"Now, it's time to go shopping," said Luke, his tone casual but firm, a slight grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.
Selene's brow furrowed, a mix of suspicion and curiosity crossing her face. "Shopping?"
"Clothes for you," he added, gesturing vaguely toward her.
Selene's lips twitched, as though she wasn't sure if she'd misheard him or if he was joking. "Luke… I've been alive for centuries. In all that time… shopping for clothes has never been one of my 'hobbies.' It's… tedious, and frankly, a waste of time."
"That's exactly the problem," Luke replied, striding toward the car with a confident step, his eyes glancing briefly at the streets around them. "You've been wearing the same black, skin-tight outfit for… what, a hundred years? It's functional, sure, but it draws attention in ways you probably don't even realize. Every scumbag within three blocks is staring, every petty thief is sizing you up"
Selene raised an eyebrow, "Jealous?"
Luke smirked, the corners of his mouth twitching with amusement. "Let's call it… proactive."
Yep, he was definitely jealous, and Selene's current outfit drew far too much attention for his liking. He didn't like the idea of strangers ogling at her, and he wasn't shy about letting that be known.
Minutes later, they pulled up in front of a sleek, upscale boutique—one of those places where even the mannequins looked smug, as if they silently judged every passerby for their lack of style.
The polished glass doors reflected the morning sunlight, and the subtle scent of expensive perfume and leather hit them as they approached.
A cheerful saleswoman in a neatly pressed suit greeted them as soon as they stepped inside, her smile wide and practiced. "Welcome! How may I help you today?"
Luke gestured toward Selene without hesitation, his tone calm but decisive. "Clothes for her. Money isn't an issue."
The saleswoman's eyes lit up instantly, clearly delighted at the promise of an unlimited budget. She practically hummed with enthusiasm. "Of course, sir. Right this way—please follow me."
Selene cut in, muttering under her breath, her voice laced with reluctance and a hint of irritation. "Do we really have to do this?"
"Yes," Luke said firmly, meeting her gaze with unwavering seriousness. "And before you argue, remember—I want to see you in something different. Humor me."
He gave her a gentle nudge toward the racks of designer dresses, his hand brushing her arm lightly but firmly. "Go on. Explore. Try new things. It's not going to kill you, and honestly… you might even like it."
Selene hesitated for a moment, glancing at the rows of sparkling fabrics. The bright colors and delicate patterns were foreign to her, a world away from the dark, practical clothes she had worn for centuries.
As Selene reluctantly stepped toward the clothing section, Luke suddenly called out, "Oh—wait! Before you go, hand them over."
Selene paused, understanding instantly. Without hesitation, she reached into her coat and produced her twin pistols, laying the cool metal into his gloved hands.
The saleswoman froze mid-step, her eyes widening as she stared at the guns. For a split second, she looked like she was about to hit a silent alarm.
Luke, however, only smiled warmly. "Don't worry—they're props. I'm a magician."
With a flourish of his hands, the pistols seemed to vanish into thin air.
The saleswoman blinked, startled, then let out a small laugh of relief. "Well… that's a first. I suppose we don't get many magicians in here."
Luke's faint smirk never wavered. In truth, he'd just dumped them into his inventory, but no one needed to know that.
Luke leaned against a polished counter, watching her go. He thought to himself—not for the first time—how rare it was to have a woman in his life who didn't want to shop.
Some men would kill for that. He just considers himself lucky… and maybe a little curious to see how she'd look in something that wasn't tactical leather.
After about thirty minutes, Luke was still planted in the so-called "waiting area" of the women's boutique.
The place was suspiciously comfortable -- plush chairs that seemed molded to your body, a constant stream of free coffee, even a bowl of candy on a small side table. He had to admit, it was unnervingly efficient at keeping boyfriends docile while the women ransack the store.
Luke suspected that this was part of some ancient, carefully honed feminine strategy that had existed long before credit cards or online shopping.
He sipped his coffee, trying to look casual. The saleswoman returned. Her smile was faintly conspiratorial.
"Sir," she said, voice teasing, "I think you might want to come take a look at your… wife?"
Luke blinked. "Girlfriend. Wife is for the future," he corrected, a half-smile tugging at his lips.
"Then you might want to hurry that up," she said, smirking knowingly, as if she'd seen this reaction a thousand times before.
Curious despite himself, Luke followed her toward the changing rooms. The saleswoman stepped aside, and with a soft swish, the curtains opened.
Selene stepped out—and for a heartbeat, the world seemed to slow down.
The black leather was gone, replaced by a flowing white gown that seemed to glow softly under the boutique lights. The fabric fell in graceful, layered folds, molding to her figure without constraining her movement.
Delicate silver detailing shimmered subtly across the bodice, catching the light in the tiniest flashes. Her usual aura—lethal, cold, and commanding—was still there, but now interwoven with something softer, almost ethereal, a lightness Luke hadn't seen in her before.
He found himself staring, his mouth opening and closing like he'd forgotten how to speak.
"Well?" Selene asked, tilting her head with that slight, practiced curiosity she always carried. Her voice was casual, but he caught the flicker of uncertainty in her eyes, the subtle question: "Do you really like this?"
Luke stepped closer, still caught off guard. "I was expecting… you know… casual wear. Something for blending in. Not…" He gestured vaguely at her with both hands. "…'I do' levels of commitment."
Selene arched an eyebrow, one side of her mouth lifting slightly. "So you don't like it?"
Luke smirked, his voice dropping just enough to carry a teasing edge. "Selene… you walk out in that again, and I might skip the blending-in phase entirely and start looking for an actual priest."
Selene's lips curled into a small, knowing smile. No woman could resist a compliment
Luke tore his eyes away from Selene long enough to glance at the saleswoman.
"Okay, I've got to know—whose idea was this dress?"
The saleswoman's smile was pure mischief, a spark of amusement lighting her eyes. "Mine. Your girlfriend looks good in everything she tries on, but when I saw her… I knew this one would be perfect. And, ah well..." She gave a tiny, almost playful shrug, "…it happens to be one of our most exclusive pieces."
Luke narrowed his eyes slightly, though there was no real heat behind it. "Ah. So this is less about 'perfect for her' and more about 'perfect for the boutique's sales numbers.'"
The woman didn't even flinch. "Why not both?"
Selene just stood there, arms loosely crossed, giving him a look that said you started all this shopping nonsense, not me.
Luke sighed, rubbing his temples. "Fine. I'll take it. But I'm also getting some… normal clothes. Stuff you can wear without making every guy within fifty meters crash his car into a streetlight."
The saleswoman beamed. "Of course, sir. We have an entire rack of daywear I think she'll love—"
"I doubt that," Selene muttered under her breath.
Luke caught it and smirked. "Doesn't matter. You're getting them anyway."
The saleswoman quickly went to fetch more options, probably already calculating her commission, while Luke turned back to Selene.
"You know," Luke murmured as Selene stepped out in the flowing, wedding-like gown, "if you wore that in the bedroom… things would get messy." His voice was low, controlled, barely audible, and it took effort not to reach out and pull her closer right there in the boutique.
Selene tilted her head, lifting the hem of the gown just enough to tease. "Why not?" she asked softly.
Luke's throat tightened. The temptation was strong—but he shook his head with a wry smile. "Not the time. Not the place."
Her smirk deepened.
"You've changed so much since our first meeting," Luke said, thinking about how cold and serious Selene had been when they first met—and how much she seemed influenced by him now.
Selene stepped closer, her fingers curling into the lapel of his coat, tugging him down slightly so their eyes met. "And who do you think is responsible for that?" she murmured, her gaze holding his.
Unable to resist, Luke leaned in and kissed her. The world narrowed to just the two of them, her presence intoxicating. After fifteen seconds, he reluctantly broke away, both slightly breathless, with tension still humming between them.
At that moment, the saleswoman returned, carrying a few boxes. She froze for a heartbeat, realizing she'd walked in on something intimate, but quickly plastered on a professional smile. "Um… sir? We also take custom wedding dress orders, if you're interested."
Luke blinked, glancing between her and Selene. "That… sounds like a trap," he muttered.
After that little exchange, Luke decided it was safer to focus on the actual mission—buying clothes. So, he went all in. Every time Selene stepped out of the changing room in something remotely decent, he just told the saleswoman, "We'll take it."
The pile grew fast. Dresses, jackets, boots, casual tops, some sleek tactical-looking coats… and yes, a few outfits he picked entirely for selfish reasons.
By the time they were done, the counter looked like it was hosting a fashion show.
"Sir, your total comes to… $100,430," the saleswoman said politely, sliding the bill toward him.Luke didn't even flinch.
He reached into his coat and began pulling out bundle after bundle of hundred-dollar bills, placing them neatly on the counter, one stack at a time. The saleswoman's eyes widened slightly—most customers pay with cards, not a mini mountain of cash.
She couldn't help but glance at his coat again, wondering how he managed to fit so much money in there. Well, whatever the secret, she accepted the cash and rang up the total.
After rejecting dozens of "girly" options, Selene finally settled on a sleek black dress paired with a fitted skirt and leggings. It retained the dangerous elegance she favored, but now allowed her to move freely without drawing unnecessary attention.
Luke gave her an approving nod, a faint smirk on his lips. "Perfect. Functional. Deadly. And still hot as hell."