Page 32 of She Found Me

Eric follows the doctor out of the room, leaving me with Donna, who I’ve become quite close with.

“So how do you feel about going home?” Donna asks, seeming concerned.

“I’m definitely ready to get out of hospital, I’m not sure how I feel about living with Eric. I’ve tried to see what I must have seen before, but I just can’t,” I admit.

Donna nods in agreement, clearly not surprised by my confession. “I think the best thing you can do is concentrate on getting yourself better and that baby of yours. I’m sure in time, everything will sort itself out one way or another.”

Sitting on my bed deep in thought, I eat the chocolate bar Eric brought me as part of my lunch. The hospital food is okay, but after this many weeks, I’ve had enough. The chocolate bar is a Snickers. Eric said it was my favourite. I have to admit, it is pretty amazing. It’s funny, though—I don’t recognise the taste. Although my memory is completely gone, when I’ve eaten other food, I knew what they would taste like before I ate them. But with this, it’s like a brand-new experience.

I read the wrapper as I devour the last piece. Nougat topped with caramel and peanuts, all encased in milk chocolate. That was a good chocolate bar—my mouth is even tingling. While I’m thinking about finally leaving the hospital and what my future will hold, I start to feel strange. The tingling in my mouth has moved down to my throat.

Donna is at my side, sorting out my medication when she puts her hand on my arm. “Arianna, are you feeling okay? You look a little flushed.” Donna retrieves her thermometer and places it in my ear.

When I go to answer, my breath is caught by a tightness in my throat, and I start to cough. “My throat… tight.” I sit up in panic as I struggle for each breath.

“Don’t panic. I’m going to get you some help.” Donna presses a button at the side of my bed, and a high pitch alarm sounds immediately.

A doctor and two nurses rush into my room.

“I think she’s going into anaphylactic shock,” Donna informs them.

“We need adrenaline now,” the doctor instructs one of the nurses, who quickly exits the room. “Get her lying down.”

Donna gently pushes me back and drops my bed into a lying position. “It’s going to be okay, Arianna. Just lie back and try to relax.”

I try to answer, but my tongue is swollen and won’t let me respond. My chest is now convulsing as it fights for oxygen. The room around me starts to spin. My eyes fill with bright twinkling lights. I hear the nurse return, and the four of them speak quickly and loudly to each other, but I am unable to make out what they’re saying. It’s like my head is under water. Everything is muffled and there is a strange echoing sound. They must administer some sort of medication, as I feel my body start to rest slightly. My eyes close of their own accord, and I drift into darkness.

Chapter 18

Marco

“Boss, they’re here!” Van booms behind me.

But I don’t move. I need another minute with Mia. I’m stood by her gravestone, reading the engraved words over and over like I have done every day since we buried her ashes in my garden. “Much loved daughter and sister.”

But that’s not all she was. She was loved by me. I loved her.

However, I never got to tell her what she meant to me. The Martelé took her away from me before I had the chance. The focus of my existence since she left has been to end everyone who had a hand in her murder. But I have failed her again. Now the Martelé have the house surrounded. The fight in me has run out. At least I will finally be with my Mia again. I just wish I could have avenged her death as I wanted.

The night I found out that the Martelé were responsible, I went to Al Martelé’s usual place of business, a sex club on the other side of the island. Obviously he was expecting me. A Guerra cannot pass over their turf and not be noticed, especially not the Don of the Guerra. But my mind was elsewhere. I had no thought for the consequences of my actions. My only thoughts were to kill. An hour later I left, barely alive, having started the biggest war our organisation has ever seen.

“Marco, its time.” Van places his hand on my shoulder and turns me around to face him. “Whatever happens, boss, it has been an honour to work alongside you.”

Holding my hand out, I reply, “The pleasure was all mine, Van. Thank you—for everything. Now let’s kill as many of these motherfuckers as we can and go out with a bang.”

We leave the back garden and enter the house through the back door. The house now looks more like an armoury than a home. Each surface is covered in guns and ammunition. I wrap as many ammunition belts around me as I can, clip my communication radio to my belt, and pick up my machine gun.

“Boss, your vest.”

Van throws me a bulletproof vest, but I let it drop to the floor. I have no intention of surviving today. A captain always goes down with his ship. After one last look at Van, who nods in acceptance, I make my way through the house to the front room where I will be stationed. We have ten men left in the Guerra. After months of bloodshed, too many men have lost their lives fighting for our name. Each remaining Guerra member is set up around the house, ready for battle.

The Martelé have outnumbered us. Over the past few years, they have been recruiting, waiting for their chance to take over. Unfortunately for us, that day has come. But they won’t be getting past me that easily. Settled in the window with my gun pointing at the gate, I’m poised and ready for attack.

“Get ready,” I instruct through the radio after seeing movement around the walls of the front gardens.

BOOM! There’s a blast outside to my left. A large fireball shoots into the sky. Black smoke surrounds it.

BOOM! Another at the end of the driveway.

---