Blood Oath (Ruby Rose/Ares fan fic)

Twenty-five

The rooms of the Rome Continental look more modern than the entrance lobby: the bathroom is made of the finest white and grey Carrara marble, the bed is huge with white Egyptian cotton bed linens and a dark blue bedspread that matches the carpet while the walls are painted in a pigeon grey colour. Some mirrors and golden decorative objects like vases and cushions give a touch of light. Wide windows offer privileged views of the Roman ruins and the gardens around them. Some porcelain platters are waiting on a serving cart with our dinner, it smells almost as good as Nonna's food but I think I won't be able to eat a single bite of it. It's time to face up to reality: I need to find an answer for the High Table in less than 10 hours because right now I don't know what I'm going to tell them.

"Don't let him touch you." The electronic sound of Ares' device startles me and I turn around to look at her confused. "Tomorrow when Winston introduces you to that bastard... don't let him touch you. If I see Dragan shaking your hand or grazing your skin in any way... I'll shoot him." The Assassin's gaze is very intense, she's being serious.

"I won't go near him, I promise." I don't understand why this is so important for her but I'm fine with it, I don't feel like interacting with that asshole anyway. Ares nods and takes off her jacket and tie with tired movements, then se opens her bag to take a tank top and sweat pants and gets into the bathroom. I sit down on the edge of the bed looking at the night falling over the ancient city of Rome while I hear the shower and my dinner gets cold... "I'd better change my clothes too..." I think running my hand through my hair and taking my hair tie off.

When Ares leaves the bathroom I'm already wearing my yoga pants and a tank top and I'm sitting on a little couch near the window picking at some gnocchi gratin with cheese. I move the dish aside after taking two bites, I'm not really hungry and I have a headache. My bodyguard startles me when she sits on my lap straddling me and cradles my face with her hands to look at me right into my eyes before kissing me softly, I put my hands around her waist and I just let myself be carried by the feeling of safety that Andreja always makes me feel. Our tongues dance in sync, slowly, savouring each other till a single tear runs down my face and she catches it with her lips before leaning her forehead on mine. I wish I could stay with her like this forever but she pulls away eventually, takes my fork and shoves some gnocchi in her mouth, chewing while she types on her device.

"You need to find a scapegoat."

"I already know that but I don't know who..." I answer before biting a piece of almond and chocolate cake. Ares frowns at me and moves the dessert away, then she pushes closer to me a dish with lamb chops... it's pretty clear that I have to eat some real dinner before she lets me eat my chocolate dose.

"Come on, there must be someone... maybe another criminal or a dirty cop to blame, a bad person that hates Dragan." The Assassin smirks happily when she sees me taking a bite of lamb chops.

"Even if those are evil people I don't want to accuse them of something they haven't really done. In spite of everything they have a family and friends... it's not fair."

"Oh come on!" She cuts me off typing furiously. "There must be someone really wicked and who hates Dragan to blame for this."

"There're many people who hate Dragan but..." I fall silent all of a sudden, frowning with my eyes fixed on the cake. Ares rolls her eyes hard and pushes the dish closer to me again but I shake my head, that's not what I want... I've got an idea and it's... perfect. I jump from the couch startling the Assassin, run through the suite and go out to the corridor with her nipping at my heels. Somehow she's managed to grab her gun just in case she needs to protect me despite I've moved very fast. I knock on Winston's door several times and he opens it shocked, Julius is standing behind him looking at me baffled; I think I've just interrupted their dinner.