Chapter 9 - The Ledger of the Dawn
The office on the top floor of the Romano Port Authority was quiet on Monday morning, the bright spring sun filtering through the large glass windows to cast long, golden rectangles across the polished mahogany desk. The smell of fresh, black coffee was heavy in the air, scalding and honest, sitting in the exact center of the leather blotter in a plain white ceramic mug.
Gabriel Romano sat in his heavy executive chair, his sleeves rolled up to his forearms, a fountain pen held between his fingers as he reviewed the weekly customs manifests for the western slipways.
The door to the outer office opened, and Norah stepped inside. She was carrying a stack of manila folders that reached her chin, her glasses sliding down her nose as she negotiated the threshold with her slight, lingering limp. She was wearing her usual dark skirt and practical shoes, but around her left ring finger was the simple silver band that glinted in the morning light.
She set the folders down on the edge of the desk with a neat, precise thud.
"The Boston faction has finalized the transfer of the shipping lanes, Gabriel," she said, her voice dry and businesslike. "Dominic Vance’s old accounts have been closed, and the money has been cleared through the Zurich branch. We are officially the largest operators on the eastern seaboard."
Gabriel set his pen down, his eyes rising to meet hers. He reached out, his hand catching her wrist and pulling her gently around the desk until she was sitting on his knee, her dark skirt pooling over his trousers.
"You're working too hard, Mrs. Romano," he said softly, his fingers moving to trace the small silver band on her finger.
"Someone has to keep you from going to prison, Mr. Romano," she said, her arms wrapping around his neck as she leaned her forehead against his. "If I don't file these manifests by noon, the federal inspectors will be at the gate, and I don't think Liam has enough celox gauze left for another war."
Gabriel laughed—a warm, rich sound that filled the corporate office with a life it had never known during his father’s time. He leaned up, his lips catching hers in a slow, sweet kiss that carried the peace of a harbor after the storm had passed.
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"The ports are safe, Norah," he whispered against her skin. "The city is quiet. And I have the finest assistant in the world managing my liabilities."
"I'm not your assistant anymore, Gabriel," she murmured, her eyes dark and brilliant behind her glasses as she pulled his head down for another kiss. "I'm the person who handles the inventory. And right now, your heart is the only asset I'm interested in protecting."
