Page 19 of Deadly Legacy
“The blue one,” Nikon observed, moving behind him. “Good choice.”
“I thought you had meetings until six,” Reuben said over his shoulder, though he couldn’t keep the pleased note from his voice.
“They could wait,” Nikon replied, a rare admission of prioritizing personal matters over business.
Reuben felt Nikon’s presence before his touch—the warmth radiating from his shower-heated skin, the subtle scent of his expensive soap. Then strong arms encircled his waist, and Nikon’s chin rested on his shoulder. The slight roughness of Nikon’s stubble against his neck sent a pleasant shiver down his spine.
“You know that your father doesn’t get to define you anymore,” Nikon said quietly. “You don’t need his approval.”
“I know.” His voice came out steadier than he expected. He straightened his shoulders, meeting Nikon’s gaze. “But this isn’t about seeking his approval. It’s about figuring out what game he’s playing.”
“Beyond Quantize Guard?”
“There has to be more.” Reuben turned in Nikon’s arms to face him, his palm resting against Nikon’s chest where he could feel his heartbeat. “Wallace never makes a move without multiple angles. So why contact me now, after all this time?”
“What’s your theory?” Nikon’s fingers traced a small circle at the base of Reuben’s spine.
“That’s what worries me. I don’t have one yet.”
Nikon’s phone buzzed on the nightstand. His expression shifted subtly as he read the message. “Alexei,” he said, looking up. “He’s found out some more information about your father’s company.”
“What is it?”
“He didn’t say much in the text.” Nikon’s tone remained carefully neutral. “Just that we should meet him tonight before your dinner with Wallace.”
“Is it bad?”
“He wouldn’t have texted if it wasn’t important.”
Reuben nodded, returning his attention to the suit. “Then we should go. I need all the information I can get before facing Wallace.”
Nikon watched him for a moment longer, his eyes lingering on Reuben’s face as if memorizing it. His fingers brushed the back of Reuben’s neck. A silent reassurance. “I’ll get dressed.”
Twenty minutes later, they were in Nikon’s private car heading toward the Matvei’s main casino. Reuben gazed out the window, watching the city lights blur as they passed.
“What are you thinking about?” Nikon asked, his hand finding Reuben’s on the leather seat between them.
“That I’ve built exactly what my father said I never could.” Reuben turned to face him. “And now he suddenly wants to talk. Right when Matthew Capital is finally making a name for itself.”
“It’s not coincidence,” Nikon agreed. “Men like him only reach out when they need something.”
“Or when they’re afraid of something.” Reuben drummed his fingers against the armrest. “What if he’s not just after Quantize Guard?”
“We’ll find out soon enough.”
The car slowed as they approached the casino’s private entrance. Alexei would be waiting for them in the secure conference room below the main floor—the room where Reuben had once sat as a desperate poker player in debt, never imagining how their lives would intertwine.
“Whatever happens tonight—” The car stopped. Nikon’s hand covered Reuben’s. “Remember who stands with you now.”
Reuben nodded, straightening his tie. “I know.”
Chapter 6
Fifteen minutes. That’s how long Reuben had been watching the Bordeaux breathe in his untouched glass. Fifteen minutes of replaying the conversation with Alexei about Wallace’s collapsing company, every scenario Nikon had outlined about Dmitrii’s potential involvement, and every childhood memory of his father’s cutting dismissals.
The restaurant had filled around him, the hushed dinner crowd replacing the early evening patrons, ambient lighting dimming to enhance the intimacy of each table.
Reuben’s fingers drummed once on the white tablecloth before he stilled them. The staff at Vasilisa moved with seamless purpose, a well-rehearsed dance that came from knowing their boss’s partner was waiting.
