Chapter Twenty
In which there had better be cupcakes.
Iris…
The tall bronze doors open and we pause as everyone bursts into applause. "Holy shit," I say from between clenched teeth, attempting to shape a smile. "I can't decide whether to be touched or terrified."
Leaning down and kissing me on the temple, Andrey whispers, "With this family, you should be both." He keeps my hand firmly gripped in his and for the first time, I don't want to pull it away. It feels more like a lifeline as we start mingling with the guests.
All those spreadsheets for close allies and important contacts that Jessica gave me to memorize are paying off.
As Andrey introduces me to each new guest, I'm pleased that I can remember most of them. I shake the hand of Carlotta, Mayor Cavanaugh’s wife and ask about their daughter, who just graduated from high school.
With the Whiteheads, billionaires from their South African diamond mines, I inquire about their vacation in Belize.
I'm not getting everyone right, but Andrey's always careful to introduce the guests with a brief explanation of how they connect in the Morozov world and I'm grateful. He doesn't leave me hanging if he sees I'm struggling.
"You know, I traditionally find so little to admire in people, but with you?
You're showing all the grace of a seasoned professional," Andrey says, taking my elbow and moving me away from another group of people who, apparently, do not deserve to be greeted.
"Just remember this," he murmurs, and goosebumps spring up on my neck, "at the end of this ordeal, there is cake. "
"That's all I'm holding on for," I whisper back. There's a little glow building in my chest that I'm valiantly trying to squash.
Just because he's being all charming is no reason to want him, Smarter Iris argues.
He was honest in the car, Soft and Gooey Iris chimes in. He respected us enough to not give out a line of bullshit.
There's very little in the way of speeches, I suspect because his family knows Andrey wouldn't tolerate it.
Despite the grandeur of the planetarium and the guests dripping with jewelry, it's more relaxed than I expected. They were careful about who they invited. There’s no one who would require us to be on guard.
Andrey's parents catch up with us halfway through the crowd. Tania hugs me fiercely and Yuri gracefully kisses my cheek. "Andrey loves the planetarium. What do you think?" she asks happily.
"It's very crowded," Andrey says.
"It's a beautiful space," I say, side-eyeing him. "Everyone has been so gracious."
"They are saying the same about you, Iris." Yuri smiles at me proudly. "Well done."
All the sisters-in-law and various cousins converge and I'm busy thanking them when I see Rose charging toward me.
"I haven't seen you in three days!" she wails.
"I know honey, I've missed you!" I hug her tightly and then notice Jeremy is there, keeping a firm grip on her hand. "Oh, hey Jeremy," I force a smile. "Um, Andrey, you remember Jeremy?"
My husband stares at Jeremy and I can feel his spine start to compress. "I do," he says before turning back to talk to Dmitri.
Looking down the room, I see two tall heads bobbing above the rest of the crowd. Even with the enormous Morozovs, these two stand out.
Roman steps up to us, grabbing Andrey's arm. His nostrils flare in displeasure, but Roman's too worked up to notice. "Are those the Turgenevs?" he asks.
"I know my parents invited them, but they're so rarely in town," Andrey says as we watch the crowd part for them like Moses and the Red Sea.
"I didn't know they got out of their coffins until after dark," Roman mutters before taking a healthy swig of his drink.
"You might want to remember that's your uncle and cousin you're talking about," my husband says heavily. "Though I doubt family ties are enough to make them forgiving of your bullshit. The Turgenevs are not known for their sense of humor."
Wow. Who could possibly have these guys rattled? Is there actually someone scarier than the Morozovs?
Andrey takes my hand again and leisurely heads toward them. "I'm going to introduce you to our closest Russian family," he murmurs. "They are intimidating. Some might say terrifying, but they are utterly loyal."
They turn as we get closer. The older one, maybe in his fifties, is wearing a smile. He's stupidly gorgeous, with blond hair and vivid blue eyes.
"Uncle Konstantin, it is good to see you," Andrey is saying it like he really means it as he shakes his hand.
"May I introduce you to my wife? Iris Monroe Morozova.
Darling, this is my uncle, Konstantin Turgenev and my cousin Vadim.
Konstantin is married to my Aunt Mariya, they spend most of their time in Russia. "
Vadim does not shake hands. His glacier blue eyes land on me for a moment, then move away. He's as tall and built as his father, though his hair is black as a crow's wing. Andrey doesn't seem to be put off by his lack of manners, so I'm not, either.
"We're surprised to see you two stateside," Andrey continues, "it's been a long time between visits."
"We're finally setting operations up in Chicago," Konstantin says, "and Vadim will be overseeing operations here and from Moscow."
It finally clicks how I know the name and I light up. "I've heard about you!" I happily shake Konstantin's hand. "That giant showdown in Switzerland, when was it? Five years ago?"
"Seven," Konstantin nods.
"Where you blew that Pakhan's mansion clear back to the Stone Age?
That was genius! Complete obliteration," I crow.
Obviously, this was not something I learned at Columbia University.
"My sister Rose and I love it when our brother-in-law Roman tells us stories about some of the Bratva world's epic battles and showdowns. The strategy there was genius."
Konstantin gives me a genuine smile. "I'm glad to know that my past is still sparking fear and dread in my allies."
I cackle a little before I compose myself. "Yeah, you really did. Roman drank half a bottle of vodka after telling us that story."
Vadim is watching this, nearly motionless, barely breathing, just holding his glass. It's dark red. So, not vodka. Perhaps the blood of small children? He looks like the type.
Andrey and Konstantin throw around a few more gracious bits of conversation while I try to avoid staring at Vadim, which is difficult.
"Iris Morozova, now that we've seen you two, we must take our leave," Konstantin says.
"But I'll bring your Aunt Mariya next time I'm stateside.
We'll have dinner and I can tell you about her astounding skill with explosives as she attempts to deny it. "
"I would love to meet her," I grin, genuinely excited. "Thank you both so much for coming."
Konstantin gives Andrey an approving smile which I'm sure the two of them don't think I see, and they disappear into the crowd.
"Wow, the son is intense," I whisper to Andrey.
"The Turgenev's are a fascinating family.
" He hands me a lobster puff on a little plate.
"Konstantin, at least, looks human. His father Alexi is the Angel of Death in our world.
He became Pakhan after killing his older brother, and he's also a profoundly talented assassin.
People step away from Alexi on the street, almost unconsciously, like a cattle herd huddling to keep away from the wolf. "
My lobster puff is forgotten because this is some epic Bratva shit.
"Konstantin is more relaxed and - possibly civilized - thanks to my Aunt Mariya. But Vadim is the very image of his grandfather."
"Can I say that Vadim is spooky as hell?" I ask. "Because damn, I was wondering if he'd just disappear in a puff of smoke."
He chuckles into his drink. "As long as you never say it where anyone can hear you."
We mingle for another half an hour and my feet are beginning to hurt in these five-inch heels.
The push and pull of Andrey's charisma is fascinating to watch.
Most of these people are a little afraid of him, they cringe a bit whenever he says something, like they're waiting for his legendary honesty, which is rarely flattering.
Yet they still want to be close to him, listening avidly to everything he says.
He was sure as hell flattering in the car, Soft and Gooey Iris reminds me.
As Andrey guides me along with his hand on the small of my back, I notice he's taking us away from the crowd to an elevator. "Would you like to see the observatory?"
"Can we?" I give an excited little bounce, which I'm sure makes me look like I'm twelve. "I thought they closed it to the public years ago during the upgrade?"
"We are not the public," he says with an enigmatic smile.
The observatory section of the planetarium is huge, the biggest in New York. There's a giant clamshell roof that pulls back in sections so astronomers can use the insanely powerful telescope to study the night sky.
I've never had a chance to come up here. It's more research-based and not meant to be luxurious, but there's monitors that curve around half of the tower, showing brilliant sprays of star clusters, with fiery red spheres of gases swirling around them.
"Oh." I sigh, tucking my hands to my chest as if trying to keep my heart from bursting out. "This is the most… the stars are pulsating, do you see it? And they're moving in a dance - I swear it's a dance."
"I believe that is the Magellanic Cloud dwarf galaxy," he says casually, as if we're not standing right in front of footage of another galaxy. "The Tarantula Nebula within it has a stellar nursery, astronomers say."
"It has a massive cloud of ionized hydrogen where stars are born," I agree, staring lovingly at the monitors.
"You're interested in astronomy?" Andrey seems surprised.
"You didn't discover that in your research?" I attempt to look haughty, angling toward the enormous telescope.
"I did not," he admits, following me. "I became fascinated with space after learning about the Supernova in 1987. A star exploded in this galaxy and it gave astronomers the closest supernova to study since the invention of the telescope. Why are you interested?"
"There's an order to the Universe," I say. "Not always clear, but it's there. The infusion of light and matter, the mix of the galaxies bound to the Milky Way - it all has an order. Occasionally chaotic, but always consistent."
I give him a bit of a smile. "A bit like the Morozov family."
His mouth does that tantalizing curl again, almost a smile.
"Anyway, my father - my real father - would take me and Rose to the planetarium every couple of months and we'd explore what was new. There was always something."
"He sounds like he was a very devoted father," Andrey says gently.
"Yeah, he was." I'm blinking back tears. "Maybe that's why our mother marrying that douchebag Jack was so painful. He was a greedy, scheming fuckface and nothing like Dad."
"It gives you a perspective to appreciate your father more."
I glance at Andrey, surprised. "That's true. And insightful."
He shrugs. "I try, occasionally." A boyish smile spreads across his face and is gone almost as quickly. It transformed him, though. I can see his passion. That smile was almost… joyful?
I'll be damned.
"Would you like to look through the telescope?" he offers. "I believe they're scanning the Triangulum Galaxy tonight."
"Are we allowed to?" I gasp.
I'm rewarded with another quick smile, fleeting, but real. "Of course we are," he says.
Once I'm settled in the seat and he tells me what to look for, I eagerly scan the swirls of color until they coalesce into a spiral of blues and dark pinks. "Now," he says, "look for the white clouds. Those are billions of stars."
I don't notice when my hand reaches out, but he takes it and we sit together, watching the Universe dance.