Accardi (Genevieve and Matteo) by Allison Franklin novel Chapter 86

Chapter Eighty–Six

Atattoo took a long drag hom his cigarette and blew the smoke out of the cracked window. It had been a long day and a half of press junkets and one–on ones with journalists. Even after he’d finished and sent Bella on her way, he still had plenty of work to do for the other reason he’d cheme to L/C Now, it was finally time for all of his hard work to pay out in one final confrontation: the meeting with Guerra. It was time to show that fucking rat what real prower

looked like.

He stared down at the phone perched on his thigh. He just wanted to hear back from Gen one last time before the meeting started. This life was never see for certainty. Despite having an air tight plan, Matteo wasn’t naive enough to believe nothing could go wrong. He sent her a text telling her he loved her. All

he wanted was to see those four words from her and he could focus.

“Come on, Weakness,” Matteo whispered, his eyes focused on the phone willing her to respond through telepathy.

“What was that?” Stephen asked, looking up from his own phone.

“Watched pot never boils,” Matteo muttered, taking his eyes off the phone to stare out the window instead.

“Huh?”

Matteo sighed, he took the last pull from his cigarette, lowered the window another inch and threw it out before getting a fresh one. “Everyone in place?” Matteo asked Leo in the driver seat.

“Yes, they’ve been there for a while, waiting on us.”

Matteo’s phone pinged and his eyes jerked to the screen. He pulled on his cigarette and stifled another sigh when he saw Thomas‘ name. “Thomas says Guerra is on the move. Should get there about five minutes after us,” Matteo explained, sending Thomas a thumbs–up.

“Can I bum one of those?” Stephen asked.

Matteo’s eyes flicked up to the rearview mirror to lock with Leo’s annoyed gaze. “Nervous?” Matteo asked, handing over a cigarette and his lighter.

“Nah, excited,” Stephen said, though he fumbled with lighting the cigarette.

He couldn’t blame the young man for being nervous. Matteo had spent the last forty–eight hours constructing the most air–tight, diabolical plan to put Guerra in his place… and hadn’t let Stephen in on any of it. It was tradition: a trial by fire. A last test for those wanting to enter Matteo’s inner circle: See how they do when confronted with a situation, how they handle the fall out. Will they fold, turn tail, and run? Or do they have the instinct to know what comes next and how to follow through? It was a tactic his family had used for generations. It was a gamble, of course, but it was effective.

“It’s easy,” Leo began.

“All you have to do is not fuck anything up,” Matteo finished, his second cigarette singeing his knuckles.

“What happens if I do fuck it up?” Stephen asked.

Matteo glanced over at him and sized him up. He shrugged. “I’m not a cruel man. You get a second chance. You enter the ring with me. If you knock me down, you get to keep your life.”

Stephen gulped. He’d seen Matteo in the ring. No one ever beat him. Stephen laughed to try to ease the new tension in the car just as Leo slowed down and pulled up to the curb. “Has anyone ever fucked up and not gotten killed?” Stephen couldn’t help but ask.

“One,” Matteo answered before shoving the car door open. “Your brother.”

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3:10 pm P

Chapter Eighty–Six

The stepped out inta the cool breeze of Los Angeles and adjusted bis tie. He nodded at the valet who came to take Leo’s keys. Feo held the keys nut bus se the valet went for them, Lee pulled the keys just out of teach.

“You’ve been informed where to park?” Leo asked.

The valet visibly gulped. His widened eyes swiveled between Leo, Stephen and Matteo. He jerked his gaze quickly away from the mafia boss‘ glare and

nodded quickly.

“Good man,” Leo said, handing the keys over along with a wad of cash.

Matteo led the two men into the restaurant Guerta had chosen. He stopped just inside and pulled the cuffs of his shirt more firmly through his suit jacket. He spotted the hostess running up from the back of the house to seat them. He glanced around, noting the various men and women in the dining area. The hostess apologized profusely for the thirty seconds it took her to get to him and escorted the trio to the back of the room. One man sitting at a table glanced up and their eyes met. Matteo nodded and the man nodded back.

She sat them at a table near the back of the restaurant, close to the kitchen. The side they sat on was booth–style and forced them to put their backs to the door but the windows they faced had a beautiful view of the ocean. He smiled, thinking of his weakness again. He pulled his phone from his pocket and set it on the table, earning a brow–raise from Leo. Matteo shrugged and pushed away the water the waitress brought them.

“The rest of your party should be here any minute,” the waitress informed them.

“Thank you,” Matteo said with a nod.

Leo adjusted himself in his seat so he could discreetly see the front entrance.

“There are a lot of people here. A lot of witnesses,” Stephen observed. “Are you sure this is the best place to prove a point?”

Matteo slid his eyes over to Leo who returned the same gullible expression. “Yeah, he thinks the people in here will protect him. It’s all part of the plan.”

“Bringing the kid was a mistake,” Leo chimed in, repeating the same sentiment he’d already expressed multiple times. “This is too high stakes for an archaic

test.”

Matteo chuckled. “That’s kind of the point, Leo.”

“Please, you just want another round with a Donati.”

“You fight Frankie all the time,” Stephen piped in.

“Yeah, but men fight differently when their life is at stake. It’s far more of a thrill,” Matteo said, recalling how Frankie had fought like he had never before

or since.

He always holds his punches when fighting with Matteo, even when ordered not to. There was always that underlying worry of hurting his meal ticket. Matteo would never banish or kill Frankie in retaliation, but he appreciated the show of respect his number two gave him when in the ring.

“Sick fuck,” Leo said with a chuckle.

“I’m a sick fuck for liking a challenge every once in a while?” Matteo asked.

“You want a challenge? We could go a couple bouts,” Leo suggested.

Matteo rolled his eyes. Leo never held his punches. When up against Leo, Matteo had to actually pay attention. Leo didn’t give a fuck about respect. He’d helped raise Matteo. It was Matteo’s job to respect him.

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Chapter Eighty–Six

Maybe later, Sweetie. Daddy’s putte work, Matter said

Matteo’s phone pinged and he glanced down at it and released the breath he’d been holding.

Gen: I love you too. I’ll be waiting for you at the airport in the morning. Be safe and don’t do anything stupid.

Matteo smiled down at the text before putting it in his pocket. He would at least attempt the first thing she asked. Leo caught his eye and his brow 1550 higher. Matteo ignored it. With those four words he could finally focus and get the job done. The door at their backs opened and Matten recognized Goerra’s

voice. Leo chuckled.

“Holy fuck, you’re going to love this, Accardi,” Leo said.

As the voices grew closer, Matteo stood. When he turned he couldn’t help the smile that pulled at his lips.

“Hello, Boys.” Guerra beamed. He seemed lankier than the last time Matteo had seen him. Trouble in paradise, perhaps? “Glad we could make this work and see each other again. I hope your stay in my city has been nice.”

Matteo reached his hand out to take Guerra’s extended one. He shook it once before turning his attention back to the other man with him.

“Only bound to get better,” Matteo agreed.

“I believe you’ve met my new consultant in the past?”

“I sure have,” Matteo said, offering his hand out. “I could have sworn I never wanted to see you again, Mr. Brooks.”