Accardi (Genevieve and Matteo) by Allison Franklin novel Chapter 57

Chapter Fifty–Seven

Matteo stepped out of the walk–in cooler and staggered over to the sink. It had been twenty–four hours since Gen was taken. He’d filled every minute of those hours getting bloodier and bloodier. He rinsed his hands as he replayed the words this last security guard divulged.

“I saw a lot of men come in that night! Please!”

“I only need four. Frankie, give me the pliers again.”

“No, no, wait! I remember now. I, uh, I…”

“I’m listening,” Matteo said as he calmly cleaned the pliers he’d used multiple times in the last day. He wouldn’t be so depraved as to mix blood.

That was unhygienic.

“Mr. Accardi, I swear I didn’t see anything!”

Matteo sighed. “Unfortunately for you… You never will again either.”

The guard’s screams echoed in his mind as he used a scrub brush to try to get the blood from under his fingernails. He set the brush down and braced both hands against the stainless steel sink. He stared down at the caked blood and a memory surfaced of something Leo told him. Something about needing a woman on those days you couldn’t get the blood from under your nails. He closed his eyes hard. The problem was, if his woman was here, he wouldn’t have this blood under his nails.

“Accardi,” Frankie said from behind him.

“What?” he asked, his voice low and clogged with exhaustion.

“Leo’s awake.”

Matteo and Frankie made their way to the hospital where Leo spent the entire night before in surgery and all of that day fighting for his life. Matteo felt a knot uncoil in his stomach at the news that he’d woken up. The doctors weren’t sure if he would. They pulled up to the hospital and both walked inside.

“Lucy’s here,” Frankie warned him.

“Great.”

Matteo walked up and knocked on Leo’s door before opening it. The smell of cleaner and antiseptic clogged his nose. Leo was on the bed, looking half–dead while his fiance sat beside him, gripping his hand in both of hers. Lucy turned to see who it was and her face turned

murderous.

“Get. Out,” she demanded, her voice filled with contempt.

“No.”

Chapter Fifty–Seven

“This is your fault!” she yelled.

“You’re not the first to say so,” Matteo responded calmly.

“Look at him! Look at what you’ve done to him!” Lucy walked up and smacked him across the face. Frankie inhaled sharply behind him, unsure how his boss would react to such an insult. Matteo held his head to the side for a moment before facing her again.

“You get one. Don’t ever fucking hit me again,” Matteo warned.

“Lucy…” Leo called.

Lucy swiveled around and rushed back to his bedside, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Baby, you’re awake. Shh, shh, don’t move, okay?”

“Wait outside for me, please?” Leo asked, caressing her cheek.

She shook her head hard. “No, no I’m not leaving you with him. I won’t let him hurt you.”

Leo gave her a warm smile of reassurance as he brushed his thumb across her cheek. “God, you’re beautiful.”

“Stop it,” she begged.

“He won’t hurt me, Luce.”

“I don’t trust him,” she whispered.

Leo looked up at Matteo and back to Lucy. “I do. And that’s got to be enough. Wait outside. If he tries anything I’ll scream and you can

come to my rescue.”

Lucy looked between the two men. She reached over and grabbed the remote attached to his bed. She put it firmly in his hand and made sure to wrap his fingers around it. She placed his thumb on the call button. “I’ll be right outside at the nurses‘ station. If you need me,

you’ll hit this,” she demanded.

He smiled and pulled her down for a light kiss. “I promise.”

Lucy reluctantly pulled away and walked toward the door. As she passed Matteo she glared up at him and mouthed Go to hell.

Matteo chuckled and sighed. He pushed off the doorway and fell into the chair beside Leo. He gave a nod to Frankie who closed the door and stationed himself like a gargoyle on the other side. Matteo looked around at the various tubes protruding out of his closest confidant as well as the bruises and scars exposed by the thin hospital gown he wore.

“I’ll accept whatever punishment you see fit, Sir,” Leo said, looking down at his hands. “I have failed you and I understand if…”

“Shut up, Leo,” Matteo groaned. He sighed and laid his head back against the soft cushion of the seat. Most might find it uncomfortable

but seeing how he had spent the last twenty–four hours, the chair felt like a cloud.

214

9:05 Tue, Nov 4 B.

Chapter Fifty–Seven

“I take it you haven’t…”

“No, she’s still out there.”

“I don’t think they intend to hurt her.”

:

Matteo laughed dryly and scrubbed his face with his hands. “Oh, yeah? Near death experience turn you into a psychic?”

“No, I had that gift before the gun shots.”

Matteo opened his eyes to find a shy smile on Leo’s face. “Funny.”

“They were wearing masks. If they meant to cause her harm, they would have done so at the club. They want something from you.”

“What do you remember?” Matteo asked, sitting forward.

93

Leo looked down at his hands again. He closed his eyes. “The guy who jumped me had a rooster on his right forearm. The one who shot had dark brown eyes, almost black. They were wearing masks with everything but their eyes and mouth covered. After they thought they’d taken me down, they dragged me to the wall and started talking about Jada. Something about Louis. They said they’d drugged the girl and

just needed to wait until she left the bar.”

“You think these guys are linked to the club?” Matteo pondered.

“It’s the only thing that makes sense.”

Matteo nodded. “I thought the same thing. I have men going through our records now.”

“Good. Good,” Leo said with a nod. He settled back in his bed as if he’d finally relieved himself of a massive burden.

“Leo.”

“Hm?”

“How did this happen? You see everything. How did you get distracted enough to…”

“Lucy’s pregnant,” he interrupted. Matteo stilled completely. “We were supposed to go to dinner last night and she planned to tell me then. When I canceled, she got upset. At first she wouldn’t say why. She wanted it to be a surprise, I guess. Tell me in person. Instead, I

pushed and pushed until she told me she was having our baby. Then they jumped me.”

“I guess that explains her erratic behavior just now,” Matteo chuckled.

Leo scoffed. “No. She just fucking hates you.”

Matteo snorted which caused Leo to laugh and clutch his chest. The door to his room flew open and they both looked up to see Frankie

3/4

Chapter Fifty–Seven

staring in at them wide–eyed.

“Accardi… There’s something you need to see.”

Comments

1