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Chapter 65

"Your eyes had better be closed," Rosa warned.

"They are. Where are you taking me, anyway?"

"If I wanted to tell you, why would I make you close your eyes, culo?"

Ezio sighed. He would obviously have to wait.

It had been several months since Leonardo had departed for Milano. Venezia was once again in the midst of Carnevale. Since Doge Agostino Barbarigo was friendly to the Venetian thieves and since the last two rulers of Venice had been assassinated (one during Carnevale), Antonio had deemed it necessary to have some of his thieves keep watch over the new Doge (who appeared in public almost as rarely as his predecessor) as he attended the night's festivities.

"We have a job to do," he reminded her.

It was pointless. Rosa had already decided to temporarily ignore Antonio's order (a few other thieves were already attending to it anyway), and was instead insisting on Ezio's cooperation as she led him blindly through the city. After twenty minutes of walking, Ezio was slowly beginning to lose patience. Luckily, they were nearing their destination.

"Open your eyes," she finally said.

He did, and was immediately confused. She had led him into a dark alley that he hadn't seen before. It was barely visible under the moonlight and flickering streetlamps.

"What is this place?" he asked.

"I spent most of my childhood in streets like these after my mother abandoned me," she explained. "I wanted to show it to you. Other children and I worked as pickpockets until Antonio found me. Few people ever visit this part of the city, so it was easy to hide."

Ezio nodded thoughtfully. "You said your mother was a courtesan, no? Do you ever wonder what became of her?" he asked. "Or why she left?"

"She wasn't able to care for me," Rosa shrugged. "I don't think about her as much as you think about your family. My memories are from my time here, not with her."

"Why are you showing me this?" he asked after a few moments of silence.

"I don't know," she admitted. "You showed me your home."

This was true, thought Ezio.

"It is also a good place to hide if you find yourself in trouble with the city guards again," she added.

"I will keep that in mind."

"But I mostly brought us here because I didn't want to be interrupted by the other thieves or anyone else."

"Interrupted?" he asked. "Interrupted while doing wh-?"

He was cut off when she pulled him into her and seized his lips with her own. There was a moment of confusion before Ezio realized what was happening. His lips curled into a smile as they continued and he tried unsuccessfully to suppress a chuckle.

Rosa pushed away for a moment and glared at him. "What are you laughing at?" she demanded with a hint of annoyance in her voice.

Ezio thought about his answer for a moment. "Nothing in particular," he said. He was being honest. There hadn't really been a single reason for the chuckle. Everything about the moment had made him happy in a strange way. Perhaps, he thought, he was also considering the placement of this simple, pleasant moment in his chaotic life, but this would have been too complicated to explain to his presently impatient lover. It was her turn to look at him in confusion, so he pulled her by the waist back into him and their lips met again as he pressed her against a nearby wall.

After a few more minutes of this, Ezio began to move his lips to her cheek and down to her neck. She let out something of a giggle before pushing away from him again.

"As fun as this is, mio caro, you were right. We have a job to do."

Merda, thought Ezio. Why had he brought that up?