Accardi by allison franklin novel

You Were My Favorite Hurt, And My Hardest Goodbye by Ava Knight 105 Summary Gen supports a weary Matteo as he leans heavily against her in the ladies' bathroom, their tense yet intimate moment charged with unspoken anger and unresolved conflict. Despite her simmering fury, there is a complex, almost playful tension between them as Matteo teases and comforts her, hinting at the ongoing battle of wills in their relationship. After freshening up, Gen steps out to find Matteo distracted by his phone, their brief exchange laced with flirtation and familiarity.

Their moment is interrupted by the arrival of Guerra, who engages Gen in a revealing conversation about the criminal underworld and her connections to dangerous men. Guerra exposes Gen's troubled past and her poor choices in men, hinting at deeper ties to mafia families and her precarious position in this dangerous world. His revelations unsettle Gen, especially when he hints at knowing her true identity and warns her about the consequences of her involvement. The tension escalates when Guerra's companion, a menacing figure, confronts Gen with hostility, labeling her a derogatory name.

Just as the situation turns violent, Leo intervenes swiftly and decisively, neutralizing the threat with ease. Matteo's arrival at the scene adds to the charged atmosphere, his casual demeanor contrasting with the seriousness of the confrontation. Noah Guerra, revealed to be Becca's half-brother, delivers a chilling message to Gen before departing, leaving her with a sense of impending danger. The chapter closes with Gen and Matteo preparing to leave, their safety uncertain as the shadows of their past and present threats loom large.

Continue Regular Chapter Reading Below Chapter One Hundred and Five The cold edge of the sink pressed uncomfortably into her thighs as she bore most of Matteo's weight leaning heavily against her. His forehead rested against her shoulder, and the rough cadence of his breath stirred the skin on her chest. Abruptly, he lifted his head and sank his teeth into her shoulder, pulling away just enough to draw a sharp gasp from her lips. Her head tilted back, resting against the mirror behind her.

Matteo's lips traced a slow path along her collarbone, then down between her breasts, igniting a fire she was still too angry to fully extinguish. Her fury simmered just beneath the surface. He had a long way to go to make amends, and she secretly relished the thought of the ongoing battle of wills and punishments they would inflict on each other in retaliation. Gently, Matteo took her hand, guiding her down from the sink. His hands settled firmly on her waist as her knees threatened to buckle beneath her.

A proud smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth, and she couldn't help but roll her eyes in response. She wobbled unsteadily and stumbled toward the nearest bathroom stall. Matteo busied himself tucking his shirt and holstering his gun back into his pants. After freshening up, she stepped out to find him engrossed in his phone, a grin spreading across his face that was wide enough to summon that infuriating dimple she both loved and hated. "What are you up to?" she asked, trying to sneak a peek at his screen. He pulled the device just out of her reach.

"Nothing for you to worry about," he said, flashing a wink. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously but decided not to press further. Matteo stepped closer and brushed his lips softly against hers. "Wait outside for me. I'll be out in a minute." "You do realize you're still in the ladies' bathroom, right?" she teased. Feigning shock, he glanced around conspiratorially before wiping his phone clean and smiling down at her. "You can be my lookout," he whispered, planting one last kiss on her lips before slipping into the stall she had just vacated.

His quiet laughter trailed behind her as she left the restroom, shaking her head in disbelief. She leaned against the wall opposite the bathroom door, releasing a heavy sigh that carried away much of her pent-up frustration. The man was utterly insane. What on earth had possessed her to chase after him like this? She shook her head again, a smile tugging at her lips. Maybe, just maybe, she was crazier than he was. Suddenly, laughter echoed down the hallway, drawing her gaze. A groan escaped her as she recognized Guerra's voice. Their eyes met, and the smile on his face widened.

The man walking beside him gave her a quick once-over before disappearing into the men's room. Instead of following, Guerra sauntered toward her, still chuckling over whatever joke had passed between them. "I see the rumors are true," he said with a sly eyebrow raise. "Where's your lover?" "Not here," she replied curtly. "Shame. Do you know Mr. Russo?" Guerra asked, nodding toward the man who had just entered the bathroom. Gen shook her head. "Maybe your sister knows him better. He's Dane's younger brother.

Did you know Dane?" The name tightened her stomach with unpleasant memories-Jada's ex who'd landed her in the ER. "I've had the displeasure of meeting him a few times," she confirmed. Guerra widened his stance, closing the distance until their toes nearly touched. "He's the reason I got into this business," he said, his voice low. Gen caught a movement down the hall and discreetly glanced sideways. Leo was leaning casually against the corner, his presence subtle but unmistakable. She kept her hand near her waist, signaling him to stay back.

"Were you family?" she asked, eyes returning to Guerra, though his gaze was fixed on a spot near her knee on her dress. "No, no," he replied. "More of a mutual friend of the family. I'm originally from Boston." "Really? With a name like Luca Guerra, I'd have guessed Italy," Gen said, tilting her head. "Never been," he admitted with a shrug. "So Dane got what he deserved. His family called you in and...?" "They asked me to step in," Guerra said simply. "Step in and do what exactly? Dane's family is in New York, yet you've made your mark in LA.

Am I missing something?" His smile faded, replaced by a familiar solemnity. "I had to leave the East Coast. Too many players there, too entrenched. The Accardis and Galantes, for example-you know they arrived by boat in the early 1800s?" "I've heard something like that," Gen said, feigning boredom but mentally storing every word. Guerra shook his head. "The ones in LA? They're like the fires that rage through that godforsaken place-burning out, replaced by new players rising from the ashes. Much easier for me to infiltrate." "Infiltrate?

That's an interesting choice of words." "Is it?" he asked, brushing his hand across his five o'clock shadow. "You do this long enough, you slip up occasionally-especially around a beautiful woman who only ever seems drawn to the worst kind of men. You've got a terrible instinct for men, don't you?" "Excuse me?" "I mean, we all know how bad Accardi is. Paul? What a piece of work. Then there was that Brian guy who made you rub his feet every day after beating you around?" Guerra shook his head as Gen straightened, pressing her back harder against the wall.

"How do you-" "You have a problem, Gen. You don't know your worth. You're in the wrong line of work. Your accounting firm proves it. You were, what, two weeks from bankruptcy? Yet here you are, talking down to mafia lords and funneling money to your firm while reporting one of your own clients because she forgot to write down a couple extra zeroes on her taxes." Her stomach twisted painfully, her breath quickening as her eyes darted between his, trying to unravel his true intentions.

"I knew you were a cop," she whispered, the realization sending a rush of both excitement and fear through her. He smiled. "Once upon a time. My sister got into some trouble-she's always hacking systems and such." Guerra rolled his eyes. "When my buddies caught her the first time, I made her a deal: I'd keep her out of jail if she fudged a few of my records. Just enough for me to get a leg up." "A leg up?" He sighed heavily, rolling his eyes again. "I can't tell you how boring it was being a beat cop in Boston.

Bar fights, domestic disputes, liquor store robberies, noise complaints-day in, day out. I needed more, Genevieve. My sister helped me get a call from the FBI. Now this job's way more fun. All it took was one call from Dane's family-we went to college together, you see-and suddenly I'm donning a whole new persona, taking over the LA criminal underworld in just a few months!" Guerra laughed, shaking his head, tears glistening in his eyes. "I didn't even mean to say 'donning.' Get it?" Gen stared at him as if he'd suddenly sprouted two heads.

"Why the hell are you telling me all this?" It took a moment for Guerra to compose himself. He wiped at his eyes and sighed. "Because I promised her I'd give you a heads-up. Accardi knows, doesn't he? Why else would he invite me here tonight? The funny thing is, this event alone will be enough to bring the Accardi family down for good. I've been itching for an invitation since I started. Every family head talks about it-the girls, what they'll do, how little they'll do it for." His eyes roved over her body. "Turns out she was wrong about you.

She said you'd never be stupid enough to get this involved. You're a fucking whore, Genevieve. It'll break my little sister's heart." "Who the hell are you talking about?" Gen spat. Guerra's brow furrowed. "You haven't figured it out? I thought she'd break the moment she saw you a few weeks ago. Guess I should've given her more credit." "Who?" "Becca," he said, baffled she hadn't put it together. Gen's world shifted on its axis. Suddenly, everything he'd said clicked into place. "Becca," she breathed, her eyes lifting to meet his. The resemblance was unmistakable.

If his hair had been dark, she might have realized it much sooner. "You're Becca's brother, Noah." "Half-brother," he corrected. At that moment, the men's bathroom door swung open, revealing the hulking figure who had accompanied Guerra down the hall. His eyes narrowed on Gen with a cold intensity unlike any other man's gaze that night. Unlike the others, his focus was locked on her face, as if imagining what it would feel like to smash her tiny head against the wall. "Is this the other whore?" the man sneered. Noah smirked and nodded, prompting the man to lunge forward.

Just as his hands reached for her, a firm grip seized his wrist from behind. A loud crack echoed, followed by a heavy thud. Gen's eyes darted first to the crumpled body on the floor, then to Leo, who nonchalantly rotated his shoulders as if nothing had happened. "Problem?" Matteo's voice came from the bathroom doorway. Gen's gaze shifted to where he leaned against the doorframe, hands deep in his pockets. His tuxedo sleeves were rolled up roughly, his hair tousled as if someone had run their fingers through it, and a cigarette dangled lazily from his lips.

His tone was deadly serious, but his relaxed posture and expression said he'd just had a lucky girl in the bathroom. Gen smiled despite herself. "No problem," Noah said, his smile never leaving Gen's face. "In fact, I've got everything I need. I'll be seeing you all very soon." With that, Noah turned on his heel and strolled down the hallway. Once his shadow disappeared into the crowd of the banquet hall, Gen turned back to Matteo, who watched her with a raised eyebrow. "We need to get back to the apartment," she urged quietly.

Conclusion The chapter closes on a tense yet intimate moment between Gen and Matteo, where their complicated connection is laid bare through a mix of passion, frustration, and unspoken challenges. Despite the simmering anger and the unresolved conflicts that linger between them, there is an undeniable pull that keeps them intertwined, suggesting that their battle of wills is far from over. The brief tenderness they share amidst the chaos highlights the complexity of their relationship, where love and pain coexist in a delicate balance.