Page 20 of Lord of Justice

Dmitri leans over the granite island, patting Iris's hand. "I know this is overwhelming. But what we know so far is that someone is dedicated to putting you in jail. As much as I disapprove of Andrey's high-handed bullshit -" He glares at me, "There is no safer position than as a Morozov wife."

"Brother-Pakhan," Roman corrects himself. Dmitri is not here as his brother right now. "With all respect, this is still insane. It's manipulative and cruel. Iris istwenty.”

Violet's phone chimes. When she opens the notification, her eyes nearly bulge out of her sockets. "What is this! How do they have this so soon?"

Iris looks over her shoulder before abruptly sitting down again, her hand over her mouth.

"What the hell isthis,Andrey?" Violet thrusts her phone at me accusingly.

It's Page Six.

How can this happen? So many gorgeous Morozov men have been taken off the market in just a couple of years! It's just not right. The last man to fall into matrimony is Andrey Morozov, who is rumored to be taking Judge Kenton Blackburn's position on the New York State Supreme Court. He'll be a judge, and now, a married man.

Let's admit it, we never thought Andrey would tie the knot but it happened in private last night in Judge Tamara Martinez's chambers.

There are two pictures there, one, with us posing with Tamara in her judge's robes. The other picture is of Iris and me. Her head is tilted up, my finger under her chin and my lips on hers. It looks far more passionate in the photo.

Who's the lucky girl? Word is that she's a close family friend, Iris Monroe, a Marketing major at Columbia University. How did this whirlwind romance begin? Andrey is notoriously private, so we may never know.

Congratulations to the happy couple!

Roman looks up from his wife's phone screen. "Did you leak this to pressure us? Because now I am really going to kill you."

Chapter Nine

In which Iris throws herself upon the sword.

Iris…

Do this and your sister Rose can marry anyone she likes.

Do this…

The shouting is going on around me. It feels like I've sunk deep into the ocean and the words are just a ripple on the surface.

I remember what Rose went through during our kidnapping, and everything she's done since to try to release herself from the trauma of it. Jeremyisa choad, but if he makes her happy… I swore that I would support her.

What happens if I refuse to see this marriage through? I know Violet and Roman would help me get out of it, somehow. But it would cost them. Would the Morozovs then forceRoseto make a sacrifice for the family?

These fuckers.

At least give us some heads up. Let us know thatnothing comes for free and Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I should've remembered that when Roman embraced us as sisters. Our thievery really is more like ‘play’ crime, like my old bodyguard had once called it, but it gave us a sense of independence. That we were more than just virginal Catholic school graduates.

Here we are, two years later, the bill is finally due.

"Stop."

Rising back to the surface, I glance around the kitchen at them all. Roman looks startled, Andrey appears supremely indifferent, and the others look concerned.

"I'll honor the marriage." My voice is flat, because that's how I feel. All my emotions have melted together into a strange little puddle that I’ve stepped in, and I can't shake it off.

"Honey, you don't have to say that –" Violet begins.

"No. V, it's all right. I didn't know the rules of the game going in with the Morozovs, and I guess I should've asked. What they're demanding is… it shouldn't be a surprise, I guess." I turn to Dmitri, suddenly on fire with rage and it's not really his fault, but I throw it at him anyway.

"If I do this, you leave Rose the fuck alone. I'm sorry I'm swearing at you,Pakhan."I add asarcastic little accent on the end of his title for which I'll pay for later, I'm sure. "Tomorrow, I will show you with all the same deference and respect everyone else does. For today, though, you make me a promise that you will leave Rose alone. That she can marry anyone she wants."

Nikandr is leaning closer like he thinks he might have to shield me from thePakhan'srage, but Dmitri merely nods.