Page 4 of She Found Me

“Yeah, see ya, brother,” I mumble to myself. Well, I better get to bed. Looks like I have a late night ahead of me tomorrow.

Before I go to sleep, I text Lucia and Marisa, who respond immediately. They are always up for a free glam night out. Both of them are good at influencing the opposite sex—and the same sex for that matter. I have no doubt the three of us will get what Van needs.

The girls arrive just after noon. They immediately raid my walk-in wardrobe for their outfits and accessories.

“Oh wow, Mia, when did you get this?” Lucia walks back into my bedroom holding a red silk dress against herself.

“That one arrived last week. There’s another box in the corner with more from the same designer.”

Marisa’s ears prick up, and she instantly goes in search of said box.

“You can wear anything you want, bar that one, Lucia,” I tell her.

“Of course. Red is your colour.” Lucia blows me a kiss.

Red is my signature colour. It may be my full outfit, my accessories, or just my lips, but you will always see Mia Alboni wearing red, the colour of blood.

Marisa undresses before trying on a number of the samples.

“I wish people would send me free stuff. You’re so lucky, Mia.”

I definitely would not call myself lucky. Sure, being who I am, in the family I was born into, does have its perks. But it also comes with a whole lot of shit.

Not breaking my character, even in front of my friends, I reply sternly, “Nothing is free, Marisa.” Standing up from my bed where I have been watching them, I glare at her. “If they want the protection of the Guerra, they must pay for it.”

“Of course. I didn’t mean….”

“Whatever. I have something to take care of before I get ready. The makeup and hair stylists will be here any minute. You two go first.”

I leave the room, slamming the door slightly as I leave. I’m not in the mood for their materialistic nonsense right now. Unfortunately, we lost one of our dogs last night. He was an old boy and had lived his best life since he was brought here twelve months ago. But Barney the Second meant a lot to me. He was the first dog I rescued when I opened the sanctuary. He had reminded me of the first dog I ever rescued off the street.

When I was twelve, a dog followed me home from school. He had a limp in his front paw. He was obviously a street dog and had wanted help. When I got home, I took him into our shed and looked at his paw. He was so gentle and let me clean the wound he had in his pad. I found a small piece of glass, which I removed. Once I cleaned it and put a bandage around it, he gave me so may kisses as if he was thanking me. For weeks, I looked after him, feeding him and playing with him after school, until one day I came home and found him with a bullet in his head. My dad had found him. I broke down in tears, cradling his limp blood-covered body.

“You will learn from this, Mia,” my father boomed from behind me. “You are an Alboni. Part of the Guerra. Never get attached to anything or anyone. Attachment makes you weak.” He then threw me a spade.

“Get rid of it,” he spat.

Growing up, I knew my dad was a bad man. But that was the first time I realised how cruel he could be. And it only got worse after that.

I carried horrendous guilt with me from then on. If only I had let Barney the First go after I had healed his paw, he would have lived. So, when I saw Barney the Second on the same street all those years later, I knew what I had to do. If my dad dares to come near any of my animals now, I will put a bullet in his head before I let them be harmed, and he knows it. I’m not a soft little girl anymore.

When I arrive at the sanctuary, I find Emmaline and Alfie at the memorial area. Barney the Second isn’t the first animal we have lost, and he won’t be the last. But it doesn’t get any easier for any of us. All the staff gather round as his ashes are scattered. A perk of being part of the Guerra is that I get to use the company furnace. Alfie reads a poem, and we all take a minute to reflect on our fur friend’s cheekiness.

“Be careful tonight, Mia,” Emmaline warns as we make our way back to my house.

I don’t involve Emmaline in of the Guerra business, but I do tell her what my plans are.

“Don’t worry about me. Just a regular night for Mia Alboni.” I gently squeeze her hand that she has looped through my arm.

We discuss plans for the sanctuary over a coffee in my kitchen. I had almost forgotten about my evening out until the girls shouted to hurry me up. After seeing Emmaline and Alfie out, I head up to my dressing room. Lucia and Marisa’s voices are high-pitched and louder than usual, meaning they are already drunk. Great. The dressing room is a mess—clothes and accessories all over the floor, champagne glasses everywhere, and what looks like fake tan spilt over my white carpet. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath.

“Mia, come on. Where have you been?” Marisa beckons me over.

“We’ve started without you. You’ll have to catch up. Here.” Lucia pours, then hands me a glass of whatever they’re drinking.

After a quick shower, I sit at my dressing table to get my hair and makeup done. Van has sent me some photos of men to look out for and instructions on what to do. I do a little research on these men myself. Van never tells me exactly what is going on, but I usually find out my own way.

The limo arrives at 7:30 on the dot, and we also have an SUV of men that follow behind us. Not that I need protection. I could take any of those men down in two seconds flat. On the way, I give the girls their instructions.

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