Benedicta couldn't stop to scrutinize herself at the mirror.

When she woke this morning a delivery boy was knocking at her door handling a huge box and an handwritten envelope. A red seal wearing the crest of Ruben family's name was there to seal it.

"I hope you'll like it, I couldn't help myself not think about you wearing it for dinner tonight. R."

The mirror was the usual prick bitch, telling her that whatever she wore she resulted a waste the same. It didn't matter that she was wearing a lush red dress that probably costed more than one month of her wage and shoes of the same mold, nor that she passed the whole morning in a fucking beauty shop fixing her hairs and make-up, the mirror had it's own to say.

She was nervous and couldn't refrain to take glances whenever she found some reflective surface.

Ruben sent a limousine with a true chaperon to drive her to his mansion, she couldn't believe that for theyr first official date he did things in a so great pump, but it was so. Afterall he was the last aristocrat, with an old school of etiquette behind him, still alive on the whole planet.

Walking maniacally around the table in her daily room, waiting, she called twice Martha to get courage and twice Martha told her to shut up 'cause everything would have gone just fine. Still she had her smartphone ready to another call.

The bell rang. She took a deep breath and left.

xxx

Ruben was on his kitchen with a book of recipes in one hand and the supposed to be ingredients in front of him, watching him menacingly. He frowned.

Till now all he did in a kitchen was to steal food when noone noticed, when he was a kid, and warm up meals with the microwave, now that he was an adult. Not that he needed more than this anyway, he never had guests, but now he had to made a proper dinner and he was in panic. He called for a cook that sent him to hell since the short forewarning, so he was here trying to get out of this all alone.

"It should be not so different from chemistry" he said to himself.

Then after he had to cry cutting a oignon, to rush some cold water on a burn by oil, after whole morning trying to make bread and trashing it, after a couple of hours cleaning the mess he made, he drowe till Krimson city, bought some ready meals and ran back home to make the dining room at least presentable.

He never missed so much all his father's servitude.

Luckily he had a good cantin filled with the best wines in commerce, he would have opened a bottle of the best one he had and share it with his love at her arrive to let warm up the food and this would do the trick.

He went for the bathroom where he undressed and unbandaged himself for a relaxing longlasting bath, his dark-grey suit and ice-white shirt waiting on the clothes hangers. He smirked at them and at the new sterile gauze roll waiting for him near them.

xxx

Benedicta didn't remembered the road be so long and so empty before. Not even when she went here for Ermanno's funeral. It was like everything she could have used for calm down her nerves, desappeared from the planet just to leave her alone with the bulk of her paranoia. To implement the picture, the back seat of the limo had mirrors in which she could keep her tiring hunt for imperfection and, at some point, she wanted to throw herself out of the running car.

Though she was starting to savour with anticipation theyr greetings, the way he would get slowly closer to embrace her, kiss her. Her thoughts ran theyr fingers upon his gauzed face, theyr arms slips over his shoulders, theyr lips meet with his beautiful and scarred ones, she felt chills caress her back and had to fight back a wave of heat before it ruined her make up, but it was an hard task.

When after a life the car trepassed the gates of the main entrance of the manor she felt her legs soft. She didn't felt so scared in her whole life, not at her wedding, not when she gave birth to the twins, noteven when Ruben assaulted her in her own home. Well maybe this was an exageration. She felt stupid just thinking about herself walking in her own corridor with a gun ready to shoot in hand, more or less like in a action movie.

She shook her head, put up a shark smile and hit the intercom.

The door opened immediatly and where she was waiting to see a buttler ora maid she saw a breathtaking Ruben.

Not a single trace of his logored hooded robe and loose pants, he was wearing the womanizer suit and she couldn't stop to stare at him as she could have stripped him with her gaze.

"Hello sir! I sell pots, rugs and calling cards, can I meet the owner?"She said trying to rid off of her stupor.

"You should loose the habit to stare at me so much, you could intimidate me" he said reaching for a soft kiss on her blushing cheek.

A wordless Benedicta entered the estate. Ruben closed the door behind theyr backs.

"Welcome to my place. Feel free to leave your belongings wherever you think is appropriate. Since we're alone, noone will mind about disorder, atleast not me, I have only eyes for you today. You're just radiant."He said squaring her from head to toe.

Benedicta raised an eyebrow questioningly just to see his back, her eyes darted at him as if they could drown in the shape of his body. She was melting on the inside, burning for him and the whole dinner fluff was already a endless burden for her. She would have gladly skipped the thing just to arrive at the dessert part. Him all hers to uncover and discover on a bed full of his scent.

"Are you with me?" he asked making her jolt away from her open eye dirty dream.

"Yessir! I'm here, just lost that's all!" she said pretending to look around, stunned by the magnificence of the mansion.

And it's owner...

Every pace he made was calculate, every gaze he throw at her was knowing as he showed her the bulk of building. Sorta of a private visit to the museum. Tapestries and paints on the walls, statues and chinawares, cozy rugs on the floors. A full maze of rooms. It was everything so elegant and refined that she felt a fish out of water.

"A bit dispersive, I know, here follow me. I've prepared some wine for us while the dinner gets ready. Sadly I'm not fit for cooking and I think things escaped me from hands." he told mildly apologizing while introducing her in a music room.

The wine was open and left to breath in the glasses on a silver tray resting on top of a piano, his piano.

Ruben gave her a glass and gallantly accomodated her on a red velvet loveseat, then, silently marvelling her with his suadent walk, took a seat on the bench, drank a sip of wine and started to play. Though classical music wasn't her high, she couldn't help herself to fall in love with his hands and the kindness of his fingers sliding on the notes of Debussy.

Clair de lune.

She remembered Laura playing it for them when they were kids, a knot in her throat made her already few words desappear totally. Not much of the song was played that she was overhelmed by the feelings the player put on it, it seemed as for once he was free. His face completly relaxed, the eyes closed, Benedicta walked unnoticed behind his back and sat near him in the moment the song ended sliding a hand around his waist. He looked at her puzzled and opened his mouth to say something, but closed it immediatly after. Almost knowing what was passing through her mind and yes, she wanted to say something, there was still so much she wanted to say, to much she felt and she didn't wanted just feel yet, or too much she wanted to feel, like the peace and the contentment she felt when he was at her side. It was wrong? It was right? She didn't knew. She didn't say a word and clapped her hands looking him straight in those silvery pearls he wore as eyes.

"Can you play?" Ruben asked smiling, his eyes still glued to hers, lips so close to hers that she could feel his breath caress her jawline like an invisible finger.

"Really not"

"C'mere, hands on mine please." he invited her.

The timer sounded claiming the newborn cook presence.

He growled, took her hand in his own and kissed it lightly.

"Excuse me, I think our dinner is ready"

Soon after they were at the table, thanks God the dining room wasn't enormous like the other rooms and there were not a hundred silverware reminding her, her social class. She sighed in relief while he smirking kept his eyes focused on her.

They ate, speaking mostly about his researches and work in general, when at some point the topic about her family emerged and he could notice tears gather in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, I didn't meant to touch a sore button" Lies. Lies. Lies this was what he was waiting for. Have her pain in hands to confort to heal her and himself too.

"No problem, am getting out. I think. I mean, it's hard, but by time I start to deal with it."

"Wine?"

"Yes please, I honestly don't want to ruin our first date after all the effort you put in making this dinner perfect." she said winking and showing up her best teasing grin.

After this the dinner ran smooth, chit chats, jokes, memories and some deep stare eye to eye. They often exchanged little touches, little tweaks, little kisses, but the need of cut off the formalities was immense by both part and started to be clear.

Eventually the dinner ended and Ruben raised to clean the table, she offered to help him, but he hushed her holding her to the chair and massaging slowly her shoulders kissing her head.

When he came back from the kitchen, from which she could hear curses and dishes clashing on the floor, he was bringing along two coffee in a porcelain service over another silver tray, inviting her with a nod upstair.

Benedicta loved it, after all the wine they drank before and during the meal she was starting to fade and she wanted to save some space for her special dessert. As he could read her mind he smiled eloquently making her blush.

"According to a psycologist called Drummond, when you blush the redness in the face is caused by a build up of blood in the superficial venous plexus of the skin. It is therefore the effect of a vasodilator neural response, controlled by the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system. It means you feel embarass for something you did, that can be judged wrong by others, but since you weren't doing anything, must I think you were thinking something inappropriate?" Ruben said teasingly

"Not at all, it's that... well, you've a stain of wine on your upper lip"she answered showing a vaguely concerned face.

"Where?"he asked trying to reach for every corner of his lips with the tip of his tongue.

"A bit more left" she nodded

"Gone?" he asked again with a husky voice, sliding his tongue slowly on his upper lip.

"A bit more right" she nodded again disappointed.

"Now?"he asked

"Let me do it, wimp." she got closer, motherly faced, holding a napkin, more closer, as if she had to watch the stain from close distance to make sure of who knows what and then she planted her lips on his.

"Neverprovoke me when you can't move your hands" she said prickly.

He laughed deeply and shakingly at the threat, then retorted.

"I'm holding hostage your coffee, are you sure you want to risk?"

She laughed back and kissed him again, taking in her hands the tray and following him upstair.

Showing her the rest of the mansion he reached for the library, they sat on a cozy sofa in there, for once Benedicta was less focused on her coffe and more lost on the ammount of shelves and books she could find there. Some of them were really old for what she could judge. There were lots of books in original languages that she supposed he could speak fluently. Some of them were left open inside reliquaries, showing in all theyr splendor the age they carried on them. The library was so far the room Benedicta preferred. She could easily immaginate Ruben sitting on the little tables lighted only with old chandeliers, studing till late night, or lay on one of the couches and read a book relaxing after a long day of work. She smiled.

"So, I suppose is here where that brain of yours was born"

"I guess so, I've studied them all, most of them I know by memory, but I've brought you here not for speak about my career or education. I've noticed how many books you find time to read, and thought you would like to take a look. Or it was just to spy me?" Ruben said

"Well lets say that I usually read a lot, but I had a good reason to read more." she retorted.

"So I'm a good reason to read more, what else I can be?"

Without further words Ruben dragged her on his lap managing to pass around her back with a cup to give her the coffee that was getting cold on the table.

She took a sip and slipped a hand around his shoulders. With her head napping on his shoulder, she could smell his scent, breath his breath and she was so fascinated, so excited. She asked herself how much time passed from the last time she felt so alive, so healed. She was afraid she knew the answer.

"It's too soon" something in her head started to scream, she drank the rest of the coffee and cutted it off.

Kissing her tenderly he started to caress her back with a single finger letting a little moan escape from her lips as chills runned up and down her spine, she froze, trying to muffle herself.

"Let go my love, noone can hear you, this is only for my ears to listen. Let go"

His gaze becoming more predatory kiss after kiss. Tongues fought for dominance and hands started to wander around theyr bodies.

First one button of his shirt, followed by another and another one, she was developing him like a kid would do with a gift, whilest he found his way to the hem of her dress.

Soon the path from the library to the bedroom was a mess of clothing and gauzes thrown here and there.

When theyr passion spent, abandoned in the afterglow she lingered her sight on his scars, caressing his face with the tip of her fingers. He turned his gaze to the other side, trying to conceal the worse of them when she started to trail soft kiss all over his jaw muttering words of love. She took his chin between thumb and index to force him face her and kissing him she whispered at his missing ear "My turn now"

"Boo what a fail, not even a calling card, I must teach you so much my love" he said laughing.

She pinned him on the mattress ready for a second run.

Right after she raised from the bed and headed for the balcony, cigarett and lighter on her hand.

"Hey! Is that the way to leave me? What am I? Your whore?"

Benedicta exploded in a scornfull laugh, never in centuries she would have imagined her prig obnoxious perfect Ruben become sulky about feelings matters.

"Take a look in your pockets when you can find your pants, I need to smoke man!"

She lightened the cigarett, incredulous to feel this complete and happy again.

Meanwhile a sulking Ruben was looking for his pants. Benedicta waited for the right moment, the moment in which he found a business card on his pocket and read it

"YOU'REMINE"

"To do with as i please" she told him kissing him on his neck.

"Fast learner, but I was creepiest you must admit that" and they both laughed heading for the bed.

Outside a thunderstorm started to scorch the sky and while this helped Benedicta to fall immediately asleep, made Ruben nervous and no matter which position he took, he couldn't close a eye.

xxx

"Will you survive without me?" Benedicta asked to her man drying her hairs

"Are you sure you must go work? It's like... since I was 18 that I don't take a day of break, we shall stay in bed the whole day!" Ruben said chugging and turning on her side to watch her body.

"Rich people are rich, I can't afford to not work. You know this."

"Do you like so much your flat?" He asked making puppy eyes

She crocked her head and glared at him

"It's too soon Ruby"

"Oh please don't call me Ruby I hate it"

Benedicta laughed and walked near the bed. "Be a good boy, I swear I'll be back as soon as possible." and kissed him.

She went downstair where she reached for his car keys

"Are you sure you don't need it?" she screamed

"My plan is to burst into your home while you're not there, so my car will be in the right place at the right moment."

He said showing himself downstair dressed only with his open bathrobe.

She squared him, took a deep breath and spat

"You're making so difficult to leave"

He kissed her once again and let her go " See you later"

They both didn't knew of short the later was.

Benedicta walked out of the door, stepped into the pavement, turned left behind the fountain to go to the little lay bay in which Ruben's lamborgini was parked, fumbling with the keys. Fumes of love still in her eyes, she sat on the driver place, raised her head to fix the mirror and screamed with all the air her lungs had.

Crucified on the fountain there was another corpse. Arms waist and feet tied to it with barbed wires, which made the body bleed to death. This time the murderer didn't bothered about to suture the body, she could see the majority of his organs leave a hole inside theyr cavity and guts dropping from the opening in its abdomen. The water inside the fountain turned totally deep red. Benedicta had just the time to open the door and vomit right outside the car.

She never saw such a butchery, she was traumatized and when a drip of wind made move the vest of the body she screamed again.

Ruben that heard her screams meanwhile put on some pants ran out and widening impossibly his eyes in shock fall on his knees. Mouth agape, trembling, terror sorrounding him.

Benedicta called her collegues and walked slowly to embrace Ruben. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Author's note

Hey again people! 

Sorry for this chapter, I mean, i'm the less romantic person in the whole planet probably so I guess this chapter is quite ugly and ridicolous at same time, but still, blame my beloved half (and add my best friend too that said she's actually making read this to her boyfriend too, because "It's awsuuuuuuuuum" and i wonder what kind of drug she takes for say it lol =P).

I had some fun writing it tough, many of the episodes happened in there have a true relation with what happened with my husband in our 1st date and some date after... except my husband and i almost broke our noses kissing, i was not dressed like a topmodel and he doesn't owe a fucking chateau. Hope you had some fun reading this.