Page 100 of Lord of Justice

"Good morning, you two," she says with a completely straight face. The smell of sweat and sex still hangs heavy in the air. Even as an adult, I groan internally, knowing that my aunt cannot possibly not be aware of it.

"Good morning, Aunt Ella," Iris says in a strange little voice. But Ella only chuckles, checking her vitals and examining her shoulder and the cut on her forehead.

"You are in excellent shape for a woman who got into a fist fight yesterday," she says, with a bit of a chuckle. "I think I can release you. Violet brought clean clothes for you and Rose.”

"Oh, thank you," Iris sighs. "Your clinic is beautiful, but I really want to go home."

Epilogue

In which Andrey and Iris love each other as the Universe dances around them.

Iris…

Christmas Eve…

We're celebrating at Maksim and Ella's house, an enormous brownstone that easily holds the ever-expanding Morozov clan. A blaze is roaring in the huge fireplace and there are five Christmas trees scattered through the downstairs, majestic pines so tall they scrape the high ceilings.

Aunt Ella is clearly a Christmas fanatic, every level surface is covered in white lights and greenery and the long table groans under an opulent display of everything from spiced gingerbread and sugar cookies toPtichye Moloko,a chocolate mousse and my personal favorite, Medovik,which is a towering display of goodness made from thin layers of sponge cake layered with honey and slathered in a caramelized sour cream.

I'm eyeing the dessert table and wondering if Icould eat another slice ofMedovikwithout slipping into a sugar coma when Rose bounces over to Andrey and me.

"You just trashed that data center, didn't you?" Rose asks gleefully. "I heard you made their lawyers cry."

"I made one judge cry in court this year," Andrey says tiredly. "It does not happen every day. Though I did get the lead attorney for the case disbarred."

"And very soon,behindbars," I mumble as Rose wanders off in search of more eggs stuffed with salmon and caviar. Andrey told me after the decision was passed down from the Supreme Court that the attorneys representing the data center knew perfectly well who was behind Darian Technologies.

Not only did the Lìxin Triad lose the five hundred million they'd already sunk into the data center, they had to pay their attorneys to lose horribly in court as well. "Actually, they're lucky if they get jail time," I muse, rubbing my stomach, "I don't get the sense the Triad's going to let them live long enough to get sentenced?"

"It is unlikely." Putting his large, warm hand over mine, he asks, "How are themalen'kiye sorvantsy, our little menaces tonight? Any new barrel rolls?"

"They're being well-behaved for the party, which means they will most likely punish me later tonight." I lean against him a little heavily and his arm goes around me, taking my weight.

Violet and Roman stroll over, she's holding a glass of sparkling water like me. "Andrey and I did offer to stop drinking in solidarity with you two," Roman says, attempting to look noble.

"Whatever," she taps her glass against his. "We don't want to deal with cranky husbands as well as fat ankles and heartburn."

I don't dare say that I've been lucky. But after a few more bouts of nausea, my pregnancy's gone really well. It would be mean when Violet's second one has not been comfortable. At all.

Andrey, of course, has no problem bringing it up. "Really?" he says. "Surprising, since Iris hasn't had any-"

"Sweetheart, would you mind getting a couple of thoseKartoschkatruffles for me?" I ask.

"Of course," he says, tipping my chin up for a kiss.

Verdict: devoted.

"I never, ever thought I would see the day when thesupremelyhaughty Andrey Morozov trotted off to fetch sweets for his wife." Tania joins us, giving me a gentle squeeze.

"Man, that's harsh. You're his mom," I tease. "Aren't you supposed to be all, 'my son can do anything?'"

"Well, Andreyhaddone all the things," she points out. "Except falling deeply in love with his very deserving wife."

"It's an interesting love. Obsessive, sometimes," I say. I'll wake up to find him leaning over me, his huge hand spread over my stomach and studying my face. "His fascination is intense and sometimes, I worry it will fade."

"That, my dear, you will never have to worry about," she says confidently. "There are very few people who've made their way into my son's heart. Once he's placed you there, you're embedded for life. Andrey may not feel things in the same way we do, but there's a deep core of devotion in him. I've seen how he treats you, how he watches you… anyone can say they're in love. He will dedicate his life to showing you."

We watch Andrey, stone-faced as he listens to a distinctly rattled Theo's efforts to engage him in conversation. Theo is Rose's new boyfriend and I'm very hopeful about him. He's a pediatrician from another Bratva family and less easily quelled than her college boyfriends.