Chapter 13 - THE FIRST REAL DATEGabriel Rossi had negotiated multimillion-dollar deals.
He was terrible at ordinary dating.
He reserved an entire restaurant.
Norah refused to enter.
“This is ridiculous.”
“It’s private.”
“That is the problem.”
“There are security concerns.”
“There are always security concerns with you.”
Gabriel looked at the empty restaurant.
Then at her.
“Fine.”
They walked three blocks and ate at a crowded Italian place with paper menus.
Gabriel looked personally offended by the chairs.
Norah loved every second.
“No one knows who you are here.”
“They know.”
“You’re paranoid.”
“The man behind you has looked at me four times.”
“He’s looking at the television.”
Gabriel checked.
A basketball game played over the bar.
“I knew that.”
Norah laughed.
Then conversation became quieter.
He told her about his father.
About inheriting businesses he wasn’t old enough to understand.
About learning very early that affection could be used as leverage.
Norah told him about leaving home at seventeen.
About Ray being charming before he became frightening.
About how shame grows slowly.
“How did you stay?” Gabriel asked.
She thought.
“The same way people stay in most bad situations.”
He waited.
“One compromise at a time.”
Gabriel understood that too well.
“What made you leave?”
“He hit a wall beside my head.”
Gabriel’s jaw tightened.
Norah touched his hand.
“Don’t.”
He looked at her.
“That was years ago.”
“He still—”
“No.”
She squeezed once.
“This is what I mean.”
“What?”
“You hear pain and immediately want a target.”
Gabriel went quiet.
“What should I do?”
“Listen.”
So he did.
No threats.
No plans.
No solving.
When she finished, Gabriel said:
“I’m sorry that happened.”
Norah smiled faintly.
“That was almost normal.”
“I resent the surprise in your voice.”
After dinner they walked beside the river.
Cold air.
City lights.
No guards visible.
Probably some guards invisible.
Norah chose not to investigate.
At her apartment building, Gabriel stopped.
No assumption that he would come upstairs.
No step toward the door.
Norah looked at him.
“You’re waiting.”
“Yes.”
“For?”
“You.”
She smiled.
Then kissed him.
Gabriel went completely still.
For a man feared across half the city, he looked astonishingly unprepared.
When she pulled away, he stared.
Norah laughed.
“You can breathe.”
“I was.”
“Barely.”
He touched her cheek.
Paused first.
She leaned into his hand.
Permission.
That mattered.
“Good night, Gabriel.”
“Good night, Norah.”
He walked away.
Only after he reached the car did Norah realize she was smiling.
May you like
Not because he had saved her.
Because for once, the most powerful man she knew had allowed her to set the pace.
