided me inside. That touch stayed with me, burnin’ through the lace of my dress. And when we sat back down? Her knee brushed mine again. Deliberate.

I kept my eyes forward. I didn’t let my mind wander cause once dinner ended I couldn’t ignore the fact that my dad looked pleased. Too pleased, at that.

“You make a good pair,” he said, soundin’ like he’d just closed a multi-million dollar merger.

Aries nodded politely—back to bein’ my bodyguard.

I rolled my eyes, checkin’ my acrylics. “Whoa, relax now. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”

But once we got back into the car, the silence between us was different. It wasn’t awkward, it was thick. Heavy with everythin’ that happened on that patio.

“You ain’t have to sell it like that,” I said finally, breakin’ the tension before it choked me clean.

She glanced over, the gold chain catchin’ the streetlights. “Sell what?”

“The girlfriend thing.”

She paused, lookin’ at me with a gaze that was deadass serious. “I wasn’t sellin’, Londyn.”

Oh. Fuck you.

Fuck you and your words.

My heart did somethin’ stupid—a whole jump-rope routine against my ribs. I quickly looked out the window, pretendin’ the Atlanta skyline was the most fascinatin’ thing in the world.

“Good job tonight,” I muttered, my voice draggin’ with pride.

She smiled soft—the real kind, the one that makes her eyes glow. “You felt safe.”

It wasn’t a question. It was a statement of fact. I swallowed hard, the “unserious” mask finally hittin’ the floor for good. “Yeah.”

And that scared me more than any damn gunshot ever had.