Page 87 of Lord of Justice

Checking my phone, I see I've got an incoming call from Roman. "What do you know?" I ask.

"Alexsey and I are splitting up," he says. "We'll be going after both signals."

"Kolya's warning that…" It takes me a minute, but I go on. "He's warning us that it's possible the trackers were already found. There was that crucial fifteen minutes where the signals were stationary. If they're experienced enough to take down five bodyguards in seconds, they know that for a Bratva family member, a tracker would make sense."

There's silence for a moment. Roman grunts, a bit like someone punched him in the stomach. "We knew that could happen. There are multiple contingencies, always. And yet we still can't control everything. Even if they're not at the location you're heading to, there have to be answers there. We'll get them back."

There's a connection between us, a shared grief I've never felt before.

"Before I go," he says, voice a little hoarse, "Violet needs to speak with you." She must have been hovering there, because she's got the phone and she's talking in a rush to get the words out.

"Andrey, I have to know something."

"Yes?" Almost all the soldiers are loaded into the helicopter now.

"Has Iris spoken to you about…" She takes a shuddering little breath. "Did she tell you that she’s pregnant?"

The world shatters around me. The buffeting wind of the helicopter, the lights of the city. Everything is gone. "She's pregnant?"

"IknewIris hadn't told you yet," Violet says bitterly. "She was so excited about this baby, but she was terrified that you wouldn't want a child. I told her that you had to know. She went home this afternoon to tell you." The last word breaks into a sob. "You go find my sisters. Don't let anyone hurt them. But you need to know about Iris."

"How long have you known?" It doesn't matter. What matters is that my wife was afraid to tell me.

"Youdidn't know because she wasn't ready to trust you, Andrey! And that's on you. So, youmake up for it when you find her. Do you hear me?"

A baby.

"I want this child." I say hoarsely. "I wish she'd had the chance to tell me herself, but of course, I do. A child with Iris? There's nothing on this planet that means more."

"Even your precious Supreme Court judgeship?"

I know Violet isn't happy with me. "I'll resign tomorrow," I say, instantly. "I would leave the Bratva for her. For our child. There'snothing…"

Iris felt safer going to her sisters instead of coming to me about the pregnancy. And why wouldn't she? I've never given her any indication that I cared about children. We've never talked about having any of our own. It could be considered too soon, but nothing could be better. It's the perfect time. It would always be the perfect time to have a baby with my wife.

"Go get our girls," Violet says. She's barely holding on, trying to hold back a torrent of terrified sobbing.

"I will. I swear it."

A new fear grips my heart, and I stride to the helicopter, hauling myself in next to Nikandr and slapping on my headset.

I must look worse than I thought, because hegrips my arm. "Who was that?" he asks.

Switching onto a private channel, I say, "Roman and Violet, she told me. She- Iris is pregnant. My wife is pregnant. We're going to have a baby."

There's the strangest expression on his face. Joy and excitement, tempered with alarm. Switching back to the main channel, I say. "There's an update. My wife and her sister may not be at this location, but it is crucial that we find them. My wife is pregnant. Every precaution must be taken to make sure she isn't hurt."

The helicopter takes off, and I watch the Morozov Global sign on top of our skyscraper fade as we swoop out, heading to a strip mall in New Jersey.

Chapter Forty-Two

In which this can’t get worse, right?

Iris…

The doctor's eyes areglowingwith joy.

Rose is gripping my hand tight, and I'm losing the circulation in my fingers. That's okay, because her grip is the only thing keeping me from sliding off the table.