Page 16 of Deadly Hands

The silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken words. Nikon could feel his control slipping - that same control that had built his empire, that had never wavered before this moment. His hands, which had broken bones without hesitation, now hung at his sides. His jaw, which had set with iron determination before ordering executions, now worked against words he couldn’t voice.

For the first time in his life, Nikon felt vulnerable. He couldn’t handle this like one of his business deals. This was real. And that scared him more than anything.

“I didn’t encourage him-” Reuben started, but his words trailed off as Nikon’s gaze snapped back to his face. Nikon felt that familiar surge of need, stronger than any desire for more power had ever been.

“I know.” Nikon moved closer, backing Reuben against his desk. “You handled it well.”

“Then why do you look like you want to kill someone?”

The question caught Nikon off guard. Reuben’s ability to read him was becoming dangerous.

“Because,” Nikon closed the remaining distance between them, “I do.”

He expected Reuben to pull away. To show that flash of fear that had marked their early interactions. Instead, Reuben’s hands came up to grip his jacket lapels, and then warm lips pressed against his.

The kiss caught him off guard - something that hadn’t happened in years. For a moment, his carefully maintained facade cracked entirely. His hands moved to Reuben’s waist,pulling him closer, deepening the kiss with an intensity that surprised them both.

They pulled apart, both catching their breath. Nikon searched Reuben’s face. “That was unexpected.”

“Was it?” Reuben’s fingers were still twisted in his suit jacket. “You’ve been hitting on me for weeks.”

“You noticed.”

“Obviously. I noticeeverythingabout you.” The admission seemed to surprise Reuben as much as it did Nikon. “It’s becoming an issue.”

Nikon should have stepped back. Instead, he leaned in again, capturing Reuben’s mouth in another kiss that held none of the hesitation of the first.

This time the kiss turned hungry, desperate. One moment Reuben’s hands were gripping Nikon’s lapels, the next they were buried in his hair, tugging him closer with a desperate low groan.

Nikon responded in kind, fingers digging into Reuben’s hips as he lifted him onto the wooden desk, the polished surface creaking under the sudden weight. His body pressed forward, stepping between Reuben’s thighs, the fabric of their clothes rubbing together like a silent promise of things to come.

The sounds of the poker room floor below were muffled, replaced by the harsh rhythm of their breaths, the rustle of clothes shifting against skin as Nikon tugged Reuben’s shirt out of his slacks.

Nikon’s hands soon found Reuben’s zipper, the metallic teeth parting with a slow, deliberate pull to reveal Reuben’s hardening shaft pressing up through the fabric of his boxers.

The moment stretched, as Nikon’s hands trailed along Reuben’s navel, fingers hooking into the waistband of his boxers, ready to peel away the last barrier between them and-

A knock at the door froze them both.

“Damn it.” Nikon growled the words against Reuben’s throat.

“It’s Alexei.” His brother’s voice carried clear warning through the office door. “And this can’t wait.”

Reuben jerked away first, his face flushed a deep crimson. He stumbled off the desk, fingers trembling as he adjusted his clothes, trying to hide the evidence of his arousal. He avoided Nikon’s gaze, his eyes darting around the room like a trapped animal. “I should get back to the game-” Reuben’s voice was hoarse, his words rushed.

“Stay.” Nikon made it half command, half request.

But Reuben was already moving toward the door, slipping past a surprised Alexei who’d already entered the office. It was the first time Reuben had directly disobeyed an order from Nikon, but something in his wild-eyed expression made Nikon let him go.

Alexei closed the door with deliberate care, his expression caught between amusement and concern. “Well. That was enlightening.”

“Something urgent?” Nikon straightened his tie, forcing his breathing to steady.

“Our brother, Andrey, has been talking.” Alexei settled into one of the leather chairs, watching his older brother with curious eyes. “About your ‘pretty new pet’, as he calls him.” Alexei jutted a chin at the door. “Was that him, by the way?”

Nikon ignored the question. The possessive fury that had barely cooled from earlier flared up again. “Tell your twin that he should focus on his own fucking business.”

“That’s my point, brother.” Alexei leaned forward, dropping his usual diplomatic mask. “This isn’t just about business anymore, is it? You’ve got him playing in our highest-stakes games, reading some of the most dangerous players in the world.”

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