Lily was crying softly, red and swollen, pulling her hands out of the bucket of icy water.

«Sorry, you are our disabled person!» Lily held out her hand with the words hurt, on which a small vial immediately appeared, « be patient!» Thomas shouted at her, turning his attention back to Isaac and ignoring Achmet completely. « A big dick is really a Vice and a good reason, isn't it?»

«How long will I have to watch your family quarrels?» Ozan put in, opening her mouth in Thomas's pub, in his London neighbourhood, among the subordinates.

«Are you blind, freak? Can't you see that the girl burned her hands? If I don't help her, she'll be out of control in an hour!» Ahmet chuckled nervously, trying to be patient, and rolled his eyes.

«You will find new slaves,»he said, trying not to get into trouble.»

«I will find a new half-witted Turk who is blocking my air!»

The men grappled, but no one wanted to hit each other, because a month ago they worked together, as they say, without spilling water. Their friendship ended abruptly after his set-up stunt, when sixteen of Thomas's assistants were killed, half of whom didn't even have time to marry, let alone have children. Reluctantly, Tom calmed his anger by taking the girl's hand and leading her and her guest to his office, where a revolver was waiting for him. They went in, and Tom took a first-aid kit with bandages and ointments out of the closet. Ahmet sat down at his Desk, and his companions sat on a maroon leather sofa. Thomas bandaged her hands, irritated by each falling tear and soft sob.

«Good girls don't cry,» Ozan said, « Or are you bad?»

Lily's eyes flashed as she spat out her feminine venom, her tears forgotten.

« I don't know. Ask your father about it…» she muttered, and Thomas laughed at Achmet's reaction, who frowned for a moment, then frowned, and finally grinned stupidly.

In General, people like Shulman and Ozan are not to be trifled with. If Ahmet didn't know Thomas, he would have blown her brains out on the table. And if he didn't like Thomas, he'd kill them both at the same table.

«Do you know who I am? I Am Achmet Ozan!»

Lily didn't care. She didn't know Thomas , or Achmet, or any of the other criminal groups with their fucking famous names.

«For some reason, I don't care…» she hissed through clenched teeth, but Tom cut her off with an unintentional flick of his tongue.

«A Jewish girl should behave more modestly, right?»

Ten minutes later, the car took the girl home, and Tom went back to work. Yes, she is sulking, resentful, and already cursing him in every way she knows, cursing, cursing, and sewing a Voodoo doll. But a Jew doesn't care. In this world, he created himself, his business, and his destiny. He also does it for himself and Lily, because he's Thomas Shulman and he doesn't care.

«So what are you doing here? You want to do fucking business with me and ruin my people? Fuck you, Ahmet! I've known you since you were a child, you scoundrel!»

«No, Tom. I apologized.» Ahmet tossed him an envelope containing money.

Shulman didn't even touch it.

«How highly do you rate my people?» he asked, without looking up from the envelope.

«Exactly fifteen thousand. Is that enough to bury the hatchet?»

Wednesday is an unhappy day in itself, which became even more unfortunate when Thomas Schulman did not see his name on the list of examiners. If Lily hadn't been in her senior year, he would have been minding his own business in the pub right now, and would have made a large and short sum for all this nonsense. Meanwhile, Thomas was walking down the empty corridor to the Director, who sometimes seemed completely broken. One of her pink styles spoke of a brain malfunction. The woman stormed out of the office, nearly knocking Tom off his feet.

«Oh!» she exclaimed in a raspy and unpleasant voice, as if she had been given a job in an operetta, looking up at Thomas, «Mr. Shulman, welcome!»

As if in a fit, she insisted on the absence of a «teacher supervisor» in the fourth year, who would make sure that very cunning and quirky girls, including Lily, took the exam conscientiously. Shulman smiled with satisfaction, glad that the day had started in his favour.

Ten minutes later, Thomas reached the right floor and noticed Lily sitting on her bag, her eyes darting nervously over her notebook, repeating the material. Thin legs, high white socks, and a black skirt. Tom didn't like the way she sat there, flashing her charms. This is inappropriate behaviour for a decent, even newly minted Jew. There were fourteen of them, talking and shuffling their notebooks. Klutz-Lily didn't even look up, trying to memorize the information, but you can't get enough air before you die. It was Shulman's fault that she didn't have time to prepare, because he took her to Jerusalem and arranged a mind-vacation .They didn't return until Monday night, tired, but Thomas thought they were happy. Everything would be fine if it weren't for one small «but».

«Tommy, can you give me back the cross and chain?»

The Jew was not going to give her the goods, so he pointedly rummaged in his pockets, spread his hands, and lowered his head guiltily, expressing maximum regret.

«I'm very sorry, I think I lost it… So sorry. How much does it cost?»

Lily sighed.

«Yes, I don't need money.»

Tom gave her ten pounds. Too much for such a thin and flimsy weave, the cross darkened with salt and sweat, slightly bent and scratched. Soon the ladies were in the study, standing at the entrance, which met them with pale turquoise walls, gleaming Board, open Windows, and a warm summer wind that fluttered the snow-white curtains. Lily walked over to the teacher's Desk and smiled when she saw Tom, and he winked at her, jokingly threatening her with a metal ruler. Tom took two steps, pulled the girl to him by the cardigan, and came close to her ear:

«This ruler will kick your ass if you fail the exam, okay?»

Lily blushed, turned pale, and giggled nervously as she pulled out her ticket and took her seat. Five teachers, three specialized and two General-it is simply impossible to write off. Besides, getting a metal ruler on your fingers isn't that much fun. Shulman walked around the office, occasionally glancing at Lily, who was scribbling on a large sheet of paper without much effort. Midwifery is really her calling, but she's stuck in chemistry, nervously glancing at her watch. Tom stood over her, looking down. A thin finger pointed at an equation she couldn't solve. Shulman memorized these substances and sat down, rummaging in his pockets and finding a piece of paper with a number on it. He turned the piece of paper over and smoothed it out, then began writing an answer, blowing it off the answer book. Lily tapped her fingers on the table. The Jew came up to her and slid the answers under her elbow, tapping the ruler lightly on her bare thigh. The girl almost laughed when she finished her work. Soon she was defending her answers, making excuses and proving them, getting a well-deserved rating.

«Great as always, Lily!» said the teacher of the midwifery cycle, smiling at the groin.

Tom went out into the corridor with the girl, feeling her warm and happy hands on his neck.

«Without you, I would not have passed the exam,» she whispered, her plump lips gently touching his plump lips, leaving a tremulous and uncertain kiss that tingled his trimmed beard.

«Do you want to thank me?» Shulman flashed lustful eyes, lighting up the girl with a roguish and slightly crooked smile.

Lily licked her lips, then bit her lower lip, playfully replacing the positive response.

«In order…» he grabbed her hand, quickly climbed to the second floor, ran down a narrow corridor, and finally unlocked the door to his office.