Page 33 of Lord of Justice

In which there is Forearm Resentment.

Andrey…

We are using one of the bigger SUVs, so Trofim climbs in the back, where the two rows of seats face each other. He's anxious to discuss the Bratva's business that I've been missing here in New York City. The interior is very quiet with the privacy screen up. Trofim opens the bar built into the wood trim and makes us both a drink.

"Mrs. Morozova, may I get you something?"

"It's okay Trofim, thanks," Iris says, yawning. "I'm going to wait until we get back to the penthouse and then I am going to drink heavily and try to forget the last seventy-two hours of my life."

"I understand completely," he says with a gallant smile that I'm about to punch off his face. He must sense this because he hastily turns to me.

"I promised your legal assistant I'd let you know she's got a pile of paperwork for you to sign tomorrow," he says.,smiling pleasantly.

"Good, I'll sort out all the firm's current cases and see who's fucking up. I want everything in order before I leave."

"Also," he continues, checking his list, "the problem with Fournier is over and he's made a visit to Carl the swine guy."

"The swine guy?" Iris asks with a little frown between her brows. She's usually silent when I'm talking business with my Second. This is the first question she's ever asked.

Trofim's eyes dart to me and I nod slightly. "Carl's the swine guy, Mrs. Morozova. He keeps the hogs. They'll tear a screaming man apart. Hell," he chuckled, "they'll eat the bones."

She listens without a change in expression, not even a flinch. "Oh. I'm assuming this guy was pure evil, then?"

"Yes ma'am, he kidnapped the daughter of one of ourBrigadiers.He was attempting to hold her for ransom," he says, fury twisting his mouth into a cruel smile.

"How old is she?" Iris asks.

"She's ten," Trofim says, glancing out the window. "She's fine… now."

Iris ponders this. "So, when you say the guy- Fournier?" Trofim nods. "When Fournier made avisit to Carl the swine guy's farm, was he alive? Because that seems like that would be the most satisfying outcome here."

With a grin that shows every one of his teeth, Trofim looks like he’s about to take a bite out of someone. "I knew I was going to like you, Mrs. Morozova."

She glances at me as I murmur, "My, you're full of surprises aren't you, darling?"

"There's a lot of things I'll tolerate," she says. "But fucking with children is my hard limit. For harming them, he needs to become the most unspeakably gruesome,horrifyinglybloody cautionary tale. One that will haunt anyone who would want to do such a thing for the rest of their lives."

"I don't think I have ever found you more attractive than right now, wife." I kiss her hand and she gives me a demure smile.

When we're finally alone in the penthouse, I gratefully pull off my suit jacket. As I'm rolling my shirt sleeves up, I catch Iris staring at them, fascinated.

"You're staring." We're in the kitchen, which oddly, smells strongly of cream cheese frosting.

"I resent your forearms," she blurts.

That startles me into a brief chuckle. "Myforearms. You resent them."

"Yes," she says sharply. "They're muscular and attractive with those thick veins roping down to your hands and all those badass tattoos. It makes my insides curl and I dislike the unreasonable power your forearms have over me."

"I apologize for my unintentional abuse of power," I say. This irritable, deeply amusing Iris is something new.

"Will you tell me what this one means?" She points to a line of Cyrillic script that moves down my forearm like an ocean wave.

"It speaks of justice." We're close enough that she can reach out one finger and touch the ink very gently before she pulls back.

"What kind of justice? Like when you're in court?"

"The kind that is most deserved."