Ruby's parents had "hired" Cassian - blackmailed him, really, with some information that helpfully landed in their laps - to help them consolidate their business. At first, he thought it meant shady backroom financial dealings.
It took him about a week to sort out what they meant for him to do was marry their daughter.
He likes Ruby is the thing. He likes her, and this was supposed to be his last job anyway, and even though they weren't married - he'd stalled with her parents, and he suspected that she had done the same - they were close. Well. Ruby was close to who Cassian was supposed to be.
No one was close to Cassian really, not anymore.
He'd gotten her out of her parent's house the day they were arrested. They spent time together. Like a date, kinda. The sort where you go back home and there are questions from the police and the FBI and no one asks Cassian anything which is probably pretty telling.
Actually he knows it is, when everyone is gone and Ruby won't even look him in the eye. He wants a drink. He doesn't want to be here. He wants to go home, and take Ruby with him and explain it all.
It was all planned. Every single thing had been planned. By her parents. Which wasn't really a surprise.
Cassian's role in the whole thing had been more surprising.
And it had hurt in a way she hadn't been prepared for and all the questioning that had happened had gone by in a distracted blur; something the officers had brushed off as her confusion of what had been going on.
Ruby is sitting on the couch, hands between her knees and eyes on the floor.
"'Sorry'? You're 'sorry'? For what? Letting my parents basically sell me to you? Or lying to me about it?"
He doesn't sit next to her; he doesn't think that he's allowed to, all things considered. Instead he sort of hovers at the edge of the couch, hands in his pockets, watching her.
"I should've told you sooner." Do you hate me? he wants to ask but doesn't.
"Yeah, you should have!" When she looks up, her eyes are filled with unshed tears and she can't keep the hurt and sadness off her face.
Somewhere along the way, with all the time they'd spent together, Ruby had fallen for him and she'd fallen hard and to find out it was all a lie, all a ploy of his parents devices in order to marry her off and give their fortune to someone else.
And he'd been here to trap them!
"Were you ever going to tell me? That this was all a lie and that you're just here with me to trap my parents?"
"Meeting you wasn't all a lie. That was..." An accident? Fate? "That was just us. The universe, or something." He keeps his eyes cast downward. "It wasn't...I didn't do this for myself or because I wanted to. That intel your parents had on me? Wasn't fake. The government just got to it before they did and had a tighter hold."
How does he explain? "I...I wanted us to be friends."
"I wasn't allowed. If you knew, there was a chance that someone higher up would be able to argue that you were in on it." He reaches for her in an abortive movement that ends with one hand at his side and the other running through his hair. Now it's his turn to have hair sticking up everywhere.
"Don't you think I would've asked about that? That I would have tried?"
"In on what? Cassian, I still don't even know what's going on! My parents were just arrested and I was asked questions about things I've never even heard about!" She starts pacing around in front of the couch, the tears rolling down her cheeks.
It's with a sniff that she stops in front of Cassian. "How am I supposed to believe any of this was real, Cassian? Make me believe that I'm more than just a fee to you."
"Embezzlement, for starters. Bribery. There's a list." He watches her pace, blinking when she stops in front of him.
He should kiss her. It's the worst idea he's had yet, and still. He should.
So he does. It's soft, like their first kiss was, months ago. His hands stay at his sides and he lets the kiss end faster than he'd be inclined to otherwise, but. He doesn't know what else to do.
"Yeah, I got that. While the cops asked me a thousand questions about my dad's shitty business deals."
She stares at Cassian expectantly until he kisses her and her eyes fall closed at the soft pressure that leaves almost as quickly as it comes. "Cass... I want to believe you. I want this to be real."
"Then believe me. Take the risk. I promise, I'll...I'll always be honest with you. I'll tell you anything you ask. Just don't...don't go. Don't ask me to leave you."
His hands reach for hers. "Not now." It's going to be long, and probably messy, and he doesn't want to abandon her to deal with all that alone.
"Tell me you love me." Squeezing Cassian's fingers, Ruby looks down at the ring he'd given her; her grandmother's ring that her dad had given to him before he'd proposed. It's an extravagant diamond that she wore for him and not because it suited her style at all.
"I love you." She looks at the ring and so does he, clearing his throat after a second and procuring a box out of his pocket. The ring inside has skulls and a pigeon blood ruby in its setting - much darker than Ruby's current engagement ring. "It doesn't have to mean we're getting married," he says, as he takes the heirloom off her finger and replaces it with the ring he bought for a fraction of the cost with his own money, his own small savings. "If you don't want to. But it is my promise to you. That I love you no matter the rest."
The Williams family often hosted overly extravagant galas to fund raise money they already had for foundations they didn't really care about and somehow, Ruby always ended up dragged along to keep up the facade that they were some happy family that actually spoke for more than a few minutes at dinner on a Sunday night, dressed up in a beautiful gown her mum had made just for her.
That was why she was at this stupid party, far too close to her heat and mingling with pervy alpha's who thought her being here at this point in time was all for them.
This was how she'd ended up cornered by an alpha she didn't know, faking a smile and trying to locate an escape route that wouldn't upset him or cause more disappointment with her parents.
There'd been some chatter amongst the guards about Ruby's presence; most of them were Alphas and not all of them had enough sense to keep their comments to themselves. Cassian took a small bit of pride getting them to shut up about it with a word. He'd worked for the Williams' for years and he recognized what was happening here with their daughter. They put up the perfect front and she just...survived them.
It was kind of sad.
It was also ten thousand percent none of his business, really.
He hadn't meant to interrupt whatever was happening between Ruby Williams and the alpha, but the latter was giving off a dangerous scent for an alpha who had an omega cornered (even at a party). He glanced around, noticing one of the other guards who was too busy chatting up a waitress to notice the precarious situation Ruby might be in.
Then again he didn't want to read too much into something that might be nothing, so he just sort of...hovered, in Ruby's field of vision, trying to make eye contact and see if she needed his help in any way.
Ruby was cornered. One hundred percent trapped by an alpha who was making it very clear that he felt he had every right to have her where she was. Still, the smile stayed plastered on her face even as her usually sweet scent soured with unease.
There was another alpha lurking, she could feel his gaze, but unlike the brute in front of her, ignoring her discomfort, the other stare didn’t make her stomach twist in knots so she sought him out.
Andor. She remembered her father praising him and she hoped he was as good as he’d claimed and could see the desperation in her stare.
"Miss Williams! I'm sorry...Daryl, was it? Miss Williams is due downstairs for a photograph of the donors." This was both true and not; the donors were all taking a photo, and while her parents had not asked for her by name, they wouldn't argue if Ruby were to suddenly appear for a photo op. "You'll have to excuse us."
For a moment it seemed as though 'Daryl' wasn't going to give ground. Cassian hovered there, over his shoulder, and heard the other man growl his displeasure. "Need help, Andor?" Came through the earpiece and Cassian waited to see what the other man would do.
He stepped off. Surprising, really, but it gave Cassian the opportunity to give Ruby his arm and lead her down the staircase. "Are you okay?"
“Of course!” She turns to Daryl, smile still firmly in place despite her growing discomfort. “Please, excuse me. My mother will have my head if I’m late.”
She also knew she wasn’t expected, that her parents didn’t care what she did as long as she showed up and didn’t cause a scene but the alpha doesn’t seem to want to back down and Ruby is far from being interested in turning down any reason to escape.
As soon as he does, Ruby takes the guard’s offered arm and says goodbye before letting him lead her away and down stairs.
“I... should not be here tonight. Thank you for the rescue.” A beat. “I don’t actually have to take photos do I? Because I could really use some air.” She was painfully sober; she’d be stupid to get drunk around this many alphas and so close to her heat.
And of course that was the only reason the smoky scent of the alpha at her side was so appealing. Or so she tried to tell herself.
"I'm sorry about that." The fact that she was forced to be here in the first place, so close to her own heat, really put into stark lighting just how little her parents were concerned for her well-being. He knew of countless parties at people's houses that turned sour for unpaired omegas near heat. Everyone did.
Presumably, that was part of what he was there for, but that didn't mean he had to like it.
"Outside is perfectly fine. Whatever you need, Miss Williams."
He leads her out to the side garden where there are a few party-goers but mostly clear air. "Are you going to be okay? I can call you a car."
“So am I.” Ruby had learned at a young age that she existed purely for appearance, and so that her father had some way of keeping his money in his own name when he inevitably died. Of course, he’d have preferred a son, but that just wasn’t meant to be. There were many things Ruby would fake; being a man wasn’t one of them.
Andor leads them outside and the cool breeze hits her warm skin instantly, causing a shiver despite how pleasant it felt.
“I can fake it for another hour.” By then, her mother would be suitably sloshed and her father would be too engaged in his business to see her slip out. “I’d be better if you called me Ruby.”
"Alright, Ruby. I'm more worried about the jilted paramour inside than your parents, honestly." He can handle the latter, spin a story to protect Ruby from their wrath regarding this party at least. The former he can also handle, but it might get violent and Cassian would rather avoid that.
As if summoned, the man in question appears on the second-floor balcony, which Cassian can see from his peripheral vision. He sighs, a little. "We should maybe get you out of here before things get messy."
"If it comes down to it, I will put him in his place. He's not the first difficult alpha I've had to deal with close to heat, and he won't be the last." She smiles softly though, because she does appreciate the thought.
And the fact that Andor seems capable of keeping himself in check around her.
Ruby doesn't miss his reappearance of said alpha and she rolls her eyes, letting out a sigh.
"Let's get you a car," Cassian says, checking his watch. His shift at this party is just about done anyway so he can deal with this if it blows up, which...he suspects it's about to, if the growl the man on the balcony lets out when he spots them is any indicator.
He offers Ruby his arm and radios to the guards at the front to order her a car. "Is your apartment safe?"
Ruby sneers and takes the offered arm once more, delighting in the way it causes obvious frustration within the alpha upstairs that she's being so free with her affection here when she wasn't with him.
"If you count having a doorman who looks like he just stepped out of the military and the best security system money can buy installed, then yes. My apartment is safe."
"Great." Cassian gives Ruby a nod and a smile, trying to reign himself in from taking a deep breath of her scent. Since she's no longer as distressed, it's taken on softer, sweeter tones mixed with the pressing heat and Cassian is glad that she's going home, where she'll be safe from Daryl and any other alpha with bad intentions.
The car is waiting for them when they reach the front door but so is the alpha, reeking of fury and barely contained by three of the guards on shift. Cassian sees his replacement gesturing for them to get in the car as fast as possible and Cassian knows if he stays behind, it's gonna be a fight. "Mind if I join you just as far as your apartment? I'll take another car from there."
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
~ undercover lover ~ (yes I'm the worst)
Ruby's parents had "hired" Cassian - blackmailed him, really, with some information that helpfully landed in their laps - to help them consolidate their business. At first, he thought it meant shady backroom financial dealings.
It took him about a week to sort out what they meant for him to do was marry their daughter.
He likes Ruby is the thing. He likes her, and this was supposed to be his last job anyway, and even though they weren't married - he'd stalled with her parents, and he suspected that she had done the same - they were close. Well. Ruby was close to who Cassian was supposed to be.
No one was close to Cassian really, not anymore.
He'd gotten her out of her parent's house the day they were arrested. They spent time together. Like a date, kinda. The sort where you go back home and there are questions from the police and the FBI and no one asks Cassian anything which is probably pretty telling.
Actually he knows it is, when everyone is gone and Ruby won't even look him in the eye. He wants a drink. He doesn't want to be here. He wants to go home, and take Ruby with him and explain it all.
"I'm sorry," is what he starts with.
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Cassian's role in the whole thing had been more surprising.
And it had hurt in a way she hadn't been prepared for and all the questioning that had happened had gone by in a distracted blur; something the officers had brushed off as her confusion of what had been going on.
Ruby is sitting on the couch, hands between her knees and eyes on the floor.
"'Sorry'? You're 'sorry'? For what? Letting my parents basically sell me to you? Or lying to me about it?"
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He doesn't sit next to her; he doesn't think that he's allowed to, all things considered. Instead he sort of hovers at the edge of the couch, hands in his pockets, watching her.
"I should've told you sooner." Do you hate me? he wants to ask but doesn't.
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Somewhere along the way, with all the time they'd spent together, Ruby had fallen for him and she'd fallen hard and to find out it was all a lie, all a ploy of his parents devices in order to marry her off and give their fortune to someone else.
And he'd been here to trap them!
"Were you ever going to tell me? That this was all a lie and that you're just here with me to trap my parents?"
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How does he explain? "I...I wanted us to be friends."
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"Were you ever going to tell me?"
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"Don't you think I would've asked about that? That I would have tried?"
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It's with a sniff that she stops in front of Cassian. "How am I supposed to believe any of this was real, Cassian? Make me believe that I'm more than just a fee to you."
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He should kiss her. It's the worst idea he's had yet, and still. He should.
So he does. It's soft, like their first kiss was, months ago. His hands stay at his sides and he lets the kiss end faster than he'd be inclined to otherwise, but. He doesn't know what else to do.
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She stares at Cassian expectantly until he kisses her and her eyes fall closed at the soft pressure that leaves almost as quickly as it comes. "Cass... I want to believe you. I want this to be real."
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His hands reach for hers. "Not now." It's going to be long, and probably messy, and he doesn't want to abandon her to deal with all that alone.
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"Tell me you love me and make me believe it."
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• catnip is bad at titles •
That was why she was at this stupid party, far too close to her heat and mingling with pervy alpha's who thought her being here at this point in time was all for them.
This was how she'd ended up cornered by an alpha she didn't know, faking a smile and trying to locate an escape route that wouldn't upset him or cause more disappointment with her parents.
• not quite bodyguard au • that's my vote
It was kind of sad.
It was also ten thousand percent none of his business, really.
He hadn't meant to interrupt whatever was happening between Ruby Williams and the alpha, but the latter was giving off a dangerous scent for an alpha who had an omega cornered (even at a party). He glanced around, noticing one of the other guards who was too busy chatting up a waitress to notice the precarious situation Ruby might be in.
Then again he didn't want to read too much into something that might be nothing, so he just sort of...hovered, in Ruby's field of vision, trying to make eye contact and see if she needed his help in any way.
Works for me!
There was another alpha lurking, she could feel his gaze, but unlike the brute in front of her, ignoring her discomfort, the other stare didn’t make her stomach twist in knots so she sought him out.
Andor. She remembered her father praising him and she hoped he was as good as he’d claimed and could see the desperation in her stare.
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For a moment it seemed as though 'Daryl' wasn't going to give ground. Cassian hovered there, over his shoulder, and heard the other man growl his displeasure. "Need help, Andor?" Came through the earpiece and Cassian waited to see what the other man would do.
He stepped off. Surprising, really, but it gave Cassian the opportunity to give Ruby his arm and lead her down the staircase. "Are you okay?"
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She also knew she wasn’t expected, that her parents didn’t care what she did as long as she showed up and didn’t cause a scene but the alpha doesn’t seem to want to back down and Ruby is far from being interested in turning down any reason to escape.
As soon as he does, Ruby takes the guard’s offered arm and says goodbye before letting him lead her away and down stairs.
“I... should not be here tonight. Thank you for the rescue.” A beat. “I don’t actually have to take photos do I? Because I could really use some air.” She was painfully sober; she’d be stupid to get drunk around this many alphas and so close to her heat.
And of course that was the only reason the smoky scent of the alpha at her side was so appealing. Or so she tried to tell herself.
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Presumably, that was part of what he was there for, but that didn't mean he had to like it.
"Outside is perfectly fine. Whatever you need, Miss Williams."
He leads her out to the side garden where there are a few party-goers but mostly clear air. "Are you going to be okay? I can call you a car."
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Andor leads them outside and the cool breeze hits her warm skin instantly, causing a shiver despite how pleasant it felt.
“I can fake it for another hour.” By then, her mother would be suitably sloshed and her father would be too engaged in his business to see her slip out. “I’d be better if you called me Ruby.”
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As if summoned, the man in question appears on the second-floor balcony, which Cassian can see from his peripheral vision. He sighs, a little. "We should maybe get you out of here before things get messy."
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And the fact that Andor seems capable of keeping himself in check around her.
Ruby doesn't miss his reappearance of said alpha and she rolls her eyes, letting out a sigh.
"Okay, maybe you have a point."
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He offers Ruby his arm and radios to the guards at the front to order her a car. "Is your apartment safe?"
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"If you count having a doorman who looks like he just stepped out of the military and the best security system money can buy installed, then yes. My apartment is safe."
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The car is waiting for them when they reach the front door but so is the alpha, reeking of fury and barely contained by three of the guards on shift. Cassian sees his replacement gesturing for them to get in the car as fast as possible and Cassian knows if he stays behind, it's gonna be a fight. "Mind if I join you just as far as your apartment? I'll take another car from there."
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