Accardi (Genevieve and Matteo) by Allison Franklin novel Chapter 75

Accardi

Chapter Seventy–Five

Genevieve held on tightly to Matteo as he maneuvered them through the throngs of people. Men and women parted for them, and stared down at her with curiosity. It was their odd looks and how their eyes went from her to Matteo that made her realize he’d never brought a woman with him like this. She squeezed his arm, pulling his sharp eyes from the crowd down to look at her. She smiled and he winked before they got to a thick grouping of people standing in front of a staircase. She tried to glance over their heads to see what they were

waiting for.

“Move,” Matteo ordered.

The people in front of him turned and gasped before shuffling to the side. The looks she got from this group seemed to be far from curious and bordered on hostile. Matteo directed her to go first and caged her in with his arms as she walked toward the man standing in front of a velvet rope and a sign that read ‘VIP.‘

“Mr. Accardi,” the man greeted with a subtle glance over Gen.

“John,” Matteo said with a sharp nod.

“You finally brought her in, huh?” John asked with a bob of his head in Gen’s direction.

“Yeah, we’ll be upstairs. I want the VIP selection extra tight tonight.”

“Sure thing, boss,” John said, ushering the couple, Leo, and Frankie up the stairs. “Sorry, folks, no one else allowed up tonight. Find yourselves another spot to watch.” Everyone groaned and some started throwing curses at the man. “Oh, go shove it up your asses. Most

of you weren’t going to get in anyway!”

Gen tuned out the angry crowd as she and Matteo made their way up the stairs. At the top she noticed the VIP section wrapped around the entire club. There were private alcoves which could be shrouded by thick curtains. There were tall tables and bar stools lining some of the railing where beautiful women and well–dressed men sat and watched the fighting still going on below. There was also a bar, much smaller than the one downstairs but with a finer selection of liquor.

“I’ll be in my office, there,” Matteo informed her, pointing at a door. The office had windows looking out onto the club that were tinted, preventing her from glimpsing anything inside. “Once I’m done I’ll come and get you,” he assured her, brushing some hair behind her ear. “In the meantime, pick out a place to sit and make sure Leo is with you. Hopefully I won’t be long.”

“I’ll be fine,” she assured him, running her hand over his chest. He captured her hand and kissed it. She smiled, knowing this sudden interest in kissing her hand was just his way of keeping himself from kissing her elsewhere.

“Let’s go already. You two can fuck later,” Frankie grumbled behind them.

Matteo rolled his eyes and kissed her cheek before turning away and starting toward his office. Even with his back turned, she could tell he was donning a different personality. His shoulders became rigid, his stride lengthened and he put one hand in his pocket as he got to the door. He turned one last time to look her over and she stifled a gasp at the transition between the man who had sat across the table from her all evening and the man now watching her with eyes that missed nothing. He gave her one nod and pulled the door open.

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As sen as Mattes disappeared inside, Gen let out a long breath She turned around and fiddled with the end of her shawl as she looked

Tim a place in sit.

“We can sit here. Mies Sinclait,” Leo suggested, holding his hand out toward a table she was pretty sure had been occupied a moment ago.

“That’ll be perfect. Thanks Leo,” Gen said as he helped her on to the high stool.

From het vantage point she could easily see the tinted glass of Matteo’s office. The skin at the back of her neck prickled in awareness and she knew, without a doubt, this was the best spot for Matteo to keep his eyes on her. She looked away from the glass toward the action below. One man was being carried out of the ring while the other pumped his fists into the air in victory.

“Vodka tonic,” a short woman said, procuring the drink out of thin air.

Gen looked down at the glass. The woman gave a nod to Leo before turning. “Actually, excuse me,” Gen interrupted. The woman raised a brow as if she had a million other things to do besides wait on the boss‘ woman. “Can I actually get a glass of tequila?”

“Yeah, whatever,” the woman said, taking back the vodka tonic.

Gen looked up to find Leo watching her with a raised brow. “He said you drink Vodka Tonics.”

Gen smiled and laughed. “Because that’s what I ordered when I first met him. I did a lot of things out of character that night,” she

recalled with another laugh.

“So I take it things are going well between you two?” Leo asked, genuinely curious.

Gen shrugged. “It’s too soon to tell. We’re only on our first date,” she said with a smile and a wink.

Leo grinned. “That’s more than any other woman has ever gotten.”

“Thanks,” she said, grateful for the small nugget of information.

A glass of tequila appeared in front of her and she smiled down at it just as someone knocked her shoulder and sent the liquid spilling over the table. Leo didn’t even budge as some of it ran over the edge into his lap. His eyes stayed on the person who had done the

knocking, prepared to step in if need be.

“Well, well, well,” came the most annoyingly nasal voice in existence. “Look who finally got important enough for the VIP section,” Mallory said, stepping around so that Leo was at her back and she could glare at Gen. “You’re like a fungus that won’t go away.”

“I’m sorry you’re having fungal issues, Mallory,” Gen quipped. “I would say go get a cream but I don’t have much experience in that department myself.”

Mallory’s eyes narrowed. “What did you do to get a ticket up to the top?”

“You know what I did.”

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Chapter Seventy–Five

“That’s right… Fucked your boss,” Mallory hissed a bit louder than necessary, drawing the attention of people around them.

“I sure did…” Gen leaned forward. “Repeatedly.”

Mallory scoffed and narrowed her eyes. “That was months ago, Sweetheart,” Mallory said, taking a different tactic.

“Actually it was about three hours ago. Wanna see some proof?” she asked.

“Slut.”

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“That’s the best you got?” Gen snickered. She lifted the glass and what remained of the tequila to her lips. “I have to say your insults are very high school. Not that I should be surprised seeing as how that’s clearly when you peaked.”

Leo spit out some of his beer. Mallory turned her icy glare on the bodyguard.

“Why don’t you stay out of this, Leo? Don’t you have a new role as a shooting practice target somewhere?”

Leo’s eyes turned to slits and his entire body went rigid. People in the near vicinity scooted subtly away from the intimidating man. Mallory merely rolled her eyes. Gen jumped off her stool and stood up to Mallory who was a few inches taller in their competing heels.

“Watch your fucking mouth,” Genevieve warned. “You can throw as much shade as you want at me. In fact, I encourage it. It keeps my wit sharp. But don’t you fucking dare say another word to the man who saved my life or I’ll end yours.”

Gen was oblivious to the group gathering around them. Mallory crossed her arms, seemingly just as focused on what she was doing rather than their audience. “What are you going to do, Cupcake? Audit me?”

Gen smirked and glanced down at the ring as two men walked in and shook hands. “What would I have of yours to audit when you only

ever spend your daddy’s money?” Gen bit back. The crowd around them ‘oooed‘ at the insult. Mallory’s face reddened.

“I work at the same company you do, bitch. Only I didn’t have to screw my boss to get there.”

“Right, just had your daddy make a phone call,” Gen snapped back. “Even if it was my skills in the bedroom rather than what actually got

me the job, at least I earned it myself rather than by riding on someone else’s coattails. By the way, shaming someone for having a healthy sex life and using it to her advantage is a bit outdated. Just because it doesn’t work for you…”

Mallory slapped her. The crowd gasped. Gen kept her head turned down. She heard the shrill sound of Leo’s chair scraping back. Gen started to laugh. She continued to laugh as she looked up into Mallory’s red face of anger.

“Do you want to know why I really didn’t want to give up my mother’s ring to you, Mallory?”

“Because you’d never be able to afford any jewelry of your own,” Mallory guessed with a clipped tone.

Gen fisted her right hand. “No, because it’s always served me well.”

Mallory’s brow scrunched down. The bell in the ring below dinged. Gen plowed her fist into Mallory’s nose. The crowd gasped again.

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Mallory stumbled back, holding her now bleeding nose while Gen shook out her fist. Gen looked over at Leo with a proud expression while his was etched in shock. She shrugged just as Mallory tackled her by the waist.

The women went down hard. Mallory started slapping Gen, making her bust out in laughter. Gen wrapped her leg around Mallory’s waist and grunted as she shoved her to the side. Gen brought her fist back again and hammered into her. The opal ring gleamed as it cut into Mallory’s cheek. Mallory feebly fought against Gen, trying to catch her fist or shift her weight. Gen was immovable though. She was tired of being taken advantage of. She was tired of people treating her like shit thinking she wouldn’t do anything in retaliation. She was plain tired. It was time to show everyone she didn’t need Matteo or Leo to fight her battles.

People tried to pull her off the weak woman beneath her but they lost their grip each time Gen went back for more. Then two firm hands caught her by her waist and hauled her upward. She smiled triumphantly at the bloody mess left on the floor. She kicked as the person pulled her back away from the crowd. She noticed Louis appear from somewhere behind her and run to his sister. He shook his head while

surveying the damage.

“I warned you to tell her to stay the fuck away from me, Louis! Let go of me!” Gen yelled to the person holding her. “Do you have any

idea who I am here with?!”

“I know exactly who you belong to, Weakness,” Matteo growled. “But if you want to scream it so everyone else knows, I won’t object.”

Comments

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Italiana88

Damn Gen! you showed her!