Chapter 7 - The Iron Tower
The Rossi Corporation headquarters occupied the upper floors of a gleaming glass-and-steel monolith in the heart of the financial district. Unlike Ilvento’s warm, deceptive illusion of rustic comfort, this building was all cold marble, security turnstiles, and armed guards who looked at everyone like suspects.
Tessa wore her only professional outfit—a simple navy blue blazer and dark trousers—and held her head high as she approached the security desk. Before she could even state her name, a towering man in a charcoal suit stepped out from the private elevator bank. It was one of the bodyguards who had flanked Don Salvatore the night before.
“Miss,” the man nodded curtly, his face carved from granite. “Mr. Rossi is expecting you.”
She was led into a sprawling, panoramic corner office that overlooked the entire skyline. Gabriel stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, holding a crystal tumbler of amber liquid. He turned as the heavy oak door clicked shut behind her, his dark eyes sweeping over her with that same unsettling, analytical intensity.
“You have nerve,” Gabriel remarked, setting his glass down on a mahogany desk. “Walking into a room full of terrified diners and chewing out a mafia Don in his native tongue. Most people wet themselves when my father clears his throat.”
“I didn't yell at a Don,” Tessa replied, crossing her arms defensively to mask her nerves. “I yelled at an old man who was being rude to a working girl. There's a difference.”
Gabriel’s lips twitched into a faint, rare smile. “My father doesn't think so. In fact, he’s currently demanding that I bring you around to his estate twice a week to cook authentic Sicilian dinners and speak to him in the dialect he misses.”
Tessa stepped back, her eyes flashing with defiance. “I am a waitress, Mr. Rossi. I work at Ilvento to pay rent, not to become a private companion or a chef for retired mobsters.”
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“Who said anything about companion?” Gabriel interrupted smoothly, stepping closer. “I’m offering you a position as my executive liaison and private consultant. Triple your current salary, full health benefits covering every relative you have, and complete protection. You work for me now, Tessa. And in my world, refusal isn't a comfortable option.”
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