THE BOULEVARD OF BROKEN DREAMS

TWENTY-SEVEN (RUBY POV)

"What's wrong? Why did you want me to meet you at Bluma's house?" I ask worried while Iselen jumps out of her car, smiling wearily. "What did the lawyer tell you? What happened with her last will?"

"Everything is okay, Ruby, calm down. Come on, let's go inside."

Madame opens the door with her own key and my heart skips a beat when I smell my old friend's familiar perfume that seems to drift all over the house, I follow her lowering my head and holding back my tears. It's been two weeks since Bluma's gone but everything looks the same here: her paintings hanging from the walls, the beautiful view of Los Angeles on the other side of the window, the soft blanket on the couch and her favorite bottles of liquor in a corner, as if she were going to appear out of the blue to pour a drink. Iselen walks down the corridor heading to a room I've never seen before and she opens the door, moving a step back so I can get in first. I obey confused, taking a look around mesmerized, it smells of paint and turpentine, the bright light comes in through a big skylight and there're canvases, easels and cabinets full of art supplies... This is Bluma Ahren's studio.

"Gustav has called me, he's found out that Samarkand has come back from New York and thought I should know it. Bluma told him to keep an eye on the bitch, just in case..."

"Do you think she's going to be a problem?" I ask worried and my Dom shakes her head.

"I don't think so, you know how she is: Black Mamba barks but doesn't bite. She's a nuisance but was never dangerous. We still don't know if she was the mastermind behind the threats of that crazy woman who tried to stab me with a knife but I don't think she's going to do anything like that again, she's a bully but never leaves obvious clues, she's cautious... She will behave like an idiot if we bump into her in the city and I'll have to do something to get rid of her eventually but I'm too busy to focus on her right now, too many things to think of..."

I open my mouth to ask a new question about what we're doing here and what happened with the reading of Buma's will but Iselen cuts me off pointing at a sheet that covers an easel while she walks towards it. I watch her worried while she tugs at the fabric to reveal the painting hidden under it, biting my lower lip, I should've gone with her to the meeting with the lawyer but my manager called me, she told me we had an urgent meeting to talk about my new film since the producers had pushed back the approval of the project again. My job is important but Iselen should be my priority and I know she's going through a hard time, she misses her mentor, I should've gone with her and support her.

"Oh my God," I whisper surprised. "That's me."

"Yes, that's the last thing Bluma painted: Ruby Rose as a sensual Greek goddess wearing her red dress from Halston from 1975..." Madame smiles, moving a step back to take a better look at the canvas. "The background is unfinished but your face looks perfect, she was able to copy the shine in your eyes, the mischievous smirk too, and the colorful fabric contrasts with your tattoos wonderfully. It's a very classical portrait in spite of all... Bluma used to be bolder and more modern. I guess she thought you'd like it..."

"Is this for me?" I ask with a broken tone of voice while wiping a tear away from my cheek discreetly.

"I believe it's mine, actually." I frown, confused. "She left everything to me: the house in LA, the paintings, money, stock shares, the apartment in NY, antiques, there're other properties in Europe, jewels and clothes..." Iselen rubs her temples with her fingertips like she has a headache. "Those paintings tripled the value now that she's dead, collectors will pay any price for them... this is crazy."

"Did she name you her sole heiress?" Madame nods slowly. "Didn't you expect this? I think it's a very wise decision."

"I thought she was giving everything to charitable causes or something like that and I'd be in charge of selling her properties. She left some money to her artist proteges but it's true that all of them have successful careers because Bluma had a gift for finding young talents and they don't really need it. She wrote a letter to explain it all, telling me to sell my house and give the money to an association that helps young gays to find jobs in Europe and processes their residence permits so they can leave their countries where they'd be killed or thrown in jail... that was one of her favorite causes. She wanted me to move to this house because it's bigger, has a well-equipped dungeon and a garden with a pool for the children to play in."