Accardi (Genevieve and Matteo) by Allison Franklin novel Chapter 51

Chapter Fifty–One

When Gen rushed out of the store she was met with a ridiculous scene: Jada scolding Leo. He was leaning his shoulders back against his SUV with his arms crossed, glaring down at the tiny woman screaming at him. Jada’s arms waved violently and her foot stomped.

“Jada, enough! You look like a toddler!” Gen said, absolutely astonished at her behavior.

Jada, however, ignored her as she continued her rant. “Shame on you for allowing him to do this to her. Did you learn nothing from what happened between

you and Lucy?”

“Jada, calm down. It’s nothing like that. He…”

“Wait, you two know each other?” Gen asked, pointing between them.

Leo sighed while Jada huffed. “Yeah, we know each other,” Jada said, her eyes narrowing on the man towering above her. “We go way back, don’t we, Leo?”

“Just get in the car before someone calls the police,” Leo demanded, shoving off the SUV to stalk around toward the driver’s seat.

“It wouldn’t be the first time!” Jada yelled in response.

Gen groaned as she shoved her sister unwillingly into the back of the SUV. Gen closed the door and turned. “Look, Jada, if you’d…”

Jada’s perfectly manicured hand smacked Gen across her cheek. Gen’s head whipped to the side. She covered the heated spot with her palm. Tears brimmed

but she refused to let them fall.

“You have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into,” Jada hissed.

Gen rubbed her cheek and then stared straight forward. Her jaw ticked as she met Leo’s angry eyes in the rearview mirror. She shook her head once, telling him not to intervene. He made a growling noise before pulling out into traffic.

“You are so naive,” Jada continued. “I told you not to get involved with him and what do you do? You seek him out?!” She guffawed. “Accardi is dangerous,

Gen. For Christ’s sake, he took Brian’s hand off for you!”

“What?” Gen asked, looking between Jada and Leo.

Jada nodded eagerly with her brows raised, happy to see the slice of fear that raced across Gen’s eyes. “He didn’t tell you that, did he? Yeah, Brian called Louis from the hospital. Accardi picked him up off the street and fucking tortured him for two days while his fiancee was in labor, Gen.”

Gen looked down at her lap. “Why would he do that?”

“Men like him do shit for stupid reasons. Probably because Brian fucking touched you or some shit. They are possessive monsters.”

“There’s more to the story than that and you know it, Jada,” Leo warned her with a reproachful look.

“You knew?” Gen asked.

“Hah!” Jada held her stomach as she rolled with laughter. She dabbed her wet eyes. “Knew? Leo is Accardi’s guard. Has been since Accardi was like, what,

fourteen? If Accardi was there, so was Sir Leo here.”

“How do you know all this, Jada?” Gen asked, crossing her arms.

1:08 am

Chapter Fifty–One

Inda scoffed She opened her mouth to answer when Leo cleared his throat. He gave lada a warning glare in the mirror.

“What” lads asked. “Ts Mr. Accardi, keeping his woman in the dark? Does the NDA keep me from talking to my own sister even when she’s dating the boss?

Am 1 not supposed to talk about gang activity with the future Donna?”

“NDA Donna?”

“You said he’s taking you to Carmela’s right?” Jada asked.

“Jada, enough,” Leo warned.

“Or what?” Jada asked, sitting forward. “Go ahead, touch me and see what Louis has to say about it.”

“Louis isn’t my fucking boss, Jada,” Leo growled. “You have no idea what’s going on between Miss Sinclair and Accardi. Stay the fuck out of it or there will

be consequences.”

“Is he going to cut off my hand too?” Jada asked. “You want to know how I know all this, Genevieve? Because two years ago…”

The car screeched to a halt. Leo shoved open the door and then yanked open Jada’s. He grabbed her by the arm and hauled her out. Gen jumped out of the car and raced around the back to get to them. Leo had Jada pinned to the SUV while he whispered something in her ear. Jada continued to struggle, even

when her face paled at Leo’s threats. Cars honked as they held up traffic.

“Stop! You two, stop! I can handle this myself, Leo,” Gen yelled, pulling at his arm until he stepped back.

Gen pushed Leo until he submitted and gave them space. Gen glared at her sister who was still fuming. She grabbed Jada by the upper arm and hauled her over to the sidewalk. The ground buzzed with the music coming from inside the club beside them.

“You’re so stupid,” Jada said with a shake of her head. “They’re all the same. He’s going to tear you apart. He’s part of the Italian mafia, Gen!”

“Shhh,” Gen hissed, looking around at the large group of people waiting to enter the club.

Jada rolled her eyes. “See? You know nothing of this world.”

Jada pulled her arm free and bypassed the line toward the guard stationed at the entrance. He held his hand out, stopping them. “Sorry, ladies, back of the

line like everyone else.”

“Do you know who I am?” Jada asked, popping her hip. The guard looked between them.

“L”

“I’m Jada Carmichael. Recognize that name? Louis Carmichael’s wife? And this girl,” Jada said, pointing her thumb over her shoulder toward Gen. “She’s facking the infamous mob boss, Accardi. Know that name, do you? Know how he operates? You want to tell us to go to the back of the line again? Do it and

I’ll make one phone call.”

The guard’s eyes widened as he quickly moved the velvet rope for them. Jada looked back at Gen and crossed her arms while the crowd waiting in line

quieted to stare at them.

“You know what?” Gen said, finally sick of it. She took Jada’s arm and pushed her past the rope barrier. She stopped right inside the door where the music was still muffled. “I’m sick of you telling me what I can or can’t do. Matteo has treated me with nothing but respect from the moment I saw him. He’s never forced anything on me, even working for him. I’m the one who keeps pushing the boundaries. I’m the one who sought him out at first. I’m the one who made the decision to pursue him. He’s never left me broken and bloody and close to death in a hospital for two weeks like the last guy you dated before Louis. Did I say anything when you immediately jumped into bed with a guy you didn’t know before your bones had even healed?” Jada opened her mouth to say

2/4

1:08 am

Chapter Fifty–One

M

something but Gen continued before she could. “I am five years older than you. I have had my heart broken twice as many times and I’ve learned twice at moch. I have a good head on my shoulders and it’s not like we’re getting married. We’re going on a date. If I decide to throw myself in Matteo’s arms or kick him to the curb it’s up to me. Do you understand?”

“You call him by his first name?” Jada asked, her anger now diminished and her eyes wide.

Gen released her arm. “Yeah. That’s what he told me to call him. What’s the big deal?”

“Gen… Louis doesn’t even call him by his first name. I don’t think he even knows it and he’s known Accardi since he was five,” Jada answered.

Gen scoffed and looked over Jada’s shoulder to Leo. “You call him by his first name, right?” Gen asked. Leo shook his head.

“I have to call Louis,” Jada said, walking into the club while pulling her phone out.

Gen sighed and wiped her palms on her dress. Her purse appeared beside her and she took it from Leo with a grateful smile.

“She’ll get over it,” he assured her.

“She probably won’t but it’ll be fine.” Gen stared into the club, thinking some tequila would certainly hit the spot.

“She’s being protective but, may I ask a favor from you?” he asked.

Gen sighed. “What?”

“Talk to him about it. He’ll tell you the truth.”

“You sure about that?” she asked. “What about you? Will you tell me the truth or did you sign an NDA too?”

He shrugged. “Some things I can tell you, some things I can’t.”

“Okay,” she said, folding her arms and looking at him square–on. “What she said about Brian’s hand… Is it true?”

Leo sighed. He dropped his head forward for a moment before he met her stare again. “Yes.”

Gen felt the color drain from her face. “He cut his hand off? For touching me?”

“No,” Leo said.

“What are you…”

“He brought him in because he touched you but we did our due diligence. You weren’t the only woman he’s hurt, Miss Sinclair. But because of his father…”

“His father is a judge… Realization dawned on her. She touched her forehead.

“He’s hurt a lot of people before. So we helped make him less able to do so… while sending him a message to stay away from you.”

“…” Gen looked into the club and spotted Jada sitting on a bar stool. “I need a drink.”

3/4