Page 29 of Deadly Legacy (The House of Matvei #3)

The transition had been remarkably seamless. Territory that would have cost them months of fighting had fallen into their laps in weeks. “Matthew Capital’s quarterly numbers came in yesterday. The Quantize Guard acquisition boosted our portfolio value by sixteen percent.”

“That’s good. The official business grows alongside our other interests.” Nikon rolled to face him fully, his expression shifting to something more businesslike despite their state of undress. “Grigorii wants to bring the new clubs into the fold slowly. Less attention that way.”

Reuben nodded. The pocket watch Grigorii had given him a couple of days ago sat on their nightstand. The weight of its significance still hung heavy in his mind; acceptance, belonging, family.

“You’re overthinking again.” Nikon’s voice cut through his thoughts.

“Just processing.” Reuben’s gaze drifted to the window. “I never expected to be discussing territorial acquisitions in bed on a Sunday morning.”

Nikon’s hand found the nape of Reuben’s neck, fingers threading through the short hairs there. “Is that what’s bothering you? The business talk?”

“Nothing’s bothering me.” Reuben shifted his back against the headboard. “I’m just adjusting to our new normal.”

“And what is our new normal, exactly?” Something in Nikon’s tone made Reuben look at him more closely.

Reuben took a moment before answering. “Well, let’s see... Matthew Capital’s becoming a real success. Your family’s bigger than ever. And nobody’s trying to kill us right now.” He smiled. “Plus, we’ve got those Sunday dinners with your brothers.”

“Is that enough?” Nikon’s expression remained unreadable, but his voice carried an unfamiliar note of uncertainty.

“Enough?” Reuben frowned, trying to parse the unexpected question.

Nikon sat up, the sheet falling to his waist as he ran a hand through his dark hair. “I mean, do you want more?”

The question caught Reuben off guard. His analytical mind kicked into gear, searching for the subtext beneath Nikon’s words. This wasn’t about business.

“What exactly are we talking about here?”

Nikon stared at him with the kind of intensity that still made his heart skip. “Our future.”

Reuben cocked his head, shifting to face Nikon more fully. “Our future?” he repeated, making the words both statement and question.

Nikon nodded, his expression serious yet with something softer beneath the surface. “That last dinner at Grigorii’s, watching you with Samuil...”

The unfinished sentence lingered in the air, its implications clear. Reuben recalled the moment; Samuil’s small hands positioning cards while the boy’s face scrunched in concentration, Nikon watching them with an expression Reuben couldn’t quite read at the time.

“You started to ask me something,” Reuben prompted, his throat suddenly dry. “About having kids.”

Nikon’s hand came to rest on Reuben’s hip, warm against his skin. “I never thought I could have this kind of domestic life,” he said quietly. “Before you, family just meant my brothers.”

“And now?” Reuben kept his voice steady despite the sudden racing of his pulse.

“Now I find myself thinking about it.” Nikon’s fingers tightened on his knee. “When you were showing Samuil how to hold the cards... it reminded me of my mother.”

Reuben remained silent, sensing Nikon wasn’t finished.

“I’ve been thinking about what comes next for us.” Nikon’s gaze was direct, unflinching. “We’re stable now. Secure.”

“You want a family.” Reuben didn’t phrase it as a question.

“I want everything with you.” Nikon’s voice dropped lower, the words uncharacteristically vulnerable coming from a man who typically revealed so little. “Marriage. A home that’s truly ours. Maybe even children someday... there are agencies that work with couples like us for adoption.”

The word ‘marriage’ sent a jolt through Reuben’s system. His mind raced ahead, analyzing possibilities—an automatic response he’d developed from years of strategic thinking.

“You don’t have to answer now.” Nikon’s expression shuttered slightly, misreading Reuben’s silence.

Reuben reached for Nikon’s hand, threading their fingers together. “I’m not hesitating. I’m just... taking it in.”

“You always do that.” A hint of a smile touched Nikon’s lips.

“And you always cut straight to the heart of things.” Reuben squeezed Nikon’s hand. “It’s why we balance each other so well.”

“We do, don’t we?” Nikon said. He looked younger like this, relaxed against the pillows.

“Yes.” Reuben didn’t hesitate this time. “Yes, to all of it. Marriage. Family. Everything.”

Nikon’s eyes widened. “Just like that?”

Reuben laughed, the sound unexpectedly light. “I half expected you to pull out a ring from under your pillow or have Stepan deliver a box of chocolates with a note inside.”

“Would you have preferred that?” Nikon’s expression softened, his thumb tracing the line of Reuben’s palm.

“No.” Reuben shook his head. “This is better. Just us, talking about our life together like we talk about everything else.”

Nikon leaned forward, pressing his forehead against Reuben’s. “I thought I knew what I wanted. Then I met you, and everything changed.”

Reuben closed the small distance between them, kissing Nikon deeply. He breathed in the scent that was uniquely Nikon, and it made everything feel real. This wasn’t a dream, or a calculated move. This was their future.

When they parted, Nikon’s breath came slightly faster. “So, is that a yes?”

“That’s a yes.” Reuben smiled against his lips. “Yes, to being your husband. Yes, to building a family. Yes, to all of it.”

Nikon’s fingers traced the line of Reuben’s jaw. “I never thought I’d have this.”

“Neither did I.” Reuben leaned into the touch. “Funny how life surprises you.”

“Especially when you think you have everything planned out,” Nikon murmured.

Reuben laughed softly. “That’s us. Two control freaks forced to adapt.”

“But I wouldn’t change it.” Nikon’s eyes held his, serious again. “Any of it.”

The sound of Nikon’s phone vibrating against the nightstand interrupted the moment. Without looking, he reached over and silenced it.

“Aren’t you going to check that?” Reuben asked.

“Not right now.” Nikon settled back against the pillows. “It can wait, whatever it is.”

Reuben raised an eyebrow. A year ago, Nikon would’ve been reaching for that phone before it finished its first vibration. The change didn’t need to be pointed out.

“I should make coffee.” Nikon slid from the bed, moving with fluid grace as he pulled on sleep pants.

Reuben watched him, admiring the play of muscles beneath scarred skin. “I’ll join you in a minute.”

As Nikon left the bedroom, Reuben listened to his footsteps. They were purposeful but unhurried, lacking the tense rhythm they’d carried for months during the Dmitrii situation.

Reuben reached for the pocket watch on the nightstand. The Matvei crest caught the light as he turned it over in his palm, the shape of it still new in his hand. Family. Home. And now, marriage.

A minute later, Reuben pulled on a pair of sweatpants and followed Nikon into the kitchen.

Reuben leaned against the counter, content to watch as Nikon carefully measured out coffee grounds.

“You’re staring again,” Nikon said without turning.

“Old habits.” Reuben stepped forward, sliding his arms around Nikon’s waist from behind. “Besides, you’re worth watching.”

THE END