Page 23 of Mafia King

Nikolai allows himself the smallest smile…

“It’s a surprise.”

“Wait, what?” Theo says, a hint of surprise in his voice. “Here?”

The black SUV drops them at the curb outside the Old Plaza movie theatre. Neon from the marquee washes the wet pavement in red and gold. Late-night crowds thin along the sidewalk, a few couples lingering near the ticket windows, the smell of buttered popcorn drifting out every time the glass doors swing open.

Theo looks up at the glowing sign, then at Nikolai.

“Are we going to see a movie?”

Nikolai’s mouth curves. “Not quite.”

Nikolai guides Theo through the entrance with a light hand at the small of his back. The lobby is bright and ordinary—red carpet, glass display cases of coming attractions, the steady hum of the popcorn machine behind the concession counter.

Nikolai steers Theo past all of it without slowing, toward a plain metal door marked STAFF ONLY near the far corridor. He pushes it open and leads Theo up a narrow flight of concrete stairs.

At the top another door waits. A single security man in a dark suit stands beside it.

Nikolai meets the man’s eyes and gives a short nod. The door opens at once and they step into a different world…

The rooftop casino and bar spreads out under a canopy of string lights and low amber fixtures. Roulette and blackjack tables occupy the center of the space.

A long polished bar runs along one side. Beyond the glass barriers the city glitters in every direction: towers, bridges, the dark ribbon of the river.

Soft jazz drifts from hidden speakers. The clientele is quiet, well-dressed, the kind of people who never appear in the mainstream public casinos.

Theo stops just inside the threshold, eyes wide as he takes it in.

Nikolai watches Theo’s reaction and feels a quiet satisfaction settle in his chest. He likes the way surprise looks on the boy… unguarded for once, the careful masks he usually wears slipping just enough to show something real.

He leads Theo to an open place at the nearest roulette table. Theo glances at the stacks of chips in front of the other players.

“Should we get some chips first?”

Nikolai shakes his head once. “This kind of place doesn’t work like that. Not for me, anyway.”

The croupier simply nods and waits. Nikolai places a hand on the felt, and the man begins the next spin without requiring anything further.

Theo stays close to his side as the wheel turns.

They play for a while… red, black, a few outside bets… nothing aggressive. The stack in front of them rises and falls in small increments until, by the time Nikolai decides they are finished, they are exactly even.

Nikolai steps back from the table.

“I always know when to walk away,” Nikolai says, voice low enough that only he can hear. “Some things aren’t worth chasing.”

Theo looks up at him, a faint challenge in his grey eyes. “Would that be true of me?”

Nikolai allows himself a small smile.

“I’m still making up my mind, malyshka,” Nikolai replies.

He orders two mojitos from a passing server and guides him out onto the open balcony.

The night air is cooler here, carrying the distant hum of traffic far below. The city stretches out in every direction, lights sharp against the dark.

Theo rests his forearms on the railing and looks out.