Page 21 of They Found Us (Found #5)

Emmaline blushes as she looks at Van. “Thank you, Van, although Leo is right. We were just playing. Sorry you got wet.”

Alfie bursts into laugher, and we all then join in on the hilarious sight of Van, dripping wet in a three-piece suit.

“Get inside and get changed. We’ve got work to do,” Leo instructs Van as he turns on his heels and returns to the house.

Van follows, squelching with each footstep.

“Where did he even come from?” I laugh.

“Wherever Emmaline is, Van isn’t far behind.” Mia smirks.

“Cut it out. We are just friends.” Emmaline flicks water from her hands at a dry Mia.

“Yeah, well, he’s a dope anyway. You can do better than my brother.”

“He is not a dope. But I don’t want a man. I have Alfie, and he is the only boy I want in my life.” Emmaline wraps a towel around herself.

“So there’s still no romance in the air for you, then, Emmaline?” I ask, having not touched on that part of her life in a while, or, come to think of it, ever.

“No. I’ve had enough bad experiences with men before Alfie was born to last me a lifetime. I am perfectly happy on my own, thank you.”

Getting the message that Emmaline no longer wants to talk about her love life I lighten the mood again. “Can Van really not swim?”

“Nope. It’s like he’s made of steel or something. His body has real high density and just sinks.”

We all have another laugh and finish the remainder of the cocktails.

“Well, well, well.” Mia stands mid-conversation and removes her sunglasses.

Emmaline and I turn to see what she is looking at. Segio exits the house, followed by Alex and Vanna.

“Ladies.” Sergio stands tall and professional. He gestures to our new arrivals. “Alessandro Guerra and his wife, Giovanna Guerra.” He then bows his head to them and returns to the house.

Vanna removes her sunglasses, and I can see her looking Mia up and down, taking in her very revealing red swimsuit.

Alex and Vanna look like your stereotypical mafia boss and his wife.

Vanna wears an oversized brown blazer cinched with a designer statement belt, a black leather skirt, barely there tights, and leopard-print stilettos.

Her dark hair is twice the size I’ve ever seen it, styled in waves.

Her lips are bright red, giving Mia a run for her money.

She wears a death stare and is completely unrecognisable from the Vanna I know from Nuova Vita Island.

Alex wears a tailored black power suit, a statement that says, “I’m here to take over.”

“Vanna, Alex, hi. It’s so good to see you.”

Vanna’s face softens when she looks at me, but not enough that I feel like I can give her a hug, which I would have done without thinking a couple of days ago.

“This is Mia Guerra, Marco’s wife. And Emmaline, a friend of ours.”

“Hello, nice to me you.” Emmaline gives them both a little wave while Mia struts over to them and shakes their hands whether they want to or not. I see Leo appear at the door. I watch him take a deep breath before he greets them.

“Alex, Vanna, you’re here. Come, we are in the office,” Leo says matter-of-factly and guides them into the house.

This all feels very strange.

“So, who are they, then?” Emmaline asks.

“That is Leo’s brother. He was supposed to be dead too. And that woman he is married to is a Martelé,” Mia explains sternly.

Emmaline gasps.

“She’s really nice once you get to know her,” I fire back at Mia.

“She’s a Martelé, Katie. They cannot be trusted.” Mia wraps her robe around herself and gathers her things. “I’m going now. Larisa needs to get home. I’ll call you both later.”

Once Mia leaves, Emmaline and Alfie do, too, much to the protest of Mark. He has had the best day playing in the pool. He even missed his nap, so I’m hoping to get him to bed early, and he should sleep through.

Alga helps me bath the boys and get them ready for bed.

There are a lot of Guerra men in the house coming and going for the meetings, so we spend the evening upstairs.

We all have supper sitting on the floor like a picnic and watch cartoons.

The boys are shattered after a busy day and are soon asleep after Leo popped his head in and wished them good night.

I, too, have my pj’s on, and I’m looking forward to a peaceful night once the men leave for business. Hopefully tomorrow everything will be sorted, and we can start putting our life back together. But I should know better. When you are part of the Guerra, things don’t always go as planned.

Leo.

“Enough!” I’ve had all I can take of Marco and Alex arguing.

Alex wants to take over the Martelé. He wants to control them. Marco wants nothing to do with them. He wants to irradicate them, not become part of them.

I have to agree with Marco. “We do not want the Guerra name to be associated with any of the types of dealings they involve themselves in. Guerra protect women and children, not traffic them.

“That is a minor detail and one that will be resolved once we take over. You need to look at the bigger picture,” Vanna chirps in.

She surprises me with her lack of empathy. Maybe she is more Martelé than I first thought.

She continues, “That organisation is mine. I have it here in black and white.” She puts the documents she’s been holding down on the desk.

“And why would they just hand everything over?” Marco asks.

“Because upon my father’s death, which you kindly carried out, Marco, all the estates, companies, and properties were left to me, the oldest child. They were only passed down to my brother because of my death. Which never happened. There is no death certificate, so everything is mine.”

“The Martelé soldiers won’t answer to you. You are a woman, for one.”

Marco’s statement earns a fist to the desk from my brother. “Do not disrespect my wife.”

“They will have to, or they will answer to no one. Without the businesses, the property, the deals, the money, the Martelé have nothing.”

She has a good point.

Marco still does not agree. “The Guerra cannot be seen to be involved with such disgusting acts. It is a disgrace to the name that has been built over generations. We will have dropped deals. Contacts will turn their backs.”

“The Guerra will stay as they are. Vanna and I will take over the Martelé, and you and Leo will lead here. Nothing changes other than your death warrant.”

Alex’s revelation concerns me. He doesn’t know what he is letting himself in for.

But their decision has been made, and for now, I cannot argue.

We will have to deal with the consequences when they happen.

It’s time we get to the meeting. Marco hasn’t said another word.

I’m sure he is thinking the same as I am.

“If that’s what you want, so be it. Who is it we are meeting, Vanna?” I ask.

“My mother and her brother. They have taken over leadership until one of my cousins on my father’s side is eighteen, or so they think.”

“Wow, that will be an interesting family reunion. They still have no idea you are alive?” I ask, looking forward to seeing how this unfolds.

“Not a clue.”

“Right. Get the cars ready, Van. I need one guard to stay here with my family. The rest will come with us. They will wait outside, do pat-downs, and collect all firearms and weapons before anyone enters. They need to be ruthless. Anyone who disobeys, they kill them on the spot. We need to show them we mean business. Who do you trust the most, Van?” I ask, as Van has done most of the recruiting.

“Oh, Vine, definitely,” he answers instantly.

Once I’ve said goodbye to my wife and children, I find the guards waiting in the hallway.

“Vine?” I call out, and one steps forward. He’s an ugly beast of a man who doesn’t smell the best.

“Boss.”

“You will stay here and look after my family. The rest will follow in the cars behind us. Van will give your instructions on the way.”

I’m apprehensive about leaving my world behind again. But they will be safe in the house with a guard that Van trusts. A few hours and I will be back.

When we arrive at our mutually chosen location, myself, Marco, Alex, and Vanna wait in the car while the guards check the safety of the building and do their pat-downs.

Only five members from each organisation are allowed in the meeting.

When our guards have retrieved the weapons from the Martelé, they enter, and we exit the car and receive the same treatment from the Martelé.

The Martelé guards give snide remarks when they see me alive and well.

They do not comment on Alex or Vanna. They clearly don’t recognise them after all these years.

Van, Marco, and I enter the disused restaurant first, with Alex and Vanna following close behind us but out of their line of sight.

Vanna’s mother and uncle face us, sat at a large round table with three men stood behind them. Van introduces us on entry as Leonardo Guerra and Marco Guerra.

“We know who you are,” Vanna’s mother spits. “You should have stayed dead. We will come for you and your little family. Both of you. We will murder your children while you and your wives watch, and then we will kill you.” Vanna’s uncle adds.

Marco lunges forward, but I put an arm out to stop him. Each member of the Martelé laughs.

“You killed my husband and my son. Do you really think I will let you live?”

“Your husband was a sick, twisted man, and he deserved to die. Your son raped and trafficked women. He deserved more than death.”

Vanna’s uncle stands, banging his fists on the table. “Enough. What is it you want, Guerra, or have you just come to gloat?”

“We have come to take over your organisation,” Marco states matter-of-factly.

More laughter comes from the Martelé. We stand in silence and wait for them to finish.

Vanna’s mother stands. “We have torn down the Guerra before, and we will do it again. Stop joking around and get to the point, or we are leaving.”

Alex speaks from behind me. “We have come to take over.”

“Who are you? Make yourself known,” Vanna’s uncle protests.

Alex and Vanna walk out from behind us.