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

N ikon stood motionless against the back wall of the conference room, arms folded across his chest as Alexei clicked through slide after slide of financial data.

To outsiders, Nikon appeared merely attentive. But inside, fury twisted through him, hot and lethal.

Wallace Hoyt.

The name echoed in his head as he watched Reuben handle the presentation with unwavering professionalism. The same man who had disowned his son, tried to destroy his future, now moved against the very business Reuben was trying to build.

“Their bid structure mirrors ours almost exactly.” Reuben pointed to the comparison chart. “Which might suggest they had inside information.”

“A leak?” One of the junior analysts straightened in his chair, the leather squeaking against the silence of the room filled with Matthew Capital Ventures staff. Around the conference table, several other team members exchanged concerned glances.

“Perhaps.” Reuben paused to adjust his cuffs, tilting his chin up slightly as he did so, allowing Nikon to see his quick, controlled swallow in the subtle bob of his Adam’s apple.

Alexei swiped to the next slide. “The timing is what concerns me. Six days after our initial meeting with Quantize Guard, Hoyt Investment submits a competing offer with remarkably similar terms.”

“Coincidence isn’t a strategy I trust.” Reuben’s voice remained level, but Nikon caught the slight hitch in his breathing.

Nikon uncrossed his arms, the small movement drawing Reuben’s attention despite the ongoing discussion. Their eyes met briefly across the room.

I’m here.

The subtle nod from Reuben acknowledged the silent, assuring message. They’d come so far from the days when Nikon would have immediately taken control without consultation.

“Look at their recent acquisitions.” Alexei highlighted a pattern on the screen. “Aggressive minority stakeholder buyouts, targeted pressure on key decision-makers...”

Nikon ground his jaw. These weren’t just business tactics. They were moves he’d witnessed before in territorial disputes. They felt like the fingerprints of an old enemy.

Dmitrii.

“But what really caught my attention was this.” Alexei zoomed in on a financial statement, the soft hum of the projector filling the momentary silence.

“They’ve been struggling for liquidity for the past three quarters.

” He tapped the screen where a series of transactions stood out.

“Yet suddenly, they’re flush with cash for this acquisition. ”

Nikon’s gaze narrowed. A year ago, he would have already been on the phone, mobilizing contacts to trace the money, arrange surveillance, prepare contingencies that Reuben would never know about.

However, now he waited, watching how his partner handled the situation.

“Do we have any insight into their new funding sources?” Reuben tapped his pen against the polished table surface, the rhythm betraying his agitation even as his face remained composed.

Alexei exchanged a quick glance with Nikon—a flash of communication between brothers that required no words.

“Nothing concrete yet.” Alexei’s fingers danced across his tablet. “But the way they’re spending this new money looks familiar—a pattern we’ve seen before. Just in a... different industry.”

Reuben’s eyes found Nikon’s again, this time with a question. Nikon gave a barely perceptible shrug.

Not here. Later.

“Let’s close for now.” Reuben straightened the already-perfect stack of papers before him. “I want detailed profiles on every board member at Hoyt Investment by tomorrow. Focus on potential pressure points, recent financial changes, unusual travel patterns.”

The team dispersed, leaving Reuben, Nikon, and Alexei alone. The moment the door closed with a soft click, Reuben’s shoulders dropped a fraction, his hand reaching up to loosen his tie.

“You recognized something during the presentation,” Reuben’s gaze fixed on Nikon, missing nothing. His tone was conversational as he glanced between the brothers. “I saw that look you two exchanged when Alexei mentioned the funding sources.”

Nikon pushed away from the wall, crossing the room in measured strides.

“Not here.” He glanced at the glass-walled corridor where staff members moved about their day. “Let’s talk somewhere private.”

“And that’s my cue to leave.” Alexei gathered his tablet and tapped a security code that darkened the screens. He glanced between Reuben and Nikon. “I’ll dig deeper into their new funding sources while you two talk. There’s something definitely not right about the timing.”

Minutes later, Nikon found Reuben alone on the office balcony. The spring air whipped Reuben’s dark blond hair as he gripped the railing, his knuckles white against the cool metal. Nikon approached but stopped short, giving Reuben space while still making his presence felt.

The city sprawled below them, afternoon traffic winding through downtown streets. From this height, their dual empires lay visible; Nikon’s gambling territory in the entertainment district, and Reuben’s growing financial influence amid these gleaming towers.

Different worlds that had somehow fused into one.

“Tell me what you’re thinking.” Nikon’s voice emerged softer than most would ever hear from him, reserved for these private moments.

Reuben didn’t turn. “I’m thinking that my father hasn’t changed. He disowned me, blacklisted me from every financial institution that would listen, and now that I’ve built something without him, he wants to tear it down.”

“Is that what you believe this is about?”

“No.” Reuben finally turned to face him, hesitating before adding, “Yes? I don’t know.

” He sighed, running a hand through his hair as his green eyes brightened with focus.

“But this feels exactly like my father; finding the perfect moment to undermine me, trying to prove that I can’t succeed without him. He’s always been good at that.

Nikon stepped closer, resting his palm on Reuben’s lower back, thumb brushing a slow circle through the fine fabric of his suit. The tense muscles beneath his touch gradually relaxed.

“I could make the problem disappear.” Nikon felt Reuben lean into his touch, their shoulders pressing together.

A faint smile crossed Reuben’s face, his eyes teasing. “Pretty sure our investor prospectus doesn’t list ‘ makes hostile takeovers actually hostile ’ as our competitive advantage. Besides, the SEC might come poking around asking too many questions.”

Nikon’s lips quirked up at the corner, appreciating Reuben’s dark humor in the moment. It was Reuben’s way of acknowledging the gravity of the situation while still maintaining his composure.

“So now?” Nikon asked.

“Now I ask what you see that I don’t.” Reuben turned fully toward him, fingers finding Nikon’s wrist. It was a simple touch, grounding them both. “Your professional assessment.”

“The tactics Alexei described? They remind me of Dmitrii.” Nikon kept his voice steady, watching Reuben’s reaction as his hand moved to rest on Reuben’s shoulder. “The targeted pressure points especially. It’s how he operates when trying to destabilize territory.”

“So he’s found my father as his way in.” Reuben’s brow furrowed, but he didn’t pull away from the touch. Instead, he stepped closer, their bodies nearly flush now in the privacy of the balcony. “Using my personal connections.”

“Exactly.” Nikon leaned against the railing, pulling Reuben with him until they stood side by side, shoulders touching. “From what you’ve told me about Quantize Guard, their security technology could give him eyes everywhere—outside our casinos, warehouses, distribution channels.”

Reuben nodded, his analytical mind already mapping out the implications. “Their facial recognition software would flag our key personnel throughout the city. He’d know when your security teams change shifts, when money moves, when important clients arrive—all without ever setting foot inside.”

“You see the threat clearly,” Nikon said, a hint of pride in his voice despite the gravity of the situation.

“And Wallace Hoyt becomes his perfect front.” Reuben exhaled slowly, his shoulder pressing more firmly against Nikon’s. “Legitimate business cover with a personal connection to me.”

“We need more information before making any moves.” Nikon’s hand found the small of Reuben’s back, the touch comforting between them. “Alexei is likely already tracing the money. By tonight, we’ll know more.” He leaned down, pressing his lips against Reuben’s forehead.

Reuben’s warmth against him was a casual intimacy that still sometimes surprised Nikon. For most of his life, touch had been either functional, tactical, or a quick sexual release in the dark. Never comfort. Never connection.

A moment later, the office lights flickered on automatically as darkness crept over the windows. Reuben took that as his cue to gather his materials while Nikon made a quick call to their security team.

They left Matthew Capital as evening descended, Nikon insisting on driving, settling behind the wheel of his black Mercedes while Reuben checked messages on his phone.

A weapon pressed against Nikon’s side beneath his jacket—a habit he wouldn’t abandon regardless of how above-board their business affairs appeared to the outside world.

“Alexei just sent me preliminary financial trails.” Reuben scrolled through data on his phone. “Three offshore transfers into Hoyt Investment Group within the last month. Cayman Islands, Singapore, Dubai.”

Nikon guided the car through evening traffic, eyes constantly scanning surrounding vehicles. Old instincts never died. “Did Alexei trace them further?”

“He’s working on it.” Reuben set the phone down, rubbing his temples. “If we can prove financial connections between Dmitrii and my father, maybe we can somehow use it as leverage when approaching Quantize Guard’s board.”