Page 40 of Lord of Justice

In which Andrey and Iris explore the great mysteries of the universe. And mascara application.

Andrey…

I shower at Nikandr's place and borrow a tuxedo from him, since our size is identical. Looking in the mirror is unnecessary. I know my face is covered in Ramon's blood, it's splashed up my arms, sprayed across my dress shirt. After a very long shower, Nikandr convinces me to stay with him for a while, shoving a drink in my hand and taking me into his study. We drink in silence until my glass is empty.

"Is this your version of punishing me? Forcing me to drink vodka?"

He smiles, holding up his glass to admire the purity of the crystal-clear vodka. "It's either this or dragging you back to St. Petersburg to swim in the Neva River to cool you down."

"Remember the fall we decided it was still warm enough to swim and have a race?" I ruffle my hair, it's nearly dry. "We kept crashing into sheets ofice, but we were too stubborn to quit."

"Father finally hauled our asses out of the water and told us if we got frostbite, we deserved it." Nik takes another gulp of vodka. "He was so rarely mad at us. He would have kicked our asses that day if we hadn't been completely blue."

Going in search of the Redbreast I know he keeps for me in his bar, I find it shoved behind the club soda. "Have I stayed long enough that you're confident that I won't fly into another murderous rage?"

Nik rolls his glass between his palms. "What you did was out of character, brother. Though I'm very impressed that you cut his head off in three swings. I've never seen you like that. In front of others, at least."

"That vicious bitch targeted Iris. Mywife."The fury rises in me again and I don't try to push it back. It feels good. Cleansing. I could find Elana in minutes. Cut her throat and be back out the window in time for the party.

"You're ramping up again." Nik leans in, grabbing the back of my neck.

"I'm good." I force myself to sit still, allowing him to give my shoulder a squeeze before he pulls away.

"You're finally getting it, you poor bastard."

"What, exactly?" My tone is sharp, I don't like the fond smile he's giving me.

"You care for Iris. Even though this was all your plan, I don't think you expected to, did you?"

Shooting to my feet, I pace his study. "This is about respect, Nik, not sentimentality."

"Eh, it's both," he says. "You wouldn't have lost your shit like that if you were just unhappy with the lack ofrespect.Your wife was targeted. I know that insanely protective urge."

"Please don't think I feel the same way you do, you lovesick fool."

He refuses to take offense. "You should be having this discussion with your wife. After all, we're throwing a big party tonight to celebrate your quickie wedding. Maybe consider beginning your marriagenowby being honest with her, because I'm fairly certain she thinks you're just using her."

"I am," I point out.

"True," he admits, "but there's definitely more to it than thatnow." He's wearing a smug grin that I want to punch off his face.

The elevator door opens onto our entryway and I stand there, one hand on the black circulartable that always holds a vase of irises and roses. Sometimes, the colors vary, but always identical to Iris's wedding bouquet.

"Iris?" I call out. "Are you ready for the party neither of us wanted?"

"I'm upstairs," her voice drifts down. She's been stubbornly insisting on staying in the guest room, and she's sitting on a stool in front of the long mirror in the bathroom with a plethora of makeup spilling out onto the counter in front of her.

"We have thirty minutes, darling."

"Yeah," she says, her chin jutting out oddly as she puts on mascara. "I'll be ready."

As I'm watching her reflection in the mirror, her jaw contorts in the opposite direction as she works on her other eye. "Why do women do that?"

Holding the mascara wand away from her lashes, she blinks at me. "To look pretty."

"No, I mean the-" I imitate the awkward jaw contortion.

"I don't look like that."