Page 25 of They Found Us (Found #5)

Katie

The feel of this grotesque man’s mouth on my neck has me shivering with revulsion. I close my eyes, trying to escape the nightmare that is my reality, in which my husband is saying he will take his life in return for ours. But I know this man would not let me and my boys go if Leo were to do that.

A shot is fired in front of me, and I know it was from Leo’s gun.

My scream comes out choked from my lungs.

I cannot breathe. My chest restricts, and I buckle forward, my legs giving way.

I hang loosely over the man’s arm, still restrained.

I feel him groan in pleasure at my pain.

The gun releases from my head, but he still bites my neck painfully.

How could Leo do this? How could he leave me and our boys still in this hell and torture?

Another shot is fired. My body plummets to the floor.

The heavy weight of the man crushes me from behind.

I lie there waiting for his next move, for him to strangle me, smash my head into the floor, anything.

But it doesn’t come. And then I hear it.

The muffled voices around me become clear, and my heart feels like it begins to beat again.

“Get him off her!” Leo. His voice is like music to my ears. The weight is removed from my back, and I’m lifted into the arms of my husband. Relief fills me.

“I thought you were dead.” My words come out as a cry.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Leo’s stride has a limp as he walks us over to the bed and sits down. He cradles me into his chest, his mouth resting on the top of my head while he rocks slightly.

“Is he dead?” I ask, not wanting to look up.

“Yes.”

“Mummy?”

Oh no. Both Leo and I jump up and dash to Mark’s bedroom. Thankfully Mark is still in his wardrobe, just peeping through the door.

“Found you,” I say through tears, trying to be as cheery as I can. “Well done Mark, you did so well.”

I pick him up and take him to his bed. I climb in beside him.

Leo closes his bedroom door.

“Oh no, Papa, your foot!” Mark points to Leo’s limp. Small spots of blood stain the white carpet where Leo steps.

“I’ve just stepped on something sharp. Don’t worry, buddy. I’ll get a plaster on it soon. You go back to sleep.”

I cuddle up to Mark and Leo covers us both. He kisses Mark and then me. “Stay here while I go and help clear up.

“Zander?” I sit up quickly, panicking.

“He’s fine. He’s with Van. I’ll go and check on him.”

“Mummy, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I’m fine. I just thought I heard Zander crying, but Papa is going to check on him, and I will stay here with you.”

Holding my son while he falls asleep feels like the most special thing in the world.

I will never take these moments for granted.

Children are precious. My heart pings with thoughts of what might have happened, how the night could have been heartbreakingly different.

I stay in my little bubble with Mark until I hear the familiar sounds of his little snore, and I gently make my way out of his bed.

I need to see Zander and check he is okay.

When I reach his door handle, I suddenly freeze. Alga. The last time I was in our room, her body lay lifeless on the floor. She has given her life for my children, for me.

“Sergio.” His name leaves my mouth in a quiet gasp as I think about what he must be feeling.

I take a deep breath and prepare myself for what comes next. When I open the door, I am surprised to see the room empty. The carpets are gone, the furniture all removed. All that is in the room are two cleaners, who are disinfecting the floors and walls.

Leo appears in the doorway. “Is he asleep?”

“Yes. Where’s Zander?”

“In the spare bedroom with Van. I’ll carry Mark in there too.”

Leo goes into Mark’s room, carefully picks him up from his bed, and carries him down the hallway and into another bedroom. Zander is in the corner in his cot with Van stood on alert by his side.

Leo places Mark in the middle of the large bed. “We will all sleep in here until things are resolved.”

Zander is peaceful with not a scratch on him. I say a little prayer in gratitude for my children and kiss his head.

“I need to see Sergio to thank him for saving Zander and to…. Well, tell him about Alga.” Emotion overtakes my words.

Van clears his throat to speak, but Leo interrupts.

“Van, you stay in here. Guard my children with your life. One foot wrong, and you will be the next body in a body bag downstairs, do you hear me?!” Leo abruptly growls under his breath to not wake the children.

He puts his hand lightly on my back leads me out of the room. “I’m afraid Sergio was also caught in the firing line. He got Zander to safety, but unfortunately was shot and killed by Vine.

“No.” My heart rips. Tears uncontrollably stream from my eyes. My legs buckle. There’s a ringing in my ears.

Leo supports my weight as he leads me down the stairs and into the kitchen, which is bustling with people.

Mia is the first to greet me. “Katie.” She pulls me into a hug. My body doesn’t respond back. I’m in shock. “I’m so glad you are all right. The boys—are they okay? Did they see anything?”

“Both are sleeping, Mark woke up. But I hid him in the wardrobe.” My reply is robotic. I’m now numb. I cannot believe they are gone. They saved my babies and gave their own lives.

“Here, come this way.” Leo guides me away from Mia, who had continued to talk with no response from me. “I want you checked out by the medics.”

It’s like I’m outside of my body, looking down on myself as I get my blood pressure taken and monitors stuck to my chest. The kitchen is full of people.

Marco and Mia and Alex and Vanna are here as well as guards and cleaners and other people whom I have no clue about, but they rush around, and the sound is just a constant hum.

The whole situation, although vivid in my mind, just doesn’t seem real.

Part of me thinks this is just a horrendous nightmare and I will wake up from a nap on the beach with Leo and Mark paddling happily in the sea.

“Mrs Guerra? Mrs Guerra?” The medic pulls me back into my conscious mind.

“Sorry?”

“I said your heart rate is over one hundred, and your blood pressure is extremely high. I need to put you on some medication to bring it down, and then you need to rest.”

I hadn’t realised Leo was standing beside me. “I’m on it,” he says as he picks me up.

“Leo, your foot?” I remind him feeling the slight limp as he walks me out of the kitchen.

“It’s just a flesh wound. I’m fine.” We walk past Marco on the way to the stairs, and Leo tells him, “Take care of this shit show. I’m taking my wife to bed.”

When we get to the bedroom where our boys lie sleeping, we find Van pacing up and down the room between them like some sort of King’s Guard. He stops when we enter.

“We are going to bed. Sit outside the room until morning.”

Van nods at Leo’s request and hurries out of the room, closing the door behind him.

“Why are you being so off with Van?”

“Because he is the most mindless imbecile I have ever met. If there was an award for stupidity, he wouldn’t even win it because he would be too dumb to enter.”

His reply would normally amuse me, but tonight I feel numb.

Leo and I shower together to wash off the night.

He cleans me gently while I stand with my head bowed, deep in thought.

He brushes my hair and helps me get dressed before putting me to bed.

Once he’s redressed the wound on his foot, he cuddles up behind me.

“Ti amo,” he whispers into my neck. I love you.

The next morning, Mark wakes up excited to find we are all sleeping in the same bed. “I didn’t know we were having a sleepover!”

His innocence makes my heart swell but break at the same time. Zander also starts to stir, ready for a feed, so Leo and I get up and chat to our boys as if everything is perfectly normally.

I’m apprehensive to leave the bedroom, but I need not have been.

Other than Van, who is stood outside our bedroom door, the house is like nothing has happened.

We walk past our bedroom, and there is a new carpet in there, and all the furniture has been put back.

Downstairs is as immaculate as always, but there’s no smell of freshly baked pastries or coffee, and it feels very empty.

“Where’s Alga?” asks Mark, having taken to her so fondly in such a short space of time.

I look to Leo to respond, as I’m not sure I can talk without getting emotional.

“They’ve gone on holiday. Now, what would you like for breakfast? I think we have some cereal around here somewhere.” Leo checks the cupboards.

“Where have they gone?” Mark pushes.

Leo turns to Mark. “They’ve gone to a very nice place like where we used to live. They are together and will be happy there.”

“Oooh, they should go to the beach.”

“That is a wonderful idea. You know there is a beach here. Shall we go today?” Leo asks, changing the subject.

After breakfast and I’ve been checked over by the medic again, we get ready and go to the beach.

I’m glad to be out of the house and back on the beach that I know and love.

We sit in our old spot with our backs to the rocks with a view in all directions.

Zander is sat happily in his pram in the shade, and Mark plays excitedly in the sand.

Then Leo surprises me. “Your parents are on their way. Their plane lands in one hour.”

My breath is taken with excitement but also dread. “What do they know?”

“They have been told we are alive and that we have sent for them. Your father isn’t convinced, but Marco is escorting them and wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

Tears flood my eyes as my body lets me once again become emotional. “What should I tell them? How do I explain?”

Leo wipes the tears from my checks and takes both of my hands in his. “Tell them the truth.”

“And what is the truth, Leo? What happens now? What will our future look like now we are back? I can’t go through last night’s torture again. I just can’t.”

“What do you want our future to look like, Kat-er-een?”

“Well, I want a future, for starters. A future with my boys, and one that doesn’t involve having their lives threatened.

” I shudder as I think of anything happening to them.

“I want a close family life. A normal family home. Not one that has separate washing machines for blood and guts. I want just one washing machine and one dryer. I want Mark to have his billy goats and me to have my chickens.”

“I think we can manage that,” Leo agrees, to my surprise.

“How? How can we have any of that if you are the leader of the Guerra and soon to be leader of the Martelé?”

“Because I am not any of those things.” Leo relaxes and lies down on the blanket beside me. He taps the area at his side for me to lie down too. “Marco will continue to lead the Guerra. And Alex and Vanna will lead the Martelé as the Martelé .”

I’m confused. “So, Alex is going to be a Martelé?”

Leo frowns. “It seems that way.”

“But the Martelé are cruel. The way they treat women and children—it’s immoral, disgusting.”

“Vanna said she will change that. She wants to remodel the whole organisation. How easily and quickly she will be able to do that is her problem.”

“Wow.” I lie completely flat on the blanket and look at the sky, taking it all in.

Leo climbs on top of me and places his forearms on either side of my head. “Most importantly, it means that since there is no longer a feud between the Martelé and Guerra, there is no bounty on our heads.” Leo kisses my forehead.

But I’m not convinced. I rise up, gently removing him from my body and pushing him back on his side. “Do you really think the Martelé who have hated the Guerra for years are just going to forget about it all?”

“No. There will always be chance of a rogue wanting to get one over on us. That comes with the blood, unfortunately. But there will be no payout for such an act, and that is what these assassins work for.”

“What about him last night? Was he a Martelé?”

“No.” Leo groans in displeasure. “He was one of ours. He hadn’t been with the Guerra long.

Van hired him because he was a ruthless killer.

He has lived off-grid in Vietnam for ten years.

There’s no connection between him and the Martelé.

Plus, if it was down to them, they would have made sure we knew about it so they could gloat.

He just enjoyed inflicting pain and suffering on others for no other reason than to pleasure himself.

He should never have been let anywhere near you and the boys.

I’m partly to blame for that. I had no idea. ” Leo bows his head in shame.

I rub his back lightly, but I don’t speak. We both just sit and watch Mark playing in the sand.

After noticing the time, I say, “Come on, let’s get back. Dinner will be ready.”

Leo looks at me with sympathy, and I remember that no, it won’t.

Leo wraps his arms around me as we stand.

He holds me while I sob into his shoulder.

This isn’t fair. Alga and Serigo were the kindest, friendliest people I have ever met.

They would do anything for anyone, and they did. They gave their lives for us.

When we return to the house, Van informs us that we have a visitor waiting at the gate.

“Who is it?” Leo asks.

“It’s Sergio and Alga’s daughter, Stephanie.”

“Tell her we are busy and to come back another day.” Leo dismisses.

“No!” I exclaim. “Leo, she has just lost her mother and father. You cannot send her away. She does know, right?”

“Yes, she knows. Marco informed her this morning,” Leo explains.

“Does she know the truth?” I ask, worrying.

“I’m not entirely sure what Sergio and Alga told their daughter. I have never met her. I do know that she is a doctor and that she visited their home on the grounds quite often. Therefore, I assume she knows who they worked for.”

“Oh yes, I remember. I did Alga’s hair for her graduation. Then I think we owe her an explanation or whatever it is she has come for.”

“I’ll speak to her in my office. You take the boys upstairs.” Leo says to me.

“No. Ask Van to watch the boys. We will both speak to her in the sitting room.”