Accardi (Genevieve and Matteo) by Allison Franklin novel Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty–One

How long does it take to pick someone up from the airport? Matteo glared down at his phone while he waited for Leo to respond. Her plane landed over an hour ago and he’d yet to hear if she’d made it safely… or at all.

“Mr. Accardi,” Alexander called from the doorway. “Mr. Brooks is waiting for you in the conference room.”

Matteo sighed and sent Leo another text before standing up to follow Alexander. He walked into the conference room, mumbling a half-

hearted apology to the men waiting.

“That’s quite alright, Mr. Accardi,” Paul Brooks said as he nodded to his subordinate. “We’ve had plenty to discuss in the meantime. How

have things been?”

“Oh, well, you know. Dead mother. Dead brother. Woman who won’t acknowledge she’s in love with me.”

Everyone in the room chuckled.

58

“We’ve all been there,” Paul mused with a shake of his head. “My high school sweetheart was that way. Vivacious, beautiful, strong–willed.

Destroyed me when she wouldn’t marry me.”

“Hence why you moved to Texas,” Bernard, Matteo’s head foreman guessed.

Paul gave him the guns with his fingers. “Right–o. Can’t be too depressed in Texas. Bull rides, beautiful sunsets…” Paul leaned forward conspiratorily. “Women in tight jeans who know how to ride.”

Matteo sighed and glanced down at his phone wishing this meeting was over before it even began. “How are things going at the track?” he asked, unwilling to get caught up in man–jabber–jawing.

Paul chuckled. “She’s got you good I see,” Paul said with a thousand watt smile. Matteo stared him down, face completely blank until Paul readjusted himself in his seat and pulled his file closer to himself. “Things are a bit behind. That zoning issue did a number on us. Best I can figure is we have things up and running by the end of next month.”

“End of next month?” Matteo asked. “Our race is in three weeks.”

Paul tilted his head from side to side. “If you want it ready by then we’ll need some extra oil to grease the gears.”

Matteo sighed and rubbed his face. “How much?”

Paul exchanged a glance with the man to his right. “One Mil.”

“What?” Bernard asked, baffled. “We’ve already given the city four times that much just to…”

“Fine,” Matteo interjected much to Paul’s pleasure.

1/4

14:18 Mon, Nov 3 …

Chapter Twenty–One

He made a gesture for Alexander to step forward. Matteo wrote a note telling Alexander to get in contact with his police contact in Austin.

and offer the one million dollar bribe. He handed it up to him and waited for the nod that he understood

“I hope you understand,” Matteo continued. “That with this extra funding I expect the track ready for the race on the fourteenth as planned. Any hindrance of said race will not only spell trouble for your company, but for you personally Mr. Brooks. Do I make myself

clear?

Paul laughed slightly and smiled as he looked at the other men in the room, all of whom held an expression warning him to not cross Matteo. Paul was a new hire. He’d never worked with him before. Having moved away from New York to Texas to attend college, he wasn’t

fully aware of Matteo’s power in the city… and the country over all. He would find out in time, but for now he needed to make sure the

man understood he wasn’t someone to trifle with or renege on a deadline.

“Sure thing, Mr. Accardi. I will do my best to…”

Matteo stood up sharply. “I didn’t say I want you to do your best. I said I want the track completed and open by the fourteenth.”

“Right,” Paul said. “S–sorry, I understand. It will be done. I’ll get my men working right away.”

Matteo gave a curt nod. “Good. I appreciate your diligence in this matter and hope our relationship can continue to be beneficial.”

At that moment, Matteo’s phone buzzed. He fumbled for it, causing the phone to fall to the ground. He growled as he stooped down and

glanced at the message flashing across the screen.

Leo: Got her. Dropped her. All good.

Leo was always known for talking too much. Matteo couldn’t hide the smile that pulled at his cheeks. It took all of his energy to pull the

corners down into a scowl before he stood straight and looked around the table.

“I will see you gentlemen in three weeks when I come to oversee the final walk through before the race. I hope it meets my satisfaction.”

With that final warning, Matteo started out of the room.

“Uh, Mr. Accardi?” Paul called.

Matteo closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and clenched his fists before he turned back around.

“A few of your men were telling us about a club you have in town. One we can go to, uh, let off some steam?” Paul asked, looking uncertain if he should say anything after their encounter.

Matteo nodded once and cast a glance toward Frankie who had sat silently watching the entire meeting. “Give them the details.” Several of the men exchanged fist bumps while Paul thanked Matteo and stood up to shake his hand. “Fourteenth,” Matteo reminded him to which Paul gave him an exuberant nod.

Alexander waited outside the conference doorway, ready for whatever Matteo needed. He relayed his conversation with Donavon. Everything would be squared away as soon as the million hit the right bank account which would be the following morning. Matteo barely

2/4

14:18 Mon, Nov 3 M

Chapter Twenty–One

heard a word.

68

“I’m leaving early,” Matteo announced, causing Alexander to stutter over whatever else he was saying

“A–Again?” Alexander asked, unable to hide his disbelief before quickly schooling his features. “Of course, Sir. I’ll cancel the rest of your meetings and have a rundown of the day’s activities on your desk first thing.”

“Good. Make sure HR has everything ready for Miss Sinclair’s first day.”

“Miss Sinclair?”

Matteo halted, causing Alexander to stumble. He glared down at his assistant who, up until this point, never missed a detail. “Miss

Sinclair. The new accountant.”

“Right! Of course! I’ll make sure everything is set up for her to start…” He glanced down at the notebook he always kept by his side.

“Thursday.”

“Good man,” Matteo said, giving Alexander a slight pat on the shoulder. “I’m leaving.”

“Have a great afternoon, Sir.”

Matteo walked away from the conference room and passed his office. As he walked he looked in at the different people he worked beside, all of whom kept their heads bent as if working diligently. He stopped at the empty office Giovanni once occupied. He glanced from the

office to his own only a few doors down.

“Alexander?”

“Sir?”

“I want her in this office.”

“This one? I thought…” Whatever Alexander was about to say got caught in his throat at Matteo’s expression. “I’ll make the

arrangements.”

Matteo gave another nod before he walked toward the stairwell. For the first time in years, he walked down to the garage below the

building and found his own car. He drove himself to his home, an apartment only a short drive from his office. He parked on the curb a

block away and walked toward the nineteenth century walk–up. He stood out in front and looked up at the fifth floor, the top level.

Matteo took a deep breath before walking into the lobby. He greeted the security agent, Hector, with a slight wave, causing the old man’s

face to pinch in confusion. Had he never waved before? What did he normally do when he arrived home? He suddenly couldn’t remember.

He walked up the five flights of stairs until he reached his level.

There were three doors on his floor. One, of course, was his own apartment. It was the largest in the complex, taking up 75 percent of the

square footage on the fifth level. The second door was to his garden he kept on the roof. You needed a key to access it and only two

people had a key: himself and Mrs. Henderson in 201 who would water his plants when he was out of town. The third door. The one he

3/4

14:18 Mon, Nov 3

Chapter Twenty–One

stood in front of debating on whether to knock or pretend he didn’t know she had just moved in, belonged to Geneveive Sinclair. He lifted

his fist to the door and paused.

Comments

32