Page 31 of They Found Us

“Good. You two get to bed as well. You need to be up and out early, as the jet is scheduled to leave Cuba at 8:00 a.m.”

This I already know because I arranged it. I’m getting tired of my brother’s orders. After Katie deciding last night that we needed to leave immediately, I phoned Alex, who came straight round and helped me organise our return journey while Katie packed the necessities. We decided it would be better if Katie, the boys, and I travelled separately to Alex and Vanna. Alex said he needed to sort some things out along with finding homes for our animals before they left, so the two of them are leaving tonight via a different route than us.

“We are leaving the house now. I’ll check in with you again tomorrow.”

I end the call and place my phone back in my pocket. I have the urge to light a cigar. But I know it will infuriate Katie if I go back in smelling of smoke, so I push my craving aside. Up until Van called weeks ago, I hadn’t had a smoke since moving to the island. That’s what stress does to you, I suppose.

The jet is the final leg of our journey. It is taking us back to Italy. The flight is just over eleven hours. Which means it will be 1:00 a.m. the following day when we arrive in Italy. It will be dark and late, which means we should be able to get to the Guerra house without too much trouble. But it won’t take long after that for word to get around, that we have in fact returned from the dead.

Taking in the view from the balcony, I appreciate the calm sounds coming from the wind lightly brushing the trees and the birds calling as they return to their nests in anticipation for nightfall. The sun is setting, and the sky is a beautiful shade of pink. The calm before the storm.

When I return to the bedroom, Katie is in bed. She’s pretending to be asleep. No doubt to avoid talking to me. I undress and slide in bed next to her. I don’t imagine I’ll get much sleep, but I’ll try.

I am right. No sleep is to be had by either myself or Katie. Our boys have other ideas. What with Zander waking almost every hour for a feed and Mark being disturbed, which then makes him realise we are in an unfamiliar place, we pretty much spend most of the night watchingIn the Night Gardenand pacing up and down the bedroom. Ahh, the life of a mafia boss.

Katie

I’m tired. Exhausted, actually, and I feel sick with nerves. Not that you could tell from the outside. I hope not, anyway. I’m trying my hardest to keep it together for my boys. I told Mark that we’re going on an exciting holiday. And Zander, well—I’m sure he can sense something, as he doesn’t want to be anywhere other than my chest.

We are on the jet for at least the next eleven hours. The jet that seems to have had another makeover since I was last on it. It was always luxurious, but it’s even more extravagant now. We enter into the suite area, which is where you need to be for take-off and landing. Well, where you should be for safety reasons.This is where the seats are with seat belts. There are ten chairs in total. Each chair is next to a window. And when I say chair, I don’t mean the thin, body-width-sized seat you get in economy flights. I mean cream leather wingback armchairs that spin and recline so far back, they turn into beds. Each of them also has a table that, as if by magic, appears out of the wall so you can use it as a desk or to eat off.

Mark is in his element, pressing all the buttons on the arm of one of the chairs and making a television screen pop up and down from the armrest. I’m hoping after all the excitement, he will settle down for a nap so I can also get my head down for a few hours. Once he’s had a tour of the bedrooms, the bathroom, and office space, we all get strapped in for take-off. Mark sits opposite me, and I have Zander on my knee. I give him a bottle so that the sucking helps his little ears not to pop with the pressure.

Leo sits to our right. I can see him staring at me through the corner of my eye. I still haven’t said a word to him other than discussing the boys’ needs. He’s told me the plan for the next forty-eight hours, so that’s all I need to know for now. Once we are in the air, Mark’s tiredness soon catches up with him. My eyes close as soon as I see him settle. I feel Leo take Zander from my arms, which I appreciate, but I don’t say a word, just switch my chair to recline and go to sleep. Five hours pass in an instant, and I’m woken by my stomach rumbling at the smell of mouth-watering food. Garlic and Italian deliciousness fill my nostrils.

“Pizza!” Marks screams in excitement when a beautiful air stewardess parks a very large cart of food beside us.

Jealousy runs through me when I see her eye up Leo and offer him food first.

“No. Ladies and children first,” he barks. And I’m soon put at ease when I see his eyes are only for us.

Our tables are laid with an assortment of pizza, pasta dishes, risotto, and salads. Mark is in his element, having a bit of this and a bit of that. He speaks to himself happily. I catch Leo smiling at him proudly.

The rest of the journey is filled with playing hide-and seek-and colouring. Watching Leo being the doting father makes me a little bit sad. I hope our return to Italy doesn’t take him away from his boys, I hope he doesn’t change. Who am I kidding? Of course he will change. He’s the head of the mafia. Or is he? That’s a conversation I haven’t had with Leo. Will he return and take back the place he left? Will Marco just step aside after all this time? Or will Alex want to take the lead, seeing as he is the eldest brother and would naturally have been leader if he hadn’t disappeared? I suppose I will just have to wait and see.

With less than an hour before we land, I decide to take a shower and freshen up.

“I’ve arranged for some clothes to be put in the master bedroom. There should be everything you need,” Leo says as I excuse myself from the madness of toys and laughter.

When you’re in the master bedroom, you’d forget you were even on a plane. There’s a fake window which is a screen lit up with a picturesque view of the mountains. There is also a king-size bed and a wardrobe where I find a range of designer outfits, all new with tags in my size. It’s been years since I wore anything this fancy. My usual attire at home on the island was shorts and a vest top or a floaty sundress, all of which I got from the market or a local dressmaker. But I’m not ashamed to admit I’m a little excited by the luxury items in front of me.

Selecting a fitted red Givenchy dress and black Louboutins, I place them on the bed and then get in the shower. I wash and dry my hair into loose curls and put on a full face of makeup. When I’m dressed, I look at my reflection. I look good, hot, and just like a mafia woman should. The natural, comfy mumsy look is nowhere to be seen. A flutter of nerves builds in my stomach. Taking a deep breath, I lift my head up high and confidently strut back into the suite to find my family.

When I enter, I’m met with the eyes of my husband. He stands from his chair. His eyes roam my body, and I’m sure I hear a growl from within him. His eyes look carnivorous, like he could devour me in any second.

“Get back in that bedroom.” Forcefully, he walks me backwards and closes the door behind him.

“Leo, what are you doing? We can’t leave the boys in there alone.”

Leo puts his face into my neck and inhales deeply. “I need to have you now.”

He rolls his hips into me, and warmth instantly pools between my legs, but I push him away. Not only am I still mad with him, but it’s taken me ages to get ready. I’m not having him mess up my hair now. Plus, Mark’s in the other room alone, doing goodness knows what.

“No. Get changed. We are landing soon.” And I walk out of the room feeling pleased with myself, but also a little needy.

Leo sits down in the chair beside us just as the pilot announces the need to put our seat belts on. He’s in his tailored black suit and crisp white shirt and tie. His hair is styled to perfection, he is clean-shaven, and his scent meets my nostrils and instantly makes me quiver. I may be mad with him, but he still turns me on.

When the aircraft comes to stop, I gather our things to get them ready to be collected and make sure our boys are wrapped up for the cool night air.

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