Accardi (Genevieve and Matteo) by Allison Franklin novel Chapter 80

Eighty

The only person who felt they needed more information about the kiss with Matteo was her assistant. Kaitlin had practically squealed when she followed Gen into her office afterwards. The only way she could get Kaitlin back to work was to promise to join her for “ladies lunch” on Thursday with her and the girls. Gen had no idea who the girls were but she didn’t care, so long as Kaitlin would give her five minutes to collect her thoughts.

A few hours later, Matteo poked his head into her office… and by ‘poked his head in‘ he walked up without her knowing, grabbed her throat from behind, tilted her head up and kissed her. After he’d passionately returned her favor from earlier, he told her he would be leaving early to run a few errands and attend a family meeting. When she asked again when he would be home, he’d replied just the

same.

“As soon as I fucking can, Weakness. Enjoy your surprise,” he added, mysteriously. He vanished before she could turn and ask him more

questions.

It took every ounce of patience within her to not bolt to the apartment to see what he’d left her. Instead, she was good and waited until 5 o’clock sharp to leave for the day. Gen strutted across the lobby and out through the courtyard with renewed confidence. Nothing like a good lay and the support of a fine–looking man to put a little pep in your step. Leo waited dutifully by the SUV with another younger looking man that she found oddly familiar. She slowed as she neared and pointed purposefully to the new guy.

“Stephen, meet Miss Sinclair. Miss Sinclair, Stephen. Frankie’s little brother,” Leo introduced.

“Ah, that’s who it is. Nice to meet you,” she said, holding her hand out for him to shake.

“Nice to meet you too, and don’t worry,” he said, leaning over their clasped hands. “I’m much more fun than my brother.”

“Hm,” Gen pulled her hand back. “I see the distasteful personality is inherited.”

“We’ll be spending a lot of time together, Miss Sinclair. I just want you to know, whatever you need, I’ll be happy to provide,” he said,

then in a lower voice and a bob of his eyebrows, “Anything.”

“Mhmm,” Gen said, looking at Leo whose eyes seemed to be stuck looking upward at the sky in annoyance. “Hows about I pretend you never insinuated what you just did and I don’t tell your boss who we both know will remove at least one, if not more, of your favored

appendages?”

Rather than look deterred, Stephen’s smile broadened. “Frankie was right.”

“About what?” she asked, putting her hands on her hips.

Stephen put his hands in his pockets and shrugged his shoulders to his ears before turning to the passenger seat.

“Uh, uh, uh,” Leo tsked. “Back seat,”

Stephen clicked his tongue. “Aw, man.”

Gen felt smug as she hopped into the passenger seat. Just as the door closed, Gen’s phone buzzed. She smiled down at Abigail’s name. She turned to the two men and raised her phone. “Mind if I take a call?”

“If we don’t, are you going to tattle on us?” Stephen mocked.

“Probably,” she agreed, making him scowl at her in the rearview mirror.

“Go ahead,” Leo said, glaring at a car that cut him off.

“Hey!” Gen squealed as she answered the phone and put it to her ear.

“Hey!” “Hi!” “Hey!” came Abigail, Sarah, and Becca at the same time.

Stephen groaned in the back seat and covered his ears.

“What are y’all up to?” Gen asked, settling back in her seat and drawing her knees up.

“Oh, you know, it’s been a few days since we heard about the Italian sausage. We wanted to know if it was still spicy,” Abigail teased.

“Well, technically Louise was wondering about the sausage and made us promise to ask if we called. We only care about you and if you

happen to want to divulge how good the sex is, then, you know, we’ll be happy to listen,” Sarah elaborated.

Gen laughed. “I miss you guys. Y’all need to come visit.”

“Oh, pleeeassse do,” Stephen added from the back seat.

“Who was that?” Abigail asked. “Are you babysitting a teenage boy?”

“Please, I’d be getting paid if that were the case.”

“So what are you doing then?”

Gen glanced around at the two scary men escorting her home in case someone jumped her because she was dating a mob boss. “Eh, just sharing a taxi.”

Stephen barked out a laugh. Leo grabbed a full Nalgene bottle beside him and hurled it into the backseat. It landed in Stephen’s stomach, causing him to double over and gasp for air. Gen patted Leo’s arm in thanks.

“Ah, I’m pulling up to my apartment now. Hold on. Thank you so much, Sir, here’s a tip,” Gen said, winking at Leo.

Unphased, Leo locked the door and held out his hand. She glared down at it and back up. He wiggled his fingers and raised his eyebrows twice. She rolled her eyes, dug in her purse, found a crumpled up five dollar bill and threw it at him. He patiently unfurled the bill as she climbed out of the SUV. She flicked him off before shutting the door.

“Anyway,” Gen drawled, pulling her keys out as she walked up to the door. Hector was waiting and held the door open for her. She smiled and nodded as she walked past. “What’s going on?”

“Uh, uh, uh! Sausage,” Abigail demanded.

Gen rolled her eyes. “Sausage has been great. Just the right amount of spice and sweetness and tastes good going down.”

“Ew… that’s… no,” Becca said in the background.

“Shh, Becc, go on, go on,” Sarah encouraged.

Gen giggled. “Things have been good.”

“So you worked out… whatever it was between you?”

“Yeah, I mean, things are complicated, that’s for sure, but we’re both willing to work on it,” she explained.

“So does that mean…”

“Becca, we promised we wouldn’t ask,” Abigail whispered.

“I just want to know…”

“Let her be happy,” Sarah agreed with Abigail.

“Guys,” Gen whispered back. “I can still hear you if you whisper next to the phone.”

Abigail or Sarah sighed. “Are you coming back to Boston?” Becca asked.

Gen’s feet stalled on the fourth landing. She glanced up to the next floor where she and Matteo lived. She thought about what he said, how he wouldn’t let her go back to Boston. Had he meant that? Did she want that?

“I told you it would dampen the mood!” Abigail hissed.

“No,” Gen said, shaking her head and forcing her feet to move. “No, it’s okay. It’s a good question. We haven’t really talked about it,” she

lied. “It’s all still so new and we have a lot left to work out.”

“She’s not coming back,” Becca said softly.

“Becc, come on,” Abigail said as Gen heard the floorboards of their beautiful Boston home creak, signaling someone’s departure.

Gen stopped in front of her apartment door and leaned back against it. “I really don’t know,” she argued.

“It’s okay,” Sarah said. “Enjoy yourself. There’s still, what? Four more months on your contract? There’s plenty of time to figure out what

3/6

Chapter Eighty

you want to do, right?”

Gen stared across the hall to the apartment she’d spent the last three nights in.

“Yeah, you never know what will happen,” she lied again. “Look guys, I’m at my apartment and it’s been a long day. I need a shower and some food. Can I call y’all again later?”

“Yeah, Toots, do your thing,” Abigail said.

“We’ll talk to you later,” Sarah added.

“Love you guys.”

“Love you too.” “You too.”

Gen hung up and stared at the door across the hall for another minute. She sighed and turned to unlock her own door. She shoved the door open and stalled. Just inside her apartment stood a collection of packing boxes, bins, tape, packing peanuts, a trolley, and furniture sliders all wrapped in an extravagant ribbon, topped with a bow. She stepped inside and kicked the door closed, afraid that if she took her eyes off the massive present, it might disappear.

She walked toward it and noticed a card sticking out from under the bow. She pulled the envelope down and opened it. Something fell out and clinked against the floor. She stooped down and gingerly picked up the golden key. Her fingers shook as she pulled out the note:

и

Move in with me?

-M

There was a sticky note attached to the back stating the security code was the day they met. She smiled big, both taken aback and thoroughly pleased by the gesture. She immediately turned and went for the door she’d spent several minutes staring at, ready to test out

her new key.

The key slid in without resistance. The door clicked open and she heard the ping of the security system. She quickly glanced around, wishing she’d tried to remember where it was before opening the door. She spotted it a few feet from the door, opened the panel and quickly typed in 2.13.25. The system beeped three times then disengaged. She sighed and turned to look around the dim apartment. She spotted a large bouquet of wildflowers sitting on the counter. She bit her lip as she walked toward it. A second note sat beside the

flowers.

W,

Make yourself at home.

Lasagna is in the fridge for dinner. Reheat for thirty minutes.

ghty

-M

Gen pulled out her phone, took a picture of the bouquet and sent it to Matteo.

Gen: Careful, the image you’ve worked so hard to maintain as a big, bad, powerful mafia boss is slipping.

She watched the bubbles appear on the screen as she walked lazily around the apartment.

Matteo: The only thing that should be slipping is you out of those work clothes. I expect you naked and ready when I get home,

Weakness.

Gen: How do you know I am still in my work clothes? Are there cameras in here?

Matteo: Only at the front door, activated when someone tries to get in.

Matteo: I’m getting this one printed.

An image appeared from two nights earlier when she’d run across the hall to his apartment after their first date. It was taken from above

and showed her looking up at him with a mischievous smile. The photo was so detailed, she could practically see the unhinged lust in her

eyes… and straight down her dress.

Gen: You better not or you’ll have to remove the eyes of the person in charge of printing it!

Matteo: Better do what I say then and get your fine ass in bed.

Matteo: By the way, I took the liberty of moving one of your more precious belongings.

Matteo: Your little purple friend is hiding somewhere in our apartment. You want a chance to use it again, you better find it.

Matteo: I’ll even give you a hint.

Matteo: It’s hidden among my favorite things.

Gen smiled and shook her head. She opened the door to the apartment, spotted the camera and flicked it off.

Matteo: Colder…

Gen laughed and rolled her eyes as she walked back into the apartment and locked the door to the point where he could still get in. Then she set out, not necessarily because she needed her “purple friend” as he called it, but because of the implied permission that she could snoop wherever she wanted. And she loved to snoop.