Chapter 39

Chapter Thirty-Nine

The group gathered around the brunch table, exchanging polite but dull chatter about the weather, the snarled traffic of New York City, and the lavish estates everyone dreamed of retiring to someday. Matteo, however, remained unusually quiet throughout the meal, his gaze fixed straight ahead as if trying to block out the world around him. He barely glanced in her direction as he ate, absorbing the conversations but offering no input. Genevieve felt her frustration mounting with every passing minute, fueled both by his cold demeanor and the way he had dragged her into this tedious meeting without explanation. By the time the meal ended, she was convinced that the tension simmering between them was palpable to everyone at the table.

Matteo excused himself abruptly to use the restroom, leaving Genevieve standing alone in the hallway while the others descended via elevator. She leaned against the wall, her foot tapping nervously as she shot a sharp glare across the hall at Leo, who did everything possible to avoid meeting her eyes.

“Did you know what this meeting was really about?” she asked quietly.

Leo shrugged, his expression unreadable.

“Lee is paid to keep you out of harm’s way, not to offer advice or act as a sounding board,” Matteo said as he returned, his tone clipped.

Genevieve turned to face him, her voice low but pointed. “And who’s paid to keep you safe, Mr. Accardi? Because I have a feeling trouble is headed your way.”