Page 21 of Lord of Justice

"I know this is a shock," he says honestly. "It's not what I would've planned for you." He shoots a glare at Andrey. "That being said, I respect your willingness to help the family. This is one of our most crucial moves in generations and Andrey is the genius, perhaps the only one of us who could pull it off. With him on the bench, the Morozov Bratva is… I would say bulletproof but that seems like pushing our luck. The Bratva will be untouchable."

Roman gets out of his chair and kneels next to me. He's rigid with fury, there's desperation now, too. It hurts to watch misery etched on his face. I know he didn't want this for me. But it's clear Dmitri is not on his side. "Iris, you don'thaveto do this. I'll figure something out."

Andrey and Nikandr wisely remain silent, watching the two brothers’ standoff.

"Roman, she's already accepted," Dmitri saysflatly. "The vows are spoken and thanks to Andrey's little stunt withPage 6,all of New York knows. Our job now is to cast this in a good light."

Violet laughs. It's a broken, furious sound and it makes me so sad. "Oh yes, nothing looks more stable than a thirty-two-year-old suddenly marrying someone twelve years younger than he is. Just as he is about to take the bench. That's going to go oversowell."

My gaze moves to Andrey. He hasn't changed expression once during the conversation. The evil mastermind of this mess is leaning against the wall, his arms folded over his tight T-shirt, his pectorals swelling against the cotton. He should buy bigger shirts. He shouldn't be flaunting it all like that.

Why the hell am I thinking about his t-shirts right now?

With a little sigh, I turn to Violet. "Rose can't know how this happened."

"You tell each other everything!" she protests. "She's not going to believe this story."

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Smiling sadly, I rub her tense little back. "Well, I had no idea that she wanted to marry Jeremy until we had dinner a couple of weeks ago and she told me they were 'engaged to be engaged'."

"Ugh." She rolls her eyes, with the exact responseand the similar groan of annoyance that I had when they announced it to me.

"So… maybe she wouldn't be surprised that I hid it from her, because we both hate Andrey." I say it like it's a given, and there's a short burst of laughter from Nikandr before he smothers it. "So, clearly I would hide something like that. I haven't dated anyone for…" I flush with embarrassment, "a while. So, it's plausible."

Violet looks doubtfully at Andrey, then back at me.

"I guess Rose and I keep secrets from each other now." I shrug awkwardly, staring down at my coffee.

Finally, the asshole who created this mess speaks up. "I do not plan to destroy Iris's life and lock her up in a mansion. She'll finish school. If she wants to work in marketing, she can. If she wants to start a youth charity like yours, Violet, it's fine. If she wants to build an army and take over a small country, I'll support her."

"Was that like… humor?" I ask, brow wrinkled.

He looks at me blankly. "No."

It takes another two hours and copious applications of vodka and wine to strategize a plan that doesn't make this look as completely insane as it is. Sure, we're all day-drinking but if this doesn'tcall for it, nothing does.

I can't keep my eyes off Violet. For most of her life, my sister sacrificed so much to protect Rose and me. And now I have to protect her from the truth of just how horrifying this forced marriage is, so she won't be heartbroken. Then, I picture the expression on Rose's face when she finds out what happened. "Excuse me for a moment," I manage, then race down the hall to the bathroom, getting the door shut and turning the water on full blast before I cry into a towel.

So, this is adulthood. It sucks.

Finally managing to compose myself, I go back out to find everyone hovering by the elevator. Violet grabs me in for a hug, hard, nearly squeezing the breath out of me and she whispers, "I can get you out of here. We can go anywhere we want- we'll get Rose, too. You do not oweanythingto this family.”

I squeeze her harder. "Expecting you to leave the love of your life? What about Avros, are we taking a toddler on the run with us? None of that's going to happen. I'm going to grow up. I'll do my duty and Rose will be okay." She looks at me with red rimmed eyes and I want to cry again. "Don't." I give her a little shake. "As long as you're in this with me, I've got it handled. I'll be fine."

Violet's having such a hard time. We were neverprepared for a family like this, one that moves people around like chess pieces. But I guess if someone has to pay up, it may as well be me.

It's late afternoon and the penthouse is empty, except for Andrey and me. I stand in that dark entryway with a big bouquet of flowers on the table, and I realize that it's my wedding bouquet: the roses and pale irises glowing in a beautiful crystal vase. He’s relaxing in the living room in an armchair, framed by his enormous three-story windows. The sun's lighting his blond hair and he looks too painfully bright to look at.

"I'm sure you have things to do," I say loudly. "I'm going to go up to my room and take a moment."

Rising gracefully from the chair, he walks over to me. "You will be fine," he says, not out of concern, of course. More of a flat statement like he's deemed it so.

"You don't care if I'mfine,"I scoff. "You don't care about anyone else, as long as you get what you want, right?" It bursts out of me, sharp and hateful and I can't take it back. It doesn't matter anyway. His expression never changes.

I turn around and head up the stairs as he watches me.