“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."
Ruby knows exactly how this could end up going so she doesn't hesitate to tell Andor that of course he can, lest her family decide to fire him for drama caused by a cranky alpha who didn't get his own way.
She lets go of Cassian intending to slide into the car when she feels a rough, smooth hand grab her upper arm and she knows exactly who it belongs to. It's definitely not one of the guards -none of them would dare- and only one person here would have the smooth hands of someone who hasn't worked a day in his life.
"Let me go!" The guards are about to step in and Ruby raises her free hand, telling them to stop. "Now."
He doesn't.
She feels bone crack underneath her fist before she even registering making the decision to punch him and the scream tells her she's broken his nose. But at least he's let go of her arm.
It happens so fast that Cassian doesn't anticipate it; one second Daryl has his hand around Ruby and the next there's blood everywhere, gushing from the alpha's nose and Cassian has to stop himself from cheering or growling. Instead, he shakes his head at the rest of the guards and puts himself between Ruby getting into the car and the now incensed alpha, raising an eyebrow at his coworkers and deciding, at that moment, that he's quitting this job.
It's cemented in his mind when he sees Mr. Williams coming towards the front stairs screaming his daughter's name just as Cassian shuts the rear car door behind him as the car pulls away from the house. He can still smell the blood in the air and his nostrils feel perpetually flared open, so he brings up a hand to pinch at the bridge of his nose.
It also helps to cover his growing smile, but not entirely, if we're being honest.
Ruby hears her father's angry voice and immediately slips into the car and across the seat to the other side, allowing Cassian plenty of room to get in as well. There's blood on her knuckles and they're going to be swelling underneath it but in 24 hours, the pain there will be the last thing she can think of.
The omega doesn't bother to hide her own smile, tilting her head over the seat to look at the guard. "I am. Y'see the thing about alphas is that most of you completely underestimate omegas. Everyone talks about how strong you are, but they forget what feisty little fuckers we can be. Especially, this close to a heat."
"That's fair." He knows better than to underestimate omegas (or even betas, for that matter) after knowing one who would knock him on his ass as soon as look at him. He'd loved Jyn, and Jyn loved her freedom, so that was that. He doesn't see a point in telling Ruby he knows better though; too much like tooting his own horn, really. But he does give her a soft, warm smile and opens his hand next to her. "Lemme see your hand?"
He just wants to make sure she hasn't injured herself unduly. And maybe wants to know if she'll allow him to touch her at all after all that.
"You're not one of those alphas." There's a story there, behind the expression in his eyes when he says that. She'd never expected him to be one of those alphas and hadn't lumped him in with them on purpose. It's easy to watch him and Ruby feels both the heat in her belly rise and the adrenaline calm as both their scents fill the car.
The driver -a beta- doesn't react at all.
After a brief moment, almost as if she's waiting to see if he'll force it, Ruby turns in her seat to place her hand in his. "They'll be okay."
"I'm glad to hear it." His smile stays soft but his expression is a little distant. It's not until she puts her hand in his that he snaps back into the present. "That I'm not like the other alphas you've dealt with, I mean. I try not to be...the quintessential."
Cassian has a little shudder at her hand in his, and he stops himself from licking his lips as he runs his thumb across her bruised knuckles. "Should put some ice on these though, when you get home." She smells nice, he thinks, and he needs to keep his head about him.
His phone rings, with the tone that tells him it's Ruby's father. So much for thaat job, but he's pretty good with money so it's not like he'll do poorly without it til he finds something else. He takes out his phone only long enough to silence it after letting go of Ruby's hand.
"When you live this life, you learn to tell who you can trust and who you can't. I can trust you." She knew, deep in her soul, that he was someone who could be trusted, regardless of how close she was to her heat. He'd yet to make her feel even slightly unsure about it.
She nods slowly, jumping slightly when the ring tone pierces the air. It's a sharp sound in the heaviness that's filled the cab and she flinches, sensitive.
"I'm sorry. My father... He's not going to forgive this any time soon. I'll probably hear about it for the rest of my life."
“This omega life, you mean?” Cassian looks away. "I'm glad you feel you can trust me. I don't want to betray that at all." He knows it's hard and he knows her father makes none of it easier for her. Neither does her mother.
He wishes he'd met her some way other than being their employee.
"It's fine. I needed a new job anyway." The car stops and Cassian blinks. "Oh. I guess this is you."
"The wealthy omega life. Always in the spot light, surrounded by alphas who think they deserve everything." Ruby keeps watching him, even when he turns away. He's as beautiful to look at as he smells and when they stop, Ruby doesn't want to get out of the car.
"He's going to think you nailed Daryl." Because of course his precious little daughter couldn't defend herself, being a helpless omega. "Did you.. wanna come inside? The least I can do is offer you a drink?"
"Everyone on my team, well, the security I mean, will own up to the fact that it was you and not me. Don't know how much that'll mean at the end of the day." The Williams' really need to reevaluate the ways in which they consider their daughter capable or otherwise, he thinks.
Then she offers him a drink inside and his brain goes just slightly haywire. Cassian is good at reading people, and he thinks there's a different offer being made here, but God knows he doesn't want to come up with the wrong idea. "...I'd be honored."
"I'm sure he and my father will choose to overlook the fact and find some way to still blame a rogue security officer." Ruby felt herself preen at the shame Daryl must be feeling after having his nose broken by a small, female omega in front of several others.
"Good." She smiles, thanking the driver before slipping out of the car and waiting for Cassian to meet her on the sidewalk in front of the ridiculously lavish building she calls home.
It's not the first time he's been accused of going rogue and Cassian blinks at her, his smile slightly disarmed. She's surprised him, and it shows. "I'm sure you're right." He's sure she knows all parties involved better than he does.
Cassian tips the driver and climbs out on the opposite side of the car, glancing up at the building and the doorman before tilting his head in the man's direction. "Uh. I don't think I'll be allowed to hold the door for you."
"Getting K.O'd by a tough alpha security guard sounds a lot better than being punched by a tiny little omega woman. Take it as a compliment." The fact that he hadn't stepped in meant more to her than he'd know.
Ruby smiles and offers her hand to Cassian. "That's okay. Baze will hold it for both of us. Won't you, Baze?" She smiles at the doorman, who winks back and tips his head at the pair of them. "Welcome back, Miss Williams."
It's easy to lead Cassian through the lobby into the elevator and she hits the button for the top floor.
It's so easy to take her hand, to follow her through the hotel lobby and into the elevator. He makes no moves to do anything further than holding the hand she gave him, but he does rub his thumb across her skin back and forth as the elevator carries them further upwards.
It doesn't stop until they reach the penthouse floor and this time Cassian is happy to follow once again. This close to her heat and in such an enclosed space, Ruby's scent of jasmine and roses with freshly brewed coffee are filling his nostrils. He takes a breath before they step out, eyes having slid shut at some point in the last few seconds.
Even if this is just a drink - coffee, alcohol, water - even if it turns into nothing more than that Cassian already feels a little ruined for anyone else anytime soon.
She's tugging on his hand and he opens his eyes and smiles. "Sorry. You smell...really good, that's all."
The elevator ride feels like it's both too quick and too slow at the same time. In such a small space, her scent is stronger but she can smell Cassian beneath it; smoke with an under current of something she can't place and it feels safe and comforting.
Ruby's cheeks flush at the compliment and she ducks her head, leading the way into her apartment. It's decorated in monochrome with pops of colour in random places and it's very her; which makes sense because she did all the decoration herself.
"You smell... safe." She leads the way into the kitchen and immediately reaches into a cupboard for a bottle of vodka. "Like... home."
While she obtains the vodka Cassian puts his hands into his pockets and glances at the furnishings and designs with a curious eye. "Not everyone likes it." His scent, that is. "Palo santo Is too strong for some. But I'm glad you like it. Really."
He smiles and glances around again. "This place is amazing." Huge is what he means, but also very stylish. Very Ruby.
Pouring two glasses of vodka, Ruby watches him over her shoulder before recapping the bottle and bringing the drinks over, lounging a hip against the counter. "Is that what it is? I couldn't place, but it felt familiar.
"There are plenty who don't like the floral with coffee undertones. Basically... anyone who doesn't like coffee."
It's ridiculous and all of it's paid for with daddy's dollar because what Ruby wants, Ruby gets, as long as she doesn't make a mess of the Williams name. "Thank you. It's ridiculous. There are eight bathrooms here. But the view is amazing. I can see the whole city from my pool. It's what I love most."
Cassian takes his glass but doesn't sip right away. Instead, he watches Ruby talk, glancing around when she mentions eight bathrooms (what?) and a pool (double what). "I like coffee." He practically lives on the stuff, so 'like' might be in need of a stronger word, to be honest. "A lot, actually."
Finally, he takes a sip of his vodka. It's top-shelf shit, the kind he usually only has when an older relative is in town and brought it with them. It warms him all the way down, and Cassian shuts his eyes in a brief moment of appreciation. "There's also the scent of the cold air in the snow, in my scent. It's not a common note." Opening his eyes again. "Not for everyone, I guess."
"Good." Ruby sips her own vodka and takes a step closer until she's almost in Cassian's space. "When I was little, it was odd." Granted, a lot of things about her scent had been odd when she was little and was still going by her assigned gender.
She's not subtle when she breathes in, trying to locate what he's talking about in his scent.
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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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She lets go of Cassian intending to slide into the car when she feels a rough, smooth hand grab her upper arm and she knows exactly who it belongs to. It's definitely not one of the guards -none of them would dare- and only one person here would have the smooth hands of someone who hasn't worked a day in his life.
"Let me go!" The guards are about to step in and Ruby raises her free hand, telling them to stop. "Now."
He doesn't.
She feels bone crack underneath her fist before she even registering making the decision to punch him and the scream tells her she's broken his nose. But at least he's let go of her arm.
"Okay! Time to go!"
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It's cemented in his mind when he sees Mr. Williams coming towards the front stairs screaming his daughter's name just as Cassian shuts the rear car door behind him as the car pulls away from the house. He can still smell the blood in the air and his nostrils feel perpetually flared open, so he brings up a hand to pinch at the bridge of his nose.
It also helps to cover his growing smile, but not entirely, if we're being honest.
"You're a dangerous woman, Ruby Williams."
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The omega doesn't bother to hide her own smile, tilting her head over the seat to look at the guard. "I am. Y'see the thing about alphas is that most of you completely underestimate omegas. Everyone talks about how strong you are, but they forget what feisty little fuckers we can be. Especially, this close to a heat."
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He just wants to make sure she hasn't injured herself unduly. And maybe wants to know if she'll allow him to touch her at all after all that.
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The driver -a beta- doesn't react at all.
After a brief moment, almost as if she's waiting to see if he'll force it, Ruby turns in her seat to place her hand in his. "They'll be okay."
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Cassian has a little shudder at her hand in his, and he stops himself from licking his lips as he runs his thumb across her bruised knuckles. "Should put some ice on these though, when you get home." She smells nice, he thinks, and he needs to keep his head about him.
His phone rings, with the tone that tells him it's Ruby's father. So much for thaat job, but he's pretty good with money so it's not like he'll do poorly without it til he finds something else. He takes out his phone only long enough to silence it after letting go of Ruby's hand.
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She nods slowly, jumping slightly when the ring tone pierces the air. It's a sharp sound in the heaviness that's filled the cab and she flinches, sensitive.
"I'm sorry. My father... He's not going to forgive this any time soon. I'll probably hear about it for the rest of my life."
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He wishes he'd met her some way other than being their employee.
"It's fine. I needed a new job anyway." The car stops and Cassian blinks. "Oh. I guess this is you."
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"He's going to think you nailed Daryl." Because of course his precious little daughter couldn't defend herself, being a helpless omega. "Did you.. wanna come inside? The least I can do is offer you a drink?"
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Then she offers him a drink inside and his brain goes just slightly haywire. Cassian is good at reading people, and he thinks there's a different offer being made here, but God knows he doesn't want to come up with the wrong idea. "...I'd be honored."
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"Good." She smiles, thanking the driver before slipping out of the car and waiting for Cassian to meet her on the sidewalk in front of the ridiculously lavish building she calls home.
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Cassian tips the driver and climbs out on the opposite side of the car, glancing up at the building and the doorman before tilting his head in the man's direction. "Uh. I don't think I'll be allowed to hold the door for you."
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Ruby smiles and offers her hand to Cassian. "That's okay. Baze will hold it for both of us. Won't you, Baze?" She smiles at the doorman, who winks back and tips his head at the pair of them. "Welcome back, Miss Williams."
It's easy to lead Cassian through the lobby into the elevator and she hits the button for the top floor.
The Penthouse.
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It doesn't stop until they reach the penthouse floor and this time Cassian is happy to follow once again. This close to her heat and in such an enclosed space, Ruby's scent of jasmine and roses with freshly brewed coffee are filling his nostrils. He takes a breath before they step out, eyes having slid shut at some point in the last few seconds.
Even if this is just a drink - coffee, alcohol, water - even if it turns into nothing more than that Cassian already feels a little ruined for anyone else anytime soon.
She's tugging on his hand and he opens his eyes and smiles. "Sorry. You smell...really good, that's all."
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Ruby's cheeks flush at the compliment and she ducks her head, leading the way into her apartment. It's decorated in monochrome with pops of colour in random places and it's very her; which makes sense because she did all the decoration herself.
"You smell... safe." She leads the way into the kitchen and immediately reaches into a cupboard for a bottle of vodka. "Like... home."
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He smiles and glances around again. "This place is amazing." Huge is what he means, but also very stylish. Very Ruby.
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"There are plenty who don't like the floral with coffee undertones. Basically... anyone who doesn't like coffee."
It's ridiculous and all of it's paid for with daddy's dollar because what Ruby wants, Ruby gets, as long as she doesn't make a mess of the Williams name. "Thank you. It's ridiculous. There are eight bathrooms here. But the view is amazing. I can see the whole city from my pool. It's what I love most."
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Finally, he takes a sip of his vodka. It's top-shelf shit, the kind he usually only has when an older relative is in town and brought it with them. It warms him all the way down, and Cassian shuts his eyes in a brief moment of appreciation. "There's also the scent of the cold air in the snow, in my scent. It's not a common note." Opening his eyes again. "Not for everyone, I guess."
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She's not subtle when she breathes in, trying to locate what he's talking about in his scent.
There, just beneath it.
"Good thing I'm not everyone."
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