Chapter 5 - The Reunion
"Sadie Hayes," Gabriel’s deep voice rolled across the silent office like distant thunder. "I wondered how long it would take you to use that number."
Sadie swallowed hard, planting her feet firmly on the expensive rug to stop her knees from trembling. She refused to look weak in front of him.
"Cut the act, Rossi," she said, her voice sharp. "You know why I'm here."
Gabriel leaned back in his leather chair, steepling his long fingers together. "Do I? People usually come to The Obsidian Room for business, pleasure, or absolution. Which one brings a South Philly bartender to my desk at ten o'clock at night?"
"My brother," she spat out. "Dean. He’s an idiot. He’s a screw-up, and he borrowed ten thousand dollars from your organization that he couldn't pay back."
"Ah. Dean Hayes." Gabriel opened a slim leather folder on his desk, scanning a single sheet of paper inside. "Gamble addict, minor con artist, chronic disappointment. Yes, my finance department flagged his name this morning. They were about to send collectors to break his kneecaps."
Sadie flinched, stepping forward. "Don't touch him. Whatever he owes, I'll pay it."
Gabriel raised a dark eyebrow. "With what? You make minimum wage pouring gin to ungrateful drunks. You don't have ten thousand dollars, Sadie."
"Then let me work it off! Take my hours, garnish my tips, take my apartment—"
"Quiet."
The single word wasn't loud, but it carried the absolute, crushing weight of command. Sadie snapped her mouth shut, her chest heaving as she glared at him.
Gabriel stood up slowly. He walked around the mahogany desk, his movements fluid and predatory, closing the distance between them until he stood just inches away. He was tall—taller than she remembered—and the scent of sandalwood and danger surrounded him like a physical aura.
"You think you can walk into my stronghold, demand I cancel a debt, and offer to scrub floors to pay for your brother's mistakes?" Gabriel asked softly, looking down into her eyes.
"You owe me," Sadie whispered, her voice cracking. "I saved your life in that alley."
Gabriel went completely still. The air between them thickened, charged with a sudden, electric tension.
"You did," he agreed, his voice dropping an octave. "You kissed a dying man, lied to two armed killers, and dragged me up two flights of stairs while bleeding onto your own coat."
"Then call off your collectors."
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Gabriel reached out. His warm, calloused fingers brushed a stray strand of hair away from her face, tucking it gently behind her ear. His touch sent a traitorous shiver racing down her spine.
"I don't clear debts for free, Sadie," Gabriel murmured, his gaze dropping to her lips before rising back to meet her terrified eyes. "And saving my life wasn't a transaction. It was an investment. Now, it's time to collect the dividend."
