Kamaz

The warm glow of the lamps cut through the casino's gloom, mingling with smoke, the scent of expensive alcohol, and the hushed murmur of voices. Dania Kashin walked in calmly and confidently—the way people accustomed to power and not needing recognition do. No one knew him here, and that suited him. Today, he wasn't someone whose name inspired fear, but simply a wealthy man who had decided to spend the evening alone.

He sat down at the roulette table. Chips were neatly laid out in front of him, but Danya had no intention of playing. His gaze slid lazily around the room: luxurious women in expensive dresses, forced smiles, an all-too-obvious desire to please. Everything seemed boring and predictable. Just about to turn away, he beckoned to the waiter—more out of habit than any genuine desire to order.

And then he saw it.

Ilya Koryakov approached quietly, almost unnoticed, as if trying not to disturb someone else's space. He held himself straight, only his fingers clasped behind his back betraying his nervousness. His white shirt was perfectly pressed, his black apron accentuated his slender figure, and the bright red bow around his neck caught the eye with its unexpected expressiveness. A name badge gleamed on his chest.

A few dark strands of hair fell across his forehead, almost obscuring his attentive green-brown eyes. There was something open, cautious, and, in its own way, naive about them. A small earring in his left ear gleamed faintly in the lamplight—a minor detail that Dania, for some reason, noticed immediately.

He froze.

His heavy, attentive gaze slid over Ilya—from the earring to the bright bow, from the name badge to his slightly trembling fingers. Danya saw more than appearances. He noticed how Ilya stood slightly sideways, as if ready to retreat, how he tried to maintain a perfect posture so as not to irritate him. There was something too sincere, too alive, about this man for this cold place.

"What would you like to order?" Ilya asked quietly, his voice soft and barely audible above the general din.