Accardi (Genevieve and Matteo) by Allison Franklin novel Chapter 43

Chapter Forty–Three

Genevieve’s stomach twisted bother with

evasten ihtove the SPV through the security gate and straight onto the tarmer. The lights of New York twinkled in the darkness surrounding the ampert. She hugged her carry on tighter to her chest as Len waved at a different SUV heading in the opposite

direction

“So, private jet, huh?” Gen asked, hoping to alleviate some of her neves through idle chit chat. A weekend away? With Matteo? In Austin? What was she

thinking

“Mama” Leo confumed.

so, how does he do it?”

Le chuckled. “Mr. Accards is a wealthy man.”

Gen laughed. “No shit, I meant more along the lines of how does a man terrified of heights, get into a plane that goes six miles into the air?”

“The old–fashioned way.”

Lee pulled the SUV up beside a small private jet. She gulped when she could count the number of windows with her fingers. She wasn’t a huge fan of flying

herself, especially in something that looked like it would break apart with the slightest bit of turbulence. The door opened, causing Gen to jerk and Lea to

raise a brow. He ushered her toward the stairs of the jet as he pulled her neon pink luggage from the trunk. She took the first step only for Leo to grab her

by the elbow.

“Wait for me. I don’t know how far he’s gone,” he told her.

While she tried to figure out what he meant, Leo handed their luggage off to a tarmac worker who put it under the plane. He walked back up to her and bobbed his head for her to go first. She stepped up the steps as the engines revved to life. She walked inside and stifled a gasp. There were four large armchairs, two solas, a small kitchenette, a table, a door with a restroom sign and another door beside it leading to the back of the plane. Everything was polished white leather, gold accents and reeked of wealth. It looked as if someone designed a penthouse and decided to add wings to it

“We’re all here,” Leo informed the pilot who gave them both a cursory glance before locking himself in the cockpit.

Gen glanced around again, confused. “Where’s…”

The back door slammed open, revealing a heavily intoxicated Matteo Accardi. He slumped against the doorframe, a shaking glass tumbler pressed to his

essed to his lips. He threw his head back, finishing off the last of the amber liquid and made a hissing noise. She felt Leo take hold of her elbow again, as if bracing for

“Accardi, how much have you had?” Leo asked,

Matteo’s red–rimmed eyes swiveled to face them. His narrowed eyes widened and his pursed lips pulled into a predatory smile. “Nearly enough,” he slurred. He cleared his theout, “Glad to see you didn’t back out, Mess Sinclair,” ar drawled. “Care in sit?” he asked, gesturing toward one of the armchairs.

“Okay…” She eyed him carefully as she walked toward the armchair, all the while feeling his gaze tracking her like a lion.

She sat down a and watched as he pushed off the door and stumbled toward her fist before he enllapsed beside her, Leo caught him by the upper arm.

“Hey,” Matteo whined.

“Careful,” Len warned.

1:05 am

OM

Chapter Forty–Three

Matteo pulled his arm out of Le

What could I possibly do?” Matten asked, falling:

the armchair beside

6

Le sighed “I go get the hammer Leo tuned to ten and stamped so he could speak to her in a lower tone. “Don’t listen to what he saya.”

“Sore. He doesn’t mean what he says when he’s drunk, right?” the guessed, having had plenty of experience with men who get lost in their line.

Lee red Matteo who was still stone) to clip his seatbelt. “No he does”

Without further explanation, Leo turned on his heel and went to the kitchen. She looked back at Matren who was already watching her with glazed eyes and

a fary smile.

1. an. “You have to drink in order to withstand…”

“So” she began.

His hand covered her mouth with a surprisingly gentle touch. “If you say it, my adrenaline spikes and I have to drink even more. I drink more, I get horny. bit handsy and before you know it, I’ve got you on all fours in the back bedroom begging for me to keep going.*

“That’s true.” Leo said, holding a refilled glass in front of Matteo’s face, forcing him to go cross–eyed. “Remember last time?” Leo asked Matten with a wink

Matteo’s eyes narrowed first at Leo and then Gen when she started to laugh. “Cock block,” Matteo mumbled as he sipped the whiskey. Leo touched the bottom of the glass and forced Matteo to chug the rest. When he was done, he took the glass away and patted Matteo on the head. Matteo flung his arm out, batting Leo away. “Thanks, Dad,” Matteo mocked with a smile.

“Sure thing, Kiddo,” Leo said, completely stoic. Once Leo put the glass away, he returned to one of the two remaining chairs and strapped himself in. He leaned across the aisle toward Gen. “Don’t worry, he’ll be out within a few minutes.”

“Don’t talk about me,” Matteo warned, his eyes already shut and his head leaning back against the headrest.

Gen asked, looking around. There wasn’t even a stewardess.

“Is it just us?” G

Leo nodded and pulled a crime novel from his backpack. “He doesn’t like people to see him like this,” he said, bobbing his head in Matteo’s direction.

“You’ve seen me like this hundreds of times,” Matteo mumbled, his voice already fading.

“Yeah, one of four, Man, Leo argued with a grunt,

A serene smile spread across Matteo’s face. “One of five,” he corrected before his face went slack with sleep.

Leo glanced over at Gen and gave her a knowing smile.

Four hours later, the plane touched down at the Austin Hergstrom International Airport. While Gen gathered what energy she had left from her long day, Len puked and prodded Matteo trying to get him to wake up.

“Wasd me to try?” Gen asked.

“Hiding a pitcher of water in your pink honore?” Leu asked with a laugh.

“No, mine’s much more simple than that,” she said.

Gen walked up to Matteo. She looked at Leo and spun her finger in a circle, telling him to turn around. He rolled his eyes but did as she asked. She bit her lip as she sat down on Matteo’s lap. She ran her hands up his chest and lowered her lips to his ear.

1:05 am

Chapter Forty–Three

“Wake up, Matteo,” she whispe

down my bare skin in a punishing grip

bivvarlobe. “Wake up or you’re gonna miss me stepping out of the bath. My hair dripping, water pinning Gen moaned and sked her lips against him. “I’m about to put my robe on. You better… His right hand suddenly grabbed her waist

Den gasped as the fingers of his left hand tangled in her hair and yanked her hend hack. His eyes ventured over her body, sleep flogged and barely focused “Liar,” he hissed, causing her to laugh.

“Get him up fer ven, leo,” Gen said as she pried herself out of his

“Don’t worry, I have a punishment in mind for you,” Matteo i threatened, his lustful eyes dissecting every move she made as the disentangled herself.

“We’ll see about that,” she teased, walking

sing away from him and out of the plane.

They all rode in silence toward the hotel. It was nearly two in the morning their time, and Gen felt laden with exhaustion. All she wanted to do was crawl under the soft, clean sheets at the hotel and pass the fuck out. Matteo’s mood shifted as they grew closer to the hotel. Every few minutes she could feel his hot gaze on the side of her face. When she would look back at him with a raised brow he would merely smile and wink. He was up to something, she just needed to figure out what it wasn’t until they were standing in front of the receptionist that she figured it out

“So, you’re all booked up for the weekend, huh? No vacancy?”

lashes at him.

vacancy?” Matteo asked, his soft smile focused on Gen rather than the pretty blonde fluttering her

“Yes, Sir,” she said, her voice thick with the trademark Texas drawl.

Gen raised a brow at Matteo, “That’s good. Means a lot of people will be at the event tomorrow.”

“Lucky for us. maybe not for you.”

“What are you…

“Name’s Accardi. I have just the one room, I believe? I’ll be needing two cards,” he announced with a final wink at Gen.

she thought to herself. So that’s what it is. He was hoping for a little forced–proximity? Something devilish flashed in his eyes as he waited for her reaction. Gen smiled brightly at him and pulled her ID and credit card from her wallet. She slapped them down on the desk.

“Genevieve Sinclair,” she announced.

Matteo’s smile slowly faded as the receptionist handed over a key card for her own rooms, den held the card up in front of his face. “Looks like someone got to Alexander before you did, Mr. Accardi,” she said with triumph.

His eyes turrowed. He took one of his cards and pulled her closer with a startling jolt. He slipped a card into the back pocket of her jeans, seemingly

undetrujed.

“You’ll still need it. I’m sure of that,” he wowed,

“You’re still drunk,” she whispered, lanking deep into his red rimmed golden brown res

He lowered his face until he was only a hairsbreadth away from their lips touching. “Maybe.”

She could smell the whiskey on his breath. So

on his breath. So much so that she could feel herself getting drunk by the fumes alone.

1:05 am

Chapter Forty–Three

Gen stilled. The voice was so fam

Paul stopped in his tracks. He

is bought forth a flood of memories that caused her knees to shake, She looked toward the hotel entrance and gasped.

he did the last time she’d seen him: all blond hair and sunkissed skin. His blue eyes were shining as he took

her in. That trademark, quarterback sonde ge brighter.

“Mr. Brooks, I’ll be with you in a

“Gen Paul asked, ignoring Matteo completely.

“Paul? That can’t really be you.”

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