Page 7

T he difference between an ordinary business dinner and this one was all in the small details.

Reuben noted them automatically now: the way other diners carefully avoided looking their way, how the wait-staff moved with practiced precision around Nikon’s security, the slight bulge of shoulder holsters under Italian wool suits.

Months ago, during his final internship days in the financial district, business meetings meant Power Point presentations and nervous associates clutching coffee cups.

Now, power wore a different face.

He watched Nikon order for both of them in fluid Russian, each syllable a reminder of how far he’d strayed from his previous life. The private corner table in the Matvei family’s restaurant felt like another test - one he couldn’t afford to fail, especially not after that kiss they were both pretending hadn’t happened.

The waiter poured wine with the steady hand of a sommelier decanting aged Bordeaux, careful not to let the bottle’s label face Reuben - a detail that would have escaped him weeks ago. Now he recognized it as another layer of protection, preventing anyone from photographing their exact vintage from across the room.

Nikon leaned forward, closing the intimate space between them. “Tell me what you see at the bar.”

That was not what Reuben wanted to discuss. Not after a week of careful distance since that passionate exchange in Nikon’s office. The memory of it burned in his thoughts, but he held back the words that threatened to spill out–uncertain whether Nikon would be receptive to addressing what had transpired between them.

Reuben’s fingers tightened around the stem of his wineglass, but he forced them to relax. He turned slightly, making the movement casual as he’d been taught.

“Three men at the bar. The one in the grey suit has been nursing the same scotch for twenty minutes. His shoes are government issue beneath expensive tailoring.”

“Good. What else?”

The praise shouldn’t have warmed him, and he definitely shouldn’t have caught himself thinking, with a mixture of amusement and dismay, that he might be developing a praise kink. “The couple in the corner booth - she’s wearing four-hundred-dollar shoes with a thousand-dollar dress. New money trying to look old. He keeps checking his phone under the table.”

“And what does that tell you?” Nikon’s voice dropped lower, intimate. His hand moved across the white tablecloth, not quite touching Reuben’s but close enough to feel the heat of his skin.

Reuben’s pulse quickened. He forced his attention back to the couple. “She’s arm candy, probably paid to be here. He’s waiting for something. A signal maybe.”

“You’re learning.” Nikon’s fingers brushed his wrist, a touch so light it might have been accidental. “Now, the real lesson. How would you approach him if you needed information?”

“I wouldn’t.” Reuben leaned back in his chair, letting his shoulders fall into the loose, easy posture he’d perfected at high-stakes tables. His lips curled into the faintest smirk as he toyed with his wine glass. “I’d wait for him to approach me.”

Reuben paused, eyes flickering to the man’s restless movements, the way he kept glancing around the room between sips of his drink. “At the poker table, men like that can’t help themselves. They see someone they think matters, someone with real stakes behind them...” He shrugged one shoulder, a deliberately casual gesture. “They’ll trip over themselves trying to prove they belong in the same game.”

A slight smile curved Nikon’s lips. “Very good. You’re starting to think like- “

Movement at the entrance caught Reuben’s attention. His heart stuttered as he recognized the figure being quietly escorted through the restaurant.

Corey.

But not the Corey he remembered. This version was thinner, haunted, missing his right hand. The expensive clothes hung loose on his frame, and his once-confident stride had become a careful walk, like someone who had learned the hard way to watch for threats.

Nikon’s expression hadn’t changed, but tension radiated from him now. His hand withdrew from the tablecloth as he sat back, authority settling around him like a cloak. His eyes tracked Reuben’s reaction, studying how quickly he’d spotted their unexpected guest.

“You saw him first.” Nikon’s voice was soft, almost approving. His gaze never left Reuben’s face as he gestured toward Corey’s approaching figure. “Tell me what else you notice about our friend.”

Reuben swallowed. “He’s scared. Not just of you - of everyone. He keeps his left side to the wall, protecting his remaining hand. The jacket’s new but he didn’t pick it out himself.” His voice caught. “Someone wanted him to look presentable for this meeting.”

“And?”

“And you knew he was coming. This whole dinner was- ” Reuben cut himself off, the warmth of the wine turning sour in his stomach. “Was any of this real?”

Something flickered in Nikon’s eyes - too quick to read, gone before Reuben could analyze it. A slight gesture of his hand sent the security team moving, clearing a path for Corey to approach their table while maintaining sight lines at every entrance.

“Mr. Sebastian.” Nikon’s voice carried just enough for nearby tables to hear, establishing the formal tone. “You have information for me?”

Corey’s throat worked as he swallowed. “Yes, sir. If I could...” His eyes darted to Reuben, then quickly away. “Privately?”

“Reuben stays.” The words cut through the air like a blade through silk. “Upstairs. My office.”

The walk to Nikon’s private elevator felt endless. Reuben watched Corey’s shoulders hunch with each step, noticed how he kept glancing at the security cameras.

Nikon’s office was exactly as Reuben remembered from last week. The kiss had happened right there, against that desk where Nikon had pressed him back against the polished wood. He pushed the memory away as Nikon moved to that same desk, the wood’s surface between them like a shield.

“Wait here.” Nikon lifted his phone. “There’s a call I need to take. Don’t leave the room.”

They remained standing while Nikon strode out. The door closed behind him with a soft click that somehow carried more weight than a slam.

Corey sagged against the wall. “Jesus, Reuben. You look... good. Really good.”

“And you look like hell.” The words came out harsher than intended. Reuben ran a hand through his hair, a nervous tell he thought he’d trained himself out of. “What happened to you?”

“Besides this?” Corey raised his stump with a bitter laugh. “Could’ve been worse. Nikon actually saved my life, you know. Andrey wanted...” He shuddered. “Let’s just say losing the hand was the better option.”

“Nikon saved you?”

“Yeah. Negotiated it down. Said I might still be useful.” Corey’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Speaking of useful... word is you’re moving up fast in the organization. Really fast.”

Heat crept up Reuben’s neck. “I’m good at what I do.”

“Yeah? And what exactly is that? Besides the obvious.” Corey’s gaze flicked meaningfully toward Nikon’s desk. “Are you sleeping with him?”

“What?” Reuben straightened, anger flaring hot and quick. “You don’t get to ask me that. Not when I’m only here because you-”

“Because I what?” Corey lifted his stump again. “Because, trust me, I’ve paid for that mistake.”

He must have seen something in Reuben’s expression, because Corey quickly raised his good hand in a placating gesture. “Hey, look, I didn’t mean anything by the question. I just... I know you’re gay, and everyone knows Nikon likes men too, so I figured...” He shrugged, trying for casual despite the tension in his shoulders. “You do you, man, it’s cool. I’m not judging. Hell, if anything, I’m glad you found some protection in all this.”

The anger drained away as quickly as it had come. Reuben remembered Andrey’s rage that night, remembered thinking he was next. If Nikon hadn’t intervened...

“I’m sorry.” Reuben’s voice dropped low. “About your hand. About all of it.”

“Yeah, well.” Corey shrugged, a shadow of his old casual manner. “At least you landed on your feet. The way Nikon looks at you...”

The door opened before Reuben could respond. Nikon filled the doorway, his presence immediately commanding the space. Corey straightened, shrinking back against the wall.

“Your information.” Nikon moved to his desk, every motion controlled. “Now.”

Corey’s good hand shook as he pulled out a phone. “There’s a detective, Wallis. He’s been taking payments from the Petrova family, but he’s getting greedy. He’s looking to sell information about your poker rooms to the highest bidder.”

Nikon’s expression didn’t change, but the temperature in the room seemed to drop. “Proof?”

“Pictures. Account numbers. Meeting times.” Corey set the phone on the desk, careful to keep his distance. “He’s meeting potential buyers tomorrow night. The Diamond Room at the Grand Hotel.”

Reuben watched the exchange, noting how Nikon’s fingers drummed once on the desk - a tell he’d only display if he wanted it seen. A test, then. But for whom?

“Reuben.” Nikon’s voice drew his attention. “You’ll attend this meeting. Watch and tell me if the detective is lying.”

Not a request. Corey’s eyes widened slightly, darting between them.

“Yes.” The word came easily now, where once it would have terrified him. “I’ll need to see him first. Get a baseline for his tells.”

“Already arranged. He’ll be at the Emerald Club’s poker room tonight.” Nikon’s lips curved slightly. “A convenient coincidence.”

Nothing was ever coincidence with Nikon. The dinner, Corey’s arrival, the detective - all pieces arranged precisely on the board. The question was, which game were they really playing?

“Can I...” Corey shifted his weight. “Is that all you need from me?”

Nikon studied him for a long moment. “For now. Continue monitoring your old contacts. Report anything unusual.”

“Yes, sir.” Corey hesitated. “About the payment we discussed- “

“Will be handled as agreed.” Nikon’s tone ended the conversation. “You may go.”

Corey left quickly, relief evident in every step. The door sealed shut with a whisper of wood against wood, leaving Reuben alone with Nikon for the first time since their kiss.

“You arranged all of this.” Reuben turned to face him. “The dinner. Corey. The detective.”

“Yes.” Nikon moved closer, his steps measured. “Does that bother you?”

“I don’t know.” Truth felt safer than lies, at least with Nikon. “But why?”

“Because you needed to see.” Another step closer. “What happens to those who betray us. What happens to those who remain loyal.”

“Corey didn’t betray you.”

“No. However, he made a grave mistake. There’s a difference.” Nikon was close enough now that Reuben could smell his cologne. “One you should understand.”

The kiss. They were finally acknowledging it.

“Was it a mistake?” Reuben’s heart hammered against his ribs.

“Was what a mistake?” Nikon’s voice carried an edge beneath its controlled surface.

“You know what.” Reuben tapped the polished surface of the desk, letting his fingers linger. “What we started right here, on this desk. Was it a mistake?”

“That depends.” Nikon’s hand came up, fingers brushing Reuben’s jaw. “On whether you’ve learned the lesson I’ve been teaching you.”

“Which is?”

“Power, Reuben. Real power isn’t in violence or money.” His thumb traced Reuben’s lower lip. “It’s in knowing when to use them. And when to show mercy.”

Understanding clicked into place. “You saved Corey to show me...”

“That I can be merciful.” Nikon’s eyes darkened. “When given reason to be.”

The space between them crackled with tension. Reuben thought of Corey’s missing hand, of the detective they’d be watching tomorrow, of all the careful moves that had brought them to this moment.

“The dinner wasn’t just for show, was it?”

“No.” Nikon’s other hand settled on his waist. “That was for us. Everything else was... convenient timing.”

A knock at the door interrupted whatever might have happened next. Nikon stepped back smoothly as his security chief entered with updates about the detective’s movements.

Reuben watched Nikon shift seamlessly back into business mode, issuing orders and analyzing information. The man who had almost kissed him again vanished beneath the surface of the calculating crime boss.

But now Reuben understood both sides of him better. The mercy and the violence. The business and the desire. The careful dance they’d been performing since they’d first met.

He just wasn’t sure which was more dangerous... understanding Nikon, or wanting him anyway.