Page 21 of Lord of the Underworld

She chuckles, biting her lip as she works on the last few buttons. "He came to warn us about two different crime families who were working against the Morozovs. I know they're cousins, and we are allies, but he expected nothing to return. In our world where every favor requires repayment, and nothing is done based merely on family ties, I thought it was pretty impressive."

I'm trying to think of any of my extended relatives who would have done such a thing without expecting a pile of money, or multiple favors in return. "You know, that really is rare in this world."

"Right?" Iris agrees. "So anyway…" she kneels to straighten my dress around my ankles. "I'm not saying the man didn't scare me, because he did. Frankly, he still does. What I saw that night, though, was that he wasn't a threat to me, you know? Everyone always acts like he's going to pull out his butcher knife and gut them like a trout."

"That's because he has," I say.

"Has he been kind to you?" she asks.

"Do you mean the one time I met him?" I say dryly. "Oddly, he was. Granted, it was more like indifference. I saw how the rest of my family reacted to him. Everyone shrank away from him at the dinner table. Even my father wouldn't meet his eyes. But he talked to me, not about much. I felt... safe, I guess.

"So even though I've heard of all the terrible things he's done, I didn't feel threatened by him," I say, frowning as I thought back on the night. "I felt comfortable, which I know doesn't make much sense."

Iris stands up with a groan. "My joints are killing me. I was walking our twins last night, up and down the aisle of the jet. Andrey had one baby. I had the other. We'd pass each other and keep going." She chuckles. "That's a lot of footwork just to get a baby to sleep."

"I can imagine," I laugh.

"Back to my point. You know how scary Andrey is, right?"

"Oh, yes," I say fervently. "The one time I attempted to speak with him, he stared at me as if I was a species of bacteria, and not even an interesting one, just more like, 'oh, look, it's sentient.'"

"Yep, that sounds like Andrey," she agrees. "So, we both have a spooky husband. And I suspect yours is going to treat you just as well as mine treats me."

"Now that is a good pep talk," I say in relief.

She looks at the dress critically. "I think this might be the one." We walk out to where the girls are all still swigging champagne. I stand on the dais, arms out in a little 'ta-da!' motion, and everyone cheers.

Except Mr. Maurice. "That is not the one."

With a sigh, I trudge back into the dressing room. By dress eighteen, everyone's getting a little tipsy because the staff keeps quietly bringing out new bottles when the champagne runs dry.

Finally, Mr. Maurice looks me up and down in the eighteenth dress and pronounces, "Yes, this will do."

"Oh, thank god," I blurt. It is, at least, a beautiful dress; heavy white satin, draped over one shoulder, with a train that flows behind it. "This is guaranteed to make me trip at my own wedding," I eye the length of satin nervously.

"You'll be fine," he snaps. "The gown adds more curves, oui? It gives you the generous bustline you do not have."

"That part is good, at least," I smile down at my cleavage.

Anka cackles. "Yeah, that's totally the definition of fashion cat-fishing. I'm getting you a nice padded bra to go with it and the girls will finally live up to their full potential."

Mr. Maurice is disgusted with all of us. He and the designer ignore us, discussing the final fitting before we are allowed our freedom.

"Come on," Iris loops her arm with mine. "We're gonna go get you liquored up." Anka takes the other.

"I think you're all pretty liquored up already," I say doubtfully, but they only laugh.

"I must head back to the house," Mother says, giving me a kiss on the cheek.

"I can come with you," I offer.

For the first time in years, she gives me a real smile, cupping my cheek. "I like the way your eyes are sparkling, milaya devushka, my sweet girl. Go have fun."

***

milaya devushka - Russian for lovely girl

Chapter Eleven