SEVEN (Odessa POV)

If you want to draw attention to yourself, don't behave the way you're expected to do. When I set up an appointment with the head of D'Antonio family in New York I did it through the customary procedure, I mean through the telephone operators, and I arranged the meeting in the usual place where business can be done safely for both parties, I mean the Continental. It's all quite normal... although I'm anything but normal and that's why I decided to go one step further and dress for the occasion with a white blouse and a pencil skirt in grey and purple shades that matches my hair, with the addition of some black stilettos and a Chanel bag. I even let Val doing my hair in an elegant ponytail and applying a light touch of makeup turning me into a glamorous criminal wearing designer clothes. Judging by the whispered praises and socked faces I'm getting while I climb down the restaurant staircase carefully, I think I've managed to make quite an impression despite the risk posed by these high heels... if I don't fall and smash my head, it'll be a miracle.

This place is as dark and solemn as always and Winston is sitting on his usual stool at the bar counter sipping at his glass of wine while keeping an eye on the business that people are making around him. The Italian mob has picked out the table farthest from the stairs probably because it's the biggest one and several people can sit on the Chester sofa and the armchairs around it. It's pretty clear that I've managed to make Fabrizio D'Antonio nervous if he thinks that he needs at least six bodyguards to keep me at bay... I only brought Val instead but he's not happy about this situation: he believes that our little deception will ruin his reputation since it gives the impression that he's unable to protect me alone although I've promised him it won't be like that. I think the real problem is that he doesn't trust Ares actually, which is unfair since he doesn't know her personally, but he'll accept my dad's commands because Val trusts his judgement. I should be offended because he doesn't trust me but he knows me well and has seen the stupid smile on my face every time I mention the assassin's name...

And there she is, sitting on one of the armchairs, her profile is gorgeous and the chiselled jawline perfect... I know it because I rubbed my lips along it several times yesterday. Despite she's wearing a smart dark blue suit and a stripped light blue shirt that hide her body, I know there's soft skin covered with colourful tattoos under the fabric and it gets goose bumps when I slide my fingernails along her thighs and lower my head to... I clear my throat and straighten my back while I walk across the restaurant slowly. Lucky felt so good under my tongue and her taste is the sweetest I've ever tried but this isn't the right moment to think about that if I want to look credible in my role and carry out my dad's plan successfully: Ares' life is at stake now... I'll have time to remember her moans later, the way she raised her hips to make further contact with my mouth and her fingers pulled my hair hard when she reached her ecstasy... Fuck! I'm doing it again.

"Signor D'Antonio..."

"Signorina Dashkova..." A man who's about 45 years old gets up from the sofa and shakes my hand firmly before pointing at a free armchair on the other side of the table which means that Ares is sitting to my left near me: she remains quiet and has barely looked at me with faked lack of interest. Her boss seems anxious instead and his men look at Val out of the corner of their eyes while he's standing behind me clenching his jaw like a pit bull. Actually, calling him by the family name isn't entirely correct since he's not blood-related: he's married to a cousin of the late Santino and just took the name when he became responsible for the mob in this city. I get the impression that he feels he must prove himself worthy of the honour of being appointed head of D'Antonio family in America constantly... and that's why he thinks Ares is a threat to him, he fears that his boss in Italy can decide to give her the position if he fails. Lucky is convinced that he's going to try to kill her soon and I have to keep her far away from him till she can escape.

"Thank you for meeting me on such short notice..." I smile at the waitress that has finally learnt her lesson and places a glass of vodka and ice on the table without asking before.

"No, it's no trouble at all, signorina. What can I do for you?" Ares licks her lips slowly, I can see her out of the corner of my eye and I think she knows it, and my toes curl inside my designer shoes in response. Damn, if she keeps provoking me like that I'm going to ruin this deal.

"I'm going to come right to the point, signor D'Antonio, since I'm pretty sure you're a very busy man." The Italian guy smiles flattered as I expected. "You see, I have a problem: I've been getting... serious... threatening notes since I came back to this city for business. I know this is a common thing in our line of work and I wouldn't mind usually but, you know, I live in Paris most of the year where the Russian mob has a pretty expansive presence , it controls large areas of the city and I feel safe there. Unfortunately, I don't feel the same here in New York since the interests of my compatriots have moved to California where they can make deals easily with Mexican drug cartels and, even if my bodyguard is amazingly good at his job, the truth is that he doesn't know New York as well as he should besides the Continental and some major attractions of Manhattan. I can't leave till I finish with my business and I won't allow a coward who doesn't show his face to force me to leave."

"I understand... what an awful situation for you." The Italian man smiles with sympathy but seems baffled: he still doesn't get it despite it should be pretty obvious at this stage of the conversation. Lucky fidgets slightly on her seat but she probably would love to roll her eyes frustrated.

"I need a professional bodyguard," I explain moving my left hand pointing at Ares subtly before brushing a lock of her hair away from my forehead. Let's see if this idiot can understand a subliminal message... "Someone who knows this city and can protect me but also drive at full speed through the alleys of New York in case I need to escape from my enemies..." I take my glass of vodka and lean my head towards the assassin before taking a sip. "I'll have to go back to Europe for some days probably and then flying here again so I need someone who can stay with me for a few weeks..." I smile putting the glass on the table and my hand points to my left again subtly while leaning back on the armchair. "I've been told that the Italian mob is the longest living here in this city and its members are experts in providing escort service..."

"Oh yes, we are." Fabrizio puffs out his chest proudly. "The family has been doing business in New York for the last 100 years and we know every single corner of these alleys..." The smile of the Italian guy vanishes and he frowns when he finally realizes what the problem is... Yes, D'Antonio family has been a constant presence throughout the state and Santino ran the mob with firm hand for years despite being an unbearable papa's boy, but this guy is a newcomer to this country and so they're most of his men... In fact, the only person sitting at this table that has been living in New York for a decade and knows every alley... is Lucky.

"I'm so happy to hear that, obviously I'm talking to the best..." I lean my head to my left once again while smiling and asking to myself if I'll end up with a neck pain because of this jerk. I can almost see the slow gears mashing in his brain till he opens his eyes wide when he finally realizes that he has the solution to my problem at hand and, in addition to this, he'd get rid of a nuisance. Frabrizio straightens his back on his seat and waves his hand at the smartly dressed woman.

"Actually, I can offer you the services of an outstanding bodyguard that matches your requirements perfectly. Ares has been living in New York for years, she's one of the best assassins of the family and is famous for surviving a fight against John Wick... only a few members of the Company can say the same..."

"Oh yes, I've heard about that story... it's fascinating..." I look right at my lover for the first time since I sat on this armchair and she smiles faintly nodding in order to greet me and thank me for my words although she keeps a perfect poise. "Are you sure you can manage without the services of such a stunning bodyguard? Actually, I have no way of knowing when I'll finish my business in this city and can terminate this agreement. And I need her on a full-time basis while she protects me..."

"That's not a problem for me, Miss Dashkova. You have asked me for the best and Ares is what you need, no doubt: she'll be your bodyguard as long as you want her... for a price, of course." Fabrizio smiles again thinking how he can take advantage of the situation despite getting rid of Lucky for a while.

"I don't care about money, signor D'Antonio. Ares will get her going rate and you'll get an additional payment for the inconvenience that her absence could cause... But I'm afraid I must insist on a blood oath... Please, understand that this is a very delicate situation and I need maximum safeguards."

"Of course I understand it..." The Italian guy smiles faintly although he fidgets on his seat awkwardly, he knows he can't force Lucky to accept the blood oath and she must agree on it freely. I wave at Val who gets closer and puts two small boxes on the table, one in front of the assassin and the other one in front of Fabrizio, before opening them: the gold coins shine despite the dim light of the restaurant. Ares tilts her head and counts them, leans back on her armchair and stares at me from head to toe pretending to think about it while she rubs her finger on her plump lower lip before nodding. Her boss heaves a sigh of relief and takes his box while I gesture at Winston to get closer with a book and the medallion: the manager of the Continental seems a bit confused, he knows that I only need a phone call and an army of Russian criminals would be here to protect me and also it's unlikely that someone is threatening me for that very same reason, but he has no way of refuting my story and there's the slightest chance that I'm telling the truth. Besides, the fact that I'm ready to sign a blood oath gives it credibility... No one in the underworld jokes with this thing.

Ares takes the brass medallion and presses the spring that opens it and shows the sharp spike that pokes out on one side. She cuts her thumb with precise movements like she's done this hundreds of times before and waits for the drop of blood to run down her skin before pressing it on the polished surface to leave her fingerprint, then she does the same on the book where Winston has already written the date and the purpose of this oath in black ink with his elegant cursive writing. The manager of the Continental hands me the medallion and closes the book once the ink and blood are dry... I'm supposed to hand back the pendant and leave my bloody fingerprint next to the one of Ares the day our contract comes to an end... although they don't know the assassin will be "dead" by then.

"I'm very grateful for your help, signor D'Antonio."

"It has been a pleasure doing business with you," he answers happily like a great weight has been lifted from his shoulders. The asshole hasn't realized how we outsmarted him... I get up helped by Val who moves my armchair away and the assassin gets up too ready to follow me, I smile at Winston and walk across the restaurant, going up the stairs with great care since my pencil skirt doesn't allow me to jog like I usually do when I'm wearing my biker boots. Charon tilts his head kindly at the lobby although he frowns confused when seeing Ares nipping at my heels next to a very serious Val. Finally, I flop down on the seat of the armour-plated limousine followed by Lucky who closes the door, my former bodyguard has decided to sit down on the passenger seat near the driver who turns his head after turning on the engine.

"Did they buy it?"

"Of course they did, dad... I'm a great actress." Ares snorts amused. "Shall we go to your home?" I ask looking at her while kicking my stilettos off my feet and taking my combat boots from the bag on the seat in front of us.

"Yes, I already packed my bags: clothes, weapons and some personal possessions."

"We'll send those to the island so you won't worry about losing them," my dad answers while driving the massive vehicle like a pro. "We'll have to plan some 'business' in order to make them look credible: we can't go to the Continental too often but we could organize something in Central Park so the beggars will inform the Bowery King and they'll spread the word through the underworld. Have you talked to Jay and Sophia?"

"They're waiting for us at home," I answer throwing the high-heeled shoes inside the bag like I hate them.

*****

"Food!" Sophia walks into the kitchen, lets her backpack drop on the floor and rushes to grab some pelmeni, the traditional Russian dumplings filled with meat, black pepper and onions, that are piled up on a tray.

"You have to..." I can't finish the sentence because she's already shoved two into her mouth and stares at me confused while she chews. "You have to dip then in sour cream before..." I point at the bowl on the table. The blonde girl with grey eyes nods and swallows, greeting Ares before sitting on a chair and grabbing another pelmeni.

"Hi, I'm Sophia. Pleased to meet you."

"That's all you're going to hear from her, my friend isn't very talkative, I'm afraid... but she's the best sound technician you're going to meet... I'm Jay, it's nice to meet you..."

"You're the girl of the dragonfly... without blue hair." Lucky shakes her hand but stares at me with squinty eyes.

"I am, I'm studying at the Academy of Dramatic Art and Miss Qīngtíng's role has been a challenge for me: the underworld is a tough crowd. Do you think I did well?" I shake my head exasperated, no matter how many times I tell Jay she's a good actress... she always seeks the approval of other people.

"It was great..." Ares admits and my friend smiles satisfied before taking a seat between Sophia and Val, my dad is pouring glasses of wine and takes a Skazka cake soaked with orange liquor from the fridge. They'll be busy eating for a while and I wave at Lucky to follow me.

"I'll help you to settle in..." I walk down the corridor without looking back and she follows me meekly carrying her luggage, one of the bags seems to be very heavy so I guess that's where her weapons and ammo are.

"Your bedroom?" she asks half amused, half perplexed letting her bags drop on the rug.

"Well I... I thought that..."I can't help blushing, since Ares was going to be my full-time bodyguard I assumed that we could keep our lovely relationship going on, or whatever it is the thing we have, but I may have been wrong and this only meant a few hours of fun for her and nothing more.

"Oh no, I'm delighted with such an arrangement but I don't know if your father..." Lucky purses her lips hesitating.

"I'm an adult and my dad isn't stupid... Why pretend to be something else?"

"I guess you're right... I'll leave my stuff in your walk-in-closet but before... here you have." She hands me a black bag made of black velvet and I take it while my heart pounds like a thunder, pulling the cord with shaky fingers before turning it upside down: my great grandmother's necklace falls on the grey blanket, shining under the daylight. It's incredible that it still looks so good after all these centuries... I touch the massive central emerald with reverence while a single tear runs down my cheek.

"Where did you keep it?"

"Behind a brick of my living room wall, where else?" Ares chuckles before staring at me with a straight face and wipes my tear away with her thumb. "Why is this so important for you?"

"This is the last one... we got back all the jewels my family lost due to the Russian Revolution. These are more than precious stones, they're memories: a wedding, a birthday, the birth of a child, the friendship of the Empress... my family history... My dad devoted his life to recover it and we've finished... finally... If you'll excuse me, I have to..." I point at the door and take the necklace carefully. "That's the closet and that door leads to the bathroom, push my stuff away and place your things wherever you want... Papa! Look at this..." I run towards the kitchen leaving behind me an assassin chuckling while she shakes her head.