Page 95 of Lord of Justice

He lifts his head, his reddened eyes meeting mine. "I pray to a God I did not believe in."

Dr. Sharma prints off some images of the babies, then tactfully leaves the room, letting us cry together. Happy tears, this time, which Andrey does not fully understand.

Finally, my bandages are rewrapped. My arm, cocooned with pillows so it doesn't move. Andrey, with infinite care, settles me in the hospital bed and smooths my hair off my forehead. His giant hand is soothing at the best of times, and right now, it is exactly what I need, a tangible lifeline back to a world that I understand.

I'm not going to think about what Elana - that psychotic bitch - said. Not now. Later, I'm going to have to talk it out with Rose, but... tonight's been too much. Auntie Ella gave me pain meds, I'm starting to feel that comforting numbness spread through my muscles, and I heave a little sigh of relief. Rose had her own dose of pain meds, and she's asleep in the room next to mine.

"My sweetheart," Andrey says, giving me thelightest caress on my cheek. "I must take care of something. I don't want to leave you. I don't ever want to leave you again. But I must make sure this particular threat is neutralized for our peace of mind."

"You're gonna go kick the shit out of Elana Carrington so hard that it's going to reduce her back to her component parts, aren't you?" I ask sleepily. Andrey's eyes are almost black again and glittering with malice. Still, he has a faint curve on the corner of his mouth. I've never seen him look enraged and gentle at the same time before.

"Something like that," he says, smoothing my blanket. "Violet should be on her way -"

At that precise moment, the door opens and Violet charges into the room before catching sight of me in bed, all wired up. It's a little hilarious to watch her go from full, enraged Violet speed to a delicate tiptoe.

"Oh, honey, I…" she can't finish the sentence and I hold my hand out to her. Roman's standing behind her, his face cold and remote, and behind him, there's Nikandr. He's casually cleaning his nails with that horrifyingly sharp blade of his.

“Wait.” I grab Aunt Ella’s coat. “I asked Andrey, he didn’t know about Melina and the Redwood and all the guys. Please tell me they're okay? Because they wear body armor sometimes so that wouldmake being shot not so bad, right? They’d be okay?"

She sighs, exchanging glances with Andrey. "Melinaisalive," she says, gently. "She's in intensive care, with a significant recovery ahead of her. But she's remarkably strong and very healthy. Av…" She frowns. "I believe he will recover, but possibly not the full use of his legs. The bullet hit his spinal cord."

"Oh…” My poor Redwood. “What about Leonid and the others?"

"They're gone, my dear. I'm sorry."

I'm crumbling inside. All those men died because of me.

"You do not blame yourself for this." Aunt Ella says in the sharpest tone I've ever heard from her. "Every one of us knows when we commit ourselves to this family that our life could be lost at any time.Allof us," she emphasizes. "Is there anything you wouldn't do to protect one of us?"

"No," I say instantly. "There's nothing I wouldn't do."

"Then you cannot blame yourself for them taking the same oath." She finds a smile for me, checking my vitals. "When you and Rose feel better tomorrow, I will take you over to see Melina and Av, all right?"

Thank you," I whisper gratefully.

Andrey takes a deep breath. "I have to leave, my sweetheart. I will be back as quickly as possible. Can you forgive me for leaving?"

"Of course," I say. "You're doing it for us. Will you be safe?"

"I'll be fine." Andrey nods.

"Would you lie about that to me?"

"Possibly," he admits. "But not in this case."

I should be so pissed at that answer. Instead, I pull him down for a gentle kiss that still stings the hell out of that cut on my lip. But it's worth it.

Chapter Forty-Six

In which Justice is dealt.

Andrey…

It's been hours since we went into Elana’s grotesque baby factory. Perhaps she hasn't yet received the news yet that the girls didn't make it to their destinations. Perhaps she has.

She's arrogant enough that, either way, she’s hosting a dinner party at her Scarsdale mansion.

I allow the guests to leave before moving in. Many are drunk, and several insist on driving. The blissful arrogance of wealth. Elana spends a little time shouting abuse at her staff before ascending her sweeping staircase.