Chapter 11

𝙰𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜

Londyn never sat still.

She shifted in her chair like the room was too small for her energy, one leg bouncin’ a mile a minute, pen spinnin’ between her fingers while the professor talked in circles ’bout some shit nobody was actually listenin’ to. I sat behind her like usual now because her professor felt bold enough to threaten me. But I mainly sat behind, far enough to give her space, but close enough to see when her shoulders tightened or her posture changed.

I’d already cleared the room. I knew where the exits were, who was carryin’ a heavy bag, and who was lookin’ at her a little too long. But lately, I was slacking. Instead of scannin’ for threats, I was watchin’ the way she twirled that pen when she got bored. The way her foot bounced when she was irritated. The way she leaned back in her chair, lookin’ unserious whenever a guy spoke too confidently near her.

I told myself it was “situational awareness.” I told myself I was just scopin’ the perimeter for her own good, but my eyes kept findin’ her even when nothin’ was wrong.

Suddenly, she laughed at something the guy beside her whispered, head tilting back slightly, mouth open just enough for me to notice. He leaned closer than necessary, his knee brushing hers like he was testing boundaries.

My pen paused mid-sentence, my jaw tightening before I could stop it.

She was the only thing in the room that felt real. And the way she’d occasionally tilt her head, like she could feel my gaze on the back of her neck?

That was a whole problem in itself.

I looked at him then. Not aggressive, not even threatenin’—just a steady. I held it just long enough for him to glance back, catch my eye, and suddenly remember where he was. He straightened up real fast, like he’d just realized he was breathin’ my air.

Londyn didn’t notice. She rarely did. She was too busy bein’ the center of her own universe.

After class, she spilled into the hallway with her crew like always—loud, careless, jokin’ like they owned the buildin’. She stood right in the middle of the flow, sunglasses on even though we were indoors, phone already in her hand. Unserious as hell, but it worked for her.

“Why do professors talk like they allergic to gettin’ to the point?” she complained, rollin’ her eyes behind the lenses. “I paid tuition, not rent in they mouth—”

Before her friends could even cosign, a guy stepped up—Tall, clean-cut, and carryin’ that kind of confidence that only comes from never bein’ told ‘no.’ He was star gazin’ before he even opened his mouth.

“You Londyn, right?” he asked, smilin’ easy, actin’ like he didn’t see me standing on the side. I shifted my weight, my hands findin’ my pockets. He was lookin’ at Londyn, but I was lookin’ at his throat.

“Depends who askin’?” Londyn said, tiltin’ her head. Even through the sunglasses, I could feel her mask slippin’ just a fraction.

“I’m Tyriq,” he said, lookin’ her up and down. “I been tryna holla at you for a minute now. Lemme get your number?”

Her crew went real quiet. Deadlocked. They were curious to see how she’d play it, but I didn’t have the patience for a second act.

I stepped into her space without even thinkin’, standing behind her, close enough that my chest was flush against her back. My hand settled at her waist, my fingers barely brushin’ the fabric of her outfit, but the message was loud and clear.

Londyn paused mid-breath. I felt her spine go rigid, her whole body reactin’ to the proximity.

Tyriq noticed the shift immediately. “Oh—my fault,” he said, hands lifting slightly as his smile faltered. “Didn’t know it was like that—”

“She good,” I said, keepin’ my voice level and cold.

Londyn twisted her head just enough to look at me, her gaze searchin’ mine. “I ain’t say all that, did I?”

I leaned down, my voice dropin’. My mouth was so close to her ear I could smell her perfume—somethin’ expensive and intoxicating. “You ain’t have to.” I murmured.

Her breath hitched. Quick. Sharp. Gone just as fast as it came.

Tyriq laughed awkwardly, lookin’ like he’d just seen a ghost. “All good. I’ll catch you around, Londyn.” He walked off faster than he came, not even lookin’ back.

Her friends didn’t say anything, just exchanged looks. One of them smirked. Another raised her brows like she’d just confirmed a theory.

Londyn turned fully toward me, her eyes sharp. “You be doin’ the most, I swear, Aries. You deadass extra.”

“I just handled the situation.”

She scoffed, crossin’ her arms. “Handled what? Somebody bein’ interested? Is that a crime in the ‘Criminal Justice’ handbook?”

I stepped back half a pace, givin’ her just enough room to breathe without really giving it. “He was too close,” I said, my jaw tightenin’.

She tilted her head, her lips twitchin’ like she was fightin’ a smile. “So now you measurin’ inches? You got a ruler in them pants pocket?”

I ignored that, turnin’ toward the exit. “Let’s go.”

I watched her walk ahead, then followed, my eyes movin’ in a constant scan. Down the hall, another guy brushed past her shoulder. Too comfortable. Way too bold. I adjusted my path without thinkin’ twice, lettin’ my shoulder clip his just enough to send a clear-cut message.

He looked back, confused, but I didn’t offer an apology. I just held his gaze until he kept it pushin’. Londyn jogged a step to catch up, her eyes narrowed behind those shades. “You woke up on ‘Protector Mode’ or somethin’?”

“Somethin’ like that,” I muttered, my jaw tightenin’.

She laughed, the sound echoin’ in the hallway. “You know you look crazy, right? Like you guardin’ a limited edition purse.”

I glanced at her. The sun hittin’ her just right through the windows. “Part of the job, Londyn.”

She grinned. “You been sayin’ that lately. You also been doin’ a lot too.”

“Doin’ what?”

She tilted her head, studyin’ me like I was the one under the microscope. “Existin’ real loud. Your energy is takin’ up the whole hallway, Aries.”

We slowed near the stairwell, the noise of campus hummin’ around us like a low-frequency broadcast. She stopped walkin’. I stopped too— bodyguard instinct. People flowed around us, students yappin’ about nonsense, but everything narrowed to her face. She looked soft around the edges today. Curious. Challenging.

“You don’t like when they look at me,” she said, her voice casual but her eyes watchin’ me too closely.

I looked past her. Down the hall. I focused on a fire extinguisher fifty feet away—anywhere but her face. “I just notice when they do,” I replied, keepin’ my voice even.

“Sounds like jealousy to me,” she teased, leanin’ into my space just enough to make my pulse jump.

I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. My throat felt tight, my tactical brain scrambled by the way she was lookin’ at me.

She stepped closer—just enough that her arm brushed mine. 

“I don’t mind,” she added softly, her voice barely a whisper over the campus hum. “Just so you know…”

Her crew was watchin’ again, pretendin’ to be deep in conversation, but their smiles said everythin’.

I straightened my posture, clearin’ my throat to reset my internal systems. I needed to be her bodyguard, but the damn light she was throwin’ was blindin’. “We got class, Londyn,” I said, tryin’ to sound official.

She rolled her eyes, turnin’ away with a smirk that told me she knew exactly what she was doin’ to me. “You always ruinin’ the moment. So unserious.”

We started walkin’ toward the lecture hall, the crowd partin’ around us. As we moved, she leaned back slightly, her arm pressin’ firm into mine. She didn’t pull away. She stayed right there, lockin’ our pace together.

I didn’t adjust my path. I didn’t step back.

I let her.

For the first time since I took this job, I wasn’t lookin’ for the exit. I was looking at something else.

𐃯

I knew Londyn was high before Vincent even spoke. I smelled it first—sweet, skunky, and deadass careless. It was clingin’ to the back hallway like it didn’t give a damn who noticed, while I stood in the kitchen with Vincent, noddin’ through a conversation I’d already half-checked out of.

I stayed behind the island counter, listenin’ to her laugh outside. It was too loud, a little unhinged—the kind of energy that meant she’d officially checked out of reality for the night. Vincent kept talkin’ ’bout “the family business” like the walls were paper-thin.

“She out back?” he asked, casual as hell.

“Yeah,” I said, my voice steady.

“She does that sometimes,” he said, actin’ like she was just snakin’ candy instead of gettin’ fried in the backyard. “Go get her. She listens to you. Tell her to bring herself inside before she forgets she got any damn sense left.”

That wasn’t even close to the truth. Londyn didn’t “listen” to anyone, especially not when she was in her unserious bag. But I didn’t correct him.

“Yes, sir,” I said, pushin’ off the counter.

I took a shower first—habit more than anythin’—lettin’ the water run hot until the tension in my shoulders finally loosened. When I stepped out, I pulled on a white wife-beater and gray sweats. Curls still damp, body relaxed in a way it usually wasn’t.

By the time I finished, the house had gone quiet in that late-night way that makes everythin’ feel thick. Outside, Londyn was exactly where I expected—sprawled across a lounge chair like gravity had personally betrayed her. Hood half-zipped. Eyes glassy. Starin’ at the Atlanta sky like it owed her money.

“Hey,” I said. “You good?”

She looked up slow. Way too slow. Her eyes tracked me from my damp curls down to my sweats. “Why you dressed like that?” she asked, voice lazy but sharp at the edges.

“Because it’s late,” I replied, keepin’ my voice level even, despite my pulse startin’ to do that skipping thing. “Come inside. Your pops is lookin’ for you.”

She squinted, her crooked smile widenin’. “You bossy, Aries. Always doin’ the most.”

“Inside,” I repeated, steppin’ closer.

“That how you ask?” she challenged, her eyes still locked on my chest. “Where’s the ‘mama’ from the patio?”

I huffed, lookin’ away at the tree line. “Londyn. Don’t play in my face.”

She sat up, and the way her eyes dragged over me this time? It was different. Heavy. And deadass far from subtle. “You always look like that?” she asked, her voice dropin’ an octave. “Or am I just trippin’? ‘Cause you look… correct.”

I ignored the heat crawlin’ up my neck. “You high,” I muttered, reachin’ out a hand to pull her up.

“And?” she snapped, her eyes glassy but focused. “You act like that’s new information, Aries.”

I stepped closer, tryin’ to regain my bodyguard status. She leaned back on her hands, lookin’ me up and down without a single blink. It was disrespectful to my peace of mind. “You starin’, Londyn.”

She smiled—crooked, mean, and entirely unapologetic. “You mad shy?”

“Nah,” I said, lying straight through my teeth.

“Lyin’ ass,” she scoffed, her voice lazy. “Your shoulders tight. You do that when you stressed.”

I didn’t answer.

“Why you ain’t tell me you was built like that?” she added, her gaze wanderin’ over my abdomen and arms like she was readin’ a map. “The suit does you a disservice, mama.” she teased.

“Londyn,” I warned, the “mama” from the patio echoin’ back at me like a promise.

“What?” she shrugged, lookin’ unserious as hell. “I’m just bein’ observant. Isn’t that what I pay you for?”

“Your pops wants you inside the house.”

She scoffed, rollin’ her eyes. “He always want somethin'”

She stood up abruptly, and for a second, her balance flatlined. She swayed toward the edge of the pool. I reached out without thinkin’, my hands findin’ her waist to steady her. The contact felt like a high-voltage current through my palms.

She didn’t pull away. She didn’t even flinch. Instead, she stepped closer—into the non-existent gap between us. She was so close I could feel the heat rollin’ off her.

“Careful—” I whispered, my hands stayin’ locked on her waist. I should’ve let go. I should’ve stepped back.

She laughed, her breath warm against my neck—a sensation I couldn’t ignore. “You smell good,” she muttered, her voice lazy and fried. “Like cocoa and vanilla. It’s… too much.”

Her hands slid up my shoulders, settlin’ at the base of my neck. She wasn’t holdin’ me, but she was definitely occupyin’ my space. Her fingers were cool against my skin, a sharp contrast to the heat rollin’ off her.

“You’re starin’ again,” I said, my voice soundin’ a lot less steady than I wanted it to.

“I’m thinkin’,” she replied softly, her eyes lockin’ onto mine.

“About what?”

“Why you so calm all the time.” Her fingers tightened slightly against my skin. “It’s irritating.”

“That’s enough, Londyn,” I said, my hands stayin’ firm on her waist as I tried to guide her toward the house.

She planted her feet—deadlocked. She wasn’t movin’. “You don’t like when I’m high.”

“I don’t like when you’re reckless, Londyn. There’s a difference between relaxin’ and playin’ with your safety.”

She tilted her head, her eyes dark, deep, and completely unserious. “You don’t like when I flirt,” she challenged, her face inches from mine.

“I don’t—” I started, the lie dyin’ in my throat before I could even finish.

Before I could even react, she jumped. It was a coordinated hit on my composure—legs wrappin’ around my waist, arms loopin’ around my neck like she’d done it a thousand times before.

“Londyn,” I grumbled, my hands instinctively findin’ her thighs to keep her from fallin’. “The hell is you doin’?”

“Relax,” she laughed, her face so close I could see the chocolate tones in her eyes even in the dark. “See? You got me. You always got me.”

I sighed, adjustin’ my grip. One arm under her thigh, the other steady against the small of her back. She settled into me like she belonged there, her head droppin’ to my shoulder. My heart was doin’ a whole unserious routine against my ribs.

“I’m finna drop you,” I threatened, though we both knew it was a lie.

“You won’t,” she whispered.

She was right. I started walkin’ toward the house.

“You not even mad,” she murmured in my neck.

“You high, Lo. You talkin’ out the side of yo neck.”

“And you fine,” she replied, lookin’ at me with that fried honesty. “We both got problems.”

I kicked the glass door shut behind us, the AC hittin’ my damp curls. “Bedroom. Now.”

“Ooo,” she teased, her eyes dark and full of mischief. “That sound crazy out loud.”

She rested her forehead against mine, her breath warm and sweet. The air in the hallway felt thick. “You flustered, Aries?”

“I’m focused, Lo..”

“You grippin’ me kinda tight for ‘focused,’ Aries,” she challenged, her fingers brushin’ the base of my neck.

I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. I just kept walkin’ toward her room, keepin’ my jaw tight and my gaze forward.

I carried her through the quiet hallways, her hummin’ against my neck—lazy, off-key. I set her down on the bed, my hands lingerin’ for a second too long before I pulled away. She flopped back dramatically, arms spread wide. “Wow,” she breathed. “Princess treatment.”

“Go to bed, Londyn,” I said, my voice tight. I turned to leave, but she grabbed my wrist and pulled. Harder than expected. I wasn’t braced for it. I stumbled forward, my weight landin’ on the mattress as I caught myself above her. 

My hands were on either side of her shoulders, my chest inches from hers. For half a second, the world just stopped spinnin’. Our faces were frozen, the silence between us so thick I could hear my own heart tryin’ to escape my ribs.

Her smile faded just enough, replaced by somethin’ heavy. Her eyes flickered from my gaze down to my lips, and I felt my pulse jump. 

Fuck.

“Damn,” she whispered. “That’s crazy.”

I tried to pull back, my brows furrowin’ as I fought for my professional life. “You play too much, Lo. You fried as hell.”

She laughed, a breathless sound that hit me right in the chest. “And you don’t ever play enough, Aries—”

“Oh, shit—my fault!—”

The door was cracked. A voice cut through the tension like a gunshot, breakin’ the frequency clean in half. I scrambled back, so fast I nearly hit the floor.

The door swung wide, and there they were—Imani and Britney, overnight bags in hand and mouths open, already laughing.

“Oh nah,” Imani said, her eyes widenin’ as she looked from my damp curls down to my gray sweats. “We see you, Aries. We deadass see the play.”

“Oh,” Britney added slow, a smirk pullin’ at her lips. “So this is the sleepover vibe.”

Londyn sat up, blinkin’ against the light comin’ from the hall, lookin’ unserious and entirely too comfortable. “Why y’all in my room? And why y’all ain’t knock??”

“You invited us,” Imani reminded her, her gaze still locked on me. “For the sleepover. Which we clearly interrupted. My bad for disturbin’.”

Silence stretched between us, thick and deadlocked, then Londyn bursted out laughin’, fallin’ back against the pillows. “I’m never livin’ this down,” she groaned.

I stood there for a beat too long, my ears burnin’. I needed to move. I needed to leave, but the walls were closin’ in. “I’ll… be downstairs,” I said, my voice cracking.

I pushed past them, their smiles followin’ me on my way out. Behind me, Londyn’s laugh lingered in the air, sweet and chaotic. And so did the realization that the job description just changed.