Page 27 of Deadly Legacy (The House of Matvei #3)

THREE WEEKS LATER

R euben stepped from Nikon’s Bentley onto the gravel drive, and the cool evening air carried the scent of Natalia’s prized roses.

It had been weeks since Dmitrii’s death, but Reuben’s shoulders still tensed at open spaces.

“You’re scanning for threats again.” Nikon’s voice held a hint of amusement as he closed the car door with a solid thunk.

“New instincts die hard, I guess.” Reuben smoothed his tie, eyes checking the perimeter of Grigorii’s suburban estate. The place looked different somehow. Less fortress, more home.

The massive oak door flew open before they reached the steps. Samuil burst out like a small tornado, his dress shoes skidding on marble as he nearly toppled down the stairs.

“Uncle Reuben! Uncle Nikon!” The boy’s face split with a grin that transformed his usually serious features into pure seven-year-old excitement. “You’re finally here! I’ve been waiting forever!”

“Since after lunch, I heard.” Reuben crouched to meet the boy at eye level. “That’s quite the wait.”

Samuil grabbed his hand with surprising strength. “I learned a new card trick. The one with the four aces. Been working on it all week.”

“Have you now?” Reuben allowed himself to be pulled toward the doorway. “And does your mother know you’re ambushing guests at the door?”

“She knows.” Samuil’s chin lifted with an expression so reminiscent of Grigorii that Reuben had to suppress a smile. “I told her it was important business.”

Natalia appeared in the doorway, elegant in a simple black dress that managed to somehow look both casual and formal. “Samuil, what did we talk about earlier?”

“But Mama, I’ve been waiting so long!”

“Ten minutes isn’t forever, you little drama king.

” Natalia stepped forward to kiss Reuben on both cheeks, then Nikon, the warm gesture as natural as breathing after all these months.

“He’s been impossible all day. Nothing but ‘When’s Uncle Reuben getting here?

’ every five minutes.” Her smile softened the complaint.

“Come in, both of you. Grigorii’s opening that ridiculously expensive bourbon he’s been saving. ”

Samuil tugged Reuben’s hand. “Can I show you now? Before dinner?”

Reuben glanced at Nikon, catching the subtle softness in his partner’s gaze. Something unreadable flickered across Nikon’s face—something that made Reuben’s heart skip.

“I think we have time for one trick.” Reuben allowed himself to be pulled through the doorway, into the warmth of the only real family he’d known in years.

After drinks had been poured and greetings exchanged, Nikon leaned against the doorframe of the formal dining room, bourbon glass cool against his palm. The gentle clink of ice cubes punctuated the low hum of conversation.

Across the room, Reuben sat with Samuil at the far end of the mahogany table, their heads bent together over a deck of cards. The boy’s small hands moved carefully as Reuben guided him through the motions, his face scrunched in concentration.

“He’s good with him.” Alexei appeared beside Nikon, his own glass half-empty.

“He is.”

Reuben’s face lit up as Samuil successfully completed some sleight of hand, the boy’s triumphant smile mirroring his teacher’s. Nikon watched them, struck by an unexpected tenderness that made him grip his glass a little tighter.

The way Reuben guided Samuil reminded him of his mother’s patience when teaching him chess as a boy before her passing. It was a memory Nikon hadn’t revisited in years.

“There’s been news from Moscow.” Alexei kept his voice low. “Andrey’s settled in with Uncle Leonid. Apparently, he’s working in the export business.”

“Clean export business?”

Alexei’s lips quirked. “As clean as anything Leonid touches.”

Grigorii joined them, the lines of his face relaxed in a way Nikon hadn’t seen in months. “City Planning just approved our waterfront application this morning. The casino expansion breaks ground next month.”

“So, Dmitrii’s former contacts proving useful?” Nikon sipped his bourbon.

“Very. Amazing how cooperative people become when ownership changes hands.” Grigorii nodded toward Reuben. “His deal with Quantize Guard helped too. Having their security systems backing our applications gave us serious credibility.”

“Matthew Capital’s rubbing shoulders with the big players now,” Alexei said, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. “Got three calls this week from VCs wanting in on our next deal. Seems everyone wants a piece once you bag the hot new tech.”

Nikon quietly observed as Samuil shuffled the cards with careful precision, his small tongue poking out between his teeth in concentration.

Reuben’s patient guidance, the way he adjusted the boy’s fingers without taking over.

These small moments caught Nikon’s attention more than any business talk could.

“Dinner’s ready,” Natalia announced, the silver bracelets on her wrist jingling softly as she gestured toward the table. “Samuil, you can finish showing Uncle Reuben your trick afterward.”

The boy’s shoulders slumped for a moment before Reuben whispered something in his ear that made him straighten up and nod solemnly.

They took their places around the table—Grigorii and Natalia at opposite ends, Samuil beside his mother, Alexei across from him, with Nikon and Reuben completing the circle. The established pattern of the Matvei family dinners, now with Reuben, seamlessly integrated into their formation.

Grigorii raised his glass. “To family.”

“To family,” they echoed, the crystal singing as glasses touched.

The rich, buttery scent of Natalia’s beef stroganoff filled the air as the dishes were passed around. Nikon took a bite, savoring the tang of sour cream against the earthy mushrooms—comfort food elevated to an art form.

Throughout the meal, business talk drifted in and out between more personal conversations. Reuben spoke briefly about the Quantize Guard deal going well, but quickly transitioned to asking Samuil about his school projects.

When the boy struggled with cutting his meat, Reuben leaned over to guide the knife in the boy’s small hands, demonstrating the technique without completing the task for him.

As the meal continued, Nikon found his attention repeatedly drawn to the easy rapport between Reuben and Samuil. The boy clearly adored his “Uncle Reuben,” hanging on his every word and beaming whenever Reuben praised him.

It stirred something unexpected in Nikon... a longing for something he’d never considered possible for himself. A family beyond his brothers. Children of his own.

The thought was foreign, yet compelling. Not just any children... but children with Reuben. A family they would build together, teach together. Protect together.

As dessert was served—Natalia’s signature honey cake, the sweetness of the honey balanced by the subtle tang of sour cream between the layers—a moment of quiet fell over the table. Nikon turned to Reuben, his voice low enough that only his partner could hear.

“Have you ever thought about it?”

Reuben’s fork paused halfway to his mouth. “About what?”

Nikon nodded subtly toward Samuil, who was dissecting his cake into perfect squares. “Kids. Having our own.”

The fork lowered slowly as Reuben’s green eyes widened. “Our own?”

“Just something I’ve been thinking about.” Nikon’s voice remained carefully steady. Even after all this time, showing vulnerability didn’t come easily.

Before Reuben could respond, Grigorii tapped his knife against his glass, the crystal ping cutting through the background hum of conversation. The table fell silent as all eyes turned to the eldest of the family.

“Three weeks ago, we closed a difficult chapter in our history,” Grigorii said, his deep voice brooking no interruption.

“We lost someone who was once dear to us, but we’ve also gained.

” His eyes traveled the table before fixing on Reuben.

“We’ve buried our ghosts. Made our peace. And our family is stronger now.”

Nikon smiled when he noticed the slight flush creeping up Reuben’s neck at the direct acknowledgment. His partner still wasn’t comfortable with the spotlight, despite his growing confidence around Nikon’s brothers.

“So, in recognition of this,” Grigorii continued, reaching into his jacket pocket, “I have something to present.”

Reuben watched as Grigorii withdrew a small leather box from his jacket pocket. The conversation around the table ceased. Even Samuil sat straighter in his chair, his small fingers stilling on his fork.

Grigorii placed the box on the table before him. His large hand rested on it for a moment. “In our family, tradition matters.” His voice deepened. “Not because we’re stuck in the past, but because it connects us across generations.”

He opened the box, revealing an antique pocket watch. The gold case caught the light, its surface etched with intricate designs that Reuben couldn’t quite make out from where he sat.

“This watch was my grandfather’s, and his father’s before him.” Grigorii lifted it carefully, the chain spooling through his fingers. “Each of my brothers got their own when they came of age. Some from ancestors, some new, but all carrying our family history.”

Reuben felt Nikon’s hand find his under the table, fingers intertwining in silent support.

“You came to us through Nikon, but you’ve earned your place as a Matvei in your own right.” Grigorii’s gaze locked with Reuben’s, intense but warm. “You think like us. You fight like us. And most importantly, you get what family means to us.”

Reuben’s throat tightened as Grigorii stood and walked around the table. The watch dangled from his hand, golden in the soft lighting.

“This watch belonged to our uncle Mikhail, who died without children.” Grigorii’s expression softened, a rare sight that made the room go still.

“Seems right that it should go to you.” He extended his hand.

“Welcome to the family, Reuben. Not just as Nikon’s partner, but as a Matvei in your own right. ”

The weight of the watch in his palm felt significant in ways Reuben couldn’t articulate. He traced the engraved Matvei crest with his thumb. The metal warmed against his skin as every eye in the room focused on him.

“I don’t know what to say.” The words caught in Reuben’s throat.

“Say you’ll honor it,” Natalia suggested softly. “And that you’ll stay for extra dessert.” Her gentle humor broke the intensity of the moment.

Reuben slipped the watch into his pocket, feeling its solid presence against his thigh. “I’ll honor it. And everything it stands for.” He looked around the table, taking in each face. “Thank you for making room for me.”

Alexei raised his glass. “To Reuben. The only one who can beat Grigorii at chess and live to brag about it.”

The toast brought laughter around the table, conversation resuming as Natalia cut second slices of honey cake. Samuil tugged at Reuben’s sleeve, eager to finish showing his card trick now that the “boring grown-up stuff” was done.

As Reuben helped position the cards in Samuil’s small hands, he caught Nikon watching them, that same unreadable expression from earlier crossing his face. Their unfinished conversation remained in the air, unresolved but not forgotten.

Children of their own. The possibility had never occurred to Reuben, yet now that Nikon had voiced it, the idea settled in his mind with unexpected rightness, like a puzzle piece clicking into place.

Later, as coffee was served, Reuben leaned toward Nikon, his shoulder brushing against his partner’s. “About what you asked earlier...”

Nikon raised an eyebrow, his cup suspended halfway to his lips.

“I never thought it would be possible. But yes, I’ve thought about it. Having kids” Reuben kept his voice low, creating a bubble of privacy despite Alexei’s animated story at the other end of the table.

Something in Nikon’s expression shifted, the hard lines around his mouth relaxing in a way visible only to someone who knew him as intimately as Reuben did.

Nikon’s hand found Reuben’s again under the table, a gentle squeeze conveying more than words could.

“We can discuss it later,” Nikon murmured.

Reuben nodded, feeling the weight of the watch in his pocket as he turned back to show Samuil how to hold the deck of cards. The boy’s concentrated frown reminded him so much of Grigorii that Reuben had to suppress a smile.

Across the table, Natalia caught his eye and raised her glass in a silent toast, her warm smile saying what everyone around the table already knew. After years of searching, Reuben had finally found where he belonged.