Page 29 of Deadly Legacy
“About Andrey.”
The name changed something in Reuben’s expression. He stood, straightening his tie with a quick, fluid motion. “I’ll be right out.”
Back in the living room, Alexei had made himself comfortable on the leather sofa, flicking through the tablet. He looked up as they entered, eyes moving between Reuben and Nikon with a little too much perception.
“So,” Alexei said, “after months of searching, the wandering Matvei has finally resurfaced.” He extended the tablet to Reuben.
Reuben took the device, his face neutral as he studied the images. “He looks different.”
“He’s thinner,” Alexei said, his voice softening. “That expensive suit hangs on him now.”
Nikon leaned against the wall, arms folded across his chest as he watched Reuben swipe through the photographs. Each image showed Andrey in increasingly subservient positions; holding doors, standing in corners, fetching drinks.
In the last photo, Andrey stood with his shoulders hunched, head bowed in subservience during what appeared to be a business meeting, his face carefully blank.
Dmitrii had casually placed his tumbler of amber liquid on Andrey’s stooped shoulder while continuing his conversation, treating the once-proud Matvei as nothing more than a convenient side table. Despite the humiliation, Andrey remained perfectly still, forced to maintain the degrading pose lest the glass fall.
The elevator chimed again. Nikon checked the security panel, a muscle twitching in his cheek as he recognized his eldest brother’s imposing figure.
“Grigorii,” he said, pressing the access button. Alexei raised an eyebrow but said nothing, moving to pour himself another espresso while they waited.
A full minute passed before the door announcer gave a soft ping. Nikon crossed to open it manually—a courtesy rarely extended even to family. The faint scent of Grigorii’s signature cologne announced his arrival before he even entered.
His broad shoulders filled the doorway, expression stern as he surveyed the three of them. “Alexei texted that you found something.” His voice rumbled low in the quiet penthouse. “About Andrey?”
Nikon nodded once, gesturing toward the living area where Reuben still held the tablet. Grigorii moved across the marble floor, each step intentional as if assessing the situation before fully committing. When he reached them, his eyes fell first on the tablet in Reuben’s hands, then moved to Alexei.
“How certain are we?” he asked, directing the question at his younger brother.
“Confirmed through two separate sources,” Alexei replied, then gestured at the tablet. “Plus, we’ve got visual verification.”
Only then did Grigorii turn back to Reuben, his expression tightening. “Let me see,” he said, hand extended, his tone authoritative yet restrained.
As Reuben passed him the tablet, Nikon noted how his lover’s demeanor had shifted from business partner to observer. Reuben had developed an instinct for when to step back during family matters, when to watch and listen before offering his perspective.
Grigorii’s nostrils flared as he studied the photos, the tendons in his neck standing out like cords. “He made his choice,” he said flatly, though his knuckles bleached white around the tablet, betraying more emotion than his words.
“Thisisn’tjustice,” Alexei countered, leaning forward on the sofa. “It’s humiliation. Whatever he did, he’s still family.”
“Hebetrayedfamily,” Grigorii’s voice rumbled low like distant thunder. “He put a gun to Reuben’s head. He sold our weapons to Dmitrii.”
Nikon pushed away from the wall, his body moving on pure instinct at the mention of how Andrey had once threatened Reuben’s life. He positioned himself slightly in front of Reuben, angling his broader frame between his partner and any potential danger—a reflexive shield against a memory.
Catching himself, he shifted to stand beside Reuben instead, though Nikon’s muscles remained coiled with tension. “The timing is too perfect. Months of nothing, and now suddenly Andrey reappears, being publicly humiliated right when we’re closing in on Quantize Guard?”
The leather of the sofa creaked as Alexei shifted. “Dmitriiwantsus to see this. He’s trying to throw us off balance.”
“Playing games,” Grigorii set the tablet down hard enough to make the glass coffee table vibrate. “Dmitrii parades our brother like a dog to get under our skin.”
Reuben cleared his throat, drawing all three brothers’ attention. “The Quantize Guard founders are still weighing up options,” he said. “Wallace’s company has name recognition on their side, but their recent money problems make Matthew Capital easily the safer bet.”
“Unless Wallace has promised them something extra,” Nikon suggested, thinking of Dmitrii’s resources.
“Exactly.” Reuben nodded, meeting his eyes briefly before looking away. “That’s why I’m meeting with each founder individually this week to address their specific concerns.”
Grigorii’s phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen and frowned. “Security team needs me. Wait here.” He strode toward the penthouse terrace, phone already at his ear.
Alexei stood, giving Nikon a meaningful look. “I’ll go with him. You two... take a minute.”
