Accardi by allison franklin novel

You Were My Favorite Hurt, And My Hardest Goodbye by Ava Knight 44 Summary In this chapter, Matteo struggles with his frustration and jealousy when he unexpectedly encounters Gen and Paul reconnecting after ten years. Despite Matteo's attempts to maintain control, the sight of Gen and Paul's warm reunion ignites a fierce anger within him. Gen reveals she has moved back to New York for work and introduces Matteo as her boss, which only intensifies the tension between the three.

Matteo's cold demeanor and possessiveness become evident as he firmly forbids Gen from having dinner with Paul during company time. Later, Matteo and Paul engage in a tense but somewhat playful confrontation at a club, where Matteo's underlying anger simmers beneath the surface. After returning to the hotel, Matteo is physically exhausted and wounded from the night's events. Gen quietly tends to his injuries, and their interaction reveals the complexity of their past and present feelings.

Gen shares a glimpse of her history with Paul, and Matteo's protectiveness over her is palpable as he warns of consequences if Paul harms her again. The chapter closes with a moment of vulnerability between Matteo and Gen, as he asks her to stay with him to rest, but she declines, knowing neither would sleep well. Despite the unresolved tension and emotional turmoil, the chapter ends with an intimate and haunting note, as Matteo hears Gen softly calling his name, underscoring the complicated and charged connection between them.

Continue Regular Chapter Reading Below Σ Chapter Forty-Four Matteo cursed under his breath, blaming the lingering effects of the liquor for his lack of control. The alcohol dulled his grip, and as a result, Gen slipped away from him far too easily. "Oh my God!" Gen squealed, her voice filled with disbelief and excitement. "It's been, like, what?" "Ten years?" they both blurted out simultaneously, their voices overlapping in surprise. Without hesitation, Paul closed the distance between them and wrapped Gen in a warm, encompassing hug.

He spun her around, and she giggled softly, her eyes closed in delight as she clung to him just as tightly. Matteo's gaze drifted upward to the hotel ceiling, his frustration mounting. Really? They'd reconnected that quickly? he silently demanded of the universe. "What are you doing here?" Gen asked after Paul finally released her. Despite stepping back, they still held onto each other's arms, a fact that only fueled Matteo's simmering anger. "Your mom told me you were still in Texas, but..." Paul began, trailing off as he searched for the right words.

"You've been asking about me, huh?" Paul teased, gently brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Gen playfully tapped his chest. "Please, my dad spilled the beans about your visit." "What?! He promised not to tell you. I thought you were in Boston. What are you doing here?" Paul asked, genuine curiosity in his eyes. "I actually moved back to New York for a bit..." Gen started. "New York? But you hate the city," Paul protested, his brow furrowing. A hot, sharp pang of jealousy settled in Matteo's stomach, burning away the last remnants of alcohol in his veins.

He shot a dark glare at the couple who seemed to have completely forgotten his presence. He felt Leo step behind him, silently acknowledging that Matteo's emotions were no longer hidden. Gathering his rage, Matteo donned his mask of cold indifference. Genevieve shrugged nonchalantly. "I got an offer I couldn't refuse. That's actually why I'm here now." Her eyes flicked nervously over Paul's shoulder, and she visibly paled, swallowing hard-clear signs that Matteo's facade was back in full force. She only looked at him like that when he was unreadable. "I'm, um, here because of work.

This is..." She glanced at Matteo and clenched her fist, searching for the right words to describe the complicated connection between them. "My, um, boss, Mr. Accardi," she finally managed to say. Matteo narrowed his eyes, causing her to visibly tremble. "Accardi?" Paul spun around, completely oblivious to Matteo's expression. The naive fool. "No way! He's my boss too!" "Really?" Gen's attention shifted back to her ex. "How? I thought you were in consulting now." "I am! I'm overseeing the new in-track. That's why I'm here-to give Mr. A the lowdown on this weekend's events." Mr. A.

Matteo's knuckles clenched tightly. A loud snap echoed, drawing everyone's attention back to him. He opened his fist, and the keycard fell to the floor, shattered into pieces. "I'll get a new one," Leo muttered from behind him. "Well," Genevieve said nervously, "I should head up to my room and try to get some sleep. I'll leave you two to it." Her eyes flicked between the two men, uncertainty written across her face. She started to walk away, but Paul suddenly grabbed her hand. Gen's eyes widened at the sudden shift in Matteo's posture-his body language had turned violent in an instant.

"Tell me you'll have dinner with me before you go. I've missed you, baby," Paul whispered, his words eroding the last shred of Matteo's civility. "Just say you'll let me see you." Genevieve hesitated, then slowly turned back to face Paul. "..." "No," Matteo finally interjected, his voice low and sharp. Both of them turned to look at him. Clearing his throat to dispel the lump of emotion threatening to choke him, he hissed, "Miss Sinclair, I won't allow it. Not during company time." Gen was here to work, and Matteo was determined to keep it that way.

Paul frowned, trying to read the anger beneath Matteo's words. "Oh, okay. Well, either way, I'll see you at the event tomorrow, right?" Gen nodded shyly, offering a tentative smile. "Goodnight, Paul. See you tomorrow." As she tried to pull away, Paul caught her in another embrace. She stiffened briefly before relaxing, hugging him back with a desperate intensity. Finally, she released him and stepped back, refusing to meet Matteo's gaze as she made her way to the elevators.

Matteo didn't watch her leave; instead, his eyes stayed locked on the man who had the audacity to touch someone he had already discarded-someone Matteo vowed never to let be hurt again. "So, Mr. Brooks," Matteo said, causing Paul to jerk his eyes away from the elevator doors. "You wanted to speak with me?" Paul asked, masking his surprise. "How about we check out a friend's new club in town? We can grab a few drinks." Matteo stepped closer, a sly smile playing on his lips. "Let off some steam?" Paul's face lit up with enthusiasm. "Sure! We had a blast at your club when we were in town.

I even managed to get a few guys on the ground. Felt like high school all over again. You know..." he trailed off as they walked toward the exit. "Back then, I got into fights all the time." "Is that so?" Matteo replied, intrigued. Paul nodded eagerly. "Had to. With a girl like Gen on my arm, there were always guys trying to make a move. Had to put them in their place," he said, giving Matteo a playful jab in the ribs. "Oh, I know exactly what you mean," Matteo agreed, his voice low. They climbed into the SUV with Leo behind the wheel.

It was nearly midnight in Texas, but Matteo's blood buzzed with adrenaline. Paul slapped the back of Matteo's chair. "You know, Gen was the girl I was talking about at our meeting-the one who got away." Matteo wondered if he should hand Paul a shovel to dig himself a deeper hole even faster. "What are the chances? Looks like I'll get that relapse fuck after all." Matteo felt his knuckles strain with the urge to punch the man into the ground. Thirty more minutes, he told himself as Leo drove them deeper into downtown Austin.

They stopped in front of a club flashing a neon sign that read, "Hall Way House." "No way. Care to go a couple rounds?" Matteo asked with a smirk as they stepped out. "With you?" Paul eyed Matteo from head to toe. Dressed in an Armani suit and Italian shoes, Paul probably saw him as nothing more than a pretty rich kid who didn't know his place. Paul's biggest mistake was not spending five minutes on a Google search. Sure, Paul was built and could probably hold his own against college kids who dared to approach the captivating blue-eyed beauty.

But inside this building, Paul would be the shrimp. All Matteo had to do was get his name on the sign-up sheet before Paul figured it out. After a moment's thought, Paul smiled broadly. "Tuck it. Just not in the face-I wouldn't want to mess up your pretty mug for the press releases." Paul laughed as he sauntered into the club. Matteo felt Leo's hand on his shoulder. "Don't do too much damage, Accardi. She'll run off to help him heal." "Then maybe I'll kill him," Matteo growled, stalking after his prey. Matteo didn't return to the hotel until the first light of dawn crept over the horizon.

As he trudged up to the third floor, he glanced at his watch and groaned. Only four hours remained before he was expected at the track. Pushing open the door to his floor, he walked down the seemingly endless hallway and leaned heavily against the wall, struggling to unlock his room. Suddenly, the door next to his opened. He looked up to find Genevieve staring back at him uncertainly. He sighed and returned his gaze to the card reader. After a few more failed attempts, her hand appeared atop his. She took the card and swiped it once. The door clicked open.

Matteo practically stumbled inside, using the furniture to steady himself before collapsing face-first onto the bed. He expected sleep to claim him quickly, but instead, faint noises echoed around the room. Turning his head, he cracked one eye open to see Genevieve moving about, gathering various items. By the time she sat beside him, he realized she was collecting supplies to tend to his bleeding knuckles. She didn't speak or even look at his face as she took his hands and examined the injuries. Genevieve began to carefully treat his wounds.

First, she wiped the cuts with an antiseptic wipe, then used a cotton swab to clean the edges of the torn skin. Next, she applied a soothing cream with gentle, practiced hands. When she finally wrapped gauze around his knuckles, the silence between them became almost suffocating. "He's the one you learned to do this for, isn't he?" Matteo finally broke the quiet. Gen's cheeks flushed a deep red, but she avoided his gaze. "He was very jealous." "So am I," Matteo said firmly. Her eyes lifted, meeting his, but they revealed nothing.

"I've noticed." Gen stood and moved around the bed, sitting on the opposite side to tend to his other hand. Matteo watched her carefully. "We were high school sweethearts. He got a football scholarship to the University of Texas. I could never have afforded that school. He went, and we broke up," she said with a shrug. "That's not the whole story, though, is it?" Matteo pressed. Her gaze held steady, unflinching. "No." Matteo's knuckles tightened again. She clicked her tongue when he accidentally reopened a cut she had just treated. "I'll kill him for you.

If you want." Gen's eyes lingered on his knuckles for a moment before a small smile tugged at her lips. Then she looked up at him, tears brimming in her eyes. "Don't you mean you'll take his hand off?" Matteo's blood ran cold, the color draining from his face. "Who told you about-" Gen's mouth fell open. "It's true?" Matteo scoffed. "No." "Oh my God, Matteo," she gasped. "Don't hurt his hand?" "If he touches you again, there won't be much left," he warned. She shook her head, still wide-eyed with disbelief. Resuming her work, she paused every few minutes to shake her head again. "All done.

Get some rest. We have a big day ahead," she said softly. "Wait," he whispered, reaching up to touch her cheek with the pad of his thumb. He noticed the dark circles beneath her striking blue eyes. "Stay with me. We can try to sleep together." Gen's cheeks flushed, and she looked down, biting her lip. God, he wanted to pull that lip from between her teeth. Finally, she looked up and gave him a shy smile. "Not tonight, Mr. Accardi. We both know neither of us would get any real rest." With that, Gen slid off the bed, her hips swaying slightly as she left the room.

Matteo laid back against the mattress, closing his eyes. Just as sleep began to claim him, he heard her voice through the thin walls-softly moaning his name. Dammit. - Comments R Visitor Wonderful storyline, can't wait for more 7 days ago Conclusion This chapter delicately captures the tangled emotions and unresolved tensions between Matteo, Genevieve, and Paul. The raw jealousy and protective instincts Matteo feels underscore the depth of his lingering feelings for Genevieve, while her interactions with Paul reveal the complicated history and the choices that shaped their past.