Page 41 of Deadly Legacy
“I’ll have someone take you somewhere safe,” Reuben said finally. He drew the notebook from his jacket and turned it in his hands, its edges softened with sweat from their flight through the wine cellar. The motion caught Wallace’s eye. It was a reminder of everything his father had to lose. “But this doesn’t fix anything between us.”
Wallace nodded, looking relieved at even this small concession. “Be careful. Dmitrii seems obsessed with destroying Nikon, and he’ll use anyone to do it.”
Reuben made arrangements with a quick phone call, then waited until Nikon’s security team arrived. Four heavily armed men in suits entered the safehouse, nodding respectfully to Reuben before taking positions around Wallace.
“Take him to the secondary location,” Reuben instructed the team leader. “Full protection protocol until further notice.”
As the door closed on his father’s hunched form, exhaustion finally hit Reuben. His body ached from the fight, and his mind raced with the implications of Wallace’s notebook now nestled in his pocket.
Outside, the city had transformed into a network of potential threats. Reuben felt exposed despite the armored car Nikon hadsent and the two security men flanking him. Every pedestrian, every passing vehicle became a possible danger.
They took the long way home, doubling back and switching cars twice. By the time they reached the building, Reuben could barely stand. The adrenaline crash hit him hard, leaving him hollow.
Four additional security personnel guarded the private elevator. Their faces remained impassive, but Reuben noticed the tightness around their eyes, the subtle tells of heightened alert. Nikon had clearly mobilized all available resources.
The penthouse door opened before Reuben could reach for his key. Nikon stood in the doorway, knuckles white against the frame, his blue eyes hard as ice.
“I’m okay,” Reuben said, stepping inside.
Tension rippled across Nikon’s face as the door closed behind them. He moved forward a beat later, hands gripping Reuben’s shoulders, eyes darting over every inch of him. His fingers moved from Reuben’s arms to his chest to his face, each touch a question that needed answering.
“Your security team—” Nikon’s voice was low, dangerous. “They’ve been dealt with.”
“They’re alive?”
“Unfortunately.” Nikon’s eyes flashed with cold fury. “I wanted their heads for letting you walk into danger, but Grigorii insisted we need every man right now.” His fingers paused at a cut on Reuben’s cheek. “Stepan’s training worked, then.”
Reuben nodded, letting himself lean against Nikon’s solid presence. His father’s notebook dug into his thigh, a physical reminder of all they still had to face.
“Dmitrii made his move,” Reuben said. “And we need to talk about my father.”
Nikon’s eyes darkened, anger and concern battling across his features as he pulled Reuben closer, one hand curling at the nape of his neck.
“First, I need to know you’re really alright.” Nikon’s voice roughened. “Then we destroy him.”
Chapter 13
“The warehouse attacks aren’t the point.” Nikon slammed his fist against the wooden desk in Grigorii’s study, the impact sending ripples through his vodka glass.
Despite the few hours that had passed since Reuben’s return, exhaustion hadn’t dulled his rage. The morning sun now streamed through the windows, marking a night without rest for any of them. “They’re a message. Dmitrii wants us to know he can reach us anywhere, anytime.”
Grigorii stood at the window, his massive silhouette outlined against the morning sky. “So, what’s your solution? Start a war in the middle of the city?”
“I want him dead.” The words emerged as glacial, not heated. Nikon lifted his glass, draining it in one swallow. The burn of alcohol couldn’t mask the fatigue behind his eyes, but it kept him focused. “I want him to stop breathing the same air as Reuben. As any of us.”
“You know better than that.” Alexei leaned against the bookcase, fingers smoothing the lapel of his designer suit. Dark circles beneath his eyes were the only indication he’d been up all night coordinating their response. “Blood in the streets brings cops. Cops bring questions. And questions bring the kind of attention we’ve spent decades and millions avoiding.”
After a brief knock, Reuben entered the study. Nikon caught the faint scent of Natalia’s jasmine tea as Reuben entered—he must have been speaking with her in the sunroom before joining them. His eyes found Nikon’s, reading the tension in the room.
“Sorry I’m late. I was catching up with Natalia. What’s our status on the warehouse attacks?”
Nikon moved toward him. “East and west warehouses hit simultaneously. Nothing serious, but coordinated.”
“Sounds like a distraction.” Reuben closed the door behind him.
“Exactly what we think.” Alexei held up his tablet. “But here’s the interesting part. The Foundation charity gala next Friday. Dmitrii’s reserved three tables in the center of the ballroom. He’s even bringing guests from rival organizations, building alliances.”
Reuben’s eyes narrowed. “My father mentioned that gala. Said Dmitrii’s planning something big there. My mother will be attending too.”
