Page 36 of Deadly Hands

“Neither were you, once.” Alexei moved toward the door, pausing. “Andrey’s been asking about him again. Detailed questions. Where he goes. Who he meets.”

The temperature in the room plummeted. “When?”

“This morning. Had one of his new boys following Reuben’s car.” Alexei’s fingers drummed against the doorframe. “The tail was clumsy. Amateur. But the intent...”

Through the glass, Reuben glanced directly at their position, somehow knowing exactly where Nikon stood despite the mirror. His smile was small, private - the one reserved just for Nikon.

The observation room felt suddenly too small.

Nikon caught Reuben in the hallway as the Macau delegation’s footsteps faded. Beneath his pristine suit, Reuben’s muscles were wire-tight.

“They’ll wire tomorrow.” Reuben leaned into the hand Nikon placed at the small of his back. “Though Zhou had interesting questions about our dealer certification.”

“He’s fishing for weaknesses.” The elevator doors slid shut, sealing them in chrome and glass. “You handled it well.”

“I learned from the best. I noticed Alexei earlier.” The teasing note in Reuben’s voice vanished. “He wasn’t just observing, was he?”

Ice crystallized in Nikon’s veins. “Grigorii wants you. A port authority meeting.”

Reuben’s fingers found the elevator rail.Tap. Tap. Processing.“And you already refused.”

“Yes.”

“Because you think I can’t handle it, or because you’re afraid of what I might see?”

The elevator seemed to shrink. Nikon crowded Reuben against the wall, breathing in the lingering scent of his cologne. “Because there are lines I won’t let them cross. The poker rooms, legitimate business - that’s one thing. Shipping is different.”

“Everythingwe do is different.” Reuben’s palm pressed against Nikon’s chest - not pushing away but anchoring them both. “And the poker rooms aren’t exactly legal either.”

“It’s not about- “

“Protection.” Reuben slipped past him as the doors opened to their penthouse. “You can’t keep trying to protect me forever, Nikon.”

“You’re choosing this path, knowing where it leads?”

“I’m choosing to be useful.” Reuben closed the distance between them. “To be equal. To stop being the weakness your brothers see.”

The words hit like physical blows. Nikon caught Reuben’s wrist, pressing his thumb to the racing pulse. “You think you’re not equal?”

“I think Andrey’s man following my car this morning suggests otherwise.”

Nikon’s grip tightened. “You saw him?”

“He wasn’t subtle. Kept showing up in my mirrors.” Reuben’s free hand came up to cup Nikon’s jaw. “But hey, I learned from the best.”

Nikon pulled away with reluctance, moving to the sideboard where he poured them two glasses. “He’s still testingboundaries.” The crystal clinked as Nikon set the bottle down. “Especially after what Grigorii did- “

“He probably won’t move directly.” Reuben set his untouched glass aside, moving instead to wrap his arms around Nikon from behind. “But he’ll keep pushing. Keep watching.”

Warmth seeped through Nikon’s shirt where Reuben pressed against him. These moments still startled him - the casual intimacy, the way Reuben read and handled his tension without words.

“When did you get so comfortable with all this?”

“Probably around the time I stopped flinching at gunshots.” Reuben’s laugh vibrated against Nikon’s spine. “Or maybe when I realized I was in love with a Russian crime lord.”

The words still hit like the first time. Nikon turned, studying the face he’d memorized months ago. The boyish features remained, but there was steel beneath now - tempered by experience but not broken by it.

“Tell Grigorii yes.” Nikon’s words tasted like surrender and victory both. “But you observe only. No direct involvement.”

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