Page 28 of Deadly Legacy
After exchanging a quick goodbye, Reuben ended the call and slipped his phone into his pocket. The surveillance photos of Wallace lingered in his mind as he gathered his things. His father’s tense posture. The way Roman had touched his shoulder.
In his desk drawer, the small panic button Nikon had insisted he carry caught his eye. A year ago, he would have dismissed it as overprotective. Now he understood it as one tool among many.
He pocketed it alongside his phone and headed for the door. Tonight, they would plan their next move.
Chapter 9
Nikon had lain awake almost all night, too tense to sleep. Every time Reuben shifted in bed, he seemed to keep a deliberate distance between them, even while unconscious.
When morning came, nothing had changed. Before dawn, Reuben got up without a word, took a shower alone—breaking their usual habit of sharing one—and disappeared into his home office. Their argument from yesterday hung in the air like an invisible curtain, with neither man willing to make the first move to tear it down.
The coffee machine released a final defiant hiss as the elevator announced a visitor with its distinctive chime. Nikon glanced at the security panel, his lips thinning at the sight of Alexei’s face. His brother seemed to possess an uncanny talent for materializing at Nikon’s penthouse precisely when tension ran highest.
“Your timing is as perfect as always.” Nikon stepped away from the security panel as Alexei swept in, designer coat draped over one arm.
“Where’s your better half?”
“Working.” Nikon nodded toward the closed office door.
“I see.” Alexei moved to the kitchen, helping himself to an espresso from the machine that had just finished its cycle. He set the cup down with a soft clink against the marble counter. “The air in here feels thick enough to slice.”
“There’s no tension.” Nikon folded his arms across his chest, keeping his voice low enough that it wouldn’t carry to the office. “We’re just giving each other a little space.”
“Space?” Alexei’s lips quirked upward. “In a penthouse? That’s a new one.”
Nikon’s jaw tightened. “Did you come here to analyze my relationship, or do you actually have business?”
“Both, as it turns out.” Alexei pulled a tablet from his leather messenger bag. “Though you might find this more useful than my relationship advice.”
“I doubt that, given your track record with—” Nikon stopped as Alexei turned the tablet toward him, displaying surveillance photos.
“We found Andrey.”
The name landed between them with the weight of concrete. Nikon’s throat tightened as he took the tablet, scanning the images.
Nikon’s youngest brother stood behind Dmitrii Miroslav in various settings, unmistakable despite the changes months of exile had carved into him.
“When did you get these?”
“First confirmation came yesterday. These go back about two weeks.”
Nikon’s fingers tightened on the device. “Does Grigorii know?”
“He’s on his way over.” Alexei glanced toward the office. “Should I get Reuben for this, or would that be stepping into your... space?”
The jab hit its mark, but Nikon swallowed his retort. “This might involve Quantize Guard and Wallace. He needs to be here.” He turned toward the office, then hesitated. “And Alexei, don’t—”
“Don’t what? Point out how ridiculous you both look walking on eggshells? Mention that you’ve handled federal investigations with less stress than this little argument?”
Alexei’s smile didn’t reach his eyes, but carried a familiar teasing glint. “Wouldn’t dream of it, brother,” he added with exaggerated innocence, the slight tilt of his head pure brotherly mockery.
Moments later, Nikon rapped his knuckles against the office door twice before turning the handle. Reuben sat at his desk, blue tie hanging loose at his neck, shirtsleeves rolled to expose his forearms as he leaned over financial projections.
For a beat, Nikon paused in the doorway, taking in the familiar details; the slight furrow etched between Reuben’s brows, the rhythmic tap of his fingers against polished wood when a number didn’t align.
“Alexei’s here,” Nikon said. “We have news.”
Reuben looked up, his green eyes meeting Nikon’s briefly, before glancing away. “About Wallace?”
