Page 28 of Lord of Justice

"An animated iceberg," she adds. "Deeply troubling."

"Reserved."

"Sociopathic!" she snaps.

"Here's what I've learned, though. Andrey is capable of kindness and consideration. Wildly overprotective," I allow, "because apparently I have a whole new security detail. At least I get Melina! She's in charge."

Melina places a hand to her chest and bows demurely.

"Yeah, but- but-" Rose flounders, "How are you going to stand being a judge’s wife? That’s some uptight shit.”

"Sure, it's going to be weird as hell and I'll have to totally tone down the language when he steps onto the bench. Ooo, think of all thosestuffyguys! Remember all the fun we’ve had with the super entitled ones?”

Melina is decisively shaking her head at me behind Rose's back.

Rose's face lights up with an unholy glee. "We could crush the entire judicial branch of New York in weeks!" she cackles.

Melina shakes her head even harder.

"Exactly!" I say, pushing away the reality that our days of fucking with men's psyches is over. We talk until the long rays of the sun slant over the buildings around us, lighting up our windows with an orange glow. There's a knock on the door, and Melina slides her hand inside her jacket, likely gripping her gun.

"Hey, Melina," I say hastily. "It's probably the girls down the hall wanting to borrow chips and beer or something. Put the gun back."

The Redwood opens the door, bowing with a strange little hunch, and I see why as Andrey’s impeccably suited form sweeps into the living room. He surveys it briefly (verdict: unimpressed) before turning to us. "There you are, wife." He seats himself next to me and kisses my hand. "Have you two covered the last forty-eight hours to your satisfaction?"

Rose is glaring at him with such furious intensity that it's a miracle she hasn't set his hair on fire. "There's something going on here that Idon't understand," she says. "I'm smart enough to know there's nothing I can do about it right now. But Icantell you that I will end your life if you treat her like a piece of furniture. Which is probably your usual go-to in relationships, right?"

He raises one elegant brow and says nothing.

"She may be your wife," Rose says fiercely, "but she was my twin first. There'snothingI won't do to make sure she's okay."

Tears burn at the back of my eyes. That's the same thing I said about my Rosie yesterday.

"We don't know each other well," Andrey says graciously, as if he's a monarch receiving a peasant. "Your sister's well-being is very important to me. I care for her. I want her to be happy and I know how important you are to each other. You will always be welcome at our home."

I'm staring at him, a little impressed by his performance and also relieved. I wasn't sure how he'd be about having visitors in his precisely ordered castle in the sky. There's another half hour of hugs and tears, which Andrey heroically endures, before Jeremy shows up. Who knew there wouldeverbe a time that I would be grateful to see him?

He puts his arm around my weeping sister and nervously reaches out to shake Andrey's hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir." Andrey looks at the offered hand like it's a used diaper, but he finally shakes it.

"Hey, let's talk tonight," I say, hugging Rose tight. "Just like we always do at the end of the day, okay?"

"Yeah, that would be good," she sobs. Wrapping her arms around me one last time, she whispers, "I never thought that I wouldn't be standing next to you on your wedding day."

Walking away from our apartment feels like half of me is ripping away, leaving an empty space inside me. I don't know how I'm supposed to fill it.

Chapter Fourteen

In which Iris’s glow up is not at all like the fun ones in the teen movies.

Iris…

Rose, Violet and I have a movie night every month where we pick a 50's or 60's romantic film to watch. It was such a classic era in Hollywood, where everyone was gorgeous and elegant and every movie had an HEA.

One of our favorites isMy Fair Lady,despite the long, painful scene where Professor Higgins is being a complete dick while trying to "civilize" Eliza Doolittle and frankly, it's a miracle she didn't stab him in the throat as he kept barking, "Again!"

The next three days are like that.

Worse, I can't direct my hatred at Andrey because he turned me over to a very nice woman who heads up his "transition team," and then wentout of town on a business trip,the treacherous son of a bitch.