Cherie Benjamin United and Dangerous United Series #2 
 
 
 Chapter 1 
 Kane and Ara stood before the hall of guests and watched a wide array of emotions displayed on their faces, from shock to pure hatred. Stepping up to the microphone, they tried to get the room's attention. 
 "May we have your attention, please?" Kane said firmly. Some of the guests looked up, but many more were talking and yelling at each other. Kane knew they needed to get this under control quickly, but no one was listening. 
 Ara watched the turmoil as it unfolded before them, as she stood with Kane, her arm wrapped around Kane's waist. Damn, why would they not shut up and just listen to what they wanted to say? The more she saw, the angrier she got. Then, as she moved her hand on his waist, she felt it, the handgrip of Kane's gun. She pulled it from his waistband, pointed it to the ceiling, and pulled the trigger, shooting two rounds. 
 The entire room stopped dead and turned toward Kane and Ara. "Well, now that we have your attention, everyone have a seat and let us explain to you why this is a good thing for both families." Ara handed the gun back to Kane with a sexy smirk. Damn, that was fun. 
 Kane smiled at his little bride; damn, she was a sexy as hell holding his gun, well, this gun. Later tonight, the other gun would definitely be getting his time with her sexy little hand; fuck, he needed to stop. "Thank you, love." Kane then turned to address the confused, angry, and impatient audience, "As my wife, and your Donna, has stated, this merging of the families will be beneficial and prosperous for both the Leone and Morotti families. Rather than the continual battles over territory, profits, and status, the merger of both families will combine to make the most formidable family in the Northwest. We would like to assure the other families present here today that this merger is not in any way to be interpreted as a takeover move towards any other family. The new family, now known as Coven (Leone/Morotti) will simplify all future dealings with already established contracts. Sort of a one-stop-shop if you will. All previous dealings will be honored, and all future dealings will be with one family, not separate families. 
 “When I met Arabella, I did not know who her family was, and, for that matter, neither did she. It was Zachary Morotti who initially suspected that she was a member of the Morotti family, due to her uncanny resemblance to his mother, Ara's great-grandmother. Zachary had always known that he would be relinquishing control of the family to the oldest grandchild. Once it was verified that Ara was indeed Zachary's granddaughter, and the oldest grandchild, he knew that it was her birthright to take control of the Morotti family. With our engagement, and my birthright to assume control of the Leone family, it was agreed by Zachary and my father, Nazario Leone, that the only feasible way to successfully manage both families was to merge them under the control of my wife and myself." Kane stated, holding tightly onto Ara's hand. As he finished, he squeezed it, meaning it was time for her to say her part. They had worked out this speech before this evening, not Ara shooting the ceiling part, but, hey, it worked. 
 "Good evening, I am Arabella Marie Morotti Leone; I am the oldest granddaughter of Zachary Morotti, and, by birthright, the rightful leader of the Morotti family. 
 I understand that you don't know me, but, given time, I assure you that you will see that I am capable and determined to oversee and protect the interests of the family. You all know the reputations of my husband and his family, and, if you will look past the fact that they have been your rivals for years, you will see that their core values are much like that of the Morotti family. Together, Kane and I will bring both the Leone and Morotti families into the future of prosperity and contentment. Over the next several days, we will be meeting with all of you to hear your concerns, but know this, as of this moment, Kane and I are your Don and Donna, and we expect your respect. Now let us enjoy the rest of the evening because Rosa has maxed out Nazario's credit card on this reception. So drink, dance, and have a good time." Ara said mustering as much authority to her Donna persona as possible. 
 Kane and Ara took their seats with Nazario and Rosa on one side of them and Zachary and Claudia on the other and watched their guests as they mingled and conversed among themselves, taking in everything that had been said. Uriel came up and whispered to Kane and Ara. "Sebastian slipped out and the guard missed grabbing him." 
 "Fuck. Send a team to his apartment and his house. We need to find him, now." Kane ordered. “Oh, and Uriel, send someone to his goomah’s apartment as well.” 
 "Sure thing, Boss," Uriel said. 
 Damn, they had wanted to grab him, now they were chasing his lousy ass. He was trouble and needed to be dealt with immediately. There would be no exceptions given, or resistance accepted. 
 Kane saw Sean advancing towards the head table with a huge smile on his face. 
 "Kane, my man, congratulations. I see you have a feisty one there." Sean smirked. "I would have to bet that she is a better shot than you, from that earlier display." 
 "Fuck you, asshole." Kane spat with a smile on his face. 
 "Arabella, honey, you do realize that your children’s first word is going to be fuck, right?" Sean grinned, as he reached to for her hand and placed a kiss atop of it. 
 Ara laughed and accepted his greeting graciously. "Please call me Ara, and I have a feeling you may be correct." 
 "Hey, stop picking on me," Kane whined. 
 "Okay. Kane, and Ara, again, congratulations, and, please, if you ever need anything call." Sean said, handing a white envelope to Kane. "When everyone finally calms down, they will come to realize that this is a good thing." 
 "Thanks, Sean. We are planning on a small honeymoon later when everything settles down. Ara has always wanted to go to New York, we’ll be sure to let you know the days, and get together then." 
 "Great. Ara, dear, you were beautiful today, and if you get tired of the asshole, come find me." Sean mused and left. 
 Over the next hour, guest after guest came to the table and gave the newlyweds their congratulations and envelopes of money. Ara smiled and interacted with each of them graciously until David Grant came up. 
 "David, so glad you could make it," Kane said, obviously unaware of his new wife’s discomfort. 
 "Would not have missed it, and, Ara, you are as lovely as ever," David said, looking at her like he was undressing her. 
 "Thank you, Mr. Grant," Ara quipped. 
 "When can we get together to finalize the plans?" David asked, licking his lips. 
 "Mr. Grant, I will call you upon my return to the office to schedule a meeting. This is not the time nor the place to discuss business." Ara sneered. 
 Kane was suddenly alerted that something was wrong when he heard the tone of Ara's voice. Glancing over to her, he could see the fire in her eyes; she was pissed. What was going on? What had he missed? 
 "David, we have other guests to meet. We will contact you soon." 
 "Thank you, Kane." David snapped and walked away. 
 Leaning close to Ara, Kane whispered in her ear. "Want to tell me what that was all about?" 
 "Later, okay?" Ara was trying to calm down, but she knew that she would have to discuss her discomfort around Mr. Grant with Kane soon. 
 Looking up they saw Portia and Simon coming toward the table. Zachary and Claudia got up and met them. 
 "Portia, Simon, I want to introduce to you Arabella Marie Morotti Leone, my granddaughter." 
 "It is a pleasure to meet you, Arabella," Portia stated quietly. 
 Ara could sense Portia’s discomfort, and vowed to assuage her feelings. She stood and walked over to Portia. "I am glad to finally meet you also. And this must be the famous Simon that Grandfather has told me so much about." 
 Simon slowly raised his head and looked into Ara's eyes. They were warm, welcoming, and friendly and he recognized she was a good person, even though she did shoot off a gun earlier. If his grandfather called her his granddaughter, that must mean she was his sister. But why had he never seen her before? He had always wanted a sister. His brother, Kurtus, had been mean to him, and he had wished upon many stars for a nice sister or brother to take his place, and here she was. He smiled at Ara then wrapped his arms tightly around her. "Hello, sister, so glad that you were found." 
 Ara wrapped her arms around Simon and returned the hug. This was wonderful. "Hello little brother, and I am glad to be here." 
 Pulling back, Simon turned to his mother. "I have a sister." He yelled. 
 Portia stood in shock at her son’s response to his half-sister. She could not believe her son had hugged Ara. He never hugged anyone other than her. Simon had always shied away from physical contact with anyone other than her, but, here he was, hugging a woman he just met. "Yes, dear. Maybe we can visit with her soon." Portia was intrigued by Simon’s response and wished to get to know this young lady. 
 "Can we, Ara?" Simon begged. 
 "Sure. Do you have a phone?" Ara questioned. 
 "Yes," Simon said, digging into his pocket for his iPhone. He only had a few numbers in it; he used it mostly to play Angry Birds, but, today, he was getting his sister’s number. Handing it over to Ara, he watched as she entered not only her phone number, but also her email address, and then called the number so it would be saved to her phone. "Thank you so much, Ara. Will you be calling me when you get home?" 
 "Simon, honey, they are busy tonight, but I am sure she will call soon," Portia said while trying to soothe Simon. 
 "Okay. Come on, Mom, I want another piece of cake." Simon said, taking off. 
 "Thank you for that," Portia said, her eyes were slightly watery. 
 "Portia, with your permission, I would love to get to know him better," Ara asked. 
 "I would love that, Ara, and so would he. Enjoy the rest of your evening." Portia stated and left to find Simon. 
 As Kane, Ara, and her grandparents returned to their seats, Claudia embraced her granddaughter, "Ara, sweetie, I have never seen Simon respond to anyone as he just did to you, ever." Claudia said. "You truly are an angel. You are what this family has needed." 
 Kane and Ara danced their first dance as husband and wife, swaying to the music of John Legend’s, "All of Me”. As they did, they soaked in the melody, enjoying every touch and kiss they shared. Nazario asked to dance with Ara, while Rosa had her mother/son dance. 
 "Do you have any idea how proud your father and I are of you, Kane?" Rosa asked. 
 "I am trying to be the man you raised me to be, mom." 
 "And you are, every bit the man we wished you to be. You and Ara are going to be so happy together. " 
 "She is my life." He sighed as he glanced at Ara and his father gliding across the dance floor. 
 "Just as it should be, but, always remember that, even when the world seems to be closing all around you, you must rely on each other. Together you will be able to overcome so much more than you can alone. Embrace your love for each other and cherish it above all else." Rosa said. 
 Finally, it was time to leave. After hugs and kisses, they were out the door and in the limo, alone for the first time all day, well, other than their guard. 
 Kane pulled Ara onto his lap and placed a long hard, passionate kiss on her lips, palming her ass over the gown Pulling away when both their lungs were screaming for air, they stared into each other's lust-filled eyes. 
 "God, baby, I can't wait to get you out of this dress. I am going to make love to you all fucking night long." Kane moaned. 
 "I can't wait either," Ara said, and, as she looked up, she noticed that they were not going to their apartment, but back toward the Leone estate. What? "Kane, where are we going?" 
 "It’s a surprise. I need you to close your eyes for me and don't open them until I tell you. Don't want to have to spank you on your wedding night, right?" Kane smirked. 
 Ara closed her eyes, even though she wanted to be mischievous and open them, so she could get her ass warmed up by his strong hand. God, she loved her Master, her husband, and her partner in crime. Finally, she felt the car stop. 
 "Give me your hand, love." 
 Kane took her by the hand and ever so gently guided her out of the car. "Baby, this is my last wedding present today. Open your beautiful eyes and welcome home." 
 Ara opened her eyes and was greeted by the most gorgeous house she had ever seen. As much as she loved the Leone estate, this was everything she has dreamed of in a home. Home, she was truly home. "Kane, it's, it's..." Ara cried, trying to fight through the emotions to convey in words how much she loved the fact that he gave her a home. 
 “Baby, if you don't like it, we can look for something else together. I am sorry, please don't cry, I can fix it, please." Kane begged. 
 Ara, with tear-filled eyes, looked up at Kane. "NO! I love it so much." 
 "REALLY?" Kane exhaled in relief. 
 Throwing her arms around his neck, she began peppering kisses all over her wonderful husband’s face. "Yes, it is the most perfect gift you could have given me, and I can't wait until we can christen every room." 
 Kane's eyes grew large and lust-filled, as they bulged from their sockets. "Twice. We are christening each room twice, starting now." He placed his arms under her legs and carried her bridal style over the threshold of their new home and to begin their new life together. Tomorrow they would begin taking care of the family business, but tonight was all theirs. 
 
 
 
 Chapter 2 
 Sebastian sat back in the cab and watched as the city passed by the windows as the cab rushed him to his goomah’s apartment. Thank God he had planned for a situation like this. Anyone in his line of work was always prepared for the unexpected with a backup plan. He knew that he had cash, a passport, credit cards, and new ids in the safe at Judith’s apartment. During the cab ride, he had tried several times to reach either Kurtus or Pedro, but neither of them picked up their phones. Shit, that could only mean one thing; they were dead. He had been suspicious when Kurtus failed to show up with the family for the wedding. Then, there was the surprise of finding out Leone’s wife was his bitch of a daughter. He immediately knew Luna Santo was her mother. She had been a great fuck; he had enjoyed taking her virginity in such a violent way. Even today, he could still remember her blood on his dick when his father had burst into the room. Hell, he had used that image whenever he had to have sex with his cow of a wife. 
 He would have never married anyone like Portia, but, for the good of the family, he did as he was told. She had been a lousy fuck, laying still, never allowing him to do anything other than missionary sex and, when he finished up, he rushed her from the bed and out the door to her room. The only good thing she ever did was to give birth to his son Kurtus. Kurtus was a carbon copy of him; he was so proud of him. Then, the bitch gave birth to another son. He had high hopes that he, too, would be like him. No, that little fucker was a momma's boy. Now Kurtus was probably dead at the orders of his fucking father and that bitch, Arabella. She was part of it, he just knew it. Her life was going to be very short, because daughter or no daughter, she was going to die by his hand, but he needed time to plan his revenge and comeback. 
 
 
   
 
 
 Arriving at the apartment, he threw money at the cabbie, rushed out the door, and quickly walked into the building. Taking the elevator up to the apartment, he took out his key and opened the door. He was rushing towards his office when Judith walked out wearing a see-through teddy and a thong. "Sebastian, my love, I didn't expect you this evening." 
 Sebastian knew he needed to keep Judith in the dark about what was going on. She needed to tell Leone’s men that she had not seen him in days when they showed up to question her. And there was no doubt that they would be here shortly. Hopefully, she could buy him some time after he fed her the bullshit story he was about to concoct. 
 "My love, something terrible has happened. Kurtus... Judith... Kurtus is dead and the people who did it are after me." Sebastian cried in a fake sob. 
 Judith brought her hands up to cover her shocked gasp. "Oh, baby, what are you going to do?" 
 "I need to leave, but I need you to do something for me."Sebastian was surprised at just how good of an actor he was. 
 "Anything." Judith was truly worried and concerned about Sebastian’s welfare. He was her meal ticket, after all. 
 "When they come looking for me, I need you to tell them you haven't seen me in days; then, once I get settled, I will send for you to come to me,” he pleaded, covering her hands with his. 
 "REALLY?!" Judith was surprised at this turn of events. She didn’t think Sebastian was so involved in their relationship that he would want to take her with him. Hmm, she was even better than she thought. 
 "Yes, my kinky little lover, how could you possibly think that I could live without you?" Sebastian sighed, but, deep inside, he was gagging on every word. Judith was a good fuck, but he knew whores like her were a dime a dozen. He could find pussy anywhere. "Now, I must pack and get out of here as soon as possible." 
 Walking into the office, he opened the safe, grabbed several stacks of money, credit cards, a new id, and passport, and stuffed them in a duffle bag. Once he was satisfied that he had everything he needed, he came into the bedroom, and grabbed his large rolling suitcase from the closet, and began stuffing clothes into it. As he was finishing up, he was struck with a thought, "Judith, baby, I need you to help me out here while I am gone. Do you think you could get close to Donnie Newton?" 
 "But, baby, isn't he a member of the Leone family?" Sebastian knew she would eventually find out about the family merger, but, if he could get her into position with Donnie now, it would be even better. Two moles were better than one. 
 "Yes, but he had been helping Kurtus and me out. I’m not sure how much he knows about what is going on, but, if you could get close to him, make him believe that we are over and you are available and interested in him, you could get all the information that I need to devise a plan so that we could come back and take over the family together." 
 "But, baby, what do you mean to get close to him? You don’t want me to have sex with him, do you?" Judith wasn’t completely averse to the idea, she had seen Donnie, and he wasn’t bad looking, but how would Sebastian treat her afterward when he sent for her? 
 "Judith, my love, I would never ask this of you, but we need the information to plan for our future, yours and mine. For me, baby; just think of me while you’re fucking him. I trust you, and I know your heart belongs to me." Sebastian leaned in and kissed her lips lightly. "I’ve got to go, but I will call you soon." 
 Sebastian gathered his bags, slipped out the door, and then took the elevator to the second floor, then the stairs to the back entrance. Finding a cab, he headed toward the airport, hoping the East Coast would be a good place to lay low while he devised his plans for his revenge. 
                                                   -------*********-------- 
 Kane carried his bride over the threshold, and, once inside, placed her down on her feet. They looked around at the house he had bought for them to start their lives together. Although opulent, it was warm and inviting. The front foyer floor was cream Italian marble with black stone accents throughout. 
 A large white and blue round rug was at the opening. On either side was not one, but two staircases leading up to the upper level. On the other side of the foyer were two white stands that held two large white planters, accenting the entrance to the formal living and dining rooms. It was a sizeable room in width and length, with the marble flooring continuing into those rooms, with dark cream-colored walls. At the end of the room was a bank of five sets of French glass doors with huge arched windows over each set. 
 Rich gold and cream curtains decorated each window, not enough to obstruct the view, but enough to add to the elegance of the room. The living room had two white plush sofas with white embossed flowers and chairs with gold leaf arms and legs. In the center of the room was a large marble front fireplace with a large arched mirror that mimicked the windows. Sitting in front of a set of the French doors was a large, black, glossy Steinway. 
 Kane played the piano, but, over the last few years, he had not had a chance to do so. However, he was hoping that, when they finally got the families joined, and things settled down, he could return to playing. 
 Across the room was a formal dining room with a long dark brown lacquered top table with gold leaf legs. Surrounding the table was twelve high back white and gold chairs. It would be the perfect location for dinner parties with its proximity to the open living room. 
 Ara could not believe how beautiful everything was. It was as if someone had read her mind and pulled out every detail that she ever dreamed about for her future home. 
 "Sweetheart, you can change anything you don't like," Kane said as he stood behind her and wrapping an arm around her. He was beginning to worry about her silence. 
 Ara turned in his arms and looked into his eyes. Her big brown eyes were filled with tears, not in disappointment, but the overwhelming feeling of joy. "Kane, it is perfect. I don't want to change one thing. But, I must ask, when did you do this?" 
 "About a month ago, this house came up for sale, and I know how much you loved the estate, so I quickly made an offer for it. The couple who owned it was happy to get a full cash offer, so everything went quickly after that. I called Katrina after buying it, who worked her magic. She assured me that you would be pleased, but, darling, I want it to be everything you could ever want. This is where we will be raising our family and growing old together." 
 "Are you referring to all those children you said you wanted?" Ara giggled. 
 "Yes, I want a large family with you. The love we have is going to be more than enough for all of them. I want birthday parties, ball games, piano recitals, ballet classes...Shit, baby, I want it all, and I only want it with you." 
 "Oh, Kane, take me upstairs and make love to me." Ara sighed. 
 Kane scooped her up and rushed up the stairs. Once he reached the double doors, he opened them and walked them into their new master bedroom. It had the same cream-colored walls but had white carpet and a set of double French doors with glass lights on either side, which lead to a patio overlooking the backyard. The bed was a California king with white and gold bedding, but with red accent pillows. There was a set of plush chairs in front of the windows, a perfect place to sit and read. 
 Kane placed Ara down and looked deeply into the dark brown eyes that made his heart skip a beat each time he gazed into them. Taking her hand, he gently caressed her cheek, enjoying her soft smooth skin. "I love you so much." 
 "As I love you." 
 Kane walked around to Ara’s back and after placing a kiss onto her shoulder, he slowly began to unzip the black and gold gown that she had worn when she took her oath to become Donna of the family. Once it was unzipped, he slipped it off her shoulders to the floor. She stood before him in a white strapless bra, white lace panties, with matching garter belt, and stockings. She was a vision as if she were an angel sent from heaven just for him. But, the thoughts running through his mind were anything but angelic. "You are so beautiful," Kane said in a husky voice. "I can't wait to be inside of you." 
 Ara’s skin pebbled in goosebumps after hearing the timbre of his voice. She knew that her arousal was leaking down the tops of her thighs. "I need a moment." She said. 
 "I will be waiting, my love." 
 Ara walked toward the door that she assumed led to a bathroom. The bathroom before her looked as if it belonged in a palace. The white marble continued inside, with gold fixtures adorning the sink, but what caught her eye was the steps leading up to a large sunken tub, big enough for at least four. She imagined her and Kane spending many hours in it. On the wall behind the tub was a large fireplace, which would be dreamy on a cold, rainy Seattle night, and above the fireplace was one of the photographs that Brook had taken. This one was one of her in a black dress that had a deep plunging neckline. She had her hair down and lying over her shoulders, looking straight into the camera. On either side of the fireplace were large windows in the shape of a V with gold curtains framing the top and sides. 
 Looking on the counter, she was happy to find a new toothbrush and toothpaste, along with all of her face care products. Katrina had thought of everything. As she closed the door, she noticed a black garment bag with her name on it hanging on the hook. Unzipping it, she was excited to find the lingerie set that she had gotten for this night. It was a white lace strapless bodysuit and a long sheer bedroom jacket with a gold leaf belt. 
 She removed her bracelet and Donna ring as she began changing her outfit. Tonight, she was not Donna Arabella, but, Ara, wife to Kane Leone, so she was only going to wear her wedding rings. After tonight, her Donna ring would never be removed again. After brushing her teeth she sprayed on her favorite perfume, Miu Miu, which Kane had shipped from London for her. As she was taking one last look in the mirror, she suddenly realized she was a married woman. She was the wife of Kane Leone. How the hell did she get so lucky? Who would have guessed that something as simple as getting a server job would have changed her life? The man in the next room had given her everything that she could imagine; he was her husband, her partner in the family business, and her Master. She couldn't wait to share her life with this wonderful man. Taking in a deep breath, she walked out of the bathroom and into their bedroom. When she saw Kane standing next to one of the chairs dressed in nothing but a pair of boxers, she noticed his naked chest glistened in the warm glow of candles that he must have lit. 
 Her beauty stunned Kane, and, when his head cleared enough to make him capable of thought, he walked toward her, wanting nothing more than to lock themselves in this room and never appear again. "You are so beautiful." Taking her hand in his, he led her to the bed, and, once there, he untied the belt to the robe, and pushed it off her delicate shoulders. He was shocked to see that, under the robe, she was wearing a white lace bodysuit. It hugged her every curve and he couldn't wait to remove it so he could touch, kiss, and worship every inch of her. 
 As he examined the suit, he couldn't figure out how to remove it. "How the fuck does this thing come off." 
 Ara giggled, oh how she loved his dirty mouth. Holding her arms up over her head, she said. "There are zippers are on either side." 
 Kane looked closer, and, sure enough, there was a white zipper almost completely hidden on each side. After taking great care not to grab her skin as he unzipped, he snatched the garment and removed it. He gazed at her as she stood before him naked, her skin glistening in the candlelight. Bending over, he placed a kiss on her shoulder, then to her neck. When he got her pressure point, he could feel every beat of her heart as the blood rushed through her veins. Flattening his tongue, he licked down the vein, relishing the delectable taste that was hers alone. "Lay back on the bed, my love." 
 Ara laid back on the bed and watched as Kane removed his boxers allowing his huge thick cock to bounce from its confines. Licking her lips and quivering with anticipation, she moaned softly. 
 Kane lifted her leg and began to kiss and nibble his way up until he reached the soft pink mound of her pussy. Her lips and clit were shimmering in her juices, engorged and ready to suck. His sucking and nibbling on her clit caused her to thrash around and moan deeply. Looking up, he saw her hooded eyes were almost black, so full of lust and desire. "You taste so fucking good, my love." 
 "Kane, please, I need to cum so bad." She begged. 
 "Well, what kind of husband would I be if I didn't take care of my wife’s needs?" Leaning back in he began to suck again, adding two of his long fingers and plunged them deep inside, curling them around and finding the soft spot just behind her clit. Flicking his fingers over the patch, he could feel her body began to shake and knew that she was close. He bit down on her clit, bringing her to climax. She grabbed hold of his hair as she screamed out his name. 
 Ara’s heart was racing as she tried to calm down after that intense orgasm. "Kane, I need you inside of me, please make love to me." 
 "Yes, my love, for the rest of our lives," He said as he crawled up her body, kissing a path upwards as he went along and wrapping her legs around his waist, then, after what seemed like an eternity to Ara, he finally positioned his cock at her entrance and slowly, gently, entering his forever. This was heaven on earth, nothing ever felt like this. Slowly, he pumped in and out, savoring the feeling of her pussy as it fluttered around him. 
 "Kane… faster, harder." Ara screamed. 
 Kane picked up her legs, placed them over his shoulders, and began to thrust deeply into her, causing them both to moan loudly. Soon, he could feel his impending orgasm building, but he wanted, no, needed her to cum again. Reaching down, he found her clit and pinched it hard as he drove deep into her, causing her to cum. Her pussy clamped tightly around his cock as he came, too, slipping his seed deep in her. 
 "I love you so much, my wife." 
 "As I love you, my husband." 
 Easing himself out, he instantly missed the feel of her warmth. He laid on the bed, pulling Ara close, so close that she was lying half on top of him. Life couldn't get any better than this. 
 The rest of the night was spent with either slow sensual lovemaking or hardcore fucking; it didn't matter, because each time just solidified their relationship even more. 
 The next morning the couple got up, both in serious need of coffee, lots and lots of coffee. They had only gotten a few hours of sleep as they consummated their marriage, but the total feeling of exhaustion was so worth it. After a quick shower and another round of sex, they finally walked into their closet and began to dress for the day. Ara was so excited that Kane had gotten all of her clothes placed in the new closet, but, as she looked, she noticed several new pieces that were not there before. 
 "Kane, what is this?" Ara asked as she held out a black fitted dress with a beaded necklace. 
 "A dress." He quipped. 
 "I knew that smartass, but I don't remember purchasing it." 
 Kane smiled his signature smile, one side a little higher than the other and with a mischievous look in his deep green eyes. "Well, I may have had Katrina pick up a few things." 
 Ara looked down the row of clothes; she didn't know what he considered a few, but, in her book, there was more than ‘a few’. "If you say so." She mused. 
 Ara knew it was time that she dress in a manner that reflected her status as the Donna of the family when doing family business, so she selected a black pencil skirt, crisp white blouse, and a black blazer. In this outfit, she could also carry her gun on her at all times, because one never knew when you would have to protect yourself or someone in the family. She had also picked up a black clutch purse that had been fitted with a side pouch, where her knives were stored. As much as she enjoyed firing off her gun, her real pleasure was throwing knives. Uriel had been surprised how well she could handle and throw her knives. He had seen many a man who could only wish to be as accurate as she was. He had even had her throw while under distractions; even then, she threw with better accuracy than anyone he had seen. It was like she was made for this life. So, he had several special purses custom made to allow her to store her knives. Ara slipped on her Donna ring, her Leone bracelet, and the earrings that Kane had given her. After pulling her hair up into a sophisticated French twist, she walked out to see her fuck hot husband dressed in a black Armani suit, crisp white shirt, and a black tie. He was sitting in one of the chairs, putting on a pair of his Italian dress shoes. 
 Looking up, Kane was astonished by how truly beautiful his wife was and how her attire established her status as the Donna of the family. Fuck, he was hard again and wanted nothing more than to be buried back in her sweet hot pussy, but he knew they had a lot of work to do in merging the two families. Uriel had called while Ara was getting ready and informed him that Sebastian had not been seen at his home or his goomah's apartment. He told him they had questioned Judith, and that she said that she hadn't seen him for a few weeks and that she assumed they were no longer together. Kane found this hard to believe, so he told Uriel to make sure he kept an eye and ear on her. Uriel interpreted that to mean a tail 24/7 and tapping all of her phones. 
 "Are you ready, my love?" Ara asked. 
 "Yeah, let's get this started," Kane rose from his seat, and offered her his arm. 
 Merging the families was going to take all their skills and determination, but, together, they knew they would be successful. 
   
 
 
 
 Chapter 3 
   
 Simon was sitting at the desk in his room going over his latest program design. He had always been good with numbers and computers, then, as he got older, his mother’s encouragement gave him the confidence to combine both talents and design computer programs for accounting. Now, four years later, he had an established reputation for designing user specific programs for companies all over the world. His mother assisted him with his finances by setting up a separate account for him, where all the proceeds from the sale and use of his programs were directly deposited into the account. He was well aware of his net worth, but he was ever vigilant in the privacy of that information, especially from his father and brother.  
   
 The years of mental and physical abuse he had suffered at the hands of his father and brother had left Simon's heart scarred, but not broken. His mother had always showed him enough love and affection to compensate for any loss he felt. She always knew what to do or say to make it better. But, now he had a sister, Ara. She had been so sweet and nice to him; he couldn't wait to talk to her again. Maybe he should ask Mama if it was okay to call now. Getting up from his desk, he went to the door and listened outside to see if he heard his father, but the house was quiet. Simon hoped that meant he was gone.  
 Opening the door to his room, he walked out and down the stairs that led to the kitchen to find his mother sitting in the breakfast nook drinking a cup of coffee and reading the paper. He liked coffee, but his favorite thing for breakfast was cereal. Oh, how he loved cereal. Grabbing his favorite bowl and a box of Frosted Mini-Wheats®, he came over to the table and sat down. 
 Portia looked up from her paper and smiled at the sight of her little angel, Simon. He had been a bright light in her dark life. She had been so excited when her parents arranged her marriage to Sebastian Morotti. All the girls in the town where they lived swooned whenever he would walk by and all hoped that they would be the one he would choose to marry. Their wedding was lovely and Sebastian had been very attentive to all her needs throughout the day. He had taken her to his family’s estate on the coast for their honeymoon. Her mother sat her down and told her what to expect on her wedding night, and that her first time would be painful and messy. She changed into a long white satin gown and climbed in bed and under the covers. But, what happened next shed light on the true character of Sebastian Morotti. He came from the other room naked and yanked the covers from her body.  
   
 "Why the fuck do you have that on?"  He spat. 
 "It is my nightgown," she whispered. She felt no love emanating from the man whom she had vowed to love earlier in the day. She did not even recognize this man before her; she was scared of him.  
 "Fuck that,"  he yelled and grabbed the neck of the gown and ripped it from her body.  "From now on, you will come to bed each night naked, do you understand?" 
 Portia nodded, too scared to find her voice to answer. 
 Sebastian climbed on top of her, and, in one quick thrust, buried his cock deep inside of her virginal pussy.  Portia screamed out in pain, it had felt as if she had been torn in two, and with each thrust, the pain increased.  She tried to get away, but Sebastian grabbed her arms and held her down. 
 "Hold the fuck still. You will take your husband’s cock, and you will enjoy it." 
 He continued to slam hard into her until he finally came hard. As he pulled out, he was so fucking happy to see her blood on his dick. Damn, just the sight made him hard again, so he grabbed her hips flipped her over and rammed into her again. In this position, he was able to go deep, and it felt fucking great. 
 "Sebastian, please, stop, you’re hurting me,"  Portia cried.  
 She had been sobbing the entire time, and did not know if she would be able to remain conscious any longer while enduring the excruciating pain. Her mother told her this was her responsibility, but she did not think this is what she had meant. 
 Raising his hand back, he came down hard on her ass over and over again. He beat her ass until it was bright red. Coming again in her pussy, he pulled out and hit her ass one more time.  "Remember this, because, the next time you tell me to stop, I will cuff you to the bed and beat you with a whip." 
 Getting up, he left the room, leaving Portia in a pool of blood and his cum. Tears ran down her face; she had not married a good man. She had married the devil himself.  
   
 As the years passed, she had learned how to stay clear of him.  When he began to spend more and more time at his apartment, she had actually been relieved to learn he had taken in a goomah. Most married women would have been upset over the obvious display of adultery, but not Portia. This meant that he would be leaving her alone, something for which she was thankful.  
 But, all the years of heartache were worth it to be blessed with the young man sitting across her from her, eating his favorite food.  "How are you this morning?"  She asked. 
 "Good, can I call Ara now?"  He mumbled through a mouth full of milk and cereal. 
   
 Portia smiled as she remembered when the announcement had been made that Zachary had another grandchild. This did not surprise her; she was aware of Sebastian’s reputation with other women. What did surprise her was that this other grandchild was the oldest, and, therefore, she would be the next leader of the family. The look on Sebastian's face had been priceless. She had wondered how Kurtus would take this news. He was so much like his father that she rarely saw him anymore. She was curious as to why he did not attend the wedding with the family. Then, to Portia’s surprise, Arabella had been so kind and sweet to Simon when he and Portia were introduced and offered their congratulations. She could tell from her manner, and reception of Simon and herself, that Arabella had a good heart. If she noticed that Simon was different, it was not apparent. She talked with him, not down to him, and was happy to give her phone number to him; she only hoped he wouldn't disturb her too much.  She knew that Simon was extremely excited to discover he had a sister. 
   
 "Let's wait a little longer, and then you can call." 
 Simon didn't like it, but his mother always knew best. Finishing his cereal, he got up, placed his bowl in the dishwasher, and grabbed a banana and a cup of coffee. Coming back over to the table, he sat down again to munch down on his banana.  
 "Did you get the program done for the Japanese company?"  She was aware that the deadline for their order was fast approaching. 
 "Yeah, but I think I need to learn Japanese. I mean, how hard can it be?"  Simon shrugged. 
 Portia smiled, yes, how hard could it be?  Simon had already mastered French, German, Italian, and Mandarin.  "I will make arrangements to make that happen." 
                          ************************************************** 
 Ara and Kane descended the stairs and walked toward the kitchen. Ara gasped at the sight of the room.  The airiness that she had felt throughout the rooms that she had seen so far were carried into the kitchen. Light oak cabinets lined the walls, while white marble counters flowed under them. There was a large island with the same marble countertop that had lots of storage space, as well as a bookshelf for cookbooks underneath. The floors were a tan travertine stone. Behind the stove was Janetta, humming a tune as she was cooking. She turned and had a huge smile on her face. 
 "Ara, Kane, good morning," Janetta said.   
 Turning back to the stove, she plated the food and took it over to the breakfast nook.  
 Kane and Ara sat down, and, as they did, Uriel and Erik walked in. 
 "Damn, you got some nice digs here,"  Erik boomed. 
 Kane laughed.  "How is your room?"  
 "Fucking great."  
 "Okay. The day is going to be a stressful one, so we all need to be on guard. Zachary and Nazario will be there, as well as Roaland and Tony. We will be meeting with the top-level family members on both sides. We have the project plan already laid out, but we know that some members are not going to be agreeable." 
 "Ara, are you carrying?"  Uriel asked. 
 "Yes,"  she replied, her cheeks lightly blushing. 
 Kane whipped his head around eyes wide at his lovely fucking bride, who was carrying a gun. Fuck, that was hot. He had to adjust himself; fuck, he was not going to last all day without some relief. Looking up, he met Ara’s eyes. She had noticed his adjustment with a fucking sexy smile, making him that much harder and more uncomfortable. Looking deeply into her eyes, he mouthed "Later." 
 Ara nodded as she licked her lips.  Little minx. 
 After breakfast, they were all in the limo and on their way to the Leone building. They arrived in their office to find that Zachary, Tony, Nazario, and Roaland were already there.  
 Zachary walked over to Ara and placed a kiss on each cheek.  "Good morning  nipote  (granddaughter)." 
 Ara smiled sweetly up at her grandfather, who, in the short time they had known each other, had been more loving than her parents had been for her entire life. "Good morning, Grandfather, how is Grandmother this morning?" 
 Zachary could not help but smile at the sound of Grandfather coming from her lips. He had often thought, and felt for a long time, that God was punishing him for all his wrong doings, when both his son and oldest grandson had turned out to be so cruel and evil, but this angel of a woman came in and all the dark clouds faded away.  "She is well. We both enjoyed the wedding very much." 
 Ara grasped his hand and gave it a tight squeeze.  "I hope she will be at lunch today." 
 "She will be."  Zachary said with a tight feeling around his heart. 
 Ara turned to Nazario, who also placed a kiss on each cheek, and wished her good morning.  
   
 They walked into Kane's office to find that a new large desk had been put in, along with two matching high back leather chairs. A scene fit for the new Don and Donna of the family. Nazario and Zachary would be sitting in chairs on the side with Roaland and Tony standing behind them. Uriel and Erik would also be in the office during the meetings and several Leone guards would be stationed outside, in the case of things got out of hand. 
 Taking their seats, Kane was happy to see that the desk had been fitted with a special shelf under the desk where they could store their guns for quick access. Kane removed his gun from the back of his waist and Ara watched as he did so and followed suit. He placed the gun on the shelf, making sure the safety was off. With tensions as high as they were, every second would count.  
 "Who is coming in first?"  Kane asked, looking toward Nazario and Zachary. 
 "We have the senior family members of the Morotti family."  Zachary said. 
 "All right, let's get this started then."  
 Erik walked to the door and opened it to find five extremely pissed off looking Morotti family members waiting to be seen. Looking back into the office, he said with a grin, “Yeah, they ain't happy.”  Erik turned back to the lobby and stated, “The Don and Donna will see you now.”  Erik held the door open as the five senior Morotti family members zoomed past him. He couldn’t help but feel that everyone should have been searched and their weapons removed. 
 Alonzo, Dante, Luciano, Renzo, and Sal walked in, still disbelieving that their leader for the last fifty years was turning over the family to a rival family and a woman, no less. They sat down in the chairs in front of the large desk, and waited to hear how badly they were going to screw up the family. 
   
 "Thank you for coming this morning. We wanted to meet with you to discuss how the transfer of power will occur, and what changes we will be making."  Ara stated in an authoritative tone. It had been previously agreed that Ara would be the one to speak first, in light of her position as the rightful leader of the Morotti family.   "I want you to know that, even though I have not had the opportunity until now to meet with you, you have my love, respect, and loyalty as members of my family. It is my intent to protect our family and our interests, and I will do so with my life, if necessary. As members of this family, I expect you to do the same.”   She took a moment to pause and let the senior members absorb what she had said before continuing.  “As your Don and Donna, Kane and I have met with Don Leone and my grandfather, Don Morotti to discuss several pertinent issues that need to be addressed, and have decided that some much needed changes are essential for the good of both the Morotti and Leone families." 
 "What kind of changes?"  Renzo barked. 
 "As of today, the Morotti family will no longer be dealing in drugs or prostitution." 
 Alonzo jumped to his feet spitting fire, "What the fuck do you mean no drugs or prostitution?  How the hell will we be making any money?"  Turning to Zachary, he barked,  "What's next, is she going to put us in pink dresses, and make us the laughing stock of the criminal world? Fuck her, how the hell does she think she is going to protect us, give us lollipops and condoms?" 
 Ara had been prepared for negative responses, and had planned to respond with a show of force, if necessary.  At the conclusion of Alonzo’s outburst, she pulled one of her knives from her purse and threw it past Alonzo’s face, hitting the painting behind him.  
 Alonzo jumped as he saw the knife fly by, and looked to see who had thrown it; he was surprised it had been the Ara. Sneering at her.  "Fuck, what kind of a leader are you; you can't hit a target ten feet away." 
 Ara smiled sweetly.  "If I was aiming for you, sir, I can assure you that I would not have missed, but if you look at the painting, you will see that the painting’s subject has been struck in the exact location for which it was aimed." 
 Alonzo turned and saw the knife was stuck in the jugular of the person in the print.  Had it been a lucky shot, or was she that good? Alonzo sat back down and waited to hear what was going to happen to his family; he wasn’t going to take any chances to find out. 
 At his withdrawal, Ara continued, "Yes, dealing drugs does make a lot of money, but the risks are too high.  How many of our family members have been arrested, or, even worse, hurt or killed. It is time we move both these families into the future." 
 "So how are we going to make money?"  Dante asked. 
 "There are several legal and illegal avenues we will be exploiting. There are many other families who are looking for someone who would be willing to help them with problems they are experiencing, and those families have approached us. There are families who need someone to be responsible for assisting them in removing ‘undesirable’ elements throughout the world. This group would be responsible for successfully completing the contract expeditiously and professionally. They would have access to and utilize all the latest technology and leave no detectable information as to their identities. Some people would call such a group assassins, some would say garbage men, but, regardless of the title, the profits are extremely lucrative. We, gentlemen, will be that group. We also plan to expand our legal operations in the areas of restaurant and nightclub ownerships and franchises," Kane stated. 
 The five men did not like the idea of giving up the profits they had enjoyed from drug dealing, but they knew that times had changed and dealing drugs were much more dangerous and cutthroat than ever before. In addition, the idea of a new group of mercenaries or assassins was intriguing. There had been nothing available to this extent since the Murder Inc. group back in the ‘30s.  
 "Why not prostitution?" Sal asked, he enjoyed running the working girls; there was always a pussy available whenever he needed it. 
 Ara’s eyebrow raised as she looked him dead in the eye.  "Do you really think I would be part of any enterprise that degrades women?" 
 "But pussy makes us lots of money."  Sal said. 
 "That may be, sir, but I am betting the fringe benefits aren't bad either."  Ara snarled. "But, as of today, we are no longer indulging in that enterprise. Kane and I have a plan to help all the girls on your payroll to find paying jobs so they can survive." 
 The five men began yelling back and forth, arguing about how the fuck they were even going to make a living.  During the melee, Ara’s phone rang.  Normally, she would not have answered it, but looking at the caller id, she saw it was Simon.  Picking up her phone, she answered with a huge smile on her face, “Hello, little brother, how are you today?" 
 "Oh, sister, I am great.  I finished my one job; Mama is going to get me set up in learning Japanese, and I had my cereal for breakfast and a banana and coffee with lots of sugar and cream, because I don't like the black shit.  Oops, sorry, I didn’t mean to say that."  Simon said all in one breath.  "Mama said I couldn't call you until later, but I wanted to make sure you still wanted to talk to me." 
 "Oh, Simon, sweetie, of course I want to talk to you. It sounds like you had a busy morning and I am sure you are excited to learn Japanese."  Ara said in a sweet, caring voice.  
 The five men stopped yelling and listened in on the conversation she was having. They all knew and had a soft spot for Simon and, listening to the way this woman, who had just met him, not only stop this important meeting to answer his call, but genuinely seemed interested in what he was saying, caused them to reconsider their preset ideas about Arabella Marie Morotti Leone. Make no mistake, they were still pissed as hell about the changes, but their reassessment of their new Donna was giving them reason to reconsider their position on the changes she and Kane were proposing. It wasn’t like any of them could afford to strike out on their own, but, to change after so many years was a hard pill to swallow, no pun intended. They continued to listen to the conversation, and, with one more look among themselves, and with a nod, it was decided that they would consider listening to what this woman had in mind. Pulling out their guns, which made Kane, Uriel, and Erik jump, they laid them on the desk showing their acceptance and allegiance to the new rule. Ara had missed this monumental moment because she was still listening to Simon talk about his new computer. Ending the call, she turned to find five guns lying on the desk.  When she looked up, she saw that Alonzo, Dante, Luciano, Renzo and Sal no longer appeared to be pissed off, but appeared to be accepting of hearing them out and possibly accepting of the changes to come.  Fuck, what the hell did she miss while she was on the phone? 
 Meanwhile, Nazario, Roaland, Zachary, and Tony were all smiling with the realization that Ara, just being herself, had turned the tide in the attitudes of the five men before her. It was a positive start. 
   
 
 
 
 Chapter 4 
   
 After the Morotti members left, the Leone members entered.  It was decided that Kane would take control of this portion of the meeting.  
 Years and years of attending meetings which were conducted under his father’s guidance, Kane had learned that it was not only what you said, but how you yourself as you presented the topics that mattered.  Don Nazario Leone always had an air of power and authority whenever he spoke with the family about important issues.  Looking down, he noticed that Ara was sitting tall and straight in the chair next to him.  Her dainty little hands were folded and laying in her lap.  Her gun was back on the shelf under the desk, ready, if need be.  However, what was the most poignant was the expression on her face; she had a small smile, but her eyes were full of determination and fire.  Once everyone was seated, Kane stood to inform them of the changes. 
 "Gentlemen, thank you for coming in this morning.  As you are aware, my wife, Arabella, and I are now the controlling leadership of both this and the Morotti families.  We are aware that there is an issue of trust between the families and the merger specifically. It will take time and exposure within the families for each of you to realize that the future direction of the new family will be beneficial to us all.  Through our actions as your new Don and Donna, and your responses to our orders, the trust and confidence will come.  We ask that you give us your time and patience to reach that goal.  However, we expect your loyalty." 
 "But she is part of a rival family."  Christian barked.  
 Kane balled his hands into tight fists.  He knew that it was really tough for them to see that this was for the good of both families.  Looking down at Ara, he could see that she, too, had balled her hands into fists, but the expression on her face was unchanged.  She wasn't letting them see that the comment had affected her.  "Christian, let me clarify something for you, she is not part of a rival family; she is family.  She is my wife, but, more than that, she is the Donna of this family, and that position alone demands respect from every member.  Something you would do well to remember before mouthing off."  Kane stated with an authoritative voice.   "Her loyalties are for this family.  She proved those loyalties when she killed Kurtus Morotti, that fucker, for the hit he had ordered on their grandparents Zachary and Claudia, as well as the hit that he had out on me." 
 Christian turned his shocked gaze towards Ara.  He couldn't believe that she had killed anyone, especially her half-brother.  Looking over towards Nazario, he received a simple nod, which confirmed that she had, in fact, killed him. 
  "Gentlemen, this merger is happening and we all know that it is going to bring us toward a new era of respect and prosperity for both families.  Together, we will be the largest family on the West Coast; with the direction that Ara and I are going to be providing you, we will be the family that all other families will want to emulate.  They will all be coming to us for our services." 
 After Kane had provided the members with a summary of the new family’s goals and objectives, the meeting with the top family members for the Leone family concluded without any bloodshed.  Ara didn't have to throw any more knives or even fire her gun, but she remained strong and determined.  Kane had been so proud of her; whenever he would glance over to Nazario and Zachary, he could see that they were beaming with pride as well.  
 At the conclusion of the meeting, the members of both families were gathered together by Kane and Ara to have a drink and celebrate the union of the two families.   Uriel and Erik poured a hefty tumbler of whiskey for each member and for Kane and Ara.  Kane and Ara stood and proposed a toast, "To Peace and Profits."  
 Now was when the hard work would begin.  With the upper members in accord, they would begin the forming of the new Murder Inc.  Ara had been giving some thought for a new name for the family that would unite and represent them.  She had discussed her ideas with Kane and they had elected the name Coven Inc.  The manifesto they would be offering to the world’s crime families would essentially be that of an assassination squad. Requests would be received and reviewed by the governing board for acceptance or denial.  The requesting family would be charged with proving that the job was a legitimate hit and an attempt to take over another family.  The Coven Commission would be formed to manage the logistics and assignment over each request.   
   
 During the gathering, it was decided that the Commission would be comprised of Uriel, Erik, Reinzo, Sal, Tony, and Roaland. 
 "We may be criminals, but we are not savages."  Ara said to the group, which clarified the direction that she and Kane were trying to guide the family.  With that, the group got down to work on determining specifics for the new family.  Several goals and objectives were hashed out. 
 The cost of each contract would be based on the intricacies of the request.  The first credo of the family would be discretion.  There would be no evidence that would provide any detail as to who requested or carried out the hit.  The actual hit teams would consist of highly qualified men and women. Each member of the team would bring their considerable, yet varied skills and assets.  With that in mind, names were thrown out by the members to design the dream teams. 
 The first name suggested was Dante's daughter, Abby.  She had graduated from college with a degree in forensic sciences, with expertise in ballistics, digital forensics, and DNA analysis.  
   
 She was aware that her father was involved in the family crime business, but never thought she would ever be able to contribute.  While the members were discussing other possible candidates, Dante called Abby, and explained the needs of the family, asking if she was interested in joining the new venture.  Abby jumped at the chance, thrilled that she would be able to use her skills for the family, and, essentially working with her father. 
 However, Abby wasn't the only female suggested for the group.  Elizabeth, who was Kane's cousin and had been in the wedding, was going to head up the Tactical Mobile Unit of the group.  
   
 She had her BS in biomedical engineering from Johns Hopkins University and a Masters in computer forensics from MIT.   She was as beautiful as she was deadly.  She was a fiery redhead who was about to take a position working in D.C., but her mother had fallen ill and she had moved back to Seattle to help her father take care of her.  Unfortunately, even with the best doctors in the country, Elizabeth's mother passed away.  After her death, Elizabeth decided to stay in Seattle and find a position which she could use her expertise.  She had gotten to know Ara during the wedding and really enjoyed her.  She was much like her and loved candor and dry wit.  
 Next was the selection of the actual men and women who would be carrying out the jobs.  After debating back and forth, it was decided to bring in each possible member in and have him or her perform a series of tests to determine their strength and weaknesses before assigning them to a team.  The candidates would be tested in secrecy, and not made aware of the purpose of their testing.  Only the members in this room would know the real reason.  
 The next area that needed to be addressed was that of an accountant.  The family needed someone they could trust beyond all question. The candidate needed to possess accounting skills that enabled them to maintain the accounts receivable and accounts payable.  They also need to maintain a separate account would be set up for the legitimate family accounts.  Sal said he had heard of a wonderful program that had been designed for a German friend of his, but he didn't know who had designed it.  As they were discussing the program, the door to the office burst open, Uriel and Erik both reached for their guns, but stopped when they saw who it was. 
 "ARA!"  Simon yelled, walking into the office and toward Ara, who, by this time, was on her feet and meeting her brother halfway. 
 "Simon, is it lunch time already?" She queried while hugging him. 
 "Yeah, and momma said that I should wait outside, but I knew that it would be okay if I just came in."  Simon said, and then began to look around the room.  "Nonno, I didn't know you were here; where is Nonna?" 
 "She will be here in a little bit, Simon.  How is my Nipote?" 
 "GREAT!  I am having lunch with my sister.  Did you know that Ara was my sister?  She is so nice and I just love her already." 
 Zachary couldn't help but chuckle.  Ara had made an impression on Simon, and it was wonderful to see him smile so large and bright.  She truly was an angel to the family. 
 "What you are guys talking about?"  Simon asked as he headed over to the table.  He recognized some of the men, but not all of them, but Kane was there. He was Ara’s husband, so he was a good person, because Ara wouldn't marry a bad person and she knew how to shoot a gun, which was very cool. 
 Kane was as taken by Simon as Ara was, therefore, he felt that he needed to be honest with him; after all, he was family.  "We are putting together a new team and we are now looking for someone who can handle the finances and discretely set up accounts that no one other than family is aware of what we are doing." 
 "I can do that."  Simon boasted. 
 Ara turned and looked up at Simon.  "You are good with numbers?' 
 "Yeah." 
 "But you will need to be very proficient on computers."  Kane said. 
 "So?" 
 When Portia finally caught up with her son, she was happy to see him with Ara and with a smile on his face.  She apologized for his intrusion.  She had heard bits of the conversation and could not help but smile. Her son may have some areas in his life where he is not the strongest, but computers and numbers are his strong suit.  "Kane, Ara!"  Portia called out. 
 Ara turned and smiled at Portia.  "Portia, hello." 
 "Hello.  A polite young man would wait for their mother."  Portia corrected Simon for running off.  
 "Sorry, Madre."  
 "You are forgiven.  Kane, Ara, to verify Simon’s response, he is very knowledgeable and proficient in computers and accounting.  He owns his own computer program company." 
 "What is the name of the company, Simon, if I may ask?"  Sal requested. 
 "AV Designs."  Simon answered. 
 "Shit, that is the company that I was talking about.  All this time our Simon was the mastermind behind one of the top design companies in the world."  Sal boasted. 
 "Yeah, that’s me."  Simon quipped shrugging his shoulders.  He didn't understand what the big deal was; it was just computers and numbers.  
 "Simon, Portia, would you please have a seat."  Ara asked. 
 Once everyone was seated, Ara turned to Simon.  "Will you tell me about your company?" 
 "Sure, sorella.  I design computer programs for specific accounting needs, tracking programs for large companies." 
 "Wow, Simon, I am impressed.  Would you be interested in designing a program for the family?"  Ara asked. 
 "Sure, but I will need to know what you are doing to ensure that it is designed to meet your specific needs."  Simon answered. 
 "Fabulous.  How about if we do that after lunch?"  
 "Good, I'm hungry."  Simon stated. 
 "Gentlemen, we thank you for your time and for keeping an open mind concerning the changes.  We will be in contact, and hope to get this part of the family business up and running quickly.  I have already reached out to many of my contacts, and I am pleased to tell you that the work is out there waiting for us.  Coven Inc. is going to be a very profitable undertaking, but we must take the necessary steps during this infancy to ensure that it is designed right.  Thank you for attending and good day."  Kane said as he looked at each member of the family.  
 The members of the family began to leave, each saying their goodbyes to both Kane and Ara and speaking to Nazario and Zachary.  After the family members were out the door, Ara felt as if she had run a marathon, the tension of the day was playing hard on her muscles and joints.  She wanted nothing more than a long soak in her new tub with her husband wrapped around her.  Seeing him in Don-mode was such a turn on, that, for most of the morning, her panties had been soaked.  God, she wished for only a little bit of time alone with her husband to relieve the stress and pressure.  
 Kane looked at his wife and he couldn't have been prouder than he had been today.  She had been everything a Donna should be and he couldn't wait to spend the rest of his life by her side.   She was so damn sexy when she had pulled that knife and threw it, that he thought his cock would break out of his zipper. Even now, he wanted to spend some alone time with her.  
 "Kane, Ara, we are going to take Portia and Simon with us, so we will meet you at the restaurant, since you have to finish up here.  Let's meet in about an hour, if that is okay with you?"  Zachary said with a sly grin and wink.  
 
 Kane couldn’t believe his wife’s grandfather was setting him up to have sex with her.  Kinky bastard. 
 
 "Certainly, Zachary, we will finish up our paperwork and be right behind you."  
 Ara looked confused. What paperwork was Kane talking about?  She watched as everyone left the room with Kane following behind them. As soon as the last person was out the door, he locked the door and turned back toward her.  The look in his deep emerald eyes was that of pure need and lust; he slowly made his way toward her, stalking her like a lion stalking his prey. 
 "We don't have long.  My cock has been rock hard since we started this meeting; you turned me on so fucking much when you threw that knife.  So I am going to bend you over our desk and fuck you hard." 
 Ara gasped at his admission and her knees almost gave out.   She was also turned on and the thought of him fucking her almost made her cum without him touching her.   "Please!"  She moaned loudly.  Suddenly, he launched himself at her, and their lips collided into an erotic kiss.  There was the nipping of lips, the thrashing of tongues, and the clashing of teeth. 
 "Oh, baby, don't worry, I am going to make it all better.  Now hike up that fucking tight skirt and bend over the table." 
 Ara couldn't help but let out another deep throaty moan as she reached for the edge of her skirt and pulled it up over her hips and bent over the desk, her ass sticking out, waiting for Kane to take control. 
   
 Kane gripped her panties and pulled them down her long silky legs, leaving her round, soft ass ready for him to grab while he pounded his cock deep inside her hot, wet pussy.  Rubbing his finger along her slick wet folds, he quickly discovered that she was dripping with need from him. He unzipped his zipper and let his pants fall to the floor.  Pulling down his boxers, his hard cock bounced and slapped against his stomach.  Grabbing his cock, he rubbed the head of it up and down along her slick folds, then he placing it at her opening, and pushed forward, feeling her warm wet walls clutching him.  He was so aroused, he almost came.  "Are you ready?"  Kane groaned. 
 "Fuck, baby, fuck my pussy hard, and fast."  Ara’s breath was coming in gasps. 
 "I think I can do that, baby."  Kane smirked, as he began to pound into her pussy.  "Oh, God, it feels so fucking good." 
 Ara’s orgasm was already building, the tightening sensation started to build and build until suddenly it burst free, causing her legs to give way.  She had never been so thankful to be bent over the desk, or she would have surely been on the floor.  She could feel her walls contracting over his cock, and, with a loud primal moan, she felt his cum shooting deep inside her. 
 "Fuck, baby, that was intense."  Kane gasped. 
 "Damn right."  She responded with pride. 
 "Best damn desk in the world.  We are never getting rid of it."  Kane said, laying sweet kisses on her spine. 
 "My thoughts exactly.  Shit, we need to get cleaned up and get to lunch before everyone figures out why we’re late."  
 Kane pulled his now flaccid cock from her and reached into the desk drawer for a tissue to clean them up after he helped Ara up from the table.  He kissed her tenderly on each eye, her nose, and then her luscious lips.  "I love you so fucking much." 
 Ara knew exactly how Kane was feeling.  Their love was so all consuming that, sometimes, it was hard to convey into words the overwhelming love that she felt for him.  I love you didn't even begin to cut it; there so much more to it.  
 As they fixed their clothes, Ara went into the bathroom to clean herself up and put on her panties once again. As she walked out of the room, she found Kane sitting in his chair with a tumbler of whiskey and smoking a cigar.  
   
 "What is all this about?"  Ara questioned. 
 "Baby, that was so mind blowing I had to celebrate." 
 "Okay, let's go; we will celebrate more tonight at home." 
 "Fuck yeah, we are.  I can't believe your grandfather set this up." 
 Ara’s head whipped around and looked at Kane.  "What do you mean?" 
 "Um...Yeah...Well you see he was the one who got everyone to leave to give us some alone time." 
 "You mean my grandfather knew that we were going to have sex." 
 "Yes." 
 Ara buried her face in her hands.  How was she going to face her grandfather now that he knew that they were having sex?  "I can't believe this.  How am I going to face him?" 
 Kane wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his chest.  "Baby, I would bet you all the money I have that your Grandfather and Grandmother did the very same thing many times over the years.  He knows that we are newlyweds and it is expected to be this way.  Fuck, we haven't even had a damn honeymoon." 
 Ara knew he was right, but still the thought of her Grandfather knowing that they had sex in the office after they had left still felt funny.  Straightening her clothes and ensuring her gun was safely tucked away, she was ready for lunch. 
 Walking out of their office, they found both Erik and Uriel sitting, reading magazines.  They both looked up; Erik had a huge grin on his face, his dimples flashing brightly, and his eyes full of mischievous glow.  "Done with the paperwork already, Bosses?" 
 Ara whipped her head around to him, "Erik, I think you have forgotten a very important fact."  
 "And what is that?" 
 "I'm packing."  Ara said, looking dead into his eyes. 
 Erik’s glowing expression disappeared in a flash, and in its place was a greenish gray pasty hue in place of the mischief.  Fuck.  
   
 "Now, you were saying?"  Ara asked raising one of her eyebrows in a questioning manner. 
 "Nothing...Nothing at all."  He said, ducking his head and wishing the sofa could have swallowed him whole in that moment. 
 "All right then, we need to get to the restaurant."  Ara said, taking hold of Kane’s arm and walking through the front of the office and to the elevator.  
 Once in the elevator, Kane and Ara were in the back with Uriel and Erik in front of them, Kane leaned down and whispered in Ara's ear.  "You are so fucking sexy; I can't wait until this day is over, because, baby, you are not getting any sleep tonight." 
 Ara turned and smirked.  "Bring it." 
 Kissing her sweetly, he knew that it was going to be one hell of a night, and, with that thought, he needed to make sure the meetings were scheduled a little later the next day.  
 Lunch was a light affair.  Ara was happy to see her grandmother and was excited to sit beside Simon during lunch.  He told her all about his company and how he was excited to start learning Japanese.  Portia started the lunch just listening to the conversations around her, but Rosa began to talk to her. Soon, she was opening up and talking to Rosa, Claudia, and Clara.  Ara hoped that she could somehow make Portia’s life better, now that Sebastian had left the area.  She didn't know her story, but she could tell she had been through hell, and she knew it was because of Sebastian.  That fucker was going to die a painful death if she had anything to do with it. 
 After lunch, both sides of the families met up again in Ara and Kane’s office and began to discuss the formation of Coven Inc.  Simon took notes and asked very inquisitive questions about the specific needs for the accounting software he was going to design.  After the discussions concluded, Simon informed them that they would have their program in about two to three weeks.  As they were finishing up, Cornelia knocked on the door.  
 "Excuse me, but Mr. Grant is here, and says that it is urgent he speak to Mrs. Leone."  Cornelia said. 
 Ara’s smile faded; in its place was a slight grimace.  She really didn't want to deal with him today.  She wanted to go home and lose herself in her husband.  Fuck.  Ara glanced over to Kane, conveying her feelings on this development. 
 David had heard that Kane and Ara were in the office working today, and this caused his hopes to grow that maybe their marriage was one of convenience to join the families, rather than a marriage of affection.  Not one to waste an opportunity to see Ara, he hustled over to their offices to see his Ara.  His hopes that they could have a relationship was at the forefront of his intentions.  Fuck, he was constantly thinking of her.  He pictured her when he was having sex with other women.  Just the thought of having sex with Ara was always on his mind.  He couldn't wait to pound his cock into that hot pussy.  He knew once that happened, she would be his. 
 "Mr. Grant, please follow with me."  Cornelia said. 
 David followed her towards Ara's office.  Fuck yeah, some alone time with Ara.  As Cornelia opened door, he walked in with his winning smile and carefree attitude only to have his fucking mood flattened.  Ara wasn't the only one in the office, so was Kane.   God damn it, what the fuck did this mean? 
 "Mr. Grant, what my secretary informed me it was urgent that you speak with me, so what seems to be the emergency?"  Ara questioned.  
 David had to come up something quick, since his only goal was to see Ara.  Fuck, think, think, think.  Then he decided just to make something up.  "We are having some issues with permits." 
   
 "What permits specifically are you having problems with Mr. Grant?"  Kane asked.  Kane knew that never, in all the years of construction projects that they’d had in Seattle, had the Leone family had a problem with permits.  "Did you contact Gary?" 
 Fuck , David thought.  "No, he was out." He responded.  His on the fly excuse to see Ara was not a good choice. 
 "Well, then I suggest you call and make an appointment with him and tell him that I would be very thankful for any help he could provide to make this happen as expeditiously as possible."  Kane smirked, knowing that Gary was already in the Leone family pocket; if David had gone to him, there wouldn’t be any problems.  Kane’s only thought was how he had Mr. Grant’s number, just in case. 
 "Okay.  Thank you for the suggestion.  I’m sorry to have disturbed you.  I was actually shocked to see that you were in the office today.  I thought you might be on your honeymoon."  
 "Oh, we will be leaving in a few weeks.  Some business matters needed to be addressed first, but Ara and I don't actually need a honeymoon to consummate our marriage.  Do we, baby?"  Kane said, looking down at Ara, before placing a searing kiss on her lips. 
   
 When they finally came up for air, he glanced over at David, who looked like he was going to be sick.   That’s right fucker, she is all mine . 
 "Was there anything else we can help you with, Mr. Grant?"  Kane asked. 
 "Um, no sir, that was it.  I will be in touch."  David said and quickly left the office.  He was going to have to come up with something else to get to her.  However, he was not going to stop, because, in his heart, he knew that she would be his and he would go to any lengths to make that happen. 
 Once David left the office Kane and Ara, picked up where they left off before lunch.  Yes, it was going to be a spectacular night. 
 
 
 
 Chapter 5 
   
 Kane and Ara were in the back of the SUV on their way home after a long day at the office.  Ara was resting her head on Kane's shoulder and enjoying the moment of calm; the only the sound was the rushing traffic as it flew past them.  She couldn't believe their good fortune; the members of the two families were very receptive to the merger.  It was truly a happy day.  She wasn’t so naïve as to believe that there would not be more hurdles to jump before they could declare a victory.  Her mind drifted to the countless people whose employment was in jeopardy due to the merger.  How would the women who were used by the Morotti for their prostitution ring going to survive?  Most, if not all, of them had no job skills, no families, or had cut off ties to their families due to the shame of their position as prostitutes.  Ara had been lucky to have a friend like Katrina, who had helped her when she couldn't find a job.  As the saying goes, “There but for the Grace of God go I”.  Yes, it could have easily been her in their position.    
 "Baby, what’s got you thinking so hard?" Kane questioned.  He had noticed how quiet Ara was, as well as the furrow of her brows in deep concentration. 
 "I was wondering what will happen to all those women who were used for the Morotti prostitution ring?" 
 "I guess most will look for a new pimp, and continue on as they have been; some will not make it, I’m sure."  Kane responded sadly. 
 "But, Kane is there nothing we can do to change their lives?" 
 "And what would you propose, Ara?  We will not continue to allow this family to participate in this enterprise, so what should we do?"  Kane asked earnestly. 
 "I want to help them get out of that business and start them on the right path." Ara declared. 
 "Okay, do you have any ideas or plans in that exquisite mind of yours?"  
 Ara thought for a moment.  What would be the best course of action for these women?  They needed so much, but where to start was the million-dollar question.  However, she knew the answer, start with the basics, and go from there.  The first thing was housing. 
 "Kane, I would like to find a place to house the women.  We need to have them looked over by our doctors to ensure they don't have any illnesses, mentally as well as physically.  Then, I would like to offer them some training programs that can assist them in finding a new future. 
 "But, what do you see them doing?"  Kane was in awe of Ara’s compassion, but he needed a clearer picture of exactly what her plan was. 
 "I think that we should offer our help in reuniting them with their true family if they so choose.  If they can't/won’t go home, or have another home, we can evaluate and train them for jobs in our legal businesses.  Solar Eclipse is going to need a huge employee base and I can see many of these women working there.  Shit, I wish Brook was part of the family; I know she would be great at helping us with the women." 
 "Well, as you know, since she is not married to anyone within the family, we can't give her access to information concerning family business."  Kane said, looking up to the front of the car where Erik was sitting with Ben.  He knew that Brook had captured the big man's heart; it would only be a matter of time before the wedding bells would be ringing for them.  
 Erik heard the conversation between Kane and Ara, it warmed his heart that Ara thought so highly of Brook.  Oh, his sweet Brook, how he loved her.  Over the past month he had come to love her not only been in his playroom, but also in their relationship as boyfriend and girlfriend.  Brook gave off an impression of confidence, when, in truth, she was not as confident as she should be.  She loved spending time with Erik doing nothing special, just enjoying their time together.  The only downfall Erik could discover was that she couldn't cook to save her life.  Hell, she could burn water.  However, he did not mind; fuck, they could always order in or even hire someone to do the cooking.  She was the one for him; now that he knew that she had an opportunity to assist Ara in helping the women that were used so vilely by the Morotti, he knew he needed to push up his timeline of proposing to make it happen.  He had already planned to propose, but the sooner he did, the more it would benefit everyone. 
 Ara went on to tell Kane everything that popped into her head; in the end, she had designed a brilliant plan to get the women off the street and back into the working world.  They would turn one of the warehouses they owned into apartments for the women and have someone in the family stay there most of the time as a type of resident assistant.  Ara said that since some of the women would be working at Solar Eclipse that they would need to be educated about the BDSM community, so she would have Rosa come in and hold instructions on how to behave in front of Dominants and submissives while working at the club.  Katrina would be doing complete makeovers for the women and the family would be financing the personal needs of each, to include clothing.  Job skills would be evaluated and training would be provided, not only for the position in which they would be employed, but also to provide education for those who wished to advance in careers they may wish to pursue.  Kane was highly impressed at the thoughts and ideas Ara had developed to help the women. 
 Once they arrived home, Erik requested to speak to Kane alone.  One of the great features of the house was that both Kane and Ara had their own offices.  This would give them time to do things without tripping over each other.  Being married and working so close together allowed very little time to be by themselves. Having an office to call their own was a good start.  His office was done in dark oak, with large bookcase and the ceiling was done in the same dark oak.  It had a large oak desk and a high back soft leather chair.  The curtains and accents were done in a dark navy blue fabric.  A huge cream chair with ottoman was positioned beside the marble face fireplace with large mantle that held pictures of Ara.  He loved the room. 
 Kane and Erik walked into his office and closed the door. 
 "Do you want a drink?"  Kane asked. 
 "Sure." 
 Kane poured two tumblers of Jameson and sat down at his desk.  "Okay, what is it, Erik?" 
 "Kane, I need a few days off."  Erik muttered. 
 "Erik, you know how critical this time is.  What is so important?" 
 Looking down at the glass in his large hand, Erik brought it to his lips and drank the entire glass.  "I am going to ask Brook to marry me and, if she says yes, I am taking her to Vegas and doing it right away.  I want to start my life with her as her husband as soon as possible.   I know this is bad timing, but, Kane, I want, no, I need to do this." 
 Kane drank the amber liquid in his glass, smiling all along.  "Well, I guess we can make other arrangements.  Go get her."  Kane chuckled.  "Oh, and Erik, you can use one of the jets." 
 Erik jumped to his feet and ran toward the door, stopped, turned around, and ran back to Kane before he shook his hand.  "Thank you, Kane, wish me luck." 
 "You don't need it, but good luck."  
 Erik quickly left the estate and rushed to Brook's apartment.  He had the ring in his pocket, which he had been carrying around for over a week.  Ringing the doorbell several times, he took a deep breath and tried to calm his nerves and his pounding heart.  Brook answered the door in a pair of yoga pants, T-shirt, no makeup, and her long, beautiful hair piled on top of her head in a messy bun, but, to Erik, she never looked more beautiful. 
 "Erik, sweetie, what is wrong?"  Brook asked as she looked at the unusual look on his face.  Gone was the strong, confident man she knew and loved.  In its place was fear; what had happened to cause this? 
 Erik dropped to one knee right there in the doorway of her home and reached for her hand.  He couldn't and wouldn't wait one more second to ask.  "Rosie, baby, I love you more than anything else in the world.  You have accepted me for all my faults and showed me what true love is all about.  I don't want to spend one more day without calling you my wife.  Will you marry me?"  
 Brook gasped, bringing her hand to her opened mouth.  He wanted to marry her.  Brook loved him so deeply; the thought of spending the rest of her life married to this wonderful man was simply wonderful.  Her eyes brimmed with tears of joy as she tried to calm herself to answer.  Looking down into his baby blue eyes, she whispered her response.  "Yes." 
 Erik heard the whispered word that would change his life forever.  He jumped to his feet, picked her up, and twirled her around, causing her to giggle.  "Thank you, baby."  Finally, setting her down, he reached into his pocket, pulled out the two-carat pear cut diamond ring, and slid it onto her dainty finger.   "Come on then, let’s go."  Erik said as he grabbed her now adorned hand. 
 "Erik, wait, where are we going?"  Her emotions were jumping all over the place.  The excitement of being engaged to this wonderful man, and now he was pulling her out of the house.  Where were they going? 
 "To Vegas, baby.  Like I said, I am not spending another day without you being my wife. 
 Brook was shocked, but knew that she, too, didn't want to wait.  However, she was not dressed to go to Vegas and get married.  "Erik, I need to pack, change, and we need to make plane reservations." 
 "No plane reservations needed; I’ve got the company jet on stand-by.  I’ll give you thirty minutes to change and pack. If you're not ready by then, I will be carrying you out with what you have on.  Now go."  Erik said as he slapped her on the ass. 
 Brook rushed through her apartment and into her closet.  Pulling out a weekend bag, she began to stuff her clothes haphazardly into it.  Grabbing a pair of white dress pants and a bright red silk blouse, she ran to her bathroom.  She quickly changed into the outfit and began letting down her hair and brushed it into a low ponytail.  As she applied her makeup, she couldn't help but smile; she was going to marry the love of her life.  
 After the pain she had to endure from Royce, she never thought she would trust another man, but Erik changed everything.  He may be an intimidating and possibly dangerous mobster, but, to her, he was always a perfect gentleman, and, in the playroom, he was the epitome of what a true Dominant should be.  And the way his huge, thick cock filled her so completely, was as if it was made for her and her alone.  
 "Brook, you got five minutes."  Erik yelled into the bedroom. 
 Shit, she needed to hurry.  Grabbing her makeup bag, she filled it with what she thought she would need and grabbed her toothbrush and brush and stuffed everything down into her weekend bag.  Picking up a pair of blood red Louboutins, she rushed back to the living room to find Erik over the counter looking sexy as hell and watching her with his ‘I am going to fuck you hard’ eyes.  Damn, she wished they had time to help with the sexual tension that he had caused by just being himself.  "Well, my sweet, you made it just in time."  Erik smirked. 
 "But I don't have a dress."  Brook whined. 
 "Baby, I have it all taken care of; let's go start our life together."  
 Taking her small hand into his large one, they walked out the door and into their future. 
   
 After Erik left, Kane found Ara in the sunroom curled up in one of the cream and blue sofas looking out across the lawn and toward the Sound, as the crystal blue water lapped up against the dock.  The sunroom was, of course, all glass, but, instead of windows, it had French glass doors.    
 "I see you found the sunroom."  
 "Oh, Kane, it so wonderful.  I love your Mom's, but this feels like us." 
 Sitting down close beside her, he wrapped his arm over the back of the couch, and rested his hand on her shoulder.  "I love this room, too." 
 "How far is your parents’ home from ours?"  
 "Actually, they are on the other side of the house next door, but not for long." 
 Ara turned quickly to face Kane, shocked to hear that Nazario and Rosa were moving.  "You mean they are moving?" 
 "No, baby, I bought the house next door.  I plan to tear it down which will make my parents our next door neighbors." 
 Ara was shocked that Kane was buying a multi-million dollar home just to tear it down.  "Why?" 
 "Because, baby, this way we can fence in both estates and make it more secure." 
 That did make sense; she was happy that her husband always looked out for her safety and the safety of their families.  She also knew that, with their new adventure, the family was going require very stringent security measures.  
 "I understand, but it's sad that the house has to be torn down." 
 "I know, but we are adding some cottages in its place for security personnel.  Baby, I promise to keep you safe." 
 "I know that; however, I need to be prepared at all times and that is why I am continuing my training with both Uriel and Rosa.  Speaking of Uriel, don’t you think it is time we find someone to run Diamond Knotts?  He has his hands full being our capo and doesn’t have the time to manage a large business like that.  I am afraid he is going to let something slip by, which could be dangerous." 
 "You’re right.  We will talk to him tomorrow and start looking for someone to take over, but we also need to hire someone to manage Solar Eclipse.  I really would like them to be in place from the beginning.  Who were you thinking you would like to see in that position?" 
 "I think it should be a formally trained Dominant or Dominatrix.  Most of the girls will not be submissives, but I am sure some may be interested.  A Dominant or Dominatrix would be in a position to interact with other Dominants within the parameters of the community." 
 As soon as Kane heard the word ‘Dominatrix’, a vision of Ara dressed in black leather holding a whip appeared in his head.  
   
 Fuck, he couldn’t help but wonder if they could have a scene like that in the near future.  Getting his thoughts back on topic, he responded, "You are right, but we need someone that either is connected to, or knows our family; and who would be loyal to us." 
 "Fuck, I forgot about that."  Ara grumbled. 
 Kane leaned down and captured her lips with his.  Hearing her say fuck was such a fucking turn on.  As soon she opened her mouth and allowed him to stroke her tongue with his, he was in heaven.  Never had any of the many girls he had kissed tasted like Ara.  She was so sweet and so his.  He felt her hands as they reached behind his neck, grabbed onto his hair, and pulled.  The pain he felt only amplified the pain in his groin, as his cock was hard with the need to be buried deep inside of her.  Finally pulling away from her lips to allow both of them to breathe, he then placed tender kisses down her jaw line and on the back of her ear.  She let a breathy moan and cried out his name.  "KANE!"  Looking deep into her eyes, he gave a devilish smile.  
 Ara’s heart was beating so fast she could have sworn that she had just ran the fastest hundred yard dash.  As she looked into his emerald eyes, she could see the want and need within their depths.  "What was that all about?" 
 "You said fuck."  Kane smirked. 
 "Oh."  Ara said, blushing brightly.  
 Taking his hand and brushing it lightly over her rose-colored cheek. "I love this color.  It is the color your body turns when you cum for me." 
 "FUCK!"  Ara exclaimed. 
 "Fuck, baby, after dinner we have a full night of fun ahead of us, because I am going to see this color over, over, and over again.  But, back to our discussion, I will put out some feelers into the community and see who may be interested." 
 "Do you think Uriel will be upset about giving up Diamond Knotts?"  Ara asked. 
 "No.  I think he thinks he is aware that trying to do a good job at both would spreading him too thin.  He needs to concentrate his efforts on being capo. I, no, we need a capo who is on his game at all times.  I believe his previous attempts at trying to do both positions were evident that he needs to focus on the duties of one specific position.  I feel that is why he missed so much in the past." 
 "Good.  I’m hoping Katrina and Rosa will be interested in helping with the rehab program." 
 "I am sure they will, and so will Brook."  Kane blurted out.  Shit, he was not supposed to say anything. 
 "But Brook is not in the family."  
 Kane looked down at his hands, trying to think up something to say.  However, Ara knew there was something he was not telling her.  "Kane, look at me." 
 Kane looked up. 
 "What are you not telling me?" 
 "Well, you see....Erik...and Brook." 
 "Yes." 
 Fuck, Fuck, Fuck.  "Okay, Erik and Brook are on their way to Vegas to get married as we speak." 
 "WHAT?!"  Ara screamed.  
 "Yeah, that is what he wanted to talk to me about.  I gave him a few days off, so it’s done." 
 "Oh my God, that is so great.  We have to give them a reception.  Shit, let's have a double reception, because Uriel and Katrina didn't have one, either."  Ara squeaked as she reached down into her purse and grabbed her phone. 
 "Baby, who are you calling?" 
 "Rosa.  I need Nazario’s credit card." 
 Kane leaned back and belly laughed.  She had definitely been hanging out with Rosa too much.  "Baby, you don't need Dad's card, you have your own." 
 "But mine has a limit."  
 "No, baby, it doesn't.  Let them have their night and you can break the news to everyone tomorrow, okay?" 
 "Fine, but it has to be an awesome party.  OH, we can have it here, no....wait.  When are you tearing down the house next door?" 
 "Not for a little while." 
 "Well, fuck, that would have been a great place for the tent, oh well, I am sure Rosa will help find a great place." 
 "All right, come on, let's go eat something and I will show you the rest of the house before we retire for the evening."  Kane said as he raised his eyebrows up and down. 
 "Cheeky bastard." 
 "Fuck yeah." 
 After a delicious dinner that Janetta had fixed, Kane took Ara on a tour through their home. Ara loved each room.  It had six bedrooms in addition to their master, which Kane explained he wanted to fill with their children.  Ara just shook her head at him.  They passed one door, but didn't go in. 
 "Hey, you missed a room."  Ara said, pointing to the door. 
 Kane stood a little straighter, dropped an octave in his voice, and looked Ara right in the eye.  "That is my playroom, my pet, and your Master will show it to his pet this weekend." 
 Ara lowered her eyes and swallowed the saliva that had collected by just hearing her Master's voice.  She couldn’t even begin to think about anything else except how wet her panties were.  "As you wish, Master." 
 Kane lifted her face to him.  This woman was everything he ever wanted and more all rolled up into a beautiful package. He couldn't believe he had been lucky enough to find her.  "My pet, my love, my wife, you are my world." 
 Tears formed quickly in her eyes and began to fall down her cheeks.  "Oh, Kane, I love you so much." 
 Kane picked her up and took her to their room, where he showed her how much he loved her, repeatedly, until both passed out from pure exhaustion.  
 Morning came way too early for the couple, but they finally rose from their bed, showered, and got ready for the day ahead.  They had planned to invite the family over for dinner, and that included Portia and Simon.  After making Janetta aware of the plans, they were, once again, in the car heading toward the office.  The first thing on their list today was to talk to Uriel and then post the openings for both Diamond Knotts and Solar Eclipse.  Ara had seen the projected date of completion of Solar Eclipse; she was not happy.  David Grant had not met any of the requested deadlines.  He recently came into the office with issues of permits, which Kane told her was completely ludicrous.  Gary Michaels had been on the take since he took office fifteen years ago and none of the Leone properties ever needed to worry about a permit delay.  This made her curious, why was David using that excuse?  Ara could not help but get a terrible uneasy feeling whenever she meet with him and the way he looked at her made her skin crawl.  
 "Kane, I have been looking over the numbers projected completion dates for Solar Eclipse and David hasn't met any of the deadlines."  Ara said then steadied herself for what she was going to say next, "I don't trust him." 
 Kane looked at Ara.  What did she mean she did not trust him?  Had he done something inappropriate, because, lord help him, he would be dead if he had.  "Why?" 
 "I don't know.  I just get this uneasy feeling when he is around, and every time he looks at me, my skin crawls." 
 "Shit, baby, why didn't you say anything?" 
 "I know he has been working for the family for a little bit, so I didn't want to question the family’s confidence in their company." 
 "Baby, he is just a paid architect.  He might have suspicions about what the family does, but he doesn't have any information.   So, if the fucker hasn't been doing his job, I say fire his ass." 
 "But won't they put us even further behind?" 
 "We will find someone else.  Money talks, baby, and when it is known that the Leone and now Morotti families are looking for an architect, they will be beating down the door for our business." 
 "Okay, let's do it." 
 Kane smirked.  "Let me do it.  I can't wait to see the look on the fucker’s face." 
 Ara kissed her husband.  "Okay." 
 Kane pulled out his phone and dialed David's number. 
 "Kane, what can I do for you?"  David answered. 
 "It's Mr. Leone to you.  And I want you in my office in an hour with all the information on Solar Eclipse."  
 "But, Ara is handing that project."  David’s whining response was indicative that he knew this was not going to be good. 
 "You will not address her by her first name, it is Mrs. Leone to you, and I want to see the fucking information, so your ass better be there in an hour."  
 "Yes, sir."  David stammered. 
 Kane hung up the phone and smiled brightly. 
 "Damn, that was fun.  I can't wait to see the fucker’s face when I fire his ass.  This is going to be so much fun."  
 Ara smiled.  Yes, it was. 
 
 
 
 Chapter 6 
   
 Kane and Ara arrived at their office, and asked Uriel to meet with them in private.  Uriel wondered if he had finally screwed up enough to get him killed.  For weeks he had been burning the candle at both ends, running Diamond Knotts, as well as dealing with the increasing duties as Kane’s Capo. Now, he was the Capo to both the Don and Donna of the combined families; there was not enough time in a day to get everything done.  He was still kicking himself for allowing Sebastian to slip through his and his crew's fingers, but he wanted, no, he needed to make amends for that.  In addition, with all the work, he had very little time to spend with his lovely wife, Katrina.  She had been a trooper, but he could tell she was feeling neglected and lonely, which was no fucking way to start a marriage.  Also, they had not been in his playroom in weeks, and he craved the time to be with his submissive.  
 After placing their guns securely under the desk, Kane and Ara sat down, and motioned for Uriel to do the same.  
 "Uriel, I want you to know that you have done a tremendous job at Diamond Knotts, but we feel it is time to find someone else for your duties.  Being my, correction, our Capo, is an enormous job and we need for you to be focused entirely on those responsibilities and duties."  Kane stated.  He noticed that Uriel seemed to relax upon hearing this news.  
 "Thank you, Kane and Ara.   You are correct; I have felt as though I was unable to devote all my concentration on one specific job without letting something slip by on the other.  I promise, as your Capo, to provide you with sound counsel and protect you with everything at my disposal.  I have and will spend the time and effort needed to make sure nothing gets past me."  
 "We know this, Uriel, but we would also like your input on your replacement."  Ara said. 
 "Gladly."  Uriel responded while shaking his head in agreement.  For the first time in weeks, he felt as though he may be able to breath. 
 "Good, now, we have David Grant coming in to the office in about forty-five minutes; we are firing his slimy ass."  Kane grunted.  Ara snickered at Kane’s aggravation. 
 "Has he done something I don't know about?"  Uriel was hoping that he had not missed anything he should have been aware of. 
 "He has not been doing his job.  He has already missed several deadlines, not to mention he makes Ara feel uncomfortable.  And, last but not least, I am not particularly fond of the way the fucker was looking at her yesterday.  I have a gut feeling he is not going to take the news well, because he and his entire fucking family have made a ton of fucking money from our contracts, so I want a team to be ready to follow the ass if this goes south.  I don't want to do something here, but have the warehouse ready, just in case."  
 "Good plan, Boss.  I’ll go make the arrangements."  Uriel said. 
 "Hey, Uriel, could you also call Katrina and see if she can come and meet us for lunch?  I have something I want to talk to her about."  Ara suggested. 
 "Sure, she’d like that.  See you in a bit."  Uriel commented and left the office with his phone to his ear, making the necessary arrangements.  Kane knew he couldn’t do something in the building; he needed witnesses to see David leaving the building the same way he entered it. 
 Kane and Ara were reviewing some details for the Coven Inc. project when Kane’s phone rang.  The caller ID informed him that it was his friend, Sean O'Leary. 
 "Hello, Fucker."  Kane chuckled. 
 "Bastard, how is married life?"  Sean teased. 
 "Great, other than the fact I haven't had the quality time I want with my wife."  Kane placed a kiss on Ara’s temple as she continued to review the plans. 
 "Well, that is what happens when you decide to do something this grand.  How is the beautiful Ara?" 
 "Hold on while I put you on speaker."  Kane said. 
 "Ara, sweetheart, are you tired of that fucker yet?"  Sean asked. 
 "No, I am afraid not; how are you, Sean?  I was sorry to hear that you had to go straight back to Boston."  
 "Well, you know how the life is, some fucker was trying to take something that was mine and I needed to have a (cough) little conversation with him."  Sean quipped.  "But the reason I was calling is to ask a favor." 
 "Anything."  Kane stated.  Sean may be the Boss of the Irish Mafia, but he was also a friend. 
 "My sister has decided to stay in Seattle.  She fell in love with it and is hoping to start her own business there, so I hope she can call upon you if she runs into any problems." 
 "Of course.  Please give us her number; we would love to have her over to our house for dinner."  Ara said. 
 "Ara, that would be so appreciated."  Sean was touched that should would be so accommodating. 
 "What type of business does she want to start?"  Ara asked. 
 "She got her degree in architecture and has finished her internship, but has decided not to work for a large firm.  Instead, she wants to start her own business." 
 "Fucking fantastic!"  Kane yelled. 
 "What?"  Sean questioned. 
 "Well, you see, we are about to fire our architect and we have several large projects in the works, so we need an architect; since she knows about the family this would be great." 
 "All right, I will give her a call, but are you sure about this, Kane?  I was only expecting you to be there for her if she needed your help."  Sean was totally taken aback at the good fortune this phone call had generated. 
 "Hell yeah, have her come this afternoon about two and we will go over everything.  Sean, this is going to be a fantastic arrangement for everyone involved."  
 "Seems so.  Kane, Ara, I can't thank you enough.  I think you are right; this is going to be great."  Sean said.  "I will call her now, and, as soon as I can, I am coming out again." 
 "Actually, Sean, we are working on something big here, so we will be contacting all the Bosses to tell them our plans.  Our hopes are to have a large meeting with everyone, somewhere, and lay out what we are proposing."  Kane said. 
 "Name the time and place and I will be there."  Sean stated.  Knowing Kane, whatever he was planning had to be huge if he was calling all the Bosses, and Sean wanted in on it. 
 "Okay, will do."  Kane said, hanging up the phone.  He turned to Ara and pulled her into his arms.  "I love you." 
 Ara melted into his big strong arms, enjoying the feeling of warmth and protection.  "I love you, too." 
   
 "Are you ready for this meeting?"  Kane asked, worried that it might be too much for her. 
 "No, but, Kane, it needs to be done and I need to be here.  There are going to be things that are not pleasant, but, if I am to be the Donna that the families need, I need to be able to handle all situations, the good, the bad, and, in David's case, the ugly."  Ara giggled. 
 "Okay, but that fucker better watch his mouth." 
 "I know, but we need to control ourselves here.  However, that doesn't mean we can't have our fun later on."  Ara whispered with a raised brow. 
 "I know, but I have a feeling it is going to be very hard to restrain myself from not shooting his fucking ass here and how." 
 "Kane, you have great control; I should know."  Ara smirked, knowing that Dom Kane was always in control in his playroom. 
 Kane leaned down and captured her lips with his, dominating her mouth and lips, enjoying the taste that was Ara and Ara alone.  He respected her as his co-leader of the family and his wife, but he enjoyed his little submissive in his playroom.  This woman was everything he ever needed, wanted, and he would always be grateful to Uriel for hiring her at the club.  The thought of him having never met Ara caused his heart to ache.  Placing several pecks on her lips, then her nose, he leaned back and smiled down at her, noting the dark chocolate pools full of lust and need; he knew just how she felt.  
 Ara’s heart was beating so loud that she was sure that Kane could hear each beat.  This man was a very dangerous man and she didn't mean with his gun, well not that kind of gun, anyway.  Okay, maybe that gun, too.  She smiled as she walked over to their bathroom, straightened her hair, and reapplied her lipstick.  She checked to make sure her navy blue satin wrapped dress was straight and not too much cleavage was showing.  Kane fell in love with the color of the dress when she put in on this morning and said he couldn't wait to peel it off of her this evening after all their guests left.  Kane had picked out one of his navy blue Armani suits to compliment her dress and when they stood next to each other in front of the mirror before leaving their room, she had to admit they looked like the perfect couple that they were.  She walked out of the bathroom and back to the desk where Kane was sitting reading over some documents.  Sitting back down in her chair, she checked her gun to make sure it was loaded and the safety was off. 
 "If I can’t shoot him, neither can you."  Kane smirked. 
 Ara smiled and placed the gun back on its shelf.  Fucker. 
 Soon there was a knock on the door and Uriel entered with a contrite looking David following behind him.  David was carrying a briefcase with the design plans for Solar Eclipse.  Just by the irritated look on David’s face, Kane and Ara both knew this was going to be ugly. 
   
 "Ara, it’s so good to see you again so soon."  David panted as his eyes roamed up and down her body, lingering on her chest.  He wondered if her tits were as marvelous as they were in his dreams. 
 "Mr. Grant, that’s Mrs. Leone to you."  Kane snarled.  "Have a seat." 
 "Certainly, Kane."  David responded, taking the seat that was sitting directly across from Ara. 
 "And I’m Mr. Leone."  Kane was flexing the fingers on his right hand.  Especially the trigger finger. 
 "Yeah, fucker."  David mumbled lowly to himself. 
 "Mr. Grant, we asked you here today to talk about your work performance, or lack thereof, on the Solar Eclipse design project.  After reviewing the progress of the project to date, we feel that you are not meeting any of the expectations to which you agreed upon when you agreed to this contract.  You have missed deadlines, failed to report any complications that were occurring until it was too late to resolve the issue, and, in short, your performance has been dismal and lacking.  Based on these facts, we are terminating your employment and the contract with your firm for this project and any other future projects that Leone Inc. may have." 
 David couldn't believe his ears.  There was no way in hell that this motherfucker was firing him.  
 "You can't fire me.  You are only doing this because you are aware that Ara is in love with me and is going to leave your sorry ass.   I am so much more of a man than you ever could be.  Hell, I bet you haven't even fucked her yet and I know she has a pussy that needs a real man to dominate it.  So go fuck yourself motherfucker and leave her to me."  Kane and Ara stood in shock, and both reached under the desk, and then Ara responded to David’s outburst. 
 "Mr. Grant, are you delusional? I don't love you. I have no feelings for you whatsoever.  I am very happily married to Kane."  Ara said as she tried her best not to reach for her gun or her knives and take the fucker out. 
 "Oh, Ara, you are just saying that because he is standing beside you.  You and I both know that we have this connection that can't be denied."  David responded confidently. 
 Ara was actually dumbfounded that this man, and she was using that term loosely, thought she was in love with him and that they had a connection.  She glanced over at Kane, who was looking at David as if he had lost his mind.  Trying to calm things down so that neither of them ended up shooting this ass, Kane stated firmly, "Mr. Grant, you will not address my wife that way again.  You will leave this building immediately.  You are prohibited from setting foot again on this property or any other property owned by us." 
 "I will not go without her."  David yelled.  Both Kane and Ara looked at each other totally confused by David’s behavior. 
 "Then we will have you forcibly removed."  Kane stated calmly. 
 Uriel walked up, placed his hand on David's arm, and pulled him back.  David swung around with his hand in a fist, trying to hit Uriel.  Uriel easily avoid David’s fist and twisted David's arm around to his back.  Uriel and two other guards removed David from the office, the entire way out, David was screaming at the top of his lungs that Kane Leone would regret this. 
 After they had left the office, Kane took Ara in his arms and held her close.  They knew that David Grant would never stop until he did something to Kane or, worse, something to Ara and he needed to be eliminated.  No one would ever talk that way to Ara and survive.  Uriel returned and stated they had put him in a cab and sent him on his way, but they felt sure he would be causing trouble soon.  Kane told Uriel to allow him a few hours to be seen around town, and, then, at twilight, have him picked up and taken to the warehouse.  He was to be called when David had arrived, because he was personally going to take care of him.  David had made this a personal matter when he targeted Ara.  
 Ara was still slightly in shocked about the whole meeting.  She could not, for the life of her, figure out where the hell David got the idea that she was in love with him.  She didn’t even like him.  She tolerated him for the sake of designing the club, and his family’s loyalty to the Leone family.  But it was obvious that David had more than one screw loose.  The man was beyond delusional.  Ara and Kane turned to each other, and both of them had the “what the fuck was that?” expression on their faces.  They both started laughing at the insanity of the whole situation.  After regaining their composure, they went back to reviewing the Coven Inc. plans. 
 Soon after Katrina arrived, the two couples were off to lunch.  When they arrived at the restaurant, they were met by a tall, over tanned, bleach blonde woman with what looked like a very bad boob job.  It looked like the left boob was higher than the right.  Once she looked up and saw not only Kane, but Uriel, too, she adjusted her tits in her tight blouse and licked her red stained lips.  Yeah, that adjustment did not help the situation.  Ara and Katrina both looked at each other and snickered. 
   
 "How may I help you gentlemen today?"  She said in a voice that sounded like she had smoked three packs a day her entire life. 
 "Reservation for Leone." Kane said. 
 The smile on her over painted face grew larger, when she heard the name.  Kane Leone was well known for his good looks and money and here he was in front of her.  This was it, her golden opportunity. 
 "Mr. Leone, so nice to meet you, my name is Delilah.  Would you, your sister, and guests follow me please?"  Delilah said, reaching out and rubbing Kane's arm all the while giving Ara a sneer that could peel wallpaper.  
 Ara knew this type woman and she would be damned if she was going to allow her to continue her little act.  Putting on her best Donna face, Ara came up beside Delilah taking in a whiff of her overpowering perfume, she coughed slightly and looked her dead in the eyes, she said.  "Oh, honey, he's not my brother; he’s my husband, and I can tell you that man can beat a pussy raw.  Now take us to our table and then take a bath, because I can tell you now that Eau de Skunk is not the best choice in perfume."  
 Delilah’s mouth gaped open.  She didn't know what to say.  She grabbed the menus and stomped through the restaurant.  "Fucking bitch."  She mumbled under her breath.  Throwing the menus on the table, she turned quickly and stomped back to her station. 
 Katrina and Ara’s eyes were tearing from laughing so hard at the skank.  A few months ago, Ara would not have done anything, but Kane’s love and pride had made her stronger and more confident.  She knew, without a doubt, that she would be the only woman to warm his bed until the day they died. 
 They were placed at a table near the back and enjoyed the time talking about Uriel's stepping down as manager at Diamond Knotts, and Ara asking Katrina if she would be interested helping with the new project for the women coming out the prostitution ring.  Katrina was so excited about Uriel being able to spend more time at home.  But she was also intrigued about the offer of helping out with this project and couldn't wait to get started.  Ideas were bouncing around in her head; they would need to find a suitable location that could be remodeled quickly to begin the project.  Uriel spoke up about the warehouse on the west side.  It had been empty for several years, but was in good shape.  Ara was excited to learn more about the warehouse.  She hoped that, as soon as Maggie came in this afternoon, they could convince her to take the position and begin working on both the shelter facility and the club designs.  
 Once lunch was over, their waiter brought the bill and Kane took care of it, leaving him a hefty tip.  As the couples were walking toward the front of the restaurant, Uriel caught movement out the corner of his eye and when he turned his head, he saw Donnie Newton wrapped around someone in one of the booths.  Uriel discreetly took a second look and saw that it was no other than Judith Young, Sebastian Morotti’s long standing goomah.  At that moment, everything fell into place.  
 "Kane, look to your right."  Uriel whispered. 
 Kane looked and saw what Uriel had seen.  The thought that one of his own family members was the one who had betrayed him made him see red.  He would make sure that he suffered a long and painful death.  However, as much he wanted justice for Newton’s betrayal, he knew he needed to know if he was still in contact with Sebastian.  He looked at Uriel and gave him a nod.  
 Uriel knew what to do.   As soon as they dropped off Katrina, he would put a surveillance team on Donnie Newton.  Donnie’s apartment, car, and phone would all be bugged, and then the same with Judith's place.  He would get all the information he could on Donnie Newton and Judith Young, before he was brought in to pay for breaking his oath to the family.  
 When they got into the car, Kane told Ara what he and Uriel had seen, and what it meant.  Ara was furious.  He was the one that had gotten Kane shot. All the rage that she had felt for her half-brother was nothing compared to the rage she felt against Donnie Newton.  She wanted his blood.  They discussed what was going to happen, and, as soon as they were sure they had all the information they needed, Donnie Newton would be made an example of what happens when you break your oath.  
 Katrina hugged Ara goodbye and they made plans for the next day to go over more details about the rehab project.  Katrina was going to make some notes and gather information to get the project off the ground soon.  She was happy that she was going to be part of something for the family. 
 Uriel, Kane, and Ara walked into the office and found Nazario and Zachary there.  They all sat down and filled Nazario and Zachary on what they found out about Donnie Newton and how they felt that Donnie had been the one giving information to Sebastian all along.  Both were very upset and they also wanted blood.  After talking about what they were going to do to gather the proof the needed and any information on Sebastian’s whereabouts, they discussed more about Coven Inc. and how the top members of the families were out gathering up the best members to test for the various components needed for Coven Inc. to be successful.  Kane told them that he had to fire David Grant and that his hours were numbered, due to his obsession with Ara, and how he feared her safety.  Zachary was very concerned, but Kane assured him that David would not see another sunrise.  
 Soon, it was time for Maggie to arrive.  Promptly at two o’clock, Cornelia brought her, announced her arrival, and escorted her into the office.  Kane stood before he went over and gave her a hug.  They had bonded all those years ago when he had rescued her and she had come to think of him as another brother.  She had been excited that Sean had called and said that Kane was looking for an architect.  The thoughts of being the architect of Leone Inc. would be almost like a dream come true.  Using her skills for the family would be a fulfilling career. 
 "Maggie, it is so good to see you."  Kane said. 
 "Same here, Kane."  Maggie said, and then looked over to where Ara was standing with a smile on her face.  "And, Ara, you look lovely." 
 "Oh, thanks.  I got this at a little shop on the east side.  Maybe one day we can go together."  
 "I would love that."  Maggie responded. 
 "Dad, Zachary, this is Maggie O'Leary, Sean O'Leary’s sister.  She recently received her degree in architecture and is here today to see if she would be interested in coming to work for us." 
 "Maggie, welcome.  I hope you take us up on our offer.  It will be nice to have someone who knows all sides of the family."  Nazario said.  David Grant only knew their legal businesses, and nothing about their endeavors.  
 "Good, now let's get down to business."  Ara stated, sitting back down at her desk.  Kane came around and sat down beside her. 
 "Maggie, we have several large projects in the works.  One being a large night club for high end members.  Most of the building will be outfitted for the BDSM community, but we will have a nightclub area on the ground level, which will only be for members and their guests.  The second project is primarily for a group within our families.  This will need the best of the best security available with the ability to allow for continual upgrades.  There will be a state of the art computer center and an armory.  We will need gun ranges, practice rooms, and surveillance rooms.  We have someone who is designing a computer program to keep track of the finances, but I am sure he will have a certain specifications for his office design.  We also have another project that we will talk more about tomorrow, if we haven’t scared you off yet, and you decide you want to come on board with us."  Kane said. 
 "But, don't you want to see my portfolio of design work?"  Maggie asked. 
 "Maggie, I only have one question."  Ara stated. 
 "Okay." 
 "With what we already requested, do you think you can do the job?"  
 Maggie thought for a moment and every plan, every test, every drawing she had done was all just preparation for this and she knew, even though she was a little afraid of failure, that she could do the job.  "Yes." 
 "Well, then, that is all we need." 
 Maggie jumped to her feet and shook everyone's hand.  "Thank you so much.  I promise I won't let you down." 
 "We are happy to have you.  Now do you have a place to work?" 
 Maggie had only told her brother yesterday about her decision to stay in Seattle and start her own business and she hadn't had the time to look for an office.  "No, not yet." 
 "Well, if you like, we would like to offer you space here at Leone Towers."  Kane stated. 
 "That would be wonderful."  Maggie was beginning to feel as though she should pinch herself to make sure this was really happening. 
 "Great, I will have Cornelia show you to the office space you can use.  Please feel free to decorate however you see fit.  Just turn in your expenditures so we can reimburse you." 
 "You don't have to do that.  I was planning on opening a business anyway, and had set aside some funds for that purpose."  Maggie did not want to appear ungrateful, but she felt that the Leones were being overly generous. 
 "Nonsense, as your employers, it is our responsibility.  Now these are the plans that the prior architect had designed; please go over them carefully, and we will meet to go over your conclusions.  We feel that your predecessor may have been cutting corners and may not have been in compliance with the city’s codes." 
 "I will go over them with a fine tooth comb."  Maggie could not wait to get started; her adrenaline had been on a steady rise since receiving Sean’s phone call. 
 "Wonderful!"  Kane said, picking up his phone and calling Cornelia.  Cornelia came in and escorted Maggie to her new office. 
 The rest of the day was filled with meetings and plans; by the end of the day, Kane and Ara were ready to go home.  Everyone was coming over for dinner at seven, which gave the couple a few hours of alone time.  As they sat together in the den enjoying a glass of white wine, they relished the silence of their home.  
 Kane received a call stating that they had picked up David outside a bar in the Lower East Side, but they had gone into his apartment and were shocked by what they found.  He had a room dedicated to Ara.  He had photo after photo, some photoshopped with him and her together.  There was also a photo of Kane with the word dead written in red over it.  They also found rope, handcuffs, tape, and a bottle of chloroform.  Kane became even more enraged with David at the news of what they found.  This sick bastard had been planning on kidnapping Ara.  Kane's men had David tied up in the warehouse, waiting for Kane.  After dinner, he would take care of David Grant.  
 Ara and Kane discussed what was going to happen to David and Ara had decided she didn't want to be there.  She knew that Kane needed to work out the rage he felt against David and she was content to know that Kane would protect her.  So she was going to stay at home with her guard.  
 Soon, everyone arrived. Simon was especially happy to see Ara and Kane.  He told them he had made some great headway with the project, but would like to talk to the architect to make sure they knew the type of office he needed for the system.  Ara said she would set it up and contact him soon.  Janetta served dinner and everyone was amazed by the wonderful food.  Rosa asked how everything was going with the transition and Ara brought up her idea for a rehab program for the prostitutes.  Zachary and Claudia were touched that Ara and Kane were so concerned about the welfare of the women, who had given up so much for the family.  Portia listened intently and knew she wanted to be part of the rehab program.  
 "Ara, I would love to help."  Portia stated. 
 "You would?" 
 "Yes, I want to be part of the family and to do some good." 
 "That would be wonderful Portia.  Rosa, I was going to ask if you would be willing to do your beginner submissive class for the women who are going to work at Solar Eclipse." 
 "Oh, what a great idea.  That way they will have a better understanding of the community’s rules, and what is and is not accepted." 
 "My thoughts exactly, and Katrina, and hopefully Brook, will be helping as well."  Ara beamed. 
 "But Brook is not part of the family."  Nazario said. 
 "Oh shit, I forgot.  Erik and Brook are in Vegas getting married." 
 "WHAT?!"  Rosa screamed.  "I would have loved giving them a wedding." 
 "Oh, Rosa, I understand, but I was thinking about doing a large reception for both Uriel and Katrina and Erik and Brook to celebrate their marriages.  I wanted to get Nazario's credit card, but Kane said I had to use mine." 
 Everyone at the table burst out laughing.  Nazario reached into his pocket and got out his credit card.  "Here, use it." 
 Simon enjoyed the menu and enjoyed the light, friendly atmosphere around the table.  This is what he had always imagined a family dinner would be like.  He noticed how Kane was always wrapping his arm around Ara, kissing her hair, looking at her with soft loving eyes, and wondered if he could ever find someone like that.  He knew he was different, but that didn't mean he didn't enjoy looking at the pretty girls.  Maybe, one day, he would find the one meant for him. 
 After dinner, Rosa and Claudia had decided to stay with Ara as the men withdrew to take care of David.  Ara took them to the theatre room to watch the movie.  The room was done in dark wood with large, soft chairs and a large screen.  They put in a new movie from one of the books that had started out in a fanfiction site and made it big.  The movie was based on a story of a man who was not only the head of a mafia family, but also a Dominant.  Ara was excited to see the story, as were Rosa and Claudia.  They were also excited to see that the author and director had required the rating of NC-17.  This was something to take their minds off of what was going to be happening across town.  Watching Robert Pattinson naked did just that.  Ara’s mind was nowhere near David and his ultimate demise, but it did make her horny enough to want Kane home as soon as possible. 
 
 
 
 Chapter 7 
   
 In the back of the fast moving SUV, Kane, Nazario, and Zachary were all mentally preparing themselves for what they were about to do.  
 After finding out just how sick, obsessed, and mentally unstable David truly was, Kane knew that he would make sure David suffered for every sick and twisted thought he’d ever had about his Ara.  Uriel had personally taken over the task of removing every speck of evidence at David’s place that would tie him in any way to the Leones.  Kane had been worried that, once David came up missing, his family would come looking for his demented ass, and he wanted to make sure that nothing was left of his obsession with Ara.  David's father had been their architect before David, but, about four years ago, he had gotten sick and decided to move to a small town about three hours away.  Kane knew that, one day, Ernest would come looking for David and they would need to have all their ducks in a row. 
 Pulling up to the warehouse, Kane looked at his father and Zachary.  "Are you ready to do this?" 
 "Fuck yeah."  Nazario barked.  Turning to look at Zachary, Nazario laughed, “Just like old times, eh?”  Zachary smirked, “damn straight.” 
 They exited the vehicle and walked into the warehouse.  As they maneuvered down the long dark hallways that lead to the soundproof room where they were holding David, they could smell the stench of urine.  Smiling to himself, Kane knew that Mr. Grant had pissed himself and that made him happy. 
 Walking into the room, he was pleased to see David tied to a post, hands above his head and only wearing his pants.  Kane smirked to see the red marks on his ribs and knew that, his man, Ricky had taken a few good licks at him.  
 David looked up and saw Kane, Nazario, and another older man walks in.  He didn't know why he had been taken, beaten, stripped, and tied to this pole, but seeing Kane Leone standing there, it all fell into place.  The fucker was going to try to change his mind about his beautiful Ara and that was not going to happen.  "Why the hell am I here, Leone?"  David yelled. 
 Kane looked at him and gave him his signature smirk, but did not answer his question.  Instead, he removed his jacket and shirt, leaving him with his white tee shirt and dress pants.  Picking up his favorite toy, which he hadn't had the chance to use since the death of the asshole at the docks, Kane walked up to David, looked into his eyes and placed the extra sharp knife up to the carotid artery on his neck and added enough pressure to make David aware that his life was in his hands.  Kane made sure not to break the skin, as he planned to draw this out for his own amusement.  "Why are you here? Well, you are here to pay for your crimes against my wife, Ara.  The cost is your life.” 
 David eyes grew large; he couldn't believe what he was hearing.  Surely this had to be a mistake; this was Kane Leone.  This fucker didn't have it in him to do what he was claiming; David knew he was nothing but a pussy boy.  "And who fuck did you hire for that job, Leone, because we both know that you can't do it, fucker."  David spat. 
 Kane leaned back and let out a loud belly laugh; David was trying to show he had balls.  This guy had no idea who the fuck he was talking to.  Looking over his shoulder, he saw that his father and Zachary were both laughing.  They knew this was going to be more fun than they thought.  Turning around to face to David, he took a step back and wiped his knife on the leg of his pants.  "David, I think there is something you need to know.  You have worked for my family, just like your father and grandfather did before you and, like them, they had no idea, well, maybe they suspected, but it is obvious you are cluless that the Leone family is actually the mafia." 
 David didn't and couldn't believe that the Leones were in the mafia.  They were rich, yes, had lots and lots of businesses, but mafia surely not.  "I don’t know what the fuck you’re smoking, Leone, but maybe you should share it." 
 Nazario walked up, holding the cigar that Zachary and he had lit as they watched Kane prepare to take care of David, and blew a puff of smoke into David’s face, causing him to cough.  Fucker. 
 "David, David, David, guess we were better actors than we thought, because we are and have always been in the mafia."  Nazario smirked. 
 "What?"  David questioned. 
 "Boy, for someone who is supposedly smart, you really are stupid.  I am Nazario Leone, the former Don of the Leone crime family, that guy back there is Zachary Morotti, the former Don of the Morotti crime family."  Zachary made it a point to wave at David. 
 "You keep saying former, who the fuck is the current so called Don."  David asked.  He was totally confused.  Were these guys high? 
 "Well, fucker, that would me, and, oh yeah, Ara."  Kane said, smiling away at David. 
 "What the fuck do you mean Ara?  Ara is my girlfriend; she can't be involved with anything illegal."  
 Kane balled his fist up and swung it around, striking David on the jaw, causing his head to whip to the side, blood pouring from his mouth.  "SHE IS NOT YOUR FUCKING GIRLFRIEND; SHE IS MY WIFE, ASSHOLE!"  
 David spit out the blood that was pooling in his mouth, fuck, that hurt, but he still could not believe that his sweet Ara had any part of this mafia bullshit.  
 Kane had grown tired of trying enlightening Mr. Grant, and was ready to  collect on his debt.  
 "Strip him naked."  Kane told the guards who were standing by.  They quickly came over and removed David's pants and underwear.  Kane looked down and smirked; seemed like David had pencil dick. Kane silently laughed.  He couldn’t believe David thought he could take his Ara away and satisfy her with it.  
 "Guys, have you ever seen anything so little on an adult man before.  Shit, Ricky, I bet your five year old has a bigger dick than he does." 
 Ricky walked over and looked down.  "Yep, my son's dick is bigger than that." 
 "YOU MOTHERFUCKING ASSHOLE, LET ME GO!"  David yelled, pulling at the ropes that held his hands.  
 "Bring over the chains."  Kane ordered and then turned to walk to the table which held all his favorite tools for torture.  "Chain his feet and hang his ass upside down on the meat hook." 
 Ricky and Gus wrapped the chain around David's feet and then cut the rope that held his hands, which caused him to fall hard onto the concrete floor.  They picked up his chained feet, and then lifted him up and hooked him upside down on the meat hook.  Before walking away, Ricky kneed him in the stomach for good measure.  
 Kane picked up the baseball bat and came back over to the now upside down and naked David.  "This is for every time you thought of my wife."  Kane then began to hit him repeatedly, trying not to leave a spot untouched by the bat.  On several of the hits, Kane smiled when he heard bones breaking.   Kane made sure that David’s genitals remained untouched by the bat.  Stepping back, Kane admired his handy work.  God that felt good.  He then went over to the table and picked up a round device with needles facing in.  Walking back, Kane slid the device over Davids's dick and began tightening down the ring until the needles began to sink themselves in at all angles into David's dick.  David screamed out with the sheer pain that this caused.    "I bet that hurts like hell."  Kane smirked. 
 Kane turned to walk back to where Nazario and Zachary were standing.  "Hey, give me one of those," he said pointing at the cigars.  Nazario reached in his pocket and pulled out another cigar.  Kane put the cigar up to his nose and took in a big whiff.  Ah..Cuban, but he needed something that he could use on David, not a fine quality Cuban.  "I need something else, something cheap."  
 Zachary knew what he meant and reached into his jacket pocket and handed him a cheap cigar that he had.  Pulling out his cigar cutter, he cut off the tip and then proceeded to light it for his new grandson.  Kane had been a remarkable sight in action as he took care of this piece of shit.  
 Kane took the cigar from Zachary and then pointed to the cigar cutter, this is something he could use, but did not want to use it if it meant something to Zachary.  
 Zachary knew what he wanted, gave him a nod, and handed the cutter to him.  Kane Leone was one bad motherfucker; he was so glad that he was his granddaughter's husband, because he had no doubt in his mind that he would be able to protect her.  
 Kane walked back to the barely conscious David with the foul-tasting cigar between his lips and the cigar cutter in this hand.  When he was right in front of him, he got down on his knees and grabbed one of David’s hands, spread the fingers apart, slid the cigar cutter over a finger, and cut the finger off.  This caused David to scream even louder, but then he passed out.  Kane stood up and ordered Ricky to get the adrenaline shot and said, "Wake the fucker up." 
 Ricky walked over and grabbed the needle that was filled with epinephrine and injected it into David's neck.  David jolted awake, screaming and moaning.  "Ricky, hold his head steady for me, will ya?"  Kane asked as he knelt down.  He took the cigar from his mouth and told David, “This is for all the times you leered at my wife.”  He pushed the lit end of the cigar into David’s eye.  The smell of burning flesh filled the room and Kane was pleased with how much David was suffering, but he still was not done with him.  Leaving his other eye alone, he stood and went to the table and picked up his favorite knife, it was time to take it up a notch.  Over the next half hour he careful carved back the skin over his legs.  It wasn’t enough to kill the fucker, just prolong the pain.  In the end, David looked more like a piece of filleted beef than a man.  
 "David, Ara is mine, all fucking mine, and I want your last thoughts to be the fact that I own every fucking inch of her, just like she owns me, and, when I leave here this evening, I am going to home and fuck her until neither of us can walk."  Pulling out his gun, he aimed in between his eyes and fired, getting rid of the asshole for good.  
 "Ricky, call the crew and have this shit cleaned up, then make sure my toys are taken care of."  
 "Yes, Boss.  And, if I may say, it was a privilege to witness you in action."  Ricky said.  He had been unsure about the new boss; it wasn’t that he didn't trust him, but he had never seen him get his hands dirty.  That all changed today; today, he had seen the calm, cool Don that would be leading the family and knew that he would follow him and do anything that this man asked.  
 Kane walked back to Nazario and Zachary.  He was covered in blood, but wasn’t bothered by the signs of a job well done.  Looking around, he found the bag that held a new tee-shirt, pants, and then realized he forgot underwear.  Oh, well, it was going to be coming off anyway, so he went commando.  Walking over behind a small wall, he stripped out of his bloody clothes.  He took the wet wipes and rubbed off as much of the blood as he could.  When he got home, he would use the shower in the basement.  When he bought the house, this was a necessary item on the list he had done. The shower was state of the art.  It had marble tiling and a special order drain without a trap on it.  However, the feature he liked best was the special attached head in the shower that connected to a bleaching system that would remove all traces of blood from the stall.  Slipping on the clothes, he walked over, put on his shirt and jacket, and took one last look at David's body.  He felt satisfied that Ara had been avenged.  
 Back in the SUV, Nazario and Zachary told Kane how impressed they were with the way he handled the entire situation.  They also said they were jealous that they hadn't been able to get their hands bloody. Kane knew that retirement for the two former Dons was going to be hard, which was why he invited them along. As soon as they arrived back at the house, Kane wanted to rush to Ara's side, but he needed to shower first.  Rushing down the stairs, he pulled off his clothes and placed them in a black trash bag that he would burn later.  Scrubbing his body over and over again, he made sure that all evidence of David Grant was washed away.  Stepping out he turned on the hot water and bleach system and washed any remaining evidence down the drain.  When he was sure that there was nothing left, he dried off and slipped on the sweat pants and a tee-shirt that he had stored in the linen closet.  Quickly towel drying his hair, he tied up the trash bag and walked upstairs.  When he reached the top of the steps, his lovely wife met him. 
 "Kane."  Ara cooed wrapping her arms around his neck. 
 He dropped the bag, wrapped his arms around her, lifted her up, and proceeded to kiss her passionately.  This was why he did what he did.  She was worth it.  She was his, and he would protect her at any cost. 
 "Kane, Ara, we’re going to leave."  Rosa said, smiling at the sight before her. 
 Kane loosened his hold but did not let go completely.  "Thanks for staying, Mom." 
 "Anytime; Ara, let's sit down soon and go over more ideas on the rehab program."  
 "I would love that."  Ara answered from Kane’s arms. 
 As soon as everyone was out the door, after quick hugs and kisses, Kane had Ara back in his arms running up the stairs.  He entered their bedroom and threw Ara onto to the bed.  "Baby, I need you so fucking bad right now."  
 "I know, so do I."  Ara panted as she sat up on the bed, ripping off her blouse and pulling off her skirt.  As she reached around to unhook her bra, Kane stopped her.  
 "Let me finish."  
 He reached behind her and unhooked her bra, releasing her soft full mounds. Her nipples were already peaked and ready to be sucked, licked, and nibbled.  Placing his mouth over one of them, he did just that.  
 Ara moaned loudly, arching her back, wanting and needing more.  "Kane, please." 
 "You taste so fucking good, baby." 
 "Please touch me."  
 "Oh, baby, don't worry, I’ll get there."  Kane smirked as he went back to her breast, sucking on one and pulling the hard nipple of the other.  She was so responsive to his ministrations.  He began to kiss down her belly until he reached the top of her panties.  Grasping the top of them, he pulled them down her silky legs, leaving her garter belt and stockings.  God, this was sexy.  Taking his long finger, he began to rub up the lips of her pussy and was not surprised to find how wet she was.  She wanted him as much as he wanted her.  
 "Baby, hold on."  Kane said, lining up his cock to her pussy and pushing his way in.  He was so keyed up that he had to close his eyes and try to calm down; the feeling of her warm wet walls had him on the verge of coming.  That definitely would not work. He needed her to cum first.  
 "Kane, please." 
 "What, my love?" 
 "I need you to move."  Ara moaned. 
 Kane pulled her up and began to thrust deep inside of her.  How the hell did he end up with the goddess?  He couldn't put into words how much he loved this woman, but he hoped his actions showed her just how much.  
 With every thrust, their connection grew on a deeper level, as if their souls were twisted together.  You couldn’t tell where one began and the other ended.  Kane could feel his own orgasm coming, but he needed Ara to cum first.  "Baby, I am so close."  He moaned. 
 "I am so close, too."  Ara cried as she felt the building of pressure inside like a rubber band being pulled till was so tight that when Kane shifted his hips, and his massive cock hit just the right spot, she came hard.  "KANE!" 
 Kane felt her walls gripping his cock and he came also, filling her up with his cum.  
 Finally, their hearts calmed down, but they were both covered in sweat.  
 "Fuck, baby, that was intense."  Kane moaned, placing his forehead onto hers. 
 "You can say that again." 
 Kane, not wanting to lose the connection just yet, held her tight to his body, enjoying the skin to skin contact, their smell, enjoying everything about her, because he knew that they would have to separate.  Pulling his cock from its home, he leaned over and placed sweet kisses all over her face.  "I love you so fucking much." 
 "Oh, Kane, I love you." 
 "Let's go soak in the tub and I will tell you about my evening." 
 Ara wanted to know how David had died.  Was it morbid?  Yes, but she needed to know that he paid for what he did and what he was planning to do.  They quickly filled the tub, turned down the lights and lit some candles.  The warm amber glow bounced off the mirror and walls of the room.  Finally removing her garter and stockings, Ara was helped into the tub and was followed in by Kane.  Ara leaned back against his chest and sighed.  This was heaven.  
 Kane wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly.  He began to tell her all about how he had taken care of David.  She didn't say much, just listened.  This was all part of being a leader of the family.  She knew she should be upset about how he was killed, but she wasn't.  After finding out that he had planned on kidnapping her and doing God knows what to her, she was glad that Kane had eliminated him as a threat.  The water got cool, so they removed themselves, dried off, and went back to bed where they spent the better part of the evening wrapped up with each other and forgetting all about David Grant.  
 The next day was another day of meetings and planning.  Kane and Ara had met with Maggie and had provided her with the blueprints and permits for the new club.  Maggie took the plans home and began to straighten out the mess that the previous architect had done.  Whoever it was had been an idiot.  The plans had so many structural flaws that, if it had been built according to these plans, it would have fallen to the ground in no time.  After finishing what she could, she got a glass of wine, sat down at her computer, and began to unwind by talking to her online friend, AV1991.  They had met online on a gaming site and carried their friendship over into an online chat room.  They tried to talk each evening, often the conversation would last for hours.  Typing in her password, she looked and found that he was online. 
 
 
 "Hey."  
 
 
 
 "Oh, I didn't know if you were going to make it." 
 
 
 
 "Sorry, I got carried away with work." 
 
 
 
 "Work?  Did you get a job?" 
 
 
 
 "Oh yes.  I am working for a large company in the city.  It is going to be very time consuming, but it is everything I wanted and more." 
 
 
 
 "Great, Mags!"    
 
 
 
 "I know, Al.  How was your day?" 
 
   
 
  Si told her about the new program he was working on; after that, they talked about anything and everything.  Looking up at the clock, Maggie noticed it was already midnight. Knowing how busy she was going to be tomorrow, she bid Si goodnight.  After several goodnights and sweet dreams, they finally disconnected.  She made sure she locked all her doors and windows and got ready for bed.  Sinking into her bed, her thoughts were not of work, but of Al.  She wondered if they ever would meet. 
 
 
 
 Chapter 8 
   
 Early the next day, Kane and Ara called in one of the Coven members to help with the Donnie and Judith situation.  They needed to be put under tight surveillance, and Elizabeth was the best person for the job.  The listening devices and tracking devices would be placed inside their homes, cars, and cell phones.  
 Elizabeth was excited to begin working for her Don and Donna.  She had come to admire both Kane and Ara and couldn't wait to see how they would lead both families into the future.  
 They had given her an unlimited amount of funds for all the equipment that she would require.  It was like Christmas for Elizabeth.  Knowing what would expected of the Tactical Mobile Unit she was heading, she began making phone calls.  Through some of her former contacts at Johns Hopkins University and MIT, she was able to procure some of the most sophisticated and state of the art surveillance equipment available.  While these new toys were not available to the public, she knew that some of the elite government agencies were also customers of her contacts.  She was able to get the newly developed Laser Audio Surveillance (LAS) equipment that allow her to monitor all audio and visual happenings in Judith’s apartment from the one she personally had rented across the street from her.  The new LAS system would transmit an invisible IR-beam to the window of the target room.  The beam would then be reflected from the window pane to the receiver, which picked up the reflected beam that was modulated by the pane vibrations.  These vibrations and the optical signals were automatically converted into electronic signals.  The picked up speech was then filtered, amplified and recorded.  This equipment would allow the user to know everything said and done in the apartment without having ever stepped foot into it.  
 Elizabeth also ordered the DPL-OBD Vehicle Tracker, which would be placed into the OBD-II port under the steering wheel of not only Judith’s car, but Donnie’s as well.  Through the monitoring system, they would be able to determine where either of their subjects were at all times.  It would tell them their locations, speed, if the ignition was on or off.  But, her most precious piece of engineering acquired was still in the developmental stage.  She would be testing out the new software that would be installed into Judith and Donnie’s cellphones.  The software would be electronically sent and embedded into their cell phone SIM cards.  When remotely triggered, it would allow for the monitoring of all conversations incoming, and outgoing, text messages both ways, and any voicemails received. 
 Elizabeth felt confident that they would have both of their subjects completely covered allowing for no surprises, and, truthfully, they could not ask for more, unless they were both chipped with GPS within their bodies.  Hmmm, now there is an idea worth researching. 
 After Elizabeth was briefed and dismissed to do her magic, Kane and Ara looked over the list of names that had been gathered for the Coven.  Each member were grouped into a unit that best suited their specific skills.  However, in order to ensure that they had the best of the best, testing of each unit was a must.  As they were going over each name and qualification, they knew that, after all the testing was completed, they were going to have the best fucking team available in the world.  There were going to be multiple levels of testing, covering a wide arrange of areas. 
 Prior to the physical training, each member would be submitted for a psychological test to ensure that they could deal with the mental strains of carrying out their missions.  This would involve dry runs of various scenarios that each unit may encounter.  Kane and Ara had already decided to use one of the warehouses to have areas constructed which would test the physical aspects of the recruits’ duties, but they would need another floor added to set up for the psychological tests.  After discussing the various assignments that may present themselves, one of the tests would involve the response of the recruit when faced in a hostage situation.  When their target used a human shield to avoid capture or death, how would this affect the recruits’ reactions? 
 Recruits would be submitted to watching various recordings of violent acts to gauge their mental responses.  The business was not going to be on the level of a street brawl. The Coven was determined to become an elite group of units that would be able to discreetly and invisibly carry out the contract agreed upon.  The team members would need to be trained, tested, and able to respond without prejudice in any given situation. 
 There would also be specific testing for each of the four units.  The teams would be broken down into the Forensics Team, the Surveillance Team, the Termination Unit, and the Cleanup Crew. 
 The Forensics Team would be given a series of tasks to solve. This could be anything from determining poisons presented, fingerprints, or determining the type of weapon used to complete a kill.  One of the Leone’s contacts on the police force was going to provide some cold cases as test criteria for the team to research and possibly find something that previous forensics specialists may have overlooked.  This had Ara thinking of a use for the teams on the legitimate side during those occasions where there was time between assignments. 
 The Surveillance Team would be tested by placing them in a fabricated scenario that would be designed to address each method of surveillance that could be used to maintain the eye on a subject.  Gerardo, a senior member of the former Morotti, was chomping at the bit to be the subject of this test.  He swore no one would be able to keep him in their sights.  He was eager to give them the slip.  The team would be using every type of equipment available, to include cell phone monitoring, video and audio bugs, landline taps, and physical surveillance.  They would be given a specific amount of time to ascertain the subject’s routines, habits, acquaintances, and, eventually, apprehend the subject.  At the end of the time specified, the team members should be able to provide exact details about the subject, down to the kind of food the subject eats for breakfast.  In an actual scenario, the Surveillance Team is only to ascertain the information needed by the Termination Unit, however, there may be a situation that may require apprehension, and they needed to be prepared.  
 The Termination Unit was a little more difficult to test.  It wasn’t as though there was a hit available to test them on at the moment, although Sebastian certainly would make for a nice test run.  So they would be testing on all the various weapons that Uriel was procuring.  They would also be tested on numerous physical limits.  Just how long could they stay cramped in a ventilation duct before their muscles cramped, or claustrophobia kicked in? 
 The Cleanup Crew would be given various fabricated scenarios to which they would have to respond and remove all traces of evidence that anything occurred on the premises.  This task would be timed, and the Forensic Team brought in afterwards to determine if they could find any traces of evidence of a crime.  Kane planned to get with the guys who used to do cleanup for the Leones, and see if they were interested.  
 All in all, each test would be designed to push each member of a specific unit to fine tune the knowledge, skills, and abilities they were bringing to their unit. 
 As Kane and Ara were going over the Coven’s plans, they were interrupted by a knock on their office door.  Kane responded to enter, and when the door opened, in walked a smiling Erik with his arm wrapped tightly around a smiling Brook’s waist.  "We're back!"  Erik boomed. 
 "Erik, Brook, it is wonderful to see you."  Ara said as she rounded the table, went over to Brook, and gave her a big hug.  After finishing with Brook, she turned to Erik and hugged him as well.  Kane had also come over to the couple, and, after shaking Erik's hand and giving him the typical one arm hug, he then gave Brook a genuine hug. 
 "Oh, Ara, isn't it wonderful?  I can’t even tell you how happy I am; there are just no words to express it."  Brook cried. 
 "Yes, let me see the ring."  
 Holding out her hand, Ara admired the glimmering pear shaped diamond and matching wedding band, which looked exquisite on Brook’s hand.  
 Ara was surprised that Erik had picked out a really beautiful ring, go figure.  "Tell me all about the wedding."  Ara begged, grasping Brook's hand and taking her over to the couch in the office. 
 Once sitting, Brook began to tell Ara how Erik had planned every detail of the wedding, from the rings, to the flowers, and even her dress.  
 "Oh, Ara, I was so nervous when I unzipped the bag, but started crying like a baby when I saw how beautiful it was.  It was a long form fitting gown with a flare at the bottom.  The top of the gown was a strapless sweetheart neckline and the bodice and body of the gown had flowers with Swarovski crystals. The bottom of the gown was made of sheer fabric, which also had flowers and Swarovski crystals.  And I don't know how he did it, but it fit like it was made for me." 
 "Oh, Brook, please tell me you have photos."  Ara was so excited for her friends, but she also wished she could have been there for them. 
 "Erik hired a professional photographer, so we have loads of pictures.  And, Ara he had reserved the honeymoon suite, which was decorated with rose petals and candles; it was so romantic.  We didn't want to leave." 
 Ara looked up to find Kane looking at her with a forlorn look.  She knew how he felt.  Yes, their wedding was spectacular, but they hadn't had their honeymoon; maybe sometime soon they could just get away, even if it was just a few days. 
 "Hell yeah, baby."  Erik said.  He would have stayed forever if they could have. 
 "Well, we are glad to have you back.  Did he tell you everything about the new family dynamic?"  Ara asked Brook.  Girlfriends were only told a limited amount of information on the family, but, once they become wives, they were then privy to more. 
 "Oh my God, Ara.  I had no idea what was really going on, and you are now co-leader of the family."  
 "Yes, I am, Brook.  There are a lot of responsibilities and duties.  The merging of the families has caused the implementation of filtering out several previous ventures of a distasteful nature.  It has required me to initiate a new project; I was wondering if you could help me?" 
 "Of course, you know I would love to help you.  Just tell me what you need."  Brook answered.  Over the next hour, Ara explained the phasing out of anything to do with the prostitution ring the former Morotti family oversaw, and went over her ideas on the rehab project she was spearheading.  Once Brook was brought up to date on the plans, she came up with several more ideas, and was thrilled that Ara had asked for her help.  Erik and Kane had come over and sat with them as they had their discussion and Brook had decided to hire someone to work her store, so she could spend quality time with the project.  Erik was so proud of his wife.  
 Kane informed Erik about the situation with David and how Mr. Grant was no longer going to be a problem.  Erik, of course, wanted details, but Kane didn't think Brook should hear all the gory details, so he told Erik they would get together later over a celebratory drink and fill him on the details then.  Erik and Brook left, but Erik said he would be back later after he took Brook by her shop.  Kane had been kind enough to allow him the time off, but it was time to get back to work and do his job, protecting Donna of the family.  
 After Erik and Brook left, Kane and Ara resumed work on the Coven’s plan.  They were going over the list of Bosses they were going to invite to the meeting to go over progress on the plans for the Coven.  Kane had assured Ara that, currently, there was no enterprise like this and the other family Bosses would appreciate the ability to have somewhere to go to discreetly discuss and remedy their problems.  Moreover, once the word got around the underworld about the services they discreetly and efficiently provided, they would be so busy that the income generated would satisfy any previous doubts or hard feelings the senior members had.  As Kane was making the list, Ara was sketching out a design for the Coven’s insignia.  They had talked about having a singular design that incorporated something from both of the former families that would encourage a feeling of unity under new Coven family.  She drew an eagle, with a cross in the middle bearing the name Coven.  The eagle’s talons each clutched a gun and a knife.  
 Kane looked over and saw the drawing Ara was working on and was impressed at the detail that she had incorporated.  He could see this as the symbol of the Coven.  "Ara, baby, that is fucking great!" 
 "Really?" 
 "Yes." 
 Ara looked back down at the drawing, bringing her bottom lip into her teeth as she studied it, and wondered what it would look like as a tattoo.  She had wanted to get a tattoo for years, but, with the cost of school, she could never afford it.  However, she could see this being her tattoo.  Looking out the side of her eyes, she then imagined what Kane would look like with it on his chest.  Fuck, just thinking about this tattoo embedded into the muscular flesh of his chest made her extremely wet and horny as hell.  
 Kane looked over and saw that Ara’s skin was flushed soft red color, with a slight sheen of sweat on it, and her breaths were shallow.  Fuck, she was very aroused. He wanted, no, needed to know the reason behind it. 
 "Baby, what’s got you all hot and bothered?" 
 "Nothing."  She lied, her cheeks growing redder with her denial. 
 Kane pushed back his chair, reached for her, and pulled her toward his lap to where she was straddling his legs, her skirt was now hiked up her legs, and the tops of her stockings were showing.  Kane loved her in stockings.  His cock was hard and getting harder by each passing second.  Rubbing a hand up and down her stocking covered leg, he leaned in and began nuzzling his nose on her neck, right behind her ear.  Fucking God, she smelled so good.  "Tell me what it you are thinking that has you so aroused, and I will make it happen." 
 Ara could feel his engorged cock; it was perfectly lined up right in the spot that she needed.  She began to rub her silk covered pussy over his pants covered cock, trying to get the friction she so desperately needed.  
 Kane moved his hands up, grabbed her hips, and held her still.  She huffed with frustration.  "Tell me." 
 Looking up into his lust filled eyes with her own lust filled eyes, she licked her lips, leaned in and huskily answered.  "I was thinking about you with the Coven insignia design tattooed on your chest; I would have mine on my thigh." 
 HOLY FUCK!  She wanted a tattoo, and on her thigh, too, where, unless she was wearing a bikini, he would be the only one that would see it.  "You want a tattoo, baby?"  He stuttered out. 
 "Yes and I want one on you as well.  A matching pair."  She grinned. 
 "Fuck, baby, that is so fucking hot.  We have a guy in the family who does tattoos, so we can go see him.  But, right now, I want to be buried in your hot little pussy.  Just picturing you with that tattoo has me harder than marble." 
 "Please!"  Ara begged. 
 "Lean back, baby." 
 Ara leaned back, and placed her elbows back on the desk, while Kane unbuckled and unzipped his pants as his cock jumped out, long, thick, and the tip weeping.  He reached up and pushed her panties to the side and thrust his way home. 
 "Oh, baby, you are so fucking wet and tight!"  Kane moaned as he thrust his hips harder and harder.  
 "Kane, I need to cum so badly." 
 "Not yet.  Don't fucking cum until I tell you to."  
 Ara was so fucking near to cumming that she didn't know if she could hold off.  His cock was filling her so snuggly that, with each and every thrust, he hit the right spot.  She began to remember the capitals of each state, trying to take her mind off of the tight coil in her stomach that was ready to snap.  
 "Fuck, baby, it's always so fucking good." 
 "Please, please, please let me cum!"  Ara begged. 
  Kane was close, too, and, shifting his hips slightly into this new position, he felt even more connected to her. As his own orgasm started, he yelled "Cum for me…NOW!" Then he began shooting long ribbons of cum deep inside; suddenly, he felt her walls clamp down hard over and over again as she rode out her own orgasm.  
 Holding onto each other for what seemed like forever and after finally catching their breaths, Kane eased out of her wet, but very sated, pussy.  "Fuck; that was unreal." 
 "I know.  Shit, I’m a mess."  Ara said as she climbed off Kane’s lap, their combined cum starting to leak down her leg.  "I am glad I have fresh panties in the bathroom." 
 "Well, you could go without them."  
 "Nothing else is going to happen; we have a busy day ahead of us.  I am going to go clean up and I suggest you do the same."  She said, pointing to his sated and flaccid cock. 
 They went off to clean up before Maggie was supposed to arrive.  Washing up and putting on new panties, Ara sprayed a little of her perfume, fixed her hair and lipstick, and then she was ready to go. 
 Maggie arrived as scheduled and they got down to business.  She had found a piece of property next to the docks that the Morottis had owned.  Since Tony was the President of the Longshoreman Association, this made it a perfect location.  The building was a large concrete and steel building.  The large open spaces could be easily transformed into offices, training rooms, gun ranges, storage, sleeping quarters, and garage for all the vehicles.  
 Kane and Ara were impressed that they had a building for the Coven’s headquarters, and that it could be up and running in no time.  They were also impressed with Maggie.  Unlike David, she had already fixed the plans for Solar Eclipse and gained the permits that were outstanding.  With everything approved and scheduled, construction had started up again.  They were still behind schedule, but Maggie was sure she could get them back to where they needed to be in no time.  
 "Maggie, I can't believe how much you have gotten done in so little time."  Kane said. 
 "Thank you." 
 "Have you talked to your brother?" 
 "Yes, at least I have for a few minutes.  He was happy that I am happy.  He says that I should watch my language around you." 
 Kane laughed loudly.  That fucker.  "Well, you tell your asshole brother of yours that my child's first word won't be fuck." 
 Maggie knew that there was something behind that statement and she hoped that one day she could find out what.  Sean had always spoken so highly of Kane and the Leone family.  When she needed help all those years ago, Kane came in provided the protection she needed, and now that she was working with Kane and Ara, she could understand just why her brother felt that way.  
 "Maggie, I think that just about covers everything we had on the agenda for today.  Would you like to go to lunch with us?"  Ara asked. 
 "Are you sure?  I don’t want to impose." 
 "Yes, we’d love for you to come.  We’re meeting my brother and his mom for lunch and since you are going to be working closely with him, it would be a great opportunity to get to know him better.  Simon will primarily be our accountant for this, and several other projects.   He is a computer whiz and is in the process of writing a special program for this project." 
 Hm, Si was a computer programmer. Maggie wondered if Si and Simon knew each other.  Maybe she would get the opportunity to ask over lunch. 
 "I would love to join you.  What time were you planning to leave?" 
 "About 12:15, we will pick you up on our way out."  Ara said. 
 "Great.  I will just get back to work then."  Maggie said, and then went off to her office.  She loved her office and there was nothing she wanted to change.  She was even lucky enough to have a bathroom attached.  She put her work on her lovely antique white desk.  In front of the desk were white armchairs with pink accent pillows.  She walked into her bathroom and made sure her hair and makeup were just right.  She had wished she had worn something more upscale, but the little black dress that she had selected was a perfect fit, and she had been able to wear the pearl necklace and earrings that her brother had given her for a graduation present.  She brushed her teeth and applied a squirt of perfume and, with one last look, she was as ready as she could be. 
 Soon, it was time to go, so Kane and Ara came to Maggie's office to pick her up.  She saw there was a new guard that was now guarding Ara.  He was a very large man, with huge dimples, and, as she glanced down, she saw a shining wedding band on his large finger.  
 "Oh, Maggie, I am sorry; let me introduce you, this is Erik, my bodyguard.  Erik this is Maggie O'Leary, our new architect." 
 "Sean's little sister?"  Erik questioned. 
 "Yes, I am." 
 "Well, glad to have someone who knows about the family.  It makes everything so much easier." 
 "I am happy to be here."  Maggie said. 
 They left the building and soon were on their way to the Purple Cafe.  It was a wonderful restaurant downtown and Ara had only heard good things about it.  Portia had called earlier and said she was under the weather, but Simon was going to come to lunch anyway.  Ara wished her well and told her to call if she needed anything.  
 Pulling up to the restaurant, Erik got out of the vehicle along with Ben and ensured that the area was secure.  Once they felt it was safe, they opened the door and Kane got out and helped Ara and Maggie.  They quickly went into the restaurant where Simon was waiting for them. 
 "Sister, so good to see you."  Simon cried as he wrapped his arms around her and gave her a large hug.  
 Ara was so happy to have a brother, even a half-brother, she could love.  In such a small amount of time, she had grown to love Simon.  His sweet nature drew you in. "Oh fratello, it is great to be seen."  Ara said as she turned and took Maggie's hand.  "Simon this is our new architect, Maggie O'Leary; Maggie, this is my brother, Simon Morotti." 
   
 Maggie looked up at Simon and smiled sweetly.  Damn, he was a fine looking man and he clearly loved his sister, which meant more than anything to her.  The love of your brother was a beautiful thing; this just enhanced Maggie’s attraction to Simon. 
 "Hello, Simon, it’s nice to meet you."  Maggie cooed. 
 Simon looked at the extremely beautiful woman.  She had long red hair, sparkling green eyes, and the face of an angel.  He had never met anyone as lovely as her.  And, in this moment, he wished that he could be as confident as Kane, but he was not so adept at pulling the confidence he had deep inside.  Simon reached for her hand, raised it to his lips and kissed it lightly on the knuckles.  "It is a pleasure to meet you." 
 When Simon had taken Maggie’s hand, she had felt a connection that she hoped he had felt, too.  
 Ara watched the interaction between Simon and Maggie and smiled, because she could see them together as a couple.  They were both gentle souls. 
 Kane leaned down and whispered into Ara’s ear.  "Now, that is very interesting.  I bet even Sean would say ‘fuck’ over it." 
 Ara giggled lightly, yes, he probably would.   
 The maitre’d escorted the two couples and Erik to a table in the back of the room.  The waitress quickly came and took their orders; soon, they were talking about the project. Simon was very vocal about how the program he was designing was coming along.  
 Maggie’s curiosity grew with each word that Simon said. She was almost sure that Simon was her online friend, Al.  She didn't want to say anything in front of Kane or Ara so she decided to wait and hope to have the opportunity to ask later.  Of course, she noticed that Simon was unique, but his mannerisms weren't repelling in any way; no, they were making him even more attractive to her.  
 Ara watched the interaction between Maggie and Simon; she knew there was something going on.  Wanting to give them a moment alone, she asked Kane to escort her to the upstairs bar area to make a phone call.  Kane wondered what type of call was so important to interrupt lunch, but, if she felt it was important, then so be it. 
 Maggie watched as Ara, Kane, and Erik left the table to make a call.  Once she was sure that they were out of hearing range, Maggie looked up at Simon and took a deep cleansing breath.  "Simon, I am going to ask a question and please don't hold it against me if I am mistaken." 
 "Sure, ask me anything."  Simon said as he tried to remain calm. 
 "I have an online friend, who reminds me a lot of you. Are you Al?" 
 Simon was shocked, this beauty before him was his Mags.  He couldn't believe she was here in front of him.  "Yes, I am, Mags." 
 "Oh, Al, this is so wonderful."  Maggie cried. 
 Simon once again took her hand and kissed it. "Yes, it truly is." 
 
 
 
 Chapter 9 
   
 A meeting between Kane and Ara with Nazario and Zachary, to discuss who would be on the Coven Commission, was soon scheduled.  The Commission would consist of senior members of the former Leone and Morotti families.  They would be responsible for screening job requests and determining which jobs Coven Inc. would be using to accept contracts.  The Commission wanted to ensure that their reputation was not that of a group of mercenaries who killed greedily and recklessly, but a professional group of expert assassins, which eliminated threats to theirs and other families.  Amongst the crime families, people knew that there were always undesirable elements trying to infiltrate their ranks.  People were always trying to make a play against them in attempts to overtake the family.  These people had no honor of family.  They would not hesitate to perform jobs that a mafia family would never consider.  It was not unheard of for some of these elements to kidnap, rape, beat, and disfigure, innocent members of the family just for information.  Over the years, almost all the families had to deal with these types of individuals at some point or another.  They were sloppy, dishonorable and vile, often leaving behind evidence of their despicable actions pointing a finger of guilt directly to the family whom had hired them. Many family members were arrested for their retaliatory actions in doing the right thing, and Coven Inc. was in a prime position to put a stop to this.  They would be highly trained, possess state of the art equipment, and be completely transparent.  After the members had been through the selection process, they would begin the gradual process of removing their fingerprints and trained to leave no physical evidence behind.  In addition, it had been decided that every member of the group would have the insignia that Ara had designed tattooed on their left shoulder.  Kane would be getting his tattoo on his left peck, while Ara's would be on her upper left thigh.  Being the Donna of the family and going to many black tie events, Kane did not want the tattoo showing when she wore her gowns.  
 Ara was always amazed to learn the vast array of talents that the family members had.  One of the members, Steve, owned and operated a tattoo shop on the south side.  He was very talented and much sought after for his skills with the needle, but he was also known as one of the biggest bookies in the family.  The front that his shop presented was perfect for not only the day-to-day tattoo operations, but for people to come and safely place their bets.  Kane had called Steve and asked if he would be interested in the unique opportunity of what was essentially “branding” the family members.  Steve jumped at the chance to do something for the new Don and Donna of the family. 
 Kane and Ara were sitting on the couch drinking coffee when Nazario and Roaland arrived.  They took their seats while Kane poured each of them a cup of coffee.  
 "How are you doing?"  Zachary asked, knowing that they had been working hard to get the families joined and starting new adventures.  He had been very impressed by Ara’s compassion to help the women who had worked for the Morotti as prostitutes.  In doing so, Ara showed the rest of the family that she embraced being the best leader that they could have.  
 "We wanted you to come in today to go over the list for the Coven Commission.  We were thinking that we would like to select six members from the family." 
 "That sounds good; do you have a list already in mind?"  Nazario asked. 
 "Yes, but we want your input.  This commission is going to be very critical; it needs to have members who are able to be objective, yet have a vision of the bigger picture, in essence, the best."  Kane said.  He and Ara had had many conversations concerning the group.  They had agreed on everyone the list except for one name.  Erik's name had come up, but Kane didn't want him to pull from Ara's security detail.  He knew that Erik was the best person to protect her, so he did not want to lose his sense of comfort in her security.  However, Ara had made a good point that Erik had himself successfully committed many hits and had the experience they were looking for in its members.  
 "Certainly, we hope that you know that you can come to us anytime for advice."  Zachary said. 
 "Thank you, Grandfather.  I know I am new to this, and have so much to learn and I, no, we believe we can learn from the years of experience between you and Nazario." 
 "We will be here as much as you need, my dear."  Zachary proudly replied. 
 "The list we have compiled to date consists of Uriel, Erik, Roaland, Tony, Renzo, and Sal." 
 Nazario listened to the list and he was impressed with the names that were on the list.  It was clear that they had given great thought to each name, based on what they could bring to the commission.  Uriel was their Capo, so he would serve as liaison between the commission and Kane and Ara.  Erik was an experienced hit man and would be able to provide sound advice based on his experiences.  Roaland and Tony, both ex-Capos would provide the mature factor to the commission.  Renzo was experienced in the inside workings of the police force.  He had made and kept contacts throughout all branches of law enforcement, making him the ears of the group.  Sal was the wild card.  He had been a leader of several street groups, made several hits himself, and was a crackpot at computers.  
 "It seems you have put a lot of thought into the list, however, I have two questions. Who would be taking over Ara's security? Also, with six commission members, who would provide the deciding vote in the chance of a stalemate?"  Nazario asked. 
 "Dad, this was one of the toughest decisions.  I need to have the best to protect her, but Erik would be a great asset to the commission.  As for the stalemate, Ara and I would be the final deciding vote." 
 Nazario and Zachary began to think about who could take over Erik's duties as Ara's bodyguard.  They mentally flipped through the catalog of family members, recalling their weaknesses, and their strengths.  Then Zachary remembered a young man who had shown great promise and was a very dedicated family member.  After the announcement that Kane and Ara were taking over the family, he had come to Zachary and told him that he would be proud to work for a family run by these two exceptional people.  The young man had heard all about Kane Leone, how he had been trained and knew how he handled problems, and it had impressed him.  He didn't really know anything about Ara, but he knew that he would have a real problem working for either Kurtus or Sebastian.  
 "I think I may have someone.  His name is Seth Guidi.  He is third generation family.  Trained in martial arts, protective services, and weaponry.  He exceeded his trainers’ skills, and is extremely loyal to the family." 
 "Do you think he would be interested in meeting with us for an interview?"  Kane asked. 
 "Sure.  Let me make a call."  Zachary said before pulling out his phone and calling Seth.  Seth said he would be at the office within the hour, which gave them time to go over the rest of the details of the commission. 
 It was agreed that the six men who would be taking over the job as the Coven Commission, would be brought in and a private ceremony would be held where they not only swore allegiance to the family, but also as protectors of the Coven.  They also went over the financial aspects of the startup costs.  They were aware that it seemed high to most, however, they knew that they would be quickly recover the initial cost outlay and, once operational, they would be rolling in profits in no time.  
 Zachary told them he had made sure that all the girls who had been working for the Morotti had been housed in a hotel that the family owned and had been given money to pay for their expenses.  He had told them that something was in the works and that they would be taken care of physically and financially.  
 All too soon, Cornelia notified them that Seth had arrived and she brought him to the office, where Zachary greeted him.  
 "Seth, come in, come in."  Zachary greeted. 
 "Mr. Morotti, sir, thank you for calling me."  Seth replied. 
 "Call me Zachary, and this man over here is Nazario Leone." 
 "Mr. Leone, a true pleasure to meet you."  
 "None of that; call me Nazario."  
 "Okay, sir, I mean Nazario." 
 "Good." 
 "And Seth, I know you didn't have a chance to go to the wedding, but this is my grandson-in-law, Kane, and my beautiful granddaughter, Arabella, the Don and Donna of the Leone-Morotti family." 
 Seth couldn't believe he was in the room with not only the ex-Dons of the two most powerful families on the West Coast, but also with the current Don and Donna. It had been rumored that they had only been in power for a very short time, but already were making huge changes for the better.  
 "Mr. and Mrs. Leone, may I say what an honor it is to meet you."  Seth confessed. 
 "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, please have a seat."  Kane said.  "I bet you are wondering why you were called in today?" 
 "Yes, I was wondering." 
 "The family is branching out into a new venture that necessitated moving around some of the family members to other positions and in doing so, we find ourselves in need of someone in from inner circle as a bodyguard for Arabella.  Zachary has told us about your qualifications, but I would like to hear from you; what do you think are your strong points and weak points?" 
 Seth rubbed his hands together, excited over the possibility that he could be the bodyguard for the Donna of the family.  He only hoped that he could say the right words.  "I have been taking karate since I was five.  My father started showing me how to shoot when I turned ten.  Over the years, I have trained with some of the best martial arts and weaponry teachers in the world.  I studied in Japan for six months with a martial arts master.  My weaponry training included guns, knives, and explosives.  My weak points are I am a terrible cook and have a horrible black thumb.  Kill any plant that I touch." 
 Kane chuckled.  "Seth, why do you see yourself as a good bodyguard for Arabella?" 
 Stroking the nape of his neck, Seth collected his thoughts.  Swallowing back the excess saliva, he cleared his throat.  "I am third generation Morotti family.  As I was growing up, I saw how much Sebastian and Kurtus hurt Zachary emotionally with their deviant ways.  When I heard that Zachary had a granddaughter, and that she had married a Leone, at first, I was upset.  Then I ran into Zachary and I could see the years of worry that he had been carrying around were gone from his face.  Then, I heard about how the two of you had begun to bring both families into a bright future and I was excited and honored to be a member of Leone-Morotti families.  I swear on my life to protect her with all that I am." 
 Kane listened intently at everything that Seth had said and was impressed with his answer.  Looking over to Ara, she smiled up at him and gave a single nod, giving her approval.  
 "Seth, do you have a wife or serious girlfriend?"  Ara questioned. 
 "No, ma'am." 
 "I ask, because this job would take up a lot of your time and I would want to make arrangements if you were involved in a personal relationship." 
 "Thank you for that, but right now I am more interested in my job.  Maybe down the road, but I am not looking." 
 "Seth, you may not be looking, but it has a way of slapping you up against the head when you least expect it."  Kane jokes, throwing his head back and laughing loudly. 
 Slapping him against his head, Ara giggled.  "Like that?" 
 "Hey!"  Kane grumbled rubbing the spot where she hit. 
 "What?" 
 "See, Seth, this is what you have to look forward to one day." 
 Seth was relieved to see that they were not the stuffy type of people, but someone he would enjoy being around.   "Maybe one day." 
 "Seth, I would like to offer you the position as my private guard.  However, we would like to see a demonstration of your skills.  Are you available tomorrow morning?" 
 “Yes, I would love to give you a demonstration.  You need to know what I am capable of,” Seth responded excitedly. 
 “Very well, I will arrange for Uriel to meet us at the gym first thing in the morning.”  Ara said. 
 He could not believe his ears.  He was going to be the private guard for the Donna of the family.  Wait until he told his father and grandfather; they would be so proud.  "Thank you for the opportunity and I promise to never let you down.  I will protect you with my last breath." 
 "Great.  After the demonstration tomorrow, which I am sure will be impressive, be here Monday morning and we will have Erik show you your duties.  In addition, we have a residence set up at the estate for my guard.   Do you have a problem living on the estate?"  Ara asked. 
 "No.  That would be fine.  I currently live in my family home, so this will be my first time out on my own."  Seth smiled.  Damn, it was getting better and better by the minute.  
 "Fine.  We will see you tomorrow."  Kane said. 
 "Thank you again."  Seth gushed.  After saying his goodbyes to Nazario and Zachary, he was out the door, and on the phone with his father to tell him the good news. 
 The rest of the morning was filled with plans and details of the projects.  Nazario and Zachary had called the potential members of the commission and had invited them to the office for a meeting that afternoon.  Kane had let Uriel know he was needed and he knew that Erik was outside waiting at all times, so he would be available.  
 They had lunch brought in from a local deli and soon it was time to get the meeting underway.  Meeting in the large conference room, each of the potential members were seated around the table, wondering what was going on.  Kane and Ara both led the meeting, talking about the importance of the commission, and that the selection of the best the family had to offer was a necessity for its members. 
 "We looked over many names; gentlemen, you are the cream of the crop.  We know that you will not let the family down and would be delighted to have you as members of the Coven Commission."  Kane avowed.  
 Each of the members accepted and thanked them for giving them the opportunity to be part of the new venture.  This was going to the biggest undertaking that either family had ever done and it had the potential of making loads and loads of money.  Renzo was surprised that his name had been selected, after the way he acted when he first met the Kane and Ara.  However, after talking to them and seeing what they were doing to improve the family, he had been ashamed of how he initially reacted.  
 After showing them the floor in the building where they would be conducting their business, and their own private offices, the group was eager to get started as soon as the team members had been selected and trained.  They were also enthusiastic about the meeting that was being planned with the heads of all the families.  This was a great opportunity to show what Coven Inc. was capable of doing and how each contract would be handled. 
 Renzo, Sal, Roaland, and Tony left, leaving Uriel and Erik, who wanted to talk to Kane and Ara alone. 
 "I want to thank you for the opportunity, but I don't feel right leaving you unprotected."  Erik confessed. 
 "Erik, we need you on the commission and we were lucky to find someone to take over your duties as my guard.  Of course, he won't be as awesome as you, but I think I will have to get by."  Ara jokes. 
 "Who is it?" 
 "Seth Guidi.  Zachary recommended him and we met with him earlier.  We really like him.”  Turning to Uriel, Ara said, “He will be here tomorrow to give a demonstration of his skills.  Once we are satisfied, he will start training on Monday." 
 "Okay, but I am telling you now, if I feel he is not qualified to protect you, I won't take the position on the commission."  Erik declared. 
 "Thank you, Erik, for your dedication and our hopes are that Seth is all that he says he is."  Ara said. 
 "Uriel, you will be the liaison between us and the commission.  Your role as Capo is still in place and if you see it being excessive, let us know."  Kane commented. 
 "I will, Kane.  Let's see how much is involved with the commission and after the initial start up we can evaluate the time needed." 
 "Sound likes a plan."  
 The rest of the afternoon was spent in meetings and reviewing plans for multiple projects, but at the end of the day they felt that they had made some great headway.  Just as they were getting ready to leave, Zachary and Nazario walked into the office. 
 "Dad, Zachary, I thought you were gone already."  Kane said. 
 "Actually, we are here to talk to you and Ara about something very important."  Nazario stated with a serious expression. 
 "What?"  Ara questioned.  She hoped that nothing else had gone wrong. 
 "Zachary and I were talking and we have decided that we will be fielding all calls relating to family business over the next three days.  We want you to leave here today and not work on anything family related until Monday morning."  
 "But, Dad, we have so much going on, we can't possibly do this."  Kane explained. 
 "You can and will.  Take this time to enjoy each other."  Zachary pleaded.  
 Ara looked up at Kane and smiled.  This was what they needed. Even though they knew there was work to be done, it really could wait until Monday.  "Thank you so much for this."  Ara said.  "But please contact us if something major comes up." 
 "We will.  Now go, don't think about anything, and enjoy each other."  Nazario said. 
 After collecting their guns and their jackets, they were out the door and in the car, speeding home.  Cuddled up in the backseat, Ara's head rested on Kane's shoulder, while his fingers rubbed circles over her knee. They were both anticipating the time they were about to spend together. 
 Kane turned so he was facing Ara and looked deeply into her beautiful brown eyes.  It had been awhile since they had been in the playroom and he wanted, no, needed time with his submissive.  "My pet, tomorrow evening we will be going into my playroom."  He said in his Dominant tenor. 
 Ara licked her lips in anticipation.  She could feel her heart begin to beat faster and her pussy contracted with the thoughts of being with her Master.  She loved being Donna of the family, but this was what she craved, bowing at the feet of her Master, giving herself over to his control, allowing him to command her as he saw fit.  She knew that people outside the community wouldn't understand.  So many people have the preconceived idea that BDSM was nothing more than a man getting off on hitting a woman and that the woman was nothing more than a mindless slut wanting him to do it.  What people did not understand is that even though some submissive women prefer to stay at home in a 24/7 relationship, many others are only in a set time relationship because the woman maintains a career.  Being a submissive and being a professional were two different things.  She might be the Donna of a crime family and demanded respect from those around her, but, to the man beside her, she was also his submissive and her body craved his dominance over her.  
 Lowering her head.  "Yes, Master."  She moaned. Kane was so blessed with his little pet.  She always made him proud.  
 
 
 
 Chapter 10 
   
 After a long night of lovemaking, Kane eased himself out of bed, trying to be careful not to wake his beautiful wife.  Standing over the bed, he stood and watched as she slept.  She was an angel in his life; he was so thankful for being able to share it with someone as astonishing as her.  The love he felt for her was growing every second of every day and he couldn't wait to see how much more it could become as the years passed.  Putting on a pair of sleep pants, he slipped out of the room to make some phone calls to arrange everything for today.  
 To say he was excited about taking his little pet to his new playroom was an understatement.  When he had found the house, he was so thrilled that there was a large room on the third floor that was perfect for the playroom to be constructed.  He had made a call to his mentor, Peter, who helped him pick and assemble all the equipment.  The room had white marble floors, so they painted the walls a dark crimson color and all the equipment was black.  In the center of the room was a large oriental rug, in various reds and black. The lighting of the room was easily controlled and could be set at different levels, depending on the mood he wished to create.  He had also had a surround sound system installed, to bring depth to the music and the mood of the scene.  Peter had been a great help with the positioning of the equipment and how each piece could be used with others.  
 Kane had planned the morning that they would go see Seth be put through the paces by Erik to see if he would be worthy of being the private guard for his love.  Ara had wanted to practice shooting and throwing her knives and he thought it wouldn't hurt for him to put in a little time at the range.  
 
   
 
 After collecting a breakfast tray from Janetta, he carefully walked back upstairs to feed his lovely wife breakfast in bed.  Opening the door, he found that she was still asleep, but had she had taken his pillow and was hugging it close to her body.  Setting the tray down on the table, he slowly got into bed and leaned in, taking her aroma, before he kissed her on the forehead.  "Wake up, my love."  
 Ara slowly opened her eyes, and was happy to see the bright green orbs of the man she loved looking at her.  At that moment, she could see a little boy with copper red hair and soulful green eyes running around the house.  "Good morning."  She cooed. 
 "Good morning, I have us some breakfast before we go see how good Seth is, then I have the rest of the day planned." 
 "Really, what are we doing?" 
 Shaking his head.  "Not telling you, my little pet.  I have you an outfit laid out in the bathroom; as soon as we leave Seth, my time begins.  Do I make myself clear?" 
 Her heart rate picked up, and her breathing began to quicken.  Today was a day she was going to be with her Dominant and she couldn't wait.  She mentally began going through the list of personal items she needed to take care of when she was in the bathroom.  She had gone out to the spa and had her weekly waxing on Wednesday, so she didn't have to worry about that, but she would ensure that no stray hairs remained.  She would pull her hair back in a low ponytail, and, before even going into the bathroom; she knew there would be no panties with the outfit that Master had planned for her.  
 Kissing Kane on the lips in quiet passion and reverence for her Dom and husband, she slipped out of bed and put on her satin robe.  They enjoyed the breakfast of strawberry crepes with whipped cream, fresh fruit, and coffee.  Kane and Ara talked about Seth and the feelings they had when they met him.  Both felt that he was honest and truthful, and, if he had the experience in self-defense that he claimed he had, he would be a great replacement for Erik.  Erik was going to make a wonderful addition to the Coven Commission; they just hoped that everything worked out. 
 Breakfast was soon over and Ara was in the bathroom getting ready for the day.  Kane had laid out a blue silk blouse and floral print skirt that came just below her mid-thigh, and, as she guessed, a blue lace shelf front clasp bra with no panties.  Kinky fucker.  After getting dressed, she walked into the room to find Kane dressed in jeans, a tight long sleeve t-shirt, and fuck hot black leather jacket.  
 "Wow, baby, you look fucking hot."  Kane moaned. 
 "Thanks, so do you." 
 "Come, I have a gift for you."  Kane turned and picked up another leather jacket and held it out for her to slip her arms into it.  
 "Oh, Kane, I love it."  She said as she stroked the butter-soft leather.  
 "Well, you look so fucking good that I want to say the hell with everything and fuck you until you can't walk, but we need to take care of this one piece of business and then rest of the time is all mine." 
 "Yes, Master." 
 "Come, I want you to wear your collar."  
 Ara dropped to her knees and laid her hands on the top of her thighs, with her head down.  Kane was so pleased how she could naturally drop into her submissive mode.  Picking up the collar and the key, he stood in front of her.  Placing his fingers under her chin, he raised her face to face him. 
 "Will you give yourself over to me completely to do with as I see fit?  You may answer." 
 "Yes, Master." 
 Kane slipped the necklace around her neck and secured it with the key.  He couldn’t wait to see her in nothing but the necklace, but that would have to wait.  "Stand up, my pet." 
 Ara stood and looked lovingly at her Master and wondered how she had gotten so lucky to find someone like him as her first, and now only, and last Dominant.  
 "You will not refer to me as Master until we have finished our business.  Do you understand?" 
 "Yes, Master." 
 "Great.  Now let's go get this over with." 
 As they left the house they saw Erik and Ben out front with the SUV.    "Cool jacket, Ara."  Erik barked. 
 "Thanks, I think so."  Ara said, adjusting the lapels of the jacket.     
 They were quickly on their way and soon arrived at the training facility.    Seth was waiting outside with a large smile on his face.  "Seth, good to see you this morning."  Ara said. 
 "Glad to be here." 
 "Come, let's get this started." Erik huffed.   He was so torn about the situation.  On the one hand, he loved being the personal guard for the Donna of the family, but the opportunity to be on the Coven Commission was so huge that he couldn't believe he had been selected.   Damn it. 
 They all went into the facility and over the next hour, Erik put Seth through every test he could think of; he passed each with excellence.  He was a top-notch marksman; his hand-to-hand combat was a thing of beauty.  His movements so quick and fluid that there were times that, if you were not watching intently, you would have missed the move.  At the end, Erik, Kane, and Ara felt more than confident Seth would be a wonderful bodyguard for Ara. 
 After Seth was finished, Kane and Ara took in a little bit of target practice.  Kane knew that his mother had told him that Ara was good with a gun, but he never knew how good she truly was until that moment.  Round after round, she hit the kill zone with every shot.  Hell, the further the distance; the better she got.  Seth and Erik stood back with their mouths opened, shocked by how good she was.  Kane was a good shot, but, as much as it hurt him to admit it, she was better.  
 After her last shot, she put her safety back on and placed the gun back down on the shelf.  Removing her eye protection and ear protection, she turned and saw Kane, Erik, and Seth standing with a weird look on their faces.  "What?" 
 Kane walked up, wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her close, so she could feel how hard he was.  "You are, no doubt, the sexiest fucking woman in the world and I can't wait to be buried balls deep in that hot, wet pussy of yours."  He whispered into her ear. 
 "Fuck."  Ara moaned. 
 Kane looked over at Erik and Seth.  "Seth, be in the office on Monday.  Erik, we are going now."   Kane demanded as he took Ara's hand and rushed to the SUV.  "Take us home, Ben, and make it quick." 
 Ben knew that he better drive like the wind.  The boss was horny and he needed his relief.  He knew what it was like; there were times, hell, about all the time, he needed his cock in his wife's hot pussy.  To look at her, you would think she was a shy little mouse, but, what was not commonly known, Janetta was actually a Dominatrix and he was her submissive.  Just thinking about her in her black latex catsuit with a flogger in hand, made him hard.  
   
 They had played for years, and it had never gotten old; instead, increased their pleasure.  Not to say that there were many times when he had broken a rule, but he was all too familiar with the feel of his Mistress’ punishment.  After the punishment, she had always taken care of him and he had learned from his mistakes.  His life was good, hell, it was great, because they hadn’t shared it with anyone yet, but they were expecting their first child.  Janetta was seven weeks pregnant and they were waiting until her twelfth week before making the announcement.   Thankfully, he was able to get Kane and Ara home in record time.  He and J would be spending the weekend at home, because Kane had told them they were not needed, which meant only thing… Master Kane was coming out to play.  
 Kane and Ara walked into the house, and, as soon as the door was closed, he pushed her up against the wall, reached under her skirt and rubbed his long fingers up and down her soaking wet lips.  "You have been a very bad little pet and I think you need a spanking." 
   
 Ara eyes grew large, a spanking, oh how she loved how his hand felt against her ass, warming it up and then the pleasure of the pain as he slapped, and then rubbed after each strike.  
 "Does that excite my little pet?"  Kane said as he continued to rub her folds, but did not touch past the lips.  It had been too long since he had commanded her submission, and he knew that he needed to lead her deep down into blissful stillness that transforms into the calm that a true submissive craves. 
 Ara’s pussy quivered as she hoped; no, needed for him to plunge his long, nimble fingers deep inside and touch the spot that ached to be touched.   Her mind was going all over the place; she couldn't concentrate on anything, except for the feeling of his fingers.  Her body was burning for him, her heart was beating only for him, and her soul wanted, no, needed to be in his possession.  "Please, Master." 
 Kane pulled his fingers away from her pussy, and brought the fingers to his mouth and sucked the nectar off them.  "Did we forget something, my pet?" 
 She was so worked up with need; she had forgotten to wait for permission to speak.  Shit. 
 "Well, I see you have remembered, but you know that this is a rule, so, I guess instead of starting our time in my playroom with pleasure, it will be started with your punishment.  Now… you have twenty minutes to change into the outfit I have laid out in the dressing room. Be by my playroom door in waiting position.  Oh, and also place the leather jacket back on." 
 Ara opened her mouth to say something, but closed it immediately.  Shit, that was close.  Lowering her head, she gave him a nod, conveying the fact she understood.  She went up the stairs and into their room.  She went into the bathroom, brushed her teeth, and began to strip out of her clothes.  Walking into the dressing room, she was surprised to see a black shelf bra, black lace thong, garter belt, stockings, and a pair of black high heels.  Placing on the outfit, she looked at herself in the mirror and smiled.  
 Her Master had great taste in clothes.  She then took a few minutes to clear and center her mind.  She was getting ready to go into her Master’s room and offer herself in submission to him.  This particular relationship was built on trust, love, guidance, and understanding.  She knew that he would take care of all her needs if she gave herself totally to him.  Slipping the leather jacket on, she made her way to the door leading into her Master's playroom.  He had left a pillow for her, so she lowered herself onto the pillow and into her waiting position. 
 Kane had gone into the spare bedroom, took a quick shower, and slipped on his favorite worn jeans.  He was so excited about going into his new playroom with his submissive.  But, as excited as he was, he knew he had to get into the right frame of mind, because she was trusting him with the wonderful gift of her submission and he needed to be mindful of her needs at all times.  Her submission was of love, devotion, and pure, naked trust; he treasured this beyond all measure.  He walked out of the room and down the hall, and was so happy to see that she was waiting in perfect form.  Taking the key from his pocket, he unlocked the door. 
 "Stand." 
 Ara quickly got to her feet, her head still lowered, but her heart was beating so fast it was as if it had hummingbird wings.  Taking in a deep cleansing breath, she waited for the next command. 
 Taking her hand into his, he led her into his domain.  "Raise your head and look around, my pet." 
 Ara raised her head and looked around the stunning playroom.  Over the years, she had read and studied about different types of playroom and the factors used to determine how a Dominant chose to decorate their domain.  From the color of the walls, to type of wood on the floors, everything screamed Master Kane.  
 "Take off this fucking hot jacket and go over to the bench and lay on your stomach." 
 Ara walked over to the black leather whipping bench, climbed up, and lay on her stomach.  Her hands stretched up above her head and her feet were placed into the footholds as she waited for her Master. 
 Kane collected the equipment he needed for the punishment of his little pet.  She had not done anything severe, but a broken rule was a broken rule.  It was spelled out in their contract, so she would be receiving five slaps with his hand.  Each offense called for a different punishment, so he was happy that it was a mild punishing day.  Ara was such a wonderful submissive, but no one was perfect.  He collected the leather cuffs that he not only used on the whipping bench, but also as part of the scene that he had set up.  Walking back over to the bench, he found that Ara was in perfect form, quietly waiting for her punishment and he was sure that, if he rubbed her folds, she would be soaking wet with need.  Placing the cuffs on her wrists and attaching them to the special made hook in the head of the bench, he then did the same for each of her ankles.  
 Walking around to the head of the bench, he looked down at her and enjoyed with delight of how fucking hot she looked all cuffed and bound to his whipping bench.  
 "You will be getting five warm up slaps, then five punishment slaps.  Maybe next time you will remember that you will only speak when you have permission.  Count out loud with each slap and thank me for your punishment.  If you should forget to count, we will be starting over.  Nod if you are ready."  Ara nodded her head in acknowledgement. 
 Kane began the warm up slaps, checking after each one to make sure that they were causing only a slight blush to her flesh.  At the end, each of her lush ass cheeks was a lovely shade of pink.  The punishment slaps were strong and caused her ass to turn into a bright red color.  She loudly and consistently counted out each slap. He ran his finger along her folds, and, just as he figured, she was dripping wet.  "So, my little pet likes that?" 
 Ara did not dare answer; she waited until he gave permission.  Her ass did hurt some, but not painfully so, and she was so turned on she was sure that she could cum at any moment. 
 "You did so well, my little pet.  Now it is time for the fun."  
 He walked over to the cabinet and picked out a small bullet remote control vibrator and a pair of butterfly nipple clamps.  
 When he found them in Brook's shop, he knew that he had to have them.  They were going to look so fucking good on her perky, pink nipples.  He unclasped the cuffs from the metal loop at the head of the whipping bench and unclasped the cuffs on her ankles.  "Stand by the bench, my pet." 
 Ara crawled off the bench, stood in front of the bench, and waited for the next command. 
 "Come."  He said, leading her over to the suspension system.  Grasping her hands, Kane clamped the cuffs on the system above her head and raised the rack so she was stretched, but only just enough; her feet were still flat on the floor.  Kane bent over and flipped the latch that allowed the rings that were built into the floor to be pulled up and he clamped each of the cuffs on her ankles to each ring.  Walking around the back of Ara, he unclasped her bra and unhooked the straps.  Once it was removed, he threw it out of the way.  
 Picking up the bullet vibrator, he slipped his fingers along the edge of her panties and rubbed her folds and slipped one, then two fingers into her slick wet heat.  Satisfied that she was ready, he pushed the vibrator in and returned her panties back into place.  Taking the remote, he turned it on the lowest setting; as soon as he did, her hips shifted forward.  "Does that feel good, my pet?  Is it better than my cock?"  Kane asked, wondering if she would slip again, but, as much as he knew from the look on her face, if she wanted to answer, she didn't.  
 "You are not allowed to say anything other than your safe words.  Do you understand?  You may answer me." 
 "Yes, Master.  This girl understands."  Ara proclaimed.  
 "What are your safe words?" 
 "Green, Yellow, and Red, Master." 
 "And what color are we now?" 
 "This girl is green." 
 "Hmm.  That is so fucking good."  Kane moaned.  Reaching out, he took hold of one of her rose-tipped nipples in between his fingers and began to roll and tuck on it, causing it to pebble.  As he continued with his fingers, he leaned in, and took the other into his lips, and began to suck and bite.  
 Ara’s head fell back, her eyes rolled into the back of her head, the feeling of the vibrator pulsating in her pussy, and her Master’s mouth and fingers working over her nipples were quickly building her towards orgasm.  Fuck, she needed to calm down, but it felt so fucking good.  Then, all of a sudden, the vibration of the vibrator turned up higher and she noticed that Kane had attached the nipple clamps to each of her hard nipples.  Fuck, fuck, fuck that felt so good.  She desperately wanted to beg for him to allow her to cum, but she didn't want to disappoint him.  She decided to use the technique of naming all the states in alphabetical order in her head.  As soon as she thought of Arkansas, she felt the heat of a flogger against the underside of her breast.  The pain felt so fucking good, there was nothing she couldn do; she knew she was going to cum any second.  But she didn't have permission, what could she do?  
 "YELLOW!"  She screamed. 
 Kane stopped in mid-stroke and turned off the vibrator.  "What is going on, my pet?" 
 "This girl was about to cum, Master.  She tried everything, but she couldn't stop it from coming." 
 Kane rubbed her alabaster arm.  "You did well, my pet.  Do you think you can continue?" 
 Taking in short, harsh breaths, Ara tried to calm down.  She wanted, no, needed to continue.   After a few minutes, she felt like she could go on.  "Master, this girl is ready." 
 "Good.  From now on, you can be as vocal as you want."  
 Kane started the vibrator again on the medium setting and gave the chain attached to the nipple clamps a tug.  
 "Fuck, that feels so good."  Ara moaned. 
 Kane took that cue to continue with the flogger.  He began hitting the underside of each breast, each of her ass cheeks, and her cloth covered pussy.  Fuck, he was so fucking hard that his cock was jammed against the teeth of his zipper.  Dropping the flogger, he unzipped his pants and let them fall to the floor, where he kicked them to the side.  
 Taking his long, thick cock in his hand, he gave it a few hard pumps.  He needed to be in that pussy.  Gripping the sides of her panties he ripped them off and reached up and as he stroked her folds, he pulled the vibrator out, causing her to scream.  
 "Master, may this girl cum?"  Ara begged. 
 "No.  Not until I tell you."  Bending down and releasing her ankles from the cuffs, he stood back up and pick up her legs, placing them around his hips, and, in one powerful thrust, he filled her completely.  Fuck, that felt so fucking good.  
 Ara arched her hips to meet his powerful thrusts; he was so big. With each thrust, he was bringing her into a frenzy of yearning need.  "Master, please." 
 Kane thrust once, twice, then, on the third time, he felt his orgasm approaching. Reaching up, he pulled the chain once more and yelled.  "Cum for me now!"  And he felt her convulse around him, which made him to find his erotic release. 
 Ara felt as if she was drifting along the clouds.  Her body was so lifeless and her mind swirled in ecstasy.  
 "Ara, sweetie, come back to me."  Kane implored.  Ara’s eyes were closed and she couldn’t open them, they were so heavy.  He had heard of submissives drifting in sub-space, but had never experienced it with any of his submissives.  
 He had taken off her cuffs, took off the nipple clamps, and had her wrapped in a robe before they were sitting on a small couch, and he was holding her tight. 
 Ara felt so warm, so secure and then she heard his voice.  The voice of her Master, her love calling for her to open her eyes. As hard as it was, she willed them open to come face to face with her Master’s concerned eyes. 
 "Oh, baby, there you are." 
 "What happened?"  Ara whispered. 
 "It is called sub-space.  The scene was so intense that you fell into it.  How are you feeling?" 
 "Good, but confused." 
 "Come, let me take care of you, my love."  
 Kane carried her out of the room and down the hall to their bedroom.  Taking her into their bathroom, he started running the bath and turned on the jets.  Lowering her into the bath, he climbed in behind her.  He washed every inch of her body, laying loving kisses along the way.  He checked to make sure that there was no damage from his punishment, the flogger, or from the nipple clamps.  After providing her with her second bottle of water, he took her from the tub and laid her across the bed, where he dried her rosy flesh and applied the arnica cream to her still blushed ass. 
 They spent the remainder of their free weekend discussing the scene, and making love.  They were gentle and caring, but they also fucked like animals.  It was wonderful to just be Kane and Ara, Dom and Submissive, because, soon enough, the demands of their positions in the family would require them to be Don and Donna.   
 
 
 
 Chapter 11 
   
 In a small club in the Upper East Side of New York, Sebastian Morotti was sitting at a table, back in the corner away from the main area of a club.  He had been holed up in his hotel since arriving in New York, but he needed to get out of the room.  Picking up his drink, and taking a long hard drink, he thought about how he could get his family back, not the actual family, but the power of the family.  He knew, at this point, that Kurtus was dead or he would have tried to contact him by this point.  In addition, he knew that Kane Leone had done it; there was no way in hell that it was that little girl.  Fuck, there was no way that shitty bitch could do it.  What the hell was his father thinking when he made this girl ruler over the family and allowing the motherfucking Leones to be a part of it.  He was going to see to it that all the Leones were killed off, but he needed a plan, and he needed help.  Fuck that, he would need a shitload of help.  
 "Sir, is there anything else I can get you?"  The waitress asked. 
 Sebastian looked at the girl up and down as his dick stirred to life.  Fuck, it had been weeks since it had been wet, and Judithe was nowhere around when he needed her.  He needed some relief, and this young little thing might be just do the trick.  "Another drink would be wonderful, and, may I say, you are the most stunning creature I have ever seen."  Sebastian flirted. 
 Lisa blushed brightly.  She was a college student at NYU, and was working here on the weekends just for fun.  Her roommate was a bartender and had talked her into it.  She was from Chicago and had led a very sheltered life.  She was home schooled by her mother, who did not work out of the home.  Her father was always away on business, something to do with computers.  When she had been accepted to NYU, her father wasn't happy, but after a few phone calls, he seemed more at ease.   Lisa was unsure about the man before her, but she knew from the cut of his suit he had money and lots of it.  Some of the girls in the dorm had been talking about the fact they had found themselves some Sugar Daddies and they always had money, fine clothes, and beautiful jewelry.  It wasn’t something she felt comfortable about until she met this man.   
 "Thank you so much, Sir." 
 "Oh, baby girl, you have no idea how much I love hearing you call me Sir.  Do you have a boyfriend?"  Sebastian cooed. 
 Lisa shook her head no. 
 "What time do you get off?" 
 "In about an hour." 
 "Would you like to spend some time with me?" 
 Lisa thought to herself.   This was it.  She needed to push aside all her doubts and take that step."   "I would love that." 
 "Great.  I'll be here waiting for you."  Sebastian said, as he reached out, took her hand, brought it to his lips, and placed a small kiss on her knuckles.  "You won't regret this." 
 Lisa smiled and left.  The rest of her time she would check over her shoulder to make sure the man was still at the table waiting for her.  After she had clocked out, and put away her apron, and collected her purse and phone, she went back out into the club and over to the table where the man was still sitting. 
 "Are you ready to go, baby?"  Sebastian moaned. 
 "Yes." 
 Sebastian stood and offered his arm to Lisa.  "Oh, by the way, my name is Paul."  Sebastian said, using one of the many aliases that he hadn’t used in a while. 
 "My name is Lisa." 
 "Oh, my beautiful Mona Lisa."  Sebastian said, leaning into her ear and whispering.  "Let me see how long I can make you moan." 
 Lisa was shocked.  She had never been around anyone who spoke to her in that way.  She had never had a boyfriend.  Boys seemed to either avoid her or felt as though she was one of the guys.  So, here she was, a twenty-one year old virgin; she hoped that didn't anger Paul. 
 Leaving the club, Sebastian flagged down a cab and told the driver to take them back to his hotel.  
 "You are not from around here?"  Lisa questioned. 
 "No, little one, I just moved here a few weeks ago.  I am looking for an apartment, but haven't found one that will meet all my needs."  Sebastian answered. 
 "Oh.  May I ask what you do?" 
 "I’m a very successful owner of an export/import business."  Sebastian lied. 
 "Oh, that sounds interesting." 
 "It is." 
 The taxi pulled up to the entrance of the NoMad Hotel.  It was a turn of the century Beaux-Arts building restored to its original grandeur.  Sebastian had rented out a suite and was loving the old world feel of it.  
 Taking the elevator to his floor, he held onto Lisa's hand to make sure she didn't run away.  His adrenaline was soaring in the hope that she was, as he suspected, a virgin.  He had the uncanny ability to determine whether a woman was a virgin or not.  It was nothing specific, just a feeling.  And his feelings told him that he would be quite happy tonight.  When the elevator arrived at his floor, he escorted Lisa to his door and opened it for her to enter.  The suite consists of two rooms.  The front room was a sitting room, which contained a couch and chair, along with large windows looking out over the city.  The next room was the bedroom and master bath.  The unique design of this hotel was reflected in the claw foot bathtub and a screen which concealed the toilet and sink.  
 As soon as Sebastian had Lisa in the door, he locked and dead bolted the door.  He paused momentarily to let her take in the suite before he led her into the bedroom.  As soon as he closed the door to the bedroom, he pushed her on the bed and began tearing off her clothes.  Lisa’s eyes were wide with fear as Sebastian spoke.  "I’m hoping my instincts are still as sharp as they used to be, and you are untouched, my dear.  You see, I have a deep desire, the desire to see the blood of your virginity covering my cock when I ram it into you.”  Tears were leaking from the corners of Lisa’s eyes, as she started choking on the gasp she released at Sebastian’s words.  “Don't say a fucking word and stop with the fucking blubbering.  You wanted to come here; you were not forced.  The only sound I want to hear coming from that mouth is you moaning."  Sebastian snarled. 
 Lisa was shocked silent.  What the fuck had she done?  There was no doubt in her mind that she was in serious trouble.  No one knew where she was, or who she was with.  Trying to shake off her fear, she began to fight back, trying her best to get away from the sick bastard.  She began kicking and swinging her fists at Sebastian, but he was so much stronger. As she began to scream, he slapped her hard across the face.   
 "I told you to be quiet, bitch.  Stop fighting me; you wanted this, and I promise that at least I will enjoy this."  Sebastian said as he continued to tear all of her clothes off.  When he finished, he licked his lips at the sight of her perky breasts and the dark brown curls that covered her pussy.  Fuck, this was going to be so fucking good.  "Don't you fucking move."  Lisa rolled onto her side, sobbing and trying to figure a way out of this nightmare. 
 Opening the dresser drawer, he took out the handcuffs and rope.  He reached across Lisa’s curled body and slammed her hand to the bedpost where he secured both of her hands with the handcuffs.  He then snatched each leg and tied her spread eagle to the end of the bed with the rope.  Knowing that there was a chance his pretty young thing may have a change of heart, he took a ball gag and placed into her mouth.  Sebastian stood at the foot of the bed to admire his handiwork.  Fuck, she was hot.  
 Lisa was sobbing so hard that she could barely breathe.  Why was this happening?  How could she have been so stupid? 
 Sebastian removed his clothes and quickly climbed on top of her.  Without any thought or preamble, he forcefully rammed his cock into her virginal pussy.   Damn, so fucking tight , he thought, but he needed to see his reward.  As he pulled his cock out, he smiled widely at the sight of the Lisa’s virginal blood on his cock.  He was so fucking euphoric.  Nothing in the world was this good, not drugs, not booze, not even fucking money; this, this was what he needed.  He then thrust back into her and proceeded to pound into her repeatedly, not once looking into the defeated eyes of his victim.  
 Fuck, he needed this, but he wanted more, he wanted it all.  Leaning up, he clamped his teeth down onto her neck, breaking the skin, causing it to bleed.  The blood flowed out of the wound and down her neck and over his mouth and chin.  He continued to fuck her until he found his own release.  Pulling his flaccid cock out, he was happy to see her blood was still on it, as well as the inside of her thighs.  He was in heaven. 
 Over the next few hours, Sebastian took her over and over again.  Her pussy was tight, but not as tight as her ass.  There may not have been virginal blood there, but he knew he was the first one to ever enter it.  There was not a place on her body that was not bruised or bitten.  He was like an animal devouring his prey in his quest to take everything her body had to offer him.  As she lay in the bed, bleeding and whimpering, he took a bath while leaving the door open so he could enjoy looking at her.  Fuck, this was just what he needed.  After finishing his bath, he went out of the room and into the sitting room, poured himself a drink, and took a pill to help him gain his erection back.  He was going to fuck that pussy and ass until they were raw and bled out.  The rest of the night and into the early morning hours, he did just that, until, finally, he was exhausted.  Sebastian untied her from the bed, but then hog tied her hands and feet together and pushed her onto the floor. She could fucking sleep there; she had served her purpose, and Sebastian was not a cuddler.  Stripping the bed and placing fresh sheets and blankets upon it, he climbed in and drifted off to sleep.  
 When Sebastian woke several hours later, he went to check on his guest after using the bathroom.  When he reached down over Lisa, and pulled her head up by her hair, he noticed that she was extremely cold.  Checking for a pulse, he found that the bitch was dead.  He roared in anger that his plans for the day were ruined.  Instead of continuing his indulgences with the girl, he would have to find a way to get rid of the body.  Fortunately for him, this was not the first time, he was well practiced in the art of disposing evidence.  Putting on his suit, and putting out the “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door, he left his room, went down the street, where he purchased an oversized suitcase.  Once he was back in the room, he stuffed Lisa’s body into it, along with all the pieces of her clothing.  He found her purse, opened her wallet, and removed all the cash inside.  He glanced at her driver’s license, and his blood ran cold.  
 There was no fucking way this shit was happening.  He had not heard that name spoken in years.  It was a name that was associated with fear and death to whomever spoke it.  Surely, it was just a coincidence.  Sebastian shook himself from his frantic thoughts and placed all the identifications in the suitcase with the body.  After giving the room another once over, he decided to place the sheets from the previous night into the suitcase as well.  No sense in leaving DNA evidence around, just in case.  He rolled the suitcase out of the room, down the hall and into the elevator.  Once on the first floor, he rolled it out the door and down the street.  No one paid him any mind, for all they knew he was checking out of the hotel.  He rolled it to the docks he had located when he first came to the city, and pushed the suitcase into the ocean.  
 Lisa O'Donnell would disappear forever.  Walking back to the hotel, he began planning out his next steps.  He knew he needed to make contact with Judith, and needed to drain some money out of Simon's bank account.  The simple fucker would never miss it; he was too stupid for that. 
 ************************************************************************** 
 After the long weekend that Kane and Ara had enjoyed, they returned to the office and the business of running the family.  They were both energized and more relaxed as they began prioritizing the issues needing their attention.  
 The weeks that followed were filled with the testing and selection of the Coven team members. Kane and Ara were extremely pleased with the results.  They had contacted Steve to schedule the tattoo for each team member that would become avowed at the Coven, Inc. induction ceremony.  After the acceptance of their vow to the Don and Donna, and receiving their tattoo, their place in the family, and membership to the teams, would be finalized. 
 Maggie had finished the design, and oversight of the Coven, Inc. headquarters building, while Simon had completed the task of the oversight and installation of all the computer hardware and software programs needed to securely house the financial records for the family.  
 Kane and Ara were finalizing the plans for the induction ceremony when Elizabeth informed them that, through her surveillance, she had monitored Sebastian contacting Judith.  It was a brief phone conversation on her cell phone, but she was able to narrow down his location to the East Coast, either New York or New Jersey.  In addition, Simon informed them that a large sum of money had been withdrawn from his personal account.   Ara was immediately worried by the amount, but Simon calmed her.  He informed her that the money was withdrawn from an account that was set up by his sperm donor, and not the account where he maintained his earnings from his computer programming business.  The only person who knew of the account in question would be Simon, and the one person who set it up, Sebastian.  Both Elizabeth and Simon were instructed to continue monitoring the situation and inform Kane and Ara if they should discover anything more. 
   
   
   
 The next day, Simon called and requested a meeting with Kane and Ara.  Their first thoughts were that Simon had more information on Sebastian, but they thought it was strange that he called, instead of just showing up as he usually did.  When he arrived at their office, Ara noticed that he seemed a little tense, but had greeted her with a hug or called her by his favorite pet name,  Ara Sorella.   He was dressed in a dark suit and tie, which he kept fidgeting with, a clear indication that he was nervous.  
 "Simon, please have a seat."  Kane said.  
 "Thank you for seeing me." 
 "Is everything all right, Simon; is there a problem?"  Ara asked.  Simon looked up at his sister and brother-in-law, and squared his shoulders in a show of confidence.  “Kane, Ara, I come here to you today as a member of this family to ask the permission of the Don and Donna to ask Maggie O’Leary to marry me.”  Simon let out a gust of breath at the end. 
 Ara was shocked as she glanced over at Kane to see his reaction.  Simon wanted to get married, but he had just met Maggie. 
 Simon continued, "I want you to know that I love her and she loves me and there will never be anyone for me but Maggie." 
 "Simon, you aware of who she is.  Who her family is?"  Kane softly questioned, so as not to cause Simon to feel that he was being denied. 
 "Yes, I know, and that is why I am formally asking the Don and Donna for permission.  I am Simon Morotti, brother of the Donna, and brother-in-law of the Don of the family and I know I need to gain permission from you, before I ask permission from her brother." 
 Kane was impressed by Simon, but he was also worried.  Sean O'Leary was very protective of his little sister and he wondered what Sean’s reaction would be.  Fuck, that would also mean that Sean would literally become part of his family.  Chuckling for a moment, he thought that was just fucking wonderful.  Kane looked at his lovely wife; he could see the concern written on her face.  She wasn't thinking as the Donna, but as Simon's sister.  Grasping her hand, he gave her a reassuring smile.  
 "Simon, you have our permission."  Kane responded firmly. 
 Simon jumped to his feet and shook Kane's hand.  "Thank you, thank you."  He then grabbed Ara, and swung her around in a circle. 
 "When are you planning to contact Sean?"  Kane inquired. 
 "Right now.  I want to ask her to marry me as soon as possible."  Simon was extremely exuberant in his joy. 
 "Okay, let's do it then."  Kane smirked.  Dialing Sean's number, he put the phone on speaker.  After a few rings, Sean picked up.  "Hello, fucker." 
 "Sean, just so you know, you are on speaker.  And I am fucking great."  Kane laughed. 
 "Beautiful Ara, are you there as well?"  
 "Yes, Sean.  How are you?"  She chuckled. 
 "I’m great.  How is my little sister?  Every time I call, she says she is doing some kind of project or another.  Kane, do you know anything about a man that’s been hanging out with her?  I heard a man’s voice in the background the other night.  I was about to call you to check the fucker out and take care of the situation."  Sean growled.  
 Fuck ,  Kane thought,  this was not going to be easy .  Maybe it would be better if it was a face to face meeting.  "Actually, I was calling to see if you would like some guests this week.  Ara and I were thinking about coming east and wanted to stop in and say hi." 
 "Hell yeah.  Why don't you bring my little sister along and I can question her about this fucker?" 
 Kane looked up at Simon, who was white as a ghost, and practically choking himself with his tie.  "Yeah, we will bring her.  We will fly out there tomorrow." 
 "Great.  I can't wait to show you around, Ara." 
 "Sounds like fun.  See you tomorrow, then."  
 Hanging up the phone Kane looked at Simon.  "If you are sure about this, we will all go and provide you with our support." 
 Simon knew in his heart that he would walk through hell itself to be able to spend the rest of his life with Maggie.  They had been inseparable since they met at lunch that day.  They had spent every available minute together.  Dinners, lunches, walks in the park, and quiet evenings watching television were only some of the things that they enjoyed together.  A few weeks ago, they had just come back from dinner and had been enjoying a quiet moment together sitting on her couch in her apartment when she had told him what had happened to her in college. Never in his life had he felt such rage.  When she told him that Kane had been the one who had taken care of the boys, his love and respect for this brother-in-law increased ten fold.  
 Maggie told him she would understand if he didn't want to be with her, since she was damaged goods.  Simon took her face in his hands and looked deep into her sparkling green eyes and declared what was in his heart.  
 "Maggie O'Leary, I am not a perfect man.  I know I have my issues, but I promise you one thing, I love you with all my heart and soul."  He leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her plump lips.  He had never kissed anyone before and the electric sparks that flowed through him when their lips met, inginated something deep within him.  
 After that evening, they kissed and hugged at every opportunity.  He wanted to build their physical relationship slowly so that she would know that he wanted her, not just for her body, but for her heart, soul, and mind.  
 "I have never been more certain of anything in my life."  Simon said with conviction.  
 "All right, we need to get everyone ready to go.  I think we should take the entire family, because, if Sean grants his permission, this is going to be huge." 
 Over the next few hours, the family was called and arrangements were made to take the large jet to accommodate everyone.  Maggie was told it was a family outing, and, since they were going to Boston, they knew they had to take her to see her family.  
 She was excited and scared; she had not told her brother about Simon.  Sean was known to scare even the strongest men alive and she didn't want Simon to go anywhere.  The love she had for him was nothing she had ever felt.  He made her feel like a princess.  He had accepted her, even after she told him about what had happened to her.  After that, their relationship seemed to blossom.  She hoped she could get her brother to see that Simon was the one for her, even though he was the brother of another crime family.  Shit, why did it have to be so complicated?  She had been accepted by Simon’s family, and she had was becoming close to his mother, Portia. 
 The next day everyone arrived at the airport.  Zachary, Claudia, Nazario, Rosa, Portia, Kane, Ara, Uriel, Katrina, Erik, Brook, Simon, and Maggie.  They were taking several guards with them, along with Elizabeth.  She wanted to be around in case there was any more contact from Sebastian, and being so close to his last known vicinity was an opportunity to do some ground surveillance.  Everyone took their seats and chatted about the trip.  A well planned lie had been thought up so that Maggie wouldn't know the true reason she was asked to come along.  
 The plane took off and Ara prayed that her brother would get his happily ever after. 
 
 
 
 Chapter 12 
   
 The plane arrived at Boston’s Logan International Airport, where the group was met by two large limos.  Kane had called Sean back and told him that they had decided to make it a family get away, and to tell him who all was coming.  Sean was thrilled with the idea of hosting the family, and was excited to see everyone, but none more than his little sister.  
 After the luggage had been retrieved, everyone had settled in for the trip to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.  Sean had called in a few favors and reserved an entire floor for their group.  They were quickly registered and provided their room keys.  
 Each couple had a room, while Simon and Maggie had separate rooms, which raised a few eyebrows among the group.  Ara smiled sweetly at the thought of her brother being such a gentleman.  Last night, after the meeting with Kane and Ara, they had gone over to Zachary and Claudia's, where Simon told them his plans.  Claudia cried with joy and Zachary hugged him and wished him all the happiness in the world.  They had met Maggie on several occasions and had come to admire her.  Portia, who had also been there, was thrilled that Simon had met the girl of his dreams; unfortunately, she had needed to stay behind to oversee the work she had started with the girls.  Simon understood and was proud of his mother for all the efforts she was making in helping the former prostitutes.  She told Simon, however, that she would be by his side though the entire wedding planning stage.  Claudia bestowed her grandson with her engagement ring to present to Maggie.  It was an art deco ring made in platinum and centered with a 2.15-carat diamond with three single cut diamonds on each shoulder.  
 Simon was truly touched by his grandmother’s sentiment, and was excited to give it to Maggie. 
 Sean’s family provided a security detail that monitored all the entrances and exits to the hotel during the Coven’s stay in Boston, however, the Coven brought their own security team as well.  After everyone had dropped off their luggage, they were off to the O'Leary mansion. The closer they got, the more nervous Simon became.  His palms were sweating and his knee bounced as if it had a mind of its own.  He was on his way to ask the Don of the Irish mafia to marry his little sister.  Shit, he was contemplating every type of scenario this question would garner.  Some were not too violent, while others seemed to result in his untimely death. 
 "Baby, what is wrong?"  Maggie asked, as she placed her hand on top of Simon’s knee for what seemed like the twelfth time to stop the bouncing. 
 "Nothing, just nervous about meeting your brother." He responded with what he hoped was a smile, but appeared to be a grimace. 
 "He is all bark and no bite, well, almost no bite."  Maggie stuttered.  Shit, she was as nervous as Simon seemed to be.  She didn't know how well Sean was going to take the fact that she was dating and, even worse, in love with a member of a mafia family that wasn't Irish.  She hoped and prayed that she could get him to see that this man was all she had ever hoped for.  He was her perfect man.  
 Simon looked over and saw his beautiful Maggie’s brow furrowed, and refocused his energies on helping her to relax.  He surely did not want to cause her any worries.  "It will be okay."  Simon cooed into her hair and held her tightly.  They remained in the embrace until they pulled up in front of the O'Leary mansion.  
 Just as they were pulling through the wrought iron gates of the estate, Elizabeth’s phone began to ring.  The caller id alerted that she would need to remain in the vehicle to handle the call.  She determined that the surveillance team had picked up a notification from facial recognition software for a match on Sebastian.  She needed to nail down all the details in order to provide a detailed report to the Don and Donna.  She could feel the adrenaline rush in her vindication for the huge expense of the recognition software, and was now able to provide conclusive results to present to them.  This was the break they had been waiting for.  "Kane, Ara, excuse me, but I need to take this call, I will join the rest of you in a little while." 
 "Is there a problem?"  Ara questioned, hoping nothing would get in the way of today. 
 "No, no, just need to confer with the surveillance team, but I will be able to provide you both with all the details as soon as I get the information." 
 Sean was waiting patiently for his guests.  He was excited to have Kane and Ara to come visit, but he was more excited over the fact that Maggie was also coming home.  He had not been happy about her staying in Seattle, but hearing the excitement and enthusiasm in her voice every time he talked to her, confirmed that he had made the right decision in agreeing with her desire to work with Kane and Ara.  However, what had him worried was the man's voice he had heard in the background one evening during their telephone call.  He was going to ask Maggie who it was and if he should have any reason for concern, as well as if he needed to deal with him.  He was sure that Kane would be more than happy to take care of the issue.  
 As the limos pulled up the driveway, Sean walked outside to welcome his guests.  The first limo door opened and the security detail disembarked and surveyed the area.  Sean understood why there was so much security, because Kane and Ara were always in danger, since they were the heads of the most powerful family on the West Coast.  Next out of the car was Kane, who turned and helped Ara out, pulling her tight into his body and placing a loving kiss on her lips.  Sean had never really thought about getting married any time soon, but, seeing the couple before him, he imagined that it might be nice.  As he stepped forward, Sean saw a young man climb out of the car before copying Kane’s move, and reached inside to help someone out.  A hand reached out and grasped his, followed by the person emerging from the car.  She wrapped her arm around his arm, and looked lovingly up at the young man.  Sean gasped, he couldn't believe his eyes; the woman was his sister, Maggie, but who the fuck was this man?  
 Maggie looked up, saw the expression on her brother’s face.  It was a look she was familiar with.  It was the " I am about to pull my gun and shoot the motherfucker”  look .   Maggie gave Simon's arm a squeeze to reassure him and let go of his arm as she walked over to her brother and wrapped her arms and around him and gave him a hug.  "Big brother, so good to see you."   
 Sean kept his eye on the motherfucker who had dared touch his little sister and hugged his sister back.  "Good to have you home."  Sean grunted and then leaned down and whispered in her ear.  "You and I are going to have a long conversation about this." 
 Maggie knew that would be coming, but she hoped she could make him see what a wonderful man Simon was before the interrogation began. 
 "Sean, you fucker, good to see you."  Kane smirked. 
 Sean pulled away from Maggie and smirked back at Kane.  "Welcome to my home, fucker." 
 Kane laughed.  "Glad to be here.  Let me make some introductions.  You know my parents and Ara's grandparents, but I don't think you have met Ara's brother, Simon." 
 Sean sneered and but put out his hand to shake Simon's hand.  Simon stepped forward and nervously stuck out his hand.  Sean grabbed his hand and squeezed it hard.  
 Simon knew what Sean was doing, because it was what Kurtus had done to him many times over the years.  If he showed signs of distress or pain, Sean would win and Simon knew he needed to show Sean that he could take this little bit of pain.  Sean continued to shake and squeeze, but Simon remained calm, not showing one iota of pain on his face. 
 Maggie knew what her brother was doing and it pissed her off.  Yes, he was looking out for her, but this was stupid and it needed to stop right now.  Placing her hand on Sean's arm, she dug her well-manicured nails deep into his skin. 
 "Fuck, Maggie, what the hell?!"  Sean cried, letting Simon's hand loose, and began rubbing the spot where she had dug her nails. 
 Gritting her teeth, Maggie looked up at Sean with a look that would kill in one swift move.  "Stop being an ass to him or I will show just how good I am with a knife." 
 Sean couldn't believe his ears; his little sister just threatened him with a knife. 
 "Fuck, man, she burned your ass."  Kane laughed. 
   
 "Fucking fine, come on, let's go in and get to know each a little better."  
 Everyone followed Sean into the mansion, the ladies of the group went on and on about how lovely the home was.  
 "Well, not that you are unwelcome, but I was only expecting Kane, Ara, and Maggie." 
 "That would be my fault.  When I heard they were coming, I really wanted to take Ara into New York to do some shopping; when the others found out, they also wanted to come.  I hope it is not a problem."  Rosa said. 
 "No, Mrs. Leone, not a problem at all, you are more than welcome."  Sean answered. 
 "Maggie, dear, would you mind showing us around your lovely home?"  Claudia asked.  They needed to get Maggie away from Simon, so he could talk to Sean. 
 "I would love to," Maggie gushed.  She looked over at Simon and smiled. 
 "Hey, you girls go have fun, we are going to go have a drink and catch up with Sean."  Kane stated, hoping Maggie wouldn't ask for Simon to come along. 
 "Okay."  Maggie sighed, she really wanted to share her childhood home with Simon, but maybe later on they could do a private tour.  
 After the ladies had left to tour the home, all the men were in the den and glasses of Jameson and cigars were handed out to everyone.  Simon took his glass of Jameson and the cigar, trying his best not to let his hands shake too much.  
 "Kane, how is the Coven coming along?"  Sean asked as he kicked back in his chair and took a large drink and then a puff of his cigar. 
 "Great.  The teams are formed and we are going to send out invitations next week to invite everyone to Vegas to show them what we have planned.  A few of the members have already been working on some projects.  Actually, we brought our Intel officer with us.  She already has a lead on Sebastian.  The team has been able to narrow his location to and somewhere on the East Coast, close to New York.  She’s hoping to get some better Intel while she is here." 
 "Damn, is she any good?"  
 "Fuck, man, she is the fucking best.  I have never seen anyone know as much about gathering Intel than she does." 
 "Wow.  So where is she?  I mean, I don’t think it was one of the wives." 
 "No, she had to take a call, so she will be in a minute." 
 A dead silence fell over the room.  Kane looked over at Simon and gave him a nod.  
 Taking in a deep breath and swallowing the extreme amount of saliva, Simon tried to calm his nerves.  Over the years, he had learned how to stay out of his father and brother's way and not be the center of attention, but here he was trying to find the right words to convince Sean that he was the right man to marry his little sister. 
 "Mr. O'Leary, this trip was essentially my idea.  You see, sir, I have fallen in love with Maggie, and I have come here today to ask permission to marry her." 
 Sean couldn't believe what he was hearing.  This boy wanted to marry his little sister.  He only had to think about that for one second…HELL NO!  Looking around the room, his eyes fell on Kane and Nazario; in that moment he remembered what the Leone men were part of BDSM.  A flash of Maggie kneeling at this boy's feet, as he demanded her to perform oral sex on him.  Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his gun pointing right at Simon's head.  "YOU MOTHERFUCKER! YOU WILL NOT LAY ONE HAND ON HER EVER AGAIN!" 
 "But, Mr. O’Leary, I love her dearly." Simon stuttered.  He glanced to Kane, Nazario, and Zachary for some type of help. 
 "I don't want to hear that shit; you will not have her taking part of any of this BDSM shit.   She has been through enough and doesn't need to be put through that.  So get the fuck out of my house and never come around her again." 
 Simon was confused.  Why was he talking about BDSM?  He and Maggie had never done anything more than kiss and hug.  He wanted to wait until they were married, then making their final commitment to each other.  He had no desire to be part of the BDSM community.  He didn't have anything bad to say about true BDSM community members, only those who use the community to beat and belittle women, like his father and brother had.  Then he remembered that Kane and Nazario were both part of the community.  If Sean knew that then, oh shit, he must assume that he was, too, by association.  Oh, shit.   
 "No, no, Mr. O'Leary please believe me when I tell you that I am not a member of the community and, as hard it is to believe, I am a virgin and plan to stay that way until my wedding night with Maggie.  She is too precious to be taken advantage of and I want our first time to be as husband and wife.  Believe me when I tell you that I love her and will protect her with my life." 
 Sean listened to the boy as he took in the look on his face; he was able to tell he was being honest.  Wait, did he say he was a virgin?  Lowering his gun, he looked over at Kane, who, at this point, was standing and ready to draw his own gun.  "Is that the truth?" 
 Kane knew what Sean meant.  "Yeah, man.  Simon is a good man.  He came to Ara and me to ask permission from the family.  He is an intelligent, hard working man who is nothing like his father and I can tell you he has been nothing but loving and caring for Maggie." 
 Sean looked back at Simon.  "Can you financially take care of her?" 
 "Yes, sir.  I own my own company and am currently working with the family as part of the Coven." 
 Sean looked Simon up and down and couldn't see him as part of the Coven team.  "Really?" 
 "Sean, Simon is a computer programming wiz."  Kane said. 
 Simon pulled out his phone and logged into his private bank account.  "This is the balance in my account as of today, but that does not include the stocks or property that I own."  Simon told Sean as he handed over his phone for Sean to see. 
 Sean took the phone, looked at the balance, and was taken aback by the amount.  Fuck, the kid was a multi-millionaire.  Handing the phone back to Simon, Sean went over the news that he had just received.  One, Simon Morotti could give Maggie a comfortable lifestyle, two, he was intelligent, even though he could tell he seemed slightly different, but the biggest thing that stuck out was the fact he was waiting until they were married to have sex.  No one in his eyes would be good enough for his little sister, but, this boy, no, man, was a good match.  He had met every one of the qualities that Sean had ever desired for his beautiful sister’s husband.  As he recalled the look on Mags face when she looked at Simon as she stepped out of the car, he knew that this was a lost battle.  A huge grin spread on his face as he held out his hand to Simon.  "Simon, call me Sean, because, after all, we will be family."  Simon couldn't believe his ears; Sean had given him permission to ask Maggie to marry him.  Taking Sean's hand and shaking it hard.  "I promise to love her always."  Still holding Simon’s hand, Sean looked him straight in his eyes, "Well, just know that, if you break her heart, no one will find your body." 
 "That won't be a problem, sir, I mean Sean."  
 Kane couldn't help but smile.  Simon was a good man and he deserved to be able to follow his heart.  Then, it hit him.  Putting on one of his signature smirks, he walked over to Sean and placed his arm around his shoulder.  "You do know what this means, Fucker?" 
 "No." Sean looked at Kane hesitantly. 
 "Well, fucker, we are going to be related." 
 "FUCK!"  
 Everyone in the room laughed at the two of them and suddenly there was a knock on the door. When it opened, in walked Elizabeth.  Sean looked up and gasped.  Who the fuck was that?  This woman had to be the most stunning woman he had ever seen.  He wanted nothing more than to grab her up and hold onto her forever.  What the fuck?  This day was getting more bizarre by the minute. 
 "So sorry to disturb you, Kane, I need to speak with you and Ara as soon as you have a minute."  Elizabeth exclaimed, trying not to stare at the fuck hot man she suspected was Sean O'Leary. As discretely as possible, she took glanced over at him, perusing him from top to bottom, lingering on his crotch.  She would have sworn that the monster twitched.   
 Clenching her pussy, she imagined him taking her hard against the first available surface, or, hell, even the wall, it didn’t matter. 
 Kane watched the reaction between Elizabeth and Sean.  Oh, boy, this was going to be fun.  "Elizabeth, Ara is with the ladies, and may be a while, so you can tell me now.  We trust everyone in this room." 
 Elizabeth snapped out of her trance caused by the handsome man with the twitching cock.  "Sorry, Kane, I just received confirmation from the surveillance team that Sebastian is in New York.  He was picked up on a surveillance camera at the docks, rolling a suitcase.  However, when he left the vicinity, he no longer had it with him.  I have dispatched a ground team to investigate further.  Their objective is to retrieve the case and put a trace/tag on Sebastian." 
 "Fuck, he is close." Kane groaned.  He wanted to find the fucker and make him pay dearly for all the pain he had caused the family.  There was already a plan in place for when they had found him.  Abby had come up with a devilish way to make the fucker suffer more than just capturing him and torturing him, which was a given, but their plan would provide an indeterminate amount time for his suffering. 
 "Yes.  Abby and several of the team members are gearing up and will be on the Coven jet with then next two hours.  However, we will need to find a central location for a base of operations." 
 "Use the townhome in the city."  Nazario interjected.  
 "Fuck, I forgot about that.  I will give you the address."  Kane reached into his jacket pocket and jotted down the address on a piece of paper. 
 As the discussion continued over the details of setting up the townhome, the ladies had returned from their tour with a glass of wine in each of their hands. Elizabeth took the opportunity to excuse herself and begin the preparations for the incoming surveillance team. 
  As soon as Maggie walked in, she came over to Simon, who immediately wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close.  "I missed you." 
 "I missed you, too.  Did my brother behave himself?" 
 "Yes." 
 All the ladies walked over to their spouses and sat down.  They went on and on about how lovely the house was and how wonderful it must have been to grow up here.  More wine and Jameson were poured and the group were having a great time together.   
 Simon was so excited that he had everyone’s blessing.  He didn't want to wait any longer, so he placed his glass on the table, reached into his pocket, and pulled out the ring.  Holding it tightly in his hand, he stood up and stepped in front of the chair where Maggie was sitting.  Dropping down to one knee, he took her tiny hand into his. The room became deathly quiet.  Ara, sensing the moment, quickly took out her phone and began recording. 
 "Maggie O'Leary, I love you with all that I am and, by some strange reason, you love me, even though I feel you could do better.  I want to spend the rest of my life trying to be a better man for you and, hopefully, one day for our children.  Maggie, my love, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife, my future, my reason to breathe?" 
 With tears running down her face, she tried to find her voice.  Gasping in a quick breath and looking directly into Simon eyes, she responded, "Yes." 
 Simon jumped to his feet, reached down, pulled Maggie up from the chair, and twirled her around and around.  "SHE SAID YES!" 
 The entire room rushed to the couple, hugging and congratulating them.  The Coven was now stronger by one more crime family.  The Coven’s Leone, Morotti, O’Leary connections just made it a lot stronger. 
   
 
 
 
 Chapter 13 
   
 As the celebration of Simon and Maggie’s engagement continued on, Sean couldn't help himself.  He was constantly thinking about Elizabeth.  She had slipped out of the room to go make some phone calls and it took everything in his power not to follow her out.  He wondered if she had a boyfriend, and, if she did, could he get rid of him quickly without anyone noticing.  
 His grandfather would be turning over in his grave if he knew that he was thinking about a woman who was not Irish, but this was the first time he ever met someone that made him want something more than just a quick hard fuck.    
 "Are you happy, brother?"  Maggie asked as she snuck up behind Sean and wrapped an arm around his waist. 
 "If he makes you happy, little sis, then, yes, I am." 
 "Oh, Sean, he is so good to me and makes me so happy."  Maggie said as she turned to face Sean and, in a hushed tone of voice, whispered, "And when I told him about what had happened, he said it didn't matter, because you can't take away the special bond between a husband and wife's first time together.  Sean, for the first time since it happened, I feel safe with a man." 
 Sean knew in that moment that Simon Morotti was going to take care of his little sister; even though he would always worry, this would take a huge weight off his shoulders.   "Be happy, Maggie, that’s all I have ever wanted for you." 
 "I am."  Maggie cooed. 
 Giving her a tight hug, he kissed the top of her head.  Maggie pulled back and looked up at her brother and saw something in his eyes that she had never seen before.  Her brother looked dazzled, totally smitten.  His eyes held a bright glow around the deep green irises of his eyes.  "Brother, what is going on?" 
 "What do you mean?"  He responded, slightly startled by her question. 
 "You look different somehow, and something is going on with your eyes." 
 Sean did not, or could not, tell her about what was going on; because he did not know himself.  The only thing he seemed able to concentrate on, other than Maggie’s happiness, was getting to know the beautiful Elizabeth better.  He was being bombarded with questions.  Was there any chance for them?  Was she in a relationship?  By any chance, was she Irish?  For God’s sake, he was the Don of the Irish crime family in Boston, and she was Surveillance Coordinator for the Leone/Morotti crime family in Seattle.  He knew that in the few moments that she was in the room, he could tell she was great at her job, intelligent, and seemed loyal and dedicated to the Coven.  He was so fucked.  "Nothing, Maggie, just excited for you." 
 Maggie looked deep into his eyes and knew that he was lying.  She had always been able to tell when he was lying, but she wasn’t going to push him now.  "I will let it pass for now, but, later, brother, you will tell me." 
 Sean nodded.  Damn, she knew him so well.  They rejoined the party; everyone was laughing and having a great time.  Sean was talking to Kane and Ara about the Coven Inc. and how the teams were coming together.  They were discussing the status of the recruiting for the specialized teams when the door opened and Elizabeth walked back in.  Sean’s heart fluttered in his chest and he wanted nothing more than to grab her up and kiss the holy shit out of her.  Damn, he really needed to get control of himself. 
 Officially, Elizabeth had finished arranging all the travel statistics for the team, and came back to inform Kane and Ara about the details, but she would unofficially use the opportunity to get another look at the fine male specimen that was Sean O'Leary.  There was something about him that just sucked her in, but she did not want to, nor would she ever, be a play toy to a powerful man like that.  She had a past, one that only the Leone family knew about, and she intended to keep it that way.  
 Elizabeth O'Donnell was the daughter to Peter O'Donnell, capo to Sean O'Leary’s father.  
 When she was a freshman in college, she met a dashing young man named Tony Servillo.  He was tall, dark, and extremely handsome, with the sexiest Italian accent.  Tony was a senior and a pre-med major.  
 After their first meeting, they became inseparable.  After only dating for two months, she had moved out of the dorms and into the apartment with Tony.  Right before the winter break, Tony took her on a weekend trip to Las Vegas.  He had rented out a penthouse room that overlooked the city and, just as the sun was sitting over the town, he got down on one knee and proposed.  Of course, she accepted and they rushed to the nearest wedding chapel, got married, and spent the rest of the weekend in bed.  
 When they returned to school, she was shocked to see her father waiting for them at Tony's apartment.  When she told her father that she had married Tony, he went nuts and told her to get it annulled; no daughter of his was going to be married to a fucking Italian.  When she refused, Peter told her that if she didn't then she would be dead to him.  He was forcing her to pick her family or Tony and she chose Tony.  Her father left that day and told her to never contact him or her sister again.  She cried and cried as Tony tried his best to make her feel better, but she was broken inside.  Her only hope was that, someday, she and her family would reunite. 
 Over the next few weeks, she came to grips with her choice and things were getting better.  At the beginning of the spring semester, she was determined to make the best life she could for herself and Tony.  She dove into her studies and, at night, enjoyed her time with her husband.  March rolled around; soon it was St. Patrick's Day.  
 She decided to embrace her Irish heritage, so she fixed a traditional Irish dinner of corned beef and cabbage, and had selected a naughty emerald green lingerie set.  She got dressed and finished dinner, placed it on the table and waited for Tony to come home, but he never did.  She was unaware that a drunk driver had killed Tony on his way home.  When the knock came at the door, she was devastated to see two police officers.  After informing her of the news, hey asked if there was anyone that they could call for her and she just shook her head no.  She was all alone; Tony was not just her husband, he had become her family as well.  The next day, she was awakened by someone in the apartment and, for a moment, she thought it had all been a dream, but as she rushed out of the bedroom she found an older man and woman standing in the living room.  
 The older woman rushed toward her and wrapped her arms tightly around her.  "Oh, sweetie, how are you?" 
 Enjoying the warm embrace, she let the sorrow that had built up inside out and began to sob.  Her Tony was gone and now she was all alone.  Finally, she was able to control herself with the encouragement of the woman who still held her close.  Sometime during her crying, she had lead them over to the couch but had continued her tight hold.  Wiping her eyes, she pulled back to get a good look at the woman. In a moment of recognition, she knew it was Tony's mother, which meant the man was his father. 
 "Mr. and Mrs. Servillo?"  She questioned. 
 "None of that, dear, it’s Monica and Anthony."  She said in a thick Italian accent.  "I am so sorry this is how we had to meet.  We had been planning a trip for so long, but something always came up, but we want you to know that we know how much Tony loved you, and how much you loved him.  We will always be grateful for that.  He told us that you selected him over your own family; dear, that touched our hearts, so we would like you to know that you will always be a daughter to us." 
 She never went back to her maiden name and kept her word to never contact anyone in the O'Donnell family.   She was welcomed into the Servillo home and their lives and, when she was introduced to Nazario and Rosa, they welcomed her into their family, so she became Kane’s cousin.  Over the years, she wondered about her little sister and father, but, as much as she wanted information, she knew she wanted to guard her heart.  The devastation her father caused in her life before was more than enough to endure.  After Tony's death, she never dated another man.  She could not allow herself to feel the devastation of losing another again, so she safeguarded her heart. She still had sexual urges, she was still young, but she had her supply of B.O.B.s to take care of her needs.  However, she was willing to admit, she was not prepared for Sean O'Leary.  As soon as she walked into this house, a man made her feel things that she had long locked away. 
 Kane observed Sean as Elizabeth made her way over to him; he had no doubt that his friend had the same expression that he himself had whenever he looked at his Ara.  He chuckled to himself, because, like his family, he knew that Sean would need to marry a full-blooded Irish woman.  But, at this moment, Sean believed that Elizabeth was his cousin, and, therefore, Italian.  Kane could hardly contain his amusement at the thought, and was chuckling to himself as he sat back and watched the show.  
 "Kane, Ara all the arrangements and the assignments have been issued.  The ETA on the team’s arrival is estimated to be in a few hours.  They will be shown to their accommodations, and meet in the library of the townhouse within thirty minutes of arrival to review the operations plan."  Elizabeth explained, trying to keep her eyes from wandering over to Sean. 
 "Excellent work, Elizabeth.  We will be leaving shortly, and head to New York this evening."  Kane said. 
 "Kane, do mind if I tag along?  I know New York like the back of my hand and I think I could be of help."  Sean offered, thinking he might have an opportunity to get to know Elizabeth better.  Perhaps observing her in a professional capacity might cause whatever this was to go away.  
 "Sean, that’s an excellent idea."  Kane exclaimed, as he barely contained his amusement. 
 "If you would be amenable, I would also like to offer some of my men for extra security." 
 "That won't be necessary, Mr. O'Leary.  Our crew is more than enough."  Elizabeth snarled.  He may be interesting, but this was her show; she was not going to have their first assignment hijacked by him and his men. 
 "Oh please, Elizabeth, call me Sean."  He responded with a smirk on his face.  He knew from her response that this was a simple case of pride. 
 "That’s okay, Mr. O'Leary; I wouldn't want to disrespect your position with your people."  Elizabeth snapped.  "Kane, Ara, I’m returning to the hotel to oversee all the preparations; I will see you there in a little while."  Elizabeth quickly turned and walked out of the room, while muttering to herself,  how dare him! 
 "She is one hot blooded Italian that is for damn sure."  Sean exclaimed as he waved his hand around pretending to fan the flames. 
 "Oh, Sean, you don't know the half of it.  We would appreciate any help you can provide, because we don't want this asshole to get away again.  However, I would request that your men take direction from Elizabeth." 
 "That is fine.  You said you had a plan for him?"  
 "Oh, trust me, our lovely Elizabeth has cooked up a quite a delectable menu of pain for Sebastian that is going to have him suffering greatly even before we capture him."  Kane chuckled in an evil laugh.  "Let's just say we are going to take away his favorite toy." 
 Sean looked bewildered at Kane and wondered what he was talking about.  
 Soon everyone congratulated Simon and Maggie again, and were on their way back to the hotel.  It had been decided that most of their party would wait until the morning to leave, but Elizabeth would leave tonight to meet the crew upon their arrival and set everything up at the townhouse.  Sean offered to drive Elizabeth into the city and make sure security was tight before everyone else arrived.  Ara was so thankful for Sean wanting to help, that Elizabeth felt unable to decline, even though she didn't want to be in such close proximity to Sean for that long.  She collected her suitcase and arrived downstairs to find Sean standing in the lobby dressed in a black suit, black shirt with no tie and his red hair tousled, as if he had just rolled out of the bed after having hot sweaty sex for hours.  
 Fuck, she was so fucking screwed.  How in the hell was she expected to endure this ride, when she wanted nothing more than straddle his large cock and ride him, hard.  
 "Lovely Elizabeth, are you ready to go?"  Sean cooed licking his lips.  He was so fucking happy he was going to be able to find out more about the Italian goddess that had taken over his every thought.   Opening the door for her, he couldn’t help but watch her long legs as she pulled them into the car, thoughts of them wrapped around his waist, pulling him deep into her hot wet pussy.  Fuck, he was hard again, he really needed to get a handle on himself.  Walking quickly around the car, he climbed in and quickly gunned the gas, flying down the driveway and onto the road.  As cliché as it might appear, his favorite music was still Celtic.  He put his Chieftain CD into the player, and relaxed into the drive. 
 Damn this man! As if it wasn’t enough that she had to endure this ride, now he was playing some of her favorite music.  Even though she hadn’t been in contact with her family for years, she had not forgotten her heritage.  
 "Elizabeth, have you ever been to New York?"  Sean thought that perhaps some small talk would break the ice.  His own version of twenty questions. 
 "Yes." 
 "Really?  Were you visiting or did you stay for a while?" 
 "A while."  Elizabeth answered.  She was not giving him any details, because she didn't want him to know her background. 
 Sean’s plan was failing miserably.  These short one or two word answers were getting him nowhere in finding out about the beautiful woman next to him.  He wanted her to open up and give him some insight, a small peek of the woman she was, but she was dodging each question.  "Kane says you are extremely talented with the functions of conducting surveillance.  Did you study the program or learn it through experience somewhere else?" 
 "Studied." 
 Over the next several hours, Sean tried repeatedly to get her to talk, but to no avail.  Just as they neared Hartford, Sean's phone rang, using a hands free device, he answered.  He knew that Elizabeth could be trusted, so he wasn’t worried about her hearing his conversation. 
 "Hello?"  Sean answered. 
 "Sean; it’s Peter.  I need your help.  Lisa has gone missing." 
 "What do you mean missing?" 
 "She has not shown up for work and she is not in her apartment and no one has seen her in days.  I tried her phone and it goes straight to voicemail." 
 Elizabeth couldn't believe she was hearing her father's voice.  Even though he had cut her off, she still loved him.  And what was going on with her sister?  Her heart began to race and she began to breathe in shallow breaths.  
 Sean looked over and what he saw confused him greatly.  Why was Elizabeth looking like she just saw a ghost? 
 "Sean, I would like to send in a team if you would allow it." 
 "Actually, Peter, I am already on the way to New York.  The Leones are searching for Sebastian Morotti and have some great Intel that he is there.  I will call you as soon as I hit New York.  Call up the team and have them start making their way.  Peter, we will find her, I promise." 
 "Thanks, Sean, your father would be so proud of you.  Sometimes we forget how much family truly means.  It’s times like these that make me realize that I need to make some amends for some wrongs that I have done."  Peter said, knowing it was time to contact Elizabeth and mend their fences.  She had not contacted him or Lisa since the day of their argument over her marriage, when he let his Irish temper get the best of him.  He often wondered what she was doing and how she was, but when he went back to the apartment, she was no longer there and left no forwarding address.  He could have used the family connections to find her, but he was ashamed of what he had done. 
 Sean was getting very worried about Elizabeth; she didn't look good at all.  Looking around, he found he was close to an exit. He knew he needed to get off the highway and find out was going on.  "I will contact you soon, bye Peter." 
 Sean exited the highway and found a small park along the side of the street. Pulling into the parking space, he quickly exited the vehicle and came along the passenger side and opened the door.  Elizabeth’s hands were shaking and she had tears running down her face.  "Elizabeth, sweetie, look at me."  Sean was really becoming concerned about her reaction. 
 Elizabeth’s mind was completely chaotic with the ‘what ifs’ of her life. What if something has happened to her sister and she never got to tell her that she loved her and would always be her sister?  What did her father mean he needed to right some wrongs? Could he possibly be talking about her?  What if Sean found out who she really is? 
 Sean unclipped her seatbelt and lifted her out of the car, cradling her body close to his.  Walking over to a picnic table, he sat down, but continued to hold her tight.  "Please tell me what is wrong." 
 Shaking her head back and forth, she completely broke down into sobs.  It was incoherent.  
 "I promise that nothing you say to me will change my opinion of you.  I think you are so beautiful, and extremely intelligent.  Please, Elizabeth, I can help you.  I’m here for you; shit, I don't think I will be able to ever let you go now that I have you in my arms." 
 Elizabeth looked up into his beautiful but confused emerald green eyes.  It was too much, she knew, in that moment, she would tell him the truth.  She tried to relax and catch her breath.  Her emotions were getting the better of her.  They were the one thing that she worked diligently on maintaining a tight hold. She took a deep breath, and then another.  
 Sean was seriously worried about her sudden emotional outburst.  It caused him emotional distress over her reaction.  This was territory he was totally unfamiliar with.  He wanted to help her, he needed to help her, but he wasn’t sure if she trusted him.  
 Just as Sean was preparing to assure Elizabeth that anything she said to him would be kept in the strictest confidence, she blurted out something he would never forget hearing. 
 "My true name is Elizabeth O'Donnell.  I am the oldest daughter of Patrick O'Donnell." 
 It seemed like time stopped. Sean couldn't believe his ears, Elizabeth was the daughter of Patrick O'Donnell.  He was stunned.  He was mentally trying to remember what he had heard about the fallout between Patrick and his oldest daughter.  All he could recall was that they had a falling out, and he never spoke of her.  Then, the light bulb went off.  Holy shit, if she was Patrick’s daughter, then that meant she was Irish, not Italian.  Fuck, could this actually be possible?  She really could be his, right? 
 “Fuck, Elizabeth O’Donnell, in my arms.” 
 
 
 
 Chapter 14 
   
 Kane and Ara were back in their hotel room enjoying a few moments alone.  They were both very pleased with how the day had turned out, and Ara was excited about helping Maggie plan their wedding.  It was going to be a grand affair with both sides of the family in attendance.  
 "Kane, I’m worried about Elizabeth."  Ara said. 
 "Why?" 
 "It is obvious that Sean is attracted at her, and we both know that it will never work." 
 "Why not?"  Kane hedged. 
 "Kane, she is Italian.  Even you are fully aware that, as the Don of the family, Sean will be expected to marry a woman of full-blooded Irish descent.  Unfortunately, it is obvious that they are perfect for each other.  Anyone could see that there was chemistry between them."  
 Kane chuckled.  "Ara, please relax.  First of all, Elizabeth’s last name is not Servillo." 
 "Of course it is." 
 "No, babe, it isn’t.  Elizabeth was married to my cousin, Anthony Servillo.  It is her name by marriage." 
 "What do you mean? She was married?" 
 "Her husband, Tony, died shortly after they were married.  Through their mourning, Anthony and Monica became so enamored with Elizabeth that they took her in as their own." 
 "Okay, so what was her maiden name?"  Ara asked.  Elizabeth been introduced as Kane's cousin and she was treated like any other family member, so this was shocking news. 
 "O'Donnell." 
 "FUCK!  Oh my god, that means she is Irish, right?  Is she full-blooded Irish?  Where are her real parents?" 
 "Calm down, baby.  Yes, she is Irish.  Moreover, yes, she is full blooded.  Her father disowned her when he found out she took an Italian husband, and she chose her husband over the family." 
 "What an archaic asshole.  He abandoned his daughter because of his prejudices; poor Elizabeth." 
 "Ara, you have to realize that, for many of the mafia families, marrying outside the family’s nationality is a huge offense.  With her being the oldest daughter, she was expected to marry someone that the family approved of; definitely not an Italian." 
 "Is her father that far up in rank within the family that it would matter?" 
 "He was the capo to Sean's father." 
 "Shit.  So, does Sean know who she is?" 
 "No.  He knows her as Elizabeth Servillo.  I’m pretty sure he hasn’t put the pieces together yet.  And you can be sure he will be fucking pissed I withheld this piece of information from him, but, fuck, I love seeing him squirm." 
 "That is so cruel."  Ara chuckled. 
 Kane reached over and pulled her onto his lap, and grabbed her ass, pushing it down on his needy cock.  "Enough talk about Sean and Elizabeth, I really need to bury my cock in that tight, wet pussy."  He moaned. 
 Ara felt his cock rubbing against her panty covered pussy.  She was already soaked and needy for him as well.  Leaning in, and capturing his mouth with hers, she felt the sudden urge to take control of control him.  She slid her tongue into his mouth, wildly stroking his tongue.  Grasping the hair at the base of his neck, she pulled him closer to her.  He was trying to dominate the kiss, but she turned the tables when she rubbed her pussy up and down his cock.  
 Kane was so consumed by desire; it took him a minute to realize that Ara was taking control.  Being a Dominant, he was always in control, but, in this moment, they were not Dom and submissive, but husband and wife.  So, he was more than happy to allow her to spread her wings and take the lead.  He needed to get his cock into that pussy before he came in his pants; something he had not done since he was a teenager.  Pulling back from the kiss, he gasped, "Baby, I need to be inside of you."  
 Ara looked into her husband’s green lust filled eyes and saw her own desire reflected there.   She needed this connection just as much as he did. Just as she began to lean back up to gain access to his zipper, his phone began to ring.  FUCK! 
 Kane grabbed his phone from his pocket and looked at the screen. Fuck, it was Sean, and, with everything going on, he knew he needed to answer it.  "What, fucker?"  Ara shook her head. 
 "I am going to fucking kill you next time I see you."  Sean snarled. 
 "Why the fuck would you want to try to do that?"  Kane was very confused now. 
 "You motherfucking asshole, you lied to me.  Why the fuck did you not tell me that Elizabeth was not your real fucking cousin and that her father was my father's capo?" 
 "Did she tell you that?"  Kane asked in surprise. 
 "No, asshole, her father called as we were driving.  She went into shock.  Although, I’m not sure if it was from hearing her father’s voice, and what he said, or the fact that her little sister is missing." 
 "Fuck.  Where is Elizabeth now?  Let me talk to her." 
 "She is in bed." Sean deadpanned. 
 "Where are you, and who's fucking bed is she in, Sean?"  Kane questioned. 
 "We’re at my penthouse, and she’s in my bed, fucker." 
 Kane’s blood began to boil.  How dare this fucker take advantage of Elizabeth when she was in a vulnerable state?  "What the fuck, Sean?  You better be prepared for an ass whipping when I get to New York.  Just because she is not blood kin, does not mean she is not special to me or my family and I won't have any fucker, even you, take advantage of her." 
 "Whoa there, asshole, I didn't take advantage of her.  I didn't think the team needed to see her in the state she was in, so I brought her here.  After she told me her story, and, again, fucker, you’ve got one coming for not telling me, she cried herself to sleep.  What time do you think you will be here tomorrow; I really think it would be best if you were here when Peter gets in after two tomorrow." 
 "We will make sure that we are there before then.  Sean, Elizabeth is a much-loved member of our family; I am counting on you to please take care of her.  
 "Kane, you know I will take care of her.  If I get my way, I will make sure that she will never want or need anything ever again." 
 That was all Kane needed to hear.  He knew that Sean was going to be pursuing Elizabeth.  It looked like Sean’s days of one night stands were finished.  He had met his forever.  "We will be having a deep conversation over this, man." 
 "I know, Kane, but try and remember what you felt when you found your Ara.  Now you have a picture of what I am feeling." 
 "Okay, okay, I get it.  If anything else happens, call me immediately."  Kane said. 
 "Certainly."  Sean said then disconnected the call. 
 Kane looked at Ara, who had been listening to the entire conversation.  "Well, it looks like we are going to even closer to Sean than we thought.   Damn, we will need to be there for Elizabeth.  Even though she hasn't talked to sister in years, I know she loved her dearly.  Fuck, I need to call Anthony and Monica and get them out here; she is going to need their support." 
 "They are still really close?"  Ara asked. 
 "Yes.  When they lost Tony, they became attached to her.  She is like a daughter to them.  Hell, they even changed their will to leave everything to her.  She doesn't know it, but they wanted to make sure she was taken care of." 
 "Wow, then we need to get them here as soon as possible." Ara said. 
 "I will make the call, and then we are going to finish what we started before we were interrupted."  Kane replied, quickly giving her a kiss.  
   
 After a quick call to Anthony and Monica, plans were made to get them to New York on the next flight out.  Kane strode into the bedroom to find Ara on the bed in an extremely erotic playsuit.  The suit was constructed of layers upon layers of crimson red lace, a peek-a boo quarter cup bra, with a side-split skirt and inner suspenders that were attached to sheer red topped silk stockings.  
 She was on full delectable display in the middle of the bed.  He could feel his cock hardening and dripping with want.  As soon as he walked in the room, she motioned with her finger to come over to the bed.  As he neared, she put up her hand to stop him.  
 Ara was really hoping that he would play along with what she had in mind.  Earlier, when he had allowed her to take control, it had been such a turn on.  She hoped that they could continue with what they started.  "Remove all of your clothes and position yourself on your back in the middle of the bed."  Ara commanded. 
   
 Kane swallowed hard, fuck, she was going to play.  He couldn't wait to see what she had in mind.  He quickly began removing his shirt, pants, and underwear, causing his cock to slap against his stomach, in anticipation of sliding home into her pussy.    
   
 Climbing onto the bed and laying flat on his back, his heart began beating rapidly with the expectations of what was to come.  
 "You will submit to my commands.  If at any time you need to stop, you will safe word with “cucumber”.  Do you understand?" 
 "Yes." 
 Ara was still leery of their role reversal, but also excited.  She twisted one nipple hard, "Yes, what?" 
 When Kane had studied to become a Dominant, one of the techniques used was to train as a submissive for a time.  This provided him the ability to be aware of the needs of his submissive.  This role was not new to him, but it had been a long time since he had given control over to someone else.  He never thought he would be in that role again, but tonight, he wanted to share this experience with his wife.  "Yes, Mistress." 
 Ara took the ties that she had taken from their suitcase and tied his hands shoulder width apart to the head of the bed.  Sitting back, she admired the fuck hot man she had at her mercy, ready for her to do as she wished.  Fuck, this was fun.  Now, all that was left was for her to decide where to begin. Licking her lips, her eyes roamed over every sensual inch of his tight muscular body; fuck, she was one lucky lady.  Leaning over, she whispered into his ear, "You are not to come until I give you permission, do you understand?"  Kane nodded his consent enthusiastically. 
 She began to kiss, lick, and bite down his neck, to each of his sensitive nipples and down along his sides.   She worked her way slowly down until she got to her targeted destination, his long, thick, hard cock.  It was lying on his stomach; the tip was dripping, the warm silky skin encasing the steel hardness beneath.  As soon as her tongue made contact with his purplish head, Kane arched his back off the bed, panting for more. Ara took several long torturous licks, capturing the dripping pre-cum and humming around his sensitive head in pleasure.  Grinning like a Cheshire cat, Ara looked up through her long lashes as the tip of her tongue dipped into his slit, "Tell me, what you want, pet?" 
 "More, I need you to take it all in your mouth."  Kane groaned, flexing his hips upwards to get closer to mouth.  He never thought he would feel this much pleasure while allowing Ara to take control, but the more she took control, the more he enjoyed it.  
 Ara wrapped her hand around the base of his cock and then opened her mouth and sucked in as much as she could.  Fuck, she loved the taste, feel, and the full fucking experience of sucking her husband's cock.  She relaxed her throat, taking him deeper, as he pulsed grew impossibly harder. 
 "Cucumber!"  Kane yelled.  He was about to cum, and he really did not want to disappoint her.  
 Ara pulled his cock from her mouth and let loose of the base as soon as she heard Kane’s safe word.   Looking up at Kane, she could see he was panting and covered in sweat.  "What's wrong?"  She questioned, slipping out of her role in concern for him. 
 "I was about to cum."  Kane groaned.  
 "Oh, my sweet, loving man, as you have told me before, you must think of anything other than what is happening.  Count backwards; name the states alphabetically, anything but what I am doing to your cock." 
 Kane knew this, but telling his submissive to hold off her orgasms and doing it himself was something totally different.  "Okay, I will try.  I’m sorry, Mistress." 
 "Good, baby.  You are doing so well, my pet."  Ara was so horny that she knew she could no longer play without taking his cock deep inside of her.  Slipping off her thong, she straddled his legs and placed his cock at her wet opening.  Staring into Kane’s eyes, she quickly impaled herself with his cock.  The instant euphoria was so overwhelming that she knew she would not last long.  She began to rotate her hips and continued to slide up and down his pulsing muscle. 
 Kane tried every trick he knew, but nothing was going to stop his impending orgasm.  "Mistress, please may I cum?" 
 Ara smiled and licked her lips.  "No, pet.  You must wait." 
 Kane’s head thrashed back and forth, as he fought with himself to control his orgasm.  He closed his eyes and threw his head back.  He could no longer look at the sight of his cock, coated in her juices, sliding into her.  This was so fucking hard.  
 Ara could feel the tightness in her abdomen, signaling that her orgasm was fast approaching.  She was insistent that she wanted to cum at the same time as Kane.  Reaching down, she took her clit between her fingers, and looked deep into his eyes, which were now wide open.  "Cum for me now, pet."  She said as she pinched her clit hard, causing a deep orgasm that gripped Kane’s cock like a vice.  She could feel him pulsing as he shot stream after stream of cum deep within her. 
 "Fuck, fuck, oh fuck, baby."  Kane groaned.  That was one of the most intense orgasms he had ever experienced.   "I’m not sure I could move, even if I wasn't tied up.  You fucking drained me." 
 Ara giggled and reached up and untied his hands from the headboard.  As she loosened the ties, she saw that there were red marks where the ties had cut into his wrist.  "OH MY GOD, WHAT HAVE I DONE?!"  She yelled, jumping off the bed, and rushing to the bathroom to get a bottle of lotion.  She ran back to bed apologizing profusely.  “I am so sorry.  Oh my god, I am so sorry, Kane." 
 Kane reached out and pulled her into his strong arms that were now slightly weak as the blood flow returned to normal.  "Sweetie, it does not hurt." 
 "But look at your wrists.  You are going to be able to see them tomorrow; what are people going to think?"  She cried.   
 "Baby, look at me.  It does not hurt; fuck, it is sexy as hell, and will serve to remind me all day how I got them.  To answer your question, about what others are going to think, I do not care.  But it does remind me of New Year’s Day 2011, when my father couldn't sit down all day." 
 "What does that have to do with this?"  Ara asked as she continued to lather his wrists with lotion. 
 "Ara, think about it for a second." 
 Ara thought what would cause Nazario to be unable to sit and, like a light bulb going off, it hit her; Rosa must have taken something to his ass.  "Rosa?" 
 "Yes, mom.  It was funny as hell and Dad was smiling so fucking much all day, fuck all fucking month long.  Baby, I fucking love this and I loved what we just did.  Didn't you?" 
 "Yes.  I mean, it’s not something I want to do often, but it was fun." 
 "Good.  Now let's get ready for bed; tomorrow is going to be a long day." 
 After taking a long, hot shower and a slick and soapy round of shower sex, the couple climbed into bed, wrapped tightly around each other and drifted off to a peaceful night. 
   
 After talking Kane, Sean walked back into his bedroom to check in on Elizabeth.  
 She was curled up in the middle of his bed, her flowing red hair covering her beautiful face.  She looked so small and vulnerable in his large bed.  Walking over to the side of the bed, he removed his shoes and climbed in behind her.  He only wanted a few moments of holding her to let her know that, even if she was sleeping, he cared, and she was safe.  Wrapping his arm around her waist, he pulled her towards him, but maintained some space between them.  A few moments later, she backed up towards him, placing them in a spooning position.  This was pure heaven.  He had never had a woman in his bed.  Whenever he hooked up with someone, it was either at her place or at a hotel.  His mother once told him that his bed was meant strictly for him and the woman he would one day marry.  His mother had always been wise and would often share her pearls of wisdom with him.  God, how he missed his parents, but he was sure they were looking in on him and Maggie.  
 "Sean."  Elizabeth whimpered.  "Don't leave me."  Sean could see that she was still sleeping, and knew the events of this evening were weighing on her heavily.  Sean pulled her even tighter and whispered into her red locks.  "You are stuck with me, lassie, until my last breath." 
 "Hmm."  She sighed. 
 Sean opened his eyes a short time later, but instead of the dark skyline he was expecting, the room was bathed in sunshine.  Glancing over to the window, he saw his redheaded goddess standing by the window, wrapped only in a shawl looking out over the city.  Again, he pondered the possibility of being fortunate enough to have Elizabeth in his life.  "Good morning." 
 Elizabeth had woken up with an arm wrapped around her waist, as she looked around the room; the events of the previous evening flooded her mind.  She carefully rolled over to see that the arm belonged to her savior from yesterday, Sean O'Leary.  After hearing her father's voice and finding out that her sister was missing, it was more than her heart and mind could handle.  She could not even think that it was possible that something bad had happened to Lisa; unfortunately, in her line of business she was all too familiar with the possibilities.  
 She had slowly, carefully moved his arm down and crawled out of bed.  After finding the bathroom, she decided she needed a shower to wash off the grime from yesterday.  She smiled at the sight of a woman's hair tie on the bathroom sink; it was the same type that Maggie used.  She had told her that they were the best and left them laying everywhere, just in case she needed one.  Pulling her hair up, so it would not get wet she climbed into the shower and turned it on.  The hot water felt heavenly against her skin, but she felt a loss, as if, in some weird way, she was washing off Sean's loving touch.  Why was he such a confusing man?  She had been around Kane when he talked about Sean's habits with a woman and she could not be in that type of relationship.  Hell, she didn't want to allow her heart to open up to any man again, but he crept in anyway.  As the Don of the family, Sean had a rough and tough image to maintain, and, from what she would remember, he did it well.  Yet, last night, he was tender and selfless in tending to her during her emotional episode. 
 Finishing, she dried off and realized that there was no way she could put on the clothes from yesterday, but she did not know where her luggage was.  Looking around the room, she found a beautiful silk flower shawl draped over a chair; it would have to do until she found her luggage.  Walking back into the room, she was drawn to the large window overlooking the city.  The sun rising across the skyline was casting a warm glow, a new beginning of a new day.  
   
 When she heard Sean say good morning, she was embarrassed that she was standing before him in only a shawl in his bedroom.  "Sorry, I thought you were still asleep.  Did you happen to bring in my luggage?" 
 Sean sat up.  He couldn't believe had fallen asleep and slept through the night.  Normally, he only slept a few hours before he woke up.  "I did, but I’m not so sure I want to tell you where it is; I really like the view." 
 Elizabeth’s Irish temper surfaced. "You could fucking turn around, like a gentleman would." 
 Sean laughed.  "Well I can see who you’ve been hanging out with; lassie, I never said I was a gentleman, but I did have your luggage brought up and it is over there.  Why don’t you finished getting dressed and I will go get some breakfast."  
 Sean climbed out of the bed, but, instead of walking out of the room, he walked over to where she was standing.  He placed his hands on either side of her face.  "Your father will be here in a few hours.  I just want you to know, Elizabeth; I am not leaving you, ever." 
 Elizabeth stared into his green eyes, sensing from years of experience that he was telling the truth. For the first time in a very long time, she felt the possibility of being with someone else. 
 
 
 
 Chapter 15 
   
 The Leone and Morotti families made their way to New York early the following morning.  Kane and Ara were determined to be with Elizabeth when her father, Peter, arrived.  Kane had received a call from Elizabeth’s in-laws, Anthony and Monica, that they were already in town, but they would wait for him to arrive before going to Sean's penthouse.  After dropping off most of the family at the Leone townhouse in Manhattan, Kane, Ara, and Seth made their way to Sean’s penthouse.  When they arrived, they found Anthony and Monica waiting for them.  The group entered the building and walked up to the security desk.  Kane recognized one of the guards as one of Sean's men. 
 "Mr. Leone, it is nice to see you again."  The guard said.  "Mr. O'Leary is expecting you, please go on up." 
 "Thank you."  Kane responded. 
 The guard opened the private elevator and entered the digital code into the keypad that would allow the group to proceed to the penthouse.   Everyone was in a rather quiet and somber mood, each trying to mentally prepare to be strong and supportive for Elizabeth.  They were all aware that this was going to be very difficult for her and that she was going to need their support.  When they arrived at the penthouse, the door to the elevator opened directly into the foyer of Sean’s penthouse, where he stood waiting for them.  
 "Good morning.  Please come in."  Sean offered.  "Let's go into the living room and make ourselves comfortable." 
 Kane, Ara, Anthony, and Monica went into the living, while Seth took his position at the elevator.  Kane knew that Sean had his own very capable security, but Seth was Ara's personal guard and wherever she was, Seth followed.   
 When they walked into the living room, they saw Elizabeth standing next to one of the large windows overlooking the city.  She was dressed in black form fitting pants and a white silk blouse.   Kane walked over and pulled her into a hard hug.  "How are you, little cousin?" 
 "Worried."  Elizabeth whimpered.  
 "We’re here for you, and won't leave your side."  Ara assured her. 
 "Thank you."  Elizabeth whispered. 
 "That is what family does, Elizabeth; no matter the blood that runs through your veins, you are family and always will be." 
 Elizabeth reached up and wiped a tear that had slipped from the corner of her eye.  She had tried to maintain her professional attitude to help fortify her from any emotional outbursts, but discussing Lisa was weakening the walls she had built.  "Kane, please help me find Lisa." 
 "The Coven surveillance and forensic teams are already operational.  They send their concern and wanted me to tell you that they won't rest until they find her."  He relayed. 
 Elizabeth nodded her head and tried not to cry anymore, but, as she turned towards the room, she saw Anthony and Monica, and totally lost all control over her emotions.  "Mom, Dad."  She cried and rushed over to their opened arms.  
 "Shh, sweetie, we are here."  Monica cooed, stroking Elizabeth’s hair, as she embraced her daughter.  
 "It hurts so much."  Elizabeth sobbed. 
 "I know, sweetie, but we are here for you."  Anthony promised.  "Come, let's have a seat, and come up with a game plan." 
 Sean watched as everyone surrounded Elizabeth with love and support.  Hearing the conversations between each one, and observing the heartwarming reunion between her and her “parents”, he was assured that Elizabeth was truly loved as one of their own; this made him happy.  He wanted nothing but the best for his Elizabeth.  Yes, he thought, she would be his Elizabeth, because he had decided he was going to pursue her.  His mother had been so right when she said that one day a lassie would come along that would be the center of every thought and dream.   
 "Sean, my boy, this woman will be your sun on the darkest days, she will love you with all her heart and will protect you from yourself."  His mother had told him. 
 His mother had been the wisest person he had ever known and he tried to remember all the words of wisdom that she had passed along to him.  
 "Mr. and Mrs. Servillo, I am Sean O'Leary; I want to welcome you to my home. If there is anything you need, please let me know." 
 Anthony Servillo looked up at Sean O'Leary.  He knew who he was, and was grateful he was there for his daughter, but through observations for the few moments he had been in Sean’s home, he knew that he had an eye on Elizabeth.  "We know who you are.  What time is that man going to be here?"  Anthony did not hold Sean responsible for the way Elizabeth’s father had treated her, but he was not going to permit anyone to upset his daughter any further. 
 "Peter will be here in about an hour."  Sean responded humbly.  He knew that Anthony was securing his position as Elizabeth’s father in this maelstrom. 
 "Well, I am telling you now, he may be a member of your family, but if he causes our Elizabeth one more ounce of grief because of his bias beliefs, I will make him suffer as much as she has."  Anthony growled. 
 "Dad!"  Elizabeth exclaimed.  "Sean and I have had a long discussion concerning Peter; as hard as it is to see him after all these years, I need to do this and to find out about Lisa.  She has been the innocent party in this mess and I love her dearly.  Sean promises me that he will not allow Peter to disrespect me, or you for that matter, and I believe him.  He has been nothing but kind and protective of me since I heard the news." 
 "Okay, but if he doesn't do something, I will."  Anthony barked, pointing at Sean.  Sean O'Leary may be the Don of the Irish family, but she was his daughter and he would protect her with his last breath. 
 Sean nodded his head, because he knew Anthony was only looking out for his daughter and he could respect him for that, because, if it had been anyone else, he wouldn't be breathing after a remark like that.  The next few hours he planned to do everything he could to build some type of trust with Anthony, because he knew that eventually Anthony would be the one that he would have to go to when then time came to make his future dreams come true. 
   
   
 Peter O'Donnell arrived at Sean's penthouse a little after two.  He often wondered why Sean hadn’t moved into his parents’ mansion after their deaths.  It was a much more befitting place for the Don to be living, not this bachelor pad.   He walked in and walked up to the guard desk.  
 "Peter O'Donnell here to see Mr. O'Leary." 
 The security guard picked up the phone and dialed Sean's number.  "Mr. O'Donnell is here to see you.  Certainly, sir.  You may go up."  The guard said, as he stood up and walked over to the elevator to grant Peter access to the penthouse.  Inserting the code into the keypad for second time that day, the guard allowed Peter to step in.  As he ascended, he prayed that Sean could help him find his baby girl.  He had also wanted to talk to him about finding Elizabeth and hopefully mend the damage that he had caused all those years ago.  
 Peter could still recall when he had heard that Elizabeth had been dating someone, and had wondered why she didn't bring him around to meet him.  He remembered the day he was walked into a cafe and spotted them together in a corner booth in a loving embrace.  When the young man turned his head, Peter knew instantly that he was not Irish.  He ran a background check and discovered that he was Italian and that his parents were connected to the Leone family on the West Coast.  The night that he confronted Elizabeth and demanded she choose was the biggest mistake he had ever made.  At first, he couldn't believe she had chosen the young man over him, but, looking back, he could tell that the young man looked at her like he had looked at his own wife, Melanie, God rest her soul.  A few years back he returned to the apartment, but they had moved on and no one knew what had happened to the young couple.  He had found out that she had graduated with honors, but he had not found out where she was at this time. 
 When the elevator finally arrived, he was greeted by Sean; beside him was a tall, menacing looking man.  He had never seen him before and wondered where he had come from.  
 "Peter, how are you holding up?"  Sean asked, as he offered his hand. 
 "Not good, not good at all, Sean. I still have not been able to find her and there haven’t been any clues as to where she has gone.  Sean, I am really worried."  Peter uttered as he returned Sean’s handshake. 
 "Don’t worry, Peter, we will find her.  Let’s go in and see what we can do, but, before we do, I need you to remain calm and not let your temper get the best of you.  Can you do that?" 
 "What do you mean?"  Peter asked. 
 "Just tell me you will remain calm."  Sean persisted. 
 "Okay," Peter answered hesitantly. 
 He felt that Sean was hiding something. 
 Sean turned and walked back into the living room where everyone was gathered.  As they entered the room, he walked straight to Elizabeth; he wanted, no needed to protect her as much as he could or she would allow. 
 Peter walked into the room and was shocked to see the group of people there.  He recognized Kane Leone and the young woman who was holding onto him, he knew this must be his new wife and the granddaughter of Zachary Morotti.  Next to them was another couple and then his eyes focused on the young woman between them and Sean. He gasped.  It was his Elizabeth. 
 "Lizzy?"  Peter questioned, hoping he wasn't seeing things. 
 Elizabeth swayed at the sound of her father's voice, calling her his pet name for her.  He had not changed much over the years.  Although, she could see in his eyes that he looked so defeated.  However, she had a lot of hurt still inside of her from his cruel words and actions.  She couldn't go through that pain again.  Then she felt  his  hand on her lower back and the connection that she hated to acknowledge was there.  Elizabeth looked up into Sean’s eyes, where she found the strength she needed to confront her father.  "It’s Elizabeth.  You gave up the right to call me Lizzy a long time ago." 
 "Watch your tone!"  Peter barked.  "I am your father, and I will not tolerate you talking to me like that." 
 At that point, Sean took a step forward, putting himself in front of Elizabeth; he was not going to allow this to happen.  "Peter, I warned you.  You will not raise you voice or demand anything from her.  Do I make myself clear?" 
 "What the fuck?  Are you fucking him now?"  Peter barked, pointing at Sean as he looked around him to see Elizabeth.   "What about your Italian husband?  Is that how it is?  He sells you off to anything with a dick." 
 Sean reached into his jacket and pulled out his gun and pointed it at Peter's head, as did Kane and Anthony; even Ara had her 9mm out.  Peter looked around and saw how many guns were now pointed at him.  Fuck.  Behind him, Seth had already taken up position to subdue Peter at the slightest twitch. 
 Elizabeth was touched by the show of support she was getting from her family and Sean.  Drawing from them, she took a step forward and with a look that would make most men quiver with fear, she faced her father, "Not that it is any of your business, but my husband passed away a few months after you turned your back on me.  Sean is only being a good friend; I am not your daughter any more, you made that abundantly clear.  What I need from you is all the information you have obtained about Lisa, where she worked, lived, cell number, because, make no mistake, I am going to find her and I dare you to keep her from me again." 
 "And how are you going to do that?"  Peter asked sarcastically. 
 Ara had had enough.  "Because, asshole, she is the team leader for our organizational surveillance.  She is an expert in the field of intelligence collection, so give her the damn information." 
 Peter went to open his mouth, but, when he looked up at Kane, he knew that he better keep his mouth shut.  "Fine." 
 Everyone put away their guns and sat down.  Peter began to give them the information that he had about Lisa so far.  Elizabeth had pulled out her tablet. 
 As he was telling her the information, she was already hacking into the traffic and business security cameras in the vicinity of the club, bank, and her apartment.  She was happy to find most had simplistic security passwords, or none at all, making it easy to download the images from each location for the time period of Lisa’s disappearance.  She contacted her team that had already deployed to New York to implement the operational plan they had constructed against Sebastian.  She emailed the video footage she downloaded for them to scan through the massive amount of footage for any possible leads in Lisa’s disappearance.  
 Sean sat back and watched Elizabeth work her magic and was amazed at the speed and precision with which she worked.  She was hot before, but observing her in action was exciting and erotic as the same time.  He attempted, several times, to discreetly adjust himself, hoping no one would notice how sexually aroused he was from watching her take command of the situation. 
 After about an hour of intelligence gathering and delegating assignments to her team, Elizabeth jumped back from her keyboard with a shocked look on her face.  
 "What is it?"  Ara questioned. 
 "Kane, Ara come take a look."  Elizabeth wheezed. 
 Kane and Ara walked over to Elizabeth and looked down at the video footage she had pulled up on the screen, and both took in a deep breath.  No, this couldn't be true, they all thought.  The video footage that Elizabeth downloaded from the club on the last day Lisa came to work, captured Lisa leaving the club with none other than Sebastian Morotti.  
 "FUCK!"  Kane yelled.  His response caused Sean to move closer and look down at the screen.  
 "Oh, fuck no."  Sean gasped.  The look of horror on his face was mirrored by Kane, Ara, and Elizabeth.  Anthony, Monica, and Peter were looking on with concern at the responses they were witnessing. 
 Elizabeth instantly felt a sense of dread after viewing the footage that showed her sister leaving with Sebastian.   As scared as she was that Sebastian was now involved, she had to pull from deep inside of herself and rely on her training and to find every millisecond of footage of Sebastian and Lisa.  Grabbing the headset from her bag, she connected to her team.  "Jack, I want you to isolate all the video footage obtained from every camera within a five mile radius of 24th and Lex at Club X starting on Thursday at 2230 to present day.  
 We are looking for our primary target, but also a young woman who was seen leaving the club with the target.  Her statistics are 5'6" tall, slender build, red hair, she was wearing a short black skirt and a black and silver tank top.  Once you’ve isolated the initial video captured, you are to detail a minute by minute of their whereabouts at all times until there is no longer any video footage available.  I want the exact address of the location in which they were headed.  The second unit is to immediately install a pole cam at the last location the target and female companion were spotted.  Do you understand?  Copy?" 
 "Yes ma'am."  Jack responded immediately. 
 "Get back to me as soon as you determine the target’s destination from the footage.” Elizabeth said, disconnecting the call.  She began hacking into the cameras in the area.  
 Peter looked at their faces and wondered what had them so worried. "What the fuck is happening?" 
 Sean looked up at Peter, knowing he needed to inform him of what Elizabeth had found.  "Peter, Elizabeth was able to retrieve video footage from the outside of the club.  We saw Lisa leaving the club and she was not alone." 
 "Who was she with?"  Peter asked, but was not sure he wanted to know. 
 Sean took in a deep breath and tried to calm down.  He needed to remain in total control and be the leader that he needed to be in order to control Peter’s response.  "His name is Sebastian Morotti." 
 Peter thought for a moment.   Sebastian Morotti, Sebastian Morotti.  Wait that was Zachary Morotti’s son.   His eyes flashed to Ara, she was Zachary Morotti’s granddaughter, which means she was Sebastian’s daughter.  Lunging at her, he grabbed her around the neck.  "Call your father and ask him where my daughter is!"  Peter seethed, as he tightened his hands around her neck, shaking her mercilessly. 
 Ara was stunned at what was happening, but somewhere in the back of her head was Uriel's voice telling her to never be a victim, to always fight back.  Bringing her knee up, she hit him soundly in the balls, which caused him to loosen his grip, she took advantage of this and threw her fist into his throat.  By this time, Kane was now beside her and Sean was behind Peter with their guns drawn ready to kill him if he moved another muscle.  "Kane, baby, I got this."  Ara rasped, trying to calm him down.  Peter wasn't in the right frame of mind; he was a father worried about his daughter. Even though she had no respect for him in his treatment of Elizabeth, she understood his response, to a degree.  
 "You, motherfucker, are one lucky son of a bitch, because no one, I repeat, no one, lays a hand on my wife and lives.  But, because she has a heart of gold and I would do anything for her, I will let this pass this one time, but if you ever put your fucking hands on her again, I will be putting a bullet right between your fucking eyes. Are we clear???" 
 Coughing and wheezing, Peter tried to catch a good breath.  He was surprised by the amount of strength she asserted.  She had definitely been taught hand-to-hand combat, fuck.  Looking up through tear filled eyes at the barrel of Kane Leone's gun, he thought for sure he was dead, but then he heard her pleas not to shoot him.  Kane signaled to Seth to resume his previous position as he concealed his weapon.  Sean, now beside Kane, reached down, and pulled Peter up to his feet.  As soon as he was stable, he reared back and laid a sound shot into his gut.  
 "What the fuck were you thinking?"  Sean roared.  
 "I need to know where Lisa is."  Peter cried. 
 "Well, fucker, you sure as hell went the wrong way about it.  Peter, we are doing everything we can."  Sean said. 
 "But she is Sebastian Morotti's daughter.  She must know how to get a hold of him." 
 "That asshole is nothing but my sperm donor.  We are here to kill the motherfucker, because he put a hit out on his parents as well as Kane and me."  
 Peter was shocked to hear that she was here to kill her own father.  What kind of monster could he be and why was Lisa with him?  
 "Peter, sit down and we will tell you everything we know about Sebastian."  Ara said. They sat down and informed Peter on who Sebastian was and what they knew about his past and how they were going to make him pay for it.  
 When Peter heard about the sick, vile things that Sebastian had done he became sick to his stomach.  Sebastian Morotti was not a man, but a monster.  "Do you have any idea where he might be?" 
 "No, but we know he was spotted on the docks on Friday with a black suitcase, which we think he threw into the ocean." 
 'What was in the suitcase?"  Peter asked. 
 "We don't know, but we are looking for it.  Elizabeth's team has been studying water currents and weather patterns to see where the case may have drifted to and have a team combing the area for it."  Kane said. 
 Peter looked over at Elizabeth and wondered how the fuck did she become so fucking smart and where she had gotten it from, because he knew that it wasn't from his dumb ass.  He had been so stupid to have ever alienated his daughter from his life and only hoped that one day he might have the chance to repair the damage that he had caused.  
   
   
 At the Leone townhouse across town, Elizabeth's team poured over all the camera footage that they could find, and what they found was very disturbing.  From what they observed, both Sebastian and Lisa had entered the hotel together, but Lisa was never seen leaving at any point.  The only time Sebastian left, was with the suitcase, which he disposed of off of the pier, and into the Hudson River.  They tried to isolate as much footage from the docks as they could, but could not determine what was in the suitcase.  Jack didn't know how to tell Elizabeth that he suspected that the suitcase Sebastian had thrown off the pier might contain her sister's body.  They had not found the case, Lisa was currently nowhere in the hotel, which led to the only conclusion; Sebastian had taken her body out in the suitcase.  
 Jack was suddenly very queasy.  He had dealt with many gruesome cases before, but this was personal, which ultimately made it hit home with a gruesome impact.  He could no longer delay sharing his suspicions with Elizabeth. He jumped into the car and headed over to Mr. O’Leary’s penthouse to give the news to Elizabeth in person.  Arriving at the penthouse, the security called up to tell Sean that Jack was there to see Elizabeth.  
 Sean met Jack at the elevator.  He had an uneasy feeling when he learned that her team member was here in person to deliver news.  "It’s bad, isn't it?"  Sean asked. 
 "Yeah, real fucking bad; sir."  Jack relayed to the Don. 
 "Fuck.  Stay here while I get Kane and Ara.  We all need to be here for her." 
 Sean walked back into the living room and found Kane and Ara standing together, looking out the window.  Kanes's arms were wrapped protectively around her and she was leaning back into his embrace. Their love could almost be seen as a warm glow around them.  Sean hoped that one day this could be he and Elizabeth, but first, he needed to be strong for her and help in any way he could to make Sebastian Morotti pay for this.  
 Kane looked up and saw Sean approaching them.  He motioned him to join them, he could tell by the expression on Sean’s face that it was bad news.  "Baby, Sean has some news."  Kane whispered into her ear.  "It looks bad." 
 "Oh no."  Ara cried. 
 "Come, let's see what it is."  Kane said, taking her hand and walking toward Sean.  Whatever it was, they would all face it together, and support Elizabeth and Peter in every way necessary. 
 
 
 
 Chapter 16 
   
 After Sean met with Jack, they, along with Kane and Ara, walked back into the living room where Elizabeth, Anthony, Monica, and Peter were seated.  Elizabeth was still on her computer while Anthony and Monica were carefully watching her.  Peter was in a chair in the corner and was watching Elizabeth, amazed at her dedication and analytic talents to find any shred of information on Lisa’s whereabouts. 
 Elizabeth looked up and saw Jack entering the room with Sean and the Leones.  "Jack, what are you doing here?" 
 Sean walked over and sat down beside her, taking her small delicate hand into his.  "He had some news and thought it would be best to be told face to face." 
 Jack walked over and stood before her with slumped shoulders.  "Elizabeth, we were able to track Sebastian and Lisa back to the hotel NoMad.  We carefully reviewed all of the security tapes from the moment they entered the hotel, and Lisa never left once they arrived.  Sebastian left the next morning, he returned sometime later with a purchase and about an hour later, he left again." 
 "Okay, so how long after he left the hotel, or returned, did Lisa leave?"  Elizabeth asked. 
 Jack looked at Elizabeth with sympathy, he knew she had just heard him say they had not seen Lisa leave the hotel.  Sean was holding her hand firmly to lend any type of support she would need.  "Never.  We actually got access into the room that was rented out to Sebastian and there is no sign of her in the room either." 
 "So how did she leave if you didn't see her on any of the surveillance footage?"  Elizabeth questioned.  She did not like where this conversation was going.  If Lisa was not seen leaving the hotel, then where the hell was she?  Suddenly, the thought hit her.  "Wait, you said Sebastian left and returned with a purchase.  What did Sebastian buy?" 
 Jack knew that Elizabeth would work it out.  She was that damn smart and good at her job.  It was literally tearing him apart to deliver this news to his friend and colleague.  Raising his head and looking sympathetically into her eyes, he gave her the news that would forever alter her life.  "A large black rolling suitcase." 
 The reality slammed into Elizabeth’s heart and mind as if an explosion had occurred. Tears began to flow and she gasped back a deep painful sob. She knew exactly what Jack was saying, she was completely destroyed. 
 Sebastian had killed her sister and stuffed her into the suitcase.  That sick bastard had killed her baby sister. She would never be able to talk to her again, never to laugh and enjoy being around Lisa's wonderful vivacious personality.  She suddenly felt so cold and alone, so vulnerable, then she felt a set of strong arms pull her into their embrace.  Looking up, she saw the man who had been beside her, comforted her, stood up for her and his green eyes were filled with tears.   He, too, understood what the purchase meant.  He also knew what this would mean to her.   Sean O'Leary may be the Don of the Irish family, but, in this moment, he was just a man who was providing her with his love and support and she never wanted it to stop.  
 "What does that mean?"  Peter asked.  He was totally confused by Elizabeth and Sean’s response to this news.  Did they know where Lisa was?  
 "Sir,” Jack responded to Peter’s question, “before this whole situation happened, we had acquired surveillance footage of Sebastian taking a large black suitcase with him from the hotel,  down to the pier, and throwing it into the ocean.”  He waited for a moment to see if Peter had come to the same conclusion as the others. When it was apparent he had not, he continued.  “I am sorry, sir, but we are almost positive that the suitcase Sebastian discarded contains Lisa's body." 
 Peter repeated what the young man had just said to him several times in his mind, before it finally sunk in, causing him to lean over, placing his head in his hands and begin to sob.  His little girl was gone.  She would never call him to just chat, or run over to do her laundry.  What was he going to do now?  His baby girl was gone, and although his oldest was not but a few feet across the room from him, he lost her years ago due to his own stupidity and narrow mindedness.  He didn't think she would ever forgive him.  He was all alone.  His baby girl was gone.  As the pain began to embed itself deeply into his heart, he suddenly felt a new emotion rising to the surface, rage.  He was suddenly overwhelmed with loss and outright fucking murderous rage.  That bastard killed his baby girl.  Turning to the room, Peter raged, "I want that sadistic motherfucker, Sebastian Morotti dead."  He seethed.  
 "Peter, trust me, we have a plan that will make the bastard wish for death."  Kane sneered.  "A quick death is too good for him.  We plan to take away everything that he holds dear, after which he will be repeatedly tortured to death, only to be brought back to suffer even more. I promise that you can have a hand in his torture, and eventual demise."  
 "Thank you."  Peter sunk back into his chair, where he remained immersed in the pain and rage for his younger daughter, Lisa, and the feelings of loss for his older daughter, Elizabeth. 
 Sean continued to hold tightly onto Elizabeth, hoping that she could draw strength from the love and support that he was sharing with her.  Her sobs continued, but somewhat subsided.  If he knew anything about Elizabeth, it was that the pain she was feeling now would soon give way to anger and need for revenge.  He would be by her side every step of the way.  He would be anything she needed during this time, whether it be a friend, a protector, a shoulder to cry on, or something more.  This woman had captured his heart and soul.  He leaned over and whispered gently to her, "I am here." 
 Snuggling even closer, Elizabeth laid her head on his chest and was comforted by his strong and steady heartbeat.  "Thank you," she whispered with another sob.  She knew that this nightmare was far from over, but with those around her, she could find some small sliver of solace. 
 Anthony and Monica were on the other side of Elizabeth, rubbing her leg, letting her know that they were there for her.  She was their daughter and they would always be here for her.  They may not have known Lisa, but were acutely aware of the pain her loss was causing their daughter and friends.  Elizabeth pulled away from Sean’s embrace, wiping the tears that were flowing down her cheeks, and looked at her parents, "I love you both so much." 
 "We love you, too, my dear."  Monica said.  "We will be here for whatever you need." 
 Kane had wrapped his arms around Ara, who was also very upset about the turn of events.  Sebastian caused so much physical and emotional pain to everyone he came in contact with.  She just hoped that their plan would give the sadistic bastard an interminable amount of pain in return.  
 "Thank you, Mama and Papa.”  Elizabeth embraced both of her parents once more before turning to her associate.  She felt the pain and sadness that Jack must have felt in delivering this news, but it was time to get down to business.  “Jack, update me on anything you may have been able to salvage from Sebastian's hotel room." 
 "We didn't know how long we had to gather Intel, but we were able to install hidden cams in the smoke detectors, the dummy outlets, the coffee pot, and the room thermostat.  We also have an audio feed on the room, as well as a tap on the room phone.  We took photos and cataloged his medications, vitamins, body wash, shampoo, and toothpaste.  We also replaced several buttons on the shirts in the wardrobe with GPS trackers combined with audio link.  If he sneezes, we’ll know it.  No matter where he is when he does it.  The man is completely at our mercy, 24/7." 
 "Why the fuck are you taking pictures of his shampoo?"  Peter barked. 
 Elizabeth had just enough of him.  "Well, Peter, let me see if I can dumb it down for you.  First, you need to know, intelligence gathering is my expertise.  My team and I know exactly what we are doing, and why we are doing it.  We do not need, nor do I desire to inform you of any of our decisions or actions.  Don and Donna Leone are the only people to whom I am responsible and report my actions.  So, with that said, you can either keep your mouth closed, and your opinions to yourself, or you can fucking leave." 
 "Peter, they have a plan, so, as Elizabeth said, either shut up or leave."  Sean demanded in his Don voice.  He knew that Peter could quickly become the target of all of Elizabeth’s anger, and rightly so, but he wanted to ensure the situation remained focused on the mission at hand. 
 Peter didn't know what to say, but at this point, he was too upset to stay around and listen to anymore.  He was going to have to put his trust in his oldest daughter and her crew, as well as the two Dons and the Donna.  "I’ll be leaving then." 
 After he left, there was a collective sigh around the room.  Elizabeth, Jack, Kane, and Ara began discussing the details of their plan and what steps needed to be implemented. The original plan was still in force; however, for everyone in the room, it became even more personal with the news of Lisa. Elizabeth knew she was needed at the command post that they had been set up at the Leone townhouse, in order to direct the next stage of the operations.  Rising from the chair, and releasing Sean, she turned towards Kane and Ara, "I need to get to the command post immediately."  
 Sean was shocked to hear that she was leaving.  The past day had been filled with a kaleidoscope of emotions, but the one that touched his soul the most was the love that had filled his heart for the red haired beauty.  However, she was leaving and he didn't like that one bit.  "You’re leaving?" 
 "Yes."  Elizabeth quipped.  She was not sure of herself to allow herself to expand further on her answer for fear of what she might say. 
 "Oh. Are you sure you don’t need to take some more time for yourself before you jump into the plan?" Sean suddenly felt as though Elizabeth was about to slip through his fingers, and he would never see her again.  Elizabeth, simply shook her head as she proceeded to leave the penthouse with Jack in tow. 
 Kane noticed the pain on both Sean and Elizabeth's faces.  He was aware that now was not the time for Elizabeth to be distracted.  He was also aware of what Sean was feeling. "Sean, we will be in touch."  
 "Thank you, Kane. Elizabeth, if you should need anything, anything at all, please call me, night or day." 
 "Mr. O'Leary, I am sure Kane and Ara will supply me with anything I might need.  I do thank you for your hospitality."  Elizabeth said, as she tried to distance herself from him.  As much as she wanted him, she knew that there was no way she could be a part of his life. 
 Hospitality, what the fuck was she talking about?  Sean was stunned by her remark.  It was more than that, but had it only been that way for him?  Had he really misread everything?  "Elizabeth?" 
 Elizabeth turned, and hugged her parents goodbye and collected all her personal items.  Walking quickly to the elevator, she was met by Kane, Ara, Jack, and Seth.  Once they entered the elevator, and the doors were preparing to close, she looked up to see Sean looking straight at her with what she could have sworn was an expression of longing and sadness.  
 When they arrived at the lower level, they were quickly ushered into the waiting SUV and off to the townhouse to begin work on making Sebastian's remaining time on Earth as painful as possible.  They soon arrived and Elizabeth exited the vehicle quickly, headed directly into the townhouse to begin her work.  She needed to concentrate on the task at hand.  She would have to put aside her grief for her sister until the job was done.  The work would also help her to forget all about the possibilities she may have considered with the handsome Sean O'Leary.  Elizabeth immediately entered the surveillance center and barked out the first order of business, “Status?” 
 Kane and Ara found their family sitting around the living room.  "Afternoon, family."  Kane greeted in a much more subdued tone than usual. 
 "Kane, Ara, you are back.  How is Elizabeth?"  Rosa asked as she rose to embrace her children. 
 "As well as can be expected, she went directly to the surveillance center to begin implementing the plan."  Ara said. 
 "But, shouldn't she be taking it easy?  I mean, she just found out that her sister was probably in the suitcase."  Rosa shook slightly as she remembered hearing of Jack’s suspicions. 
 "Mom, she needs to focus her energies on doing something that will bring about a resolution in this situation."  Kane said.  "We will keep a close eye on her." 
   
   
 Later in the evening, Kane and Ara were finally able to find time to be alone in their bed.  Their breaths were synchronized as they held each other close, their naked bodies entwined, and their thoughts centering on how lucky they were to have each other.  
 "Kane, I was thinking," Ara said, as she ran her fingers softly through his chest hair. 
 "What, my love?"  He looked down at her relaxed expression. 
 "After we take care of Sebastian, what do you think about having a baby?" 
 Kane turned towards Ara, leaning over her, "Ara, it would make me the happiest man in the world to be the father of your child."  He said with glassy eyes. 
 "You are the only man I will ever have a child with, Kane.  The only man I will ever want.  I can't wait to be carrying your child."  She told him wistfully. 
 "Well, I have a wonderful idea."  He responded with a hint of a smirk. 
 "And what is that?"  She smiled in return. 
 "Let's practice."  Kane smirked.  “You know they say practice makes perfect, and since we are pretty much close to that, I say we practice some more.”  Kane reached over gliding his hand down her side, pulling her hips closer to him.  He brought his hand between them, gently running his fingers over her soft flesh, until he reached his destination.  He ran his fingers through her wet folds with his long fingers, rubbing her juices over her clit and outer lips. 
 "Hmm, that sounds like a very good idea."   Ara moaned as she arched her back into his chest, trying to gain more friction to her ever-growing need.  
 "You are so hot and wet for me, pet,” he whispered as he continued to rub his fingers back and forth through her folds, “are you ready for my cock?" 
 "Please fill me.  I need you and your cock so badly." 
 Removing his fingers, he positioned his arousal at her wet and needy entrance as he slid into her moist warmth, inch by incredible inch.  There was no better feeling in the world than when his cock was nestled deep inside of his Ara.  Moving together in total harmony, their bodies, hearts, and souls connected even deeper with each thrust.  
 "I am so close, my love."  Ara moaned. 
 "Hold off for a few more moments."  Kane groaned, as he, too, was nearing his orgasm.  He lifted her silky legs higher on his hips, the angle allowed him to thrust deeper.  He was so close, and the tightening of her muscles around him had him on the edge of the cliff.  "CUM NOW!"  He ordered her as he filled her with a soul-shattering intensity. 
 Ara arched her back, her mouth open with a silent scream of ecstasy as her own orgasm erupted in a dizzying explosion.  After a few minutes of both of them coming down from their climaxes, with Kane resting carefully on his forearms, trying not to crush her, they remained intimately connected as they finally found enough breath to speak. 
 "That was fucking unbelievable."  Kane stammered. 
 "It was like you touched my very soul with every thrust."  
 Pushing up so he could look into her astonishing eyes.  "I love you." 
 "Oh, Kane, I love you, and I can't wait until I can have your child." 
 He kissed her soundly on the lips with all of his love and devotion, until they needed to breathe.  Then, he began laying small kisses down her jaw line, and slowly making it to the back of her ear.  Slowly, he moved his hips, withdrawing his now semi hard cock from its warm home, causing her to quiver. 
 "I wish you could stay there forever."  Ara exclaimed. 
 "I do, too, love, but, unfortunately, we have work to do and I can't have others seeing what is mine." 
 Ara giggled loudly.  "Same here.  No other woman better ever see my cock." 
 Wrapping her up tightly and pulling over the covers around them.  "My body is yours and yours alone.  I promise you that you are the only woman for me, until our last breath on this earth and I pray nightly that when we die that we find ourselves on the other side to spend all of eternity together."  
 "Oh, Kane, me, too." 
   
   
 The next day was filled with the Coven’s Surveillance Team monitoring all the visual and audio data that was monitoring Sebastian’s every move.  Elizabeth and Jack were nailing down the time frames for the operations plan, while overseeing the team that was still searching for the suitcase.  Their plan was multi tiered, with several precise events occurring in a specific order, until its conclusion, when Sebastian would be apprehended and returned to Seattle to meet his final and extremely painful demise.  Kane informed Sean that Peter would be permitted to accompany them back to Seattle to exact his own retribution during the final torture, granting him some degree of atonement for the death of his daughter.  Although they had not found the suitcase, they were continuing their search for it and wouldn't stop until it was found and Lisa's body could finally be laid to rest in the family plot.  
 Kane and Ara had other family business that demanded their attention, while the remaining family members left to do some shopping for Maggie and Simon’s upcoming wedding.  
 Simon was at the townhouse assisting wherever he could on any computer issues.  Maggie was taken into the city to start looking for her wedding dress.  She was sad that Ara couldn't go along, but understood that she had work to do.  The family was only as strong as their leaders.  
 Sean told Maggie that money was no object and choose the dress of her dreams.  Their wedding would be large due to joining two large families together and both sides would be in attendance.  It had been decided that they would marry in Seattle, since that was where Maggie and Simon both lived.  Sean had wanted them to marry in Boston, but soon realized this was more about his sister than him.  They decided on a New Year’s Eve date for the wedding.  It was close, but gave Rosa enough time to plan a lavish event befitting a marriage between the two families.  Maggie had decided that she wanted Ara as her matron of honor and Brook, Katrina, and Elizabeth as bridesmaids.  Simon had, at one point, pondered asking Ara to be his Best Woman, but settled on her being the Matron of Honor.  Kane would be his Best Man, because he was the first man that he actually felt comfortable with and respected, along with his grandfather.  He knew that he would always be there for him.  His groomsmen would be Uriel, Erik, and Seth.  Sean, of course, would be walking Maggie down the aisle, standing in for their father.  One thing that would be shared by both families would be security.  The joining of two members of two large crime families would be an enticing target for rival families to try to prevent the marriage and they wouldn't allow that.  
 Kane and Ara were working on the Coven’s inaugural ceremony and conference in Vegas.  Plans were to invite the heads of most of the crime families around the world to attend the ceremony announcing the formation of The Coven.  Presentations would be made providing small snippets of the teams’ capabilities.  They knew that, once the word got out, they would be extremely busy, which meant the money would be pouring in.  Kane had gotten a list from his father and Ara's grandfather of the names of Dons that needed to attend.  Kane had talked with Sean, who had also recommended Dons and other leaders who he thought would benefit from the services of such an organization.  
 They had connected with representatives of the local police in Vegas who were friends of the family and with the benefit of a very large donation to their cause, were assured that no one would be detained for any matter.  Over the years the Leone family had been able to ingratiate themselves with many local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and, with the right amount of incentive, had received assurances that there would be no arrests or detainments.  If they were alerted of anyone outside their circle digging for information about the Coven, they would notify the family immediately.  
 After doing a projected count of the invited guests, Kane had to call in a huge favor and book the entire hotel for the weekend.  This would allow better security of the guests and more freedom to discuss sensitive information.  In addition, it would permit their guests to bring their significant others, along with their security teams. The hotel was excited with the amount of income and opportunities this would generate and assured to have only the best for each guest.  
   
   
 Elizabeth's heart was still hurting and heavy with her grief for Lisa, and the loss of a possible relationship with Sean.  She poured herself into her work, examining each minute of footage, and monitoring all information obtained on Sebastian.  This allowed her a brief respite to take her mind off Lisa and Sean.  She felt that she could never be what Sean needed and as much as she desired him, she knew that she needed to guard her heart.  Looking over the latest report that her team had compiled, she saw that the first phase was ready to begin.  
 As soon as Sebastian left his room, the team would be going in and replacing his multi-vitamin that they confirmed he took every day with Tagamet.  Not only did it cause erectile dysfunction, but, also after reading Sebastian's medical history, it was discovered he had a mild allergy to it.  After taking away his ability to use his favorite toy, due to the limp dick syndrome he would be experiencing, they knew that he would be contacting a doctor immediately.  What was not publicly known about Sebastian Morotti was that he was a hypochondriac.  His medical records took up four volumes.  They were riddled with visit after visit to his doctor for every little ache or pain.  The next part of this phase was to begin immediately after Sebastian contacted the front desk for a physician; the consigliere, who would be rewarded handsomely, would send the call to the Coven team.  One of the team members would then pose as a doctor and begin phase two of the torture.    
 "Elizabeth, we have him leaving."  Rick said, looking up from his monitor.  
 "Have the team ready to dispatch and make the change."  Elizabeth stated.  
 "Yes, ma'am." 
 Elizabeth looked around the room and found Jack.  He had taken over the search for the suitcase that probably contained Lisa's body.  "Jack, any new updates?" 
 "Actually, I just got some new data from NOS.  It seemed that the first data we got did have the information about a strong storm off the coast of Greenland that causes a current shift of five miles.  I just plugged in the data and I’m waiting for the computer to generate the new set of coordinates." 
 "Good news.  Let me know as soon as you do.  I am going to inform Kane and Ara with the updates.  I have my cell if you need me immediately.  Otherwise, notify me when the team has completed the switch." 
 Elizabeth left the room and as she walked down the hall, the weight of everything hit her like a ton of bricks.  She couldn't breathe, her heart was racing, and she needed out of the building.  Rushing down the hall to the back of the townhouse, she pushed her way out the back door and into the garden paradise that was there.  When she had first seen the area, she was in awe of the amount of plants and flowers, but also how they all seem to complement each other to perfection.  At the back of the garden was a small wooden bench that overlooked a fountain that had six circular trays and water ever so gently flowed down one circle to the next.   There was no beginning and no ending, but, unlike, the circles, her sweet sister's life had ended.  
 Burying her face into her hands, she began to sob, her heart breaking even more with each tear.  She should have been here for her.  With all the people in New York, why did she have to run into the Sebastian Morotti?  "WHY, TELL ME WHY?!"  Elizabeth screamed to the heavens, begging for answers to questions that she knew deep down would never be answered.  After a while, her sobs lessened and her broken heart was now filled with determination to make Sebastian Morotti suffer a long, painful death. 
 
 
 
 Chapter 17 
   
 Sebastian Morotti was enjoying his time in New York, but he knew that time was not on his side.  He needed to concentrate on formulating a plan to take out Kane Leone and bring his bitch of a daughter under control.  As her father, he would readily admit that she was a gorgeous woman, an asset that he could use that to his advantage.  He knew many powerful men around the world who would be willing, for the right price, to kill Kane, and take Arabella as a bonus.  Thinking back over all the contacts he had made over the years, he realized that it shouldn’t be too hard to find someone to meet his needs.  Then he remembered an acquaintance that would not only be willing, but, with the added bonus of Arabella, would seal the deal.  Roberto Cortez, the Colombian drug lord, had been one of his business partners for years and they would still be conducting business if it hadn't been for his father's decision to turn over everything to Arabella and Kane.  Those fucking Leones had become the bane of his existence.  
 Picking up his phone, he made a call to Roberto, and was pleased to discover that he, too, was in New York doing a photoshoot for BOSS® cologne.  
 He had always been amazed how someone as criminal as Roberto could come in and out of the country without raising any red flags, but, his using the cover of his side job as a male model made it easier.  They arranged to meet that evening at a club that Roberto owned under one of his shell companies.  Sebastian knew of Roberto’s propensity for beautiful woman, and hoped he could convince Roberto to assist him with getting rid of Arabella.  He pulled up his cellphone to double check that he still had the picture of her that he had the foresight to take at the wedding.  
 With that task completed, Sebastian walked into his bathroom to get ready for the day.  After taking a long hot shower and completing the rest of his morning ablutions, he took all his medicine.  Sebastian blamed his father for his poor health.  The inferior genes that he had inherited from Zachary were the root cause of his constant illnesses.  Not a day had passed that he did not have to battle one ailment or another because of his poor constitution.  After taking all his meds, he took the specialized vitamin that his doctor had prescribed for him.  Since the first day he started taking this vitamin, he could feel the positive effects that it had on his health.  Of course, he had also noticed that one of the unexpected benefits was the increase in his sexual stamina, allowing him to beat the pussy more.  
 Dressed in his black suit, shirt, and red tie, he was ready to leave.  He collected his cellphone, room key, and wallet, and headed out the door to the club for his meeting.  
 The taxi let Sebastian out at the curb in front of the entrance to the club, where he was met by a mammoth of a man dressed in all black and wearing dark glasses. 
 “Name?”  He barked in his baritone voice. 
 “Sebastian Morotti.”  He responded with a sniff. 
 Checking his clipboard, he quickly looked back up and opened the door.  “Welcome, Mr. Morotti, we have been expecting you.”  Looking at the man on his right, he directed, “John, please take Mr. Morotti to the VIP section and make sure that he has whatever he wants.” 
 “Certainly.  Please follow me, sir.” John directed Sebastian as they entered the club. 
 As Sebastian followed behind John through the club, he enjoyed the sight before him.  The club was not a regular nightclub, but a strip joint.  Girls were dancing on multiple stages with nothing on and the waitresses were dressed in tiny, bra-like tops and thong bottoms.  
 He was suddenly excited with anticipation of what this night might hold in store for him.  Following John up the stairs towards the VIP section, he was escorted to a door with another large man posted at the entrance. 
 “Mr. Morotti is here.”  John stated. 
 The guard opened the door and Sebastian was ushered into a large, opulent room with plush deep red couches and chairs.  In one corner was a lavish wooden bar, with a tall busty brunette behind it, wearing a black leather corset that had her abundant breasts on full display.  Her matching micro leather skirt with the rivets in it left nothing to the imagination. The front of the room was a floor to ceiling glass overlooking the club. 
 “Marci, this is Mr. Morotti.  He is a special guest of Roberto, so take care of all his needs or desires.” 
 “Of course.  May I get you a drink, sir?” Marci inquired, leaning over to give Sebastian the opportunity to sample her goods. 
 “Yes, a Jack on the rocks.” Sebastian answered while licking his lips, as he grabbed hold of Marci’s left breast, squeezing and palming her displayed nipple. Images of what he could do with Marci danced around his head.  
 “Certainly, sir.  Please have a seat, Mr. Cortez is expected to arrive shortly.”  She smiled and swayed her hips as she returned to the bar to fill the drink order.  From the looks of the gentleman’s suit, she couldn’t help but think that this could be a financially lucrative evening for her if she played her cards right. 
 Sebastian glanced around the room, and moved over to one of the plush couches near the wall of glass, unbuttoned his jacket, and took a seat.  The view out the window was something he had never seen before.  Ahead was a large mirror that was positioned so that when you look into it you could see the main dance floor on the club level.  Sebastian sat back, slinging his arm over the back of the couch and took in the show before him. 
 “Here is your drink, sir.  Is there anything I can do for you?”  Marci asked as she placed the drink on the table in front of Sebastian.  
 “Hmm, after my meeting, I might need something to help me relax.  Do you think you could help me with that?”  He leered. 
 “I am available to take care of all your needs, sir.”  Marci moaned.  “If there is anything else you may require this evening, please see me.” 
 “Wonderful. I am sure I will be needing you later.”  Sebastian reached forward, taking a rather large sip of his drink.   Hmm…that was good.   He licked his lips at Marci, making sure that she knew he would be seeing her later.  Taking in the show, he was impressed by not only the sheer beauty of the women, but also their obvious talents as dancers.  Roberto knew how to run a first rate club.  
 “Sebastian, so good to see you.”  Roberto said as he walked in. 
 Sebastian stood up and greeted Roberto with a firm handshake.  “Yes it is.  It has been too long old friend.  Thank you for meeting me.” 
 “Glad that I was in town.  Sit, let’s talk business so we can then have some fun.”  Roberto smirked.  “Tell me, how can I help you?” 
 “I want you to kill Kane Leone.”  Sebastian stated matter of fact. 
 “Ah, that’s all.  Why would I want to do that?”  He asked, his curiosity had been piqued. 
 “The family is mine; it should be under my rule.  If you take out Kane, then I will take out my father.  That will put me back in charge of the Morotti family and we can resume our previously profitable business together.” 
 Roberto sat taking a long sip of his drink and thought about the proposal that Sebastian had made.  Over the years, the Morotti had been one of his biggest clients and it had been a huge financial hit when there had been a change in leadership and they no longer did business with him.  He began to calculate how hard it would be to kill Kane Leone.  Fuck, the Leone family was one of most powerful mafia families in the world.  The task would not be an easy one, but not entirely impossible.  Then he realized Kane was not the only leader of the family, he shared the leadership of the family with his wife, Donna Arabella, whom he had heard was Zachary Morotti’s granddaughter, which would make her…  
 “Wait a fucking minute, isn’t the Donna of the family your daughter?”  Roberto exclaimed. 
 “Yes she is, she will be a bonus to the deal.”  Sebastian smirked as he took out his phone and pulled up Arabella’s picture.  “Take a look.  Your bonus, if you agree to kill Kane, is that get to keep her.” 
 Roberto took the photo from Sebastian’s hand, and sucked in a deep breath.  She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and he would have the opportunity to have her as his own.  Images of her naked in his bed filled every crevice of his brain.  Licking his lips, he could almost taste her sweet nectar and feel her soft skin.  Damn, he was hard.  Regrettably handing the phone back to Sebastian, he knew he had to have her.  “I’ll do it.” 
 “Great.  When do you think you execute the hit, this week?  I’ve got to get back to Seattle and start organizing.”  Sebastian’s face was bursting with glee. 
 “Woah, amigo, wait a minute, it is going to take a bit of time to organize a hit as large as this.  You know as well as I do that the Don and Donna are constantly with security.  There are details that need to be worked out.”  Roberto was already plotting the outline of just how this job would get done. 
 “But I want it, and I want it now, Amigo.”  Sebastian whined. 
 Roberto grabbed Sebastian around the neck and began to squeeze.  “Let me make myself perfectly clear, I say when and how, so don’t dictate to me.  Do I make myself clear, fucker?  Comprende?” 
 Sebastian tried to get some air into his lungs, but Roberto’s grip was too tight.  So he did the only thing he could and nodded his head.  Roberto let go, tossing Sebastian back into his seat.  Sebastian gasped for air, choking and coughing with each gasp.  Finally, when he was able to get enough air in his lungs, he looked at Roberto.  He knew that he had overstepped his bounds and needed to make amends for his stupid remark.  “Whenever you feel best to do it, is fine by me.  My apologies, por favor.” 
 “Your apology is accepted Sebastian, but I suggest you remember your place, and don’t let it happen again.”  Roberto barked, then took a big swig of his drink as he tried to ease his temper.  Finally, he calmed down enough to continue.  “I will let you know the approximate time the job will be done.  Make your plans to kill your father and grab my prize.  Now, enough talk, let’s have some fun.  Marci, get some more girls in here.” 
 Marci quickly left the room and a short time later came back with five other girls.  All were beautiful with great bodies and very little clothes.  Bringing over bottles of whiskey, the girls began to kiss and caress Sebastian and Roberto. 
 Sebastian was so excited to see such goddesses paying him the attention he deserved, but something was off.  Normally by this time he would be so hard that he would need some relief, but his erection was nonexistent.  He was still limp.  Unzipping his pants he grabbed one of the girls and pushed her down to his limp dick.  “Suck it until it gets hard, bitch.”  Sebastian screeched. He was beginning to panic. 
 The girl began to suck his dick and fondle his balls, wanting to make sure she showed him a good time.  Her previous encounter had left the customer less than satisfied, and she was not willing to endure the pain that happened afterwards.  For several minutes, she sucked on his dick, but it was not getting hard, not even a little bit. 
 Sebastian sat back and tried not to think of anything other than the girl’s mouth on him, but as the minutes passed by, he still was not hard.  He could hear Roberto moaning and enjoying himself as two girls were sucking his dick and balls and the other girl was straddling his face, allowing him to eat her pussy.  Usually that would turn him on, but nothing was helping.  WHAT THE FUCK WAS GOING ON?!   OH NO SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH MY DICK.   Sebastian thought to himself.  Pushing the girl off his dick, he stood and zipped his pants.  “Roberto, I’ve got to go, something has come up.” 
 “Are you sure?”  He responded, the girl’s juices dripping from the smile on his face. 
 “Yeah.  Call me whenever you are ready to do the deed and thanks for the evening.”  Sebastian quipped, then quickly rushed to the door.  After leaving the club, he pulled out his phone and dialed the hotel. 
 “Good evening, thanks for calling The NoMad, how may I assist you?”  
 “This is Arturo Cygnet in room 5137, I am inquiring if you have a physician on staff or can you refer me to one. It is a dire emergency.”  He groaned.  He knew he couldn’t go to a normal hospital using his alias, so he hoped that they had someone on staff. 
 The girl at The NoMad had been made aware that if anyone called about a physician, she was to follow a certain protocol that had been sent down from the owner of the hotel.  “We do have someone on call, sir.” 
 “Wonderful.  Tell them to come to my room in about an hour.  I am on my way there now.  Please tell them it is extremely important.”  
 “Certainly, Mr. Cygnet.”  
 After Sebastian hung up, the girl dialed the number the staff was directed to call when and if someone asked for a physician.  It rang twice and a man answered the phone.  “Hello, I was told to call this number.  I work at the NoMad.” 
 “Someone has asked for a physician?” 
 “Yes, sir.  Mr. Cygnet in room 5137 says it is a dire emergency and would like someone here in about an hour.” 
 “I will take care of it; what is your name?”  The man asked. 
 “Connie Estep, sir.” 
 “Connie, you did well and you will be compensated for you extra effort.” 
 “Thank you, sir.”  Connie said and disconnected the call.  She didn’t know what was going on, but she knew she would keep her mouth shut and eyes closed. 
   
   
 Kane and Ara were sitting on the loveseat in the family room enjoying the evening with their families.  The women had arrived not long ago after spending the day with Maggie, searching for the perfect bridal gown for an Irish Princess.  Maggie was going on and on about what would be required for a wedding that would involve the marriage of two of the most important and feared crime families in the country. 
 She continued telling them about the numerous gowns she had tried on and how excited she was that she had found her “perfect” dress and that it fit as though had been made for her.  She gushed about the fact that Rosa had called Kleinfeld Bridal and mentioned that Sean O’Leary’s sister was looking for her bridal gown.  They were immediately booked for an appointment.  They provided her with several choices in styles, but Maggie insisted that the gown had one specific requirement, Irish Lace.  
 Dress after dress was brought into the private room, where she was served champagne and had not one, but two of the highest in demand Kleinfeld’s Sales Assistants at her disposal.  Finally, she stepped into a gown that she immediately knew was the dress when she saw her reflection in the mirror.  It was a custom made ball gown with an Irish lace bodice, a sweetheart neckline and off the shoulder cap long lace sleeves.  The body of the dress was layer upon layers of chiffon with the same Irish lace sewn onto the bottom.  
 The dress had been a special order for another bride, but, to the dismay of her parents, the bride had run off with her driver and got married to him instead.  The parents had already paid in full for the dress because it was custom made, but didn’t have any need for it.  They had asked Kleinfeld if they could sell the dress and recoup some of the money that they had put for it.  
 The gown fit Maggie as if it had been made for her, even the length of the gown was perfect. When she came out of the dressing room and stepped up onto the dais to show everyone, there was not a dry eye in the room.  After the momentary shock of seeing her in the dress, the ladies rose to go to Maggie.  Everyone expressed their joy in seeing her in the beautiful gown.  After changing back into her regular clothes, she made arrangements to schedule her fittings, then went to the counter to pay.  Chuckling to herself when she heard bill total, she couldn’t help but admit to everyone there,  
 “Well, Sean said to buy whatever I wanted, but I wonder if he meant for me to spend $127,000?” 
 Simon had not been with the party, because he had not wanted to see the dress.  He wanted to wait until she walked down the aisle to him on their wedding day.  
 Elizabeth walked into the room.  “Kane, Ara, there has been a huge development.  I need to see you right away.” 
 Kane and Ara excused themselves and followed Elizabeth back to the command center. 
 “What is going on?”  Kane inquired. 
 “Well it seems that the dose of drugs we put in Sebastian’s vitamins was more than precise.  He is calling the hotel in a panic requesting a doctor.  We have already changed out his shampoo with the hair removal and put the hydrochloric acid in his body wash.  We are ready to send in Daniella to pose as the hotel’s on-call doctor.  She will have the Androgel® topical cream for him to apply to his dick, which, of course, has also been treated with hydrochloric acid, which will cause the skin to begin peeling and fall off.  When he calls back, which we know he will, that is when we move in and capture him.”  Elizabeth stated. 
 “So we are looking at tomorrow for the capture?”  Ara asked. 
 “Yes.  With the amount of additives we inserted into his medications, and, of course, the new cream, the results will be immediate. We will need to get the planes and the teams ready to move back to Seattle.  I already have Jack and Rick dismantling most of our equipment for transport.  I am leaving a skeleton crew and essentials to still monitor and locate the suitcase.”  At this, Elizabeth could feel the tears at the back of her eyes, but forbid herself to show anymore weakness before her bosses. 
 “Great work, Elizabeth.  We need to contact Sean and Peter and let them know about the timeline.”  Kane said.  
 “Yes, we do.”  Elizabeth mumbled, hoping that Kane would make that call.  She was still upset with her father and her feelings for Sean were too raw to talk to him right now.  
 Ara could tell by the look on Elizabeth’s face that she was in no state to talk to Sean or Peter.  She understood the turmoil that she was going through.  Hell, she was getting ready to capture, torture, and kill her own father.  “Elizabeth, you go get everything ready for the team; Kane and I will call Sean and Peter.” 
 “Thank you.”  Elizabeth responded, releasing some of the tension that was building up. 
 Suddenly, Jack ran in covered in mud and green mossy gunk.  His expression conveyed a mixture of emotions, sympathy, success, but, to Elizabeth, it indicated one thing. The suitcase had been found. 
 
 
 
 Chapter 18 
   
 Jack stood in the entrance to the room, covered in mud and green slime, with a heavy heart.  This was not an enviable position.  He felt relieved that he could bring closure to Elizabeth, by finding her sister’s body, yet still wished he was able to provide her with better news.  Elizabeth’s face looked so broken; he could tell she was barely holding it together. 
 Elizabeth cleared her throat, trying to find some semblance of the professional demeanor she aspired to maintain.  “Jack, what do you have to report?”  The question came in a whisper, her voice breaking with every syllable. 
 “Elizabeth, I found the suitcase.  It is the one Sebastian purchased.  I’m sorry, Elizabeth, our suspicions were confirmed; the body of your sister, Lisa, was within the suitcase.” 
 All hope, even the smallest shred, was lost as Elizabeth heard the words Jack delivered to her.  Her knees began to buckle and her breathing was becoming labored.  She had anticipated this, she knew just the kind of monster Sebastian Morotti was, so it was no surprise that this was the result.  But, God help her, it was her baby sister.  She did not know if it was true if, at the moment of your death, you saw your life flash before your eyes, but she knew that her sister’s life was flashing before hers.  
 Memory upon memory assaulted her.  When her parents first brought her home, helping her mother take care of her, assuming the role of her mother when theirs had died.  Everything that she tried to store as far back in her mind as she could, had escaped and now crippled her completely.  She wasn’t going to survive this; she wanted Lisa back.  She was so lost in her memories she didn’t hear Sean enter the room.  He had come to the townhouse for an update on their operations. 
 The night before, after Elizabeth had left, he planned to go to his home office and try to get some work done.  The family was expecting a shipment of guns next week, and he needed to ensure that everything organized and as secure as possible.  The family had received intelligence that the Cortez family from Colombia were putting out feelers to weasel their way into his territory.  They were known for their distribution of drugs, but it seemed they wanted to branch out into guns.  Sean knew that shit wasn’t going to happen on his watch. After reading over the same paragraph three times, he decided to give up and go for a long walk.   He needed to clear his mind.  Grabbing his jacket and his nine mil, he placed the gun into his back holster, and took the elevator down to the first floor.  The guards on duty tonight were Colin and Seamus.  Seamus jumped up from the desk when he saw the Don step off the elevator.  Colin was Sean’s personal bodyguard, and was already in step with his boss and best friend as he stepped off the elevator. 
 “I don’t need you guys tonight.  I’m going for a walk, clear the cobwebs, alone.”  
 “But, sir, that is not advisable.” Seamus responded.  Colin remained silent, with a slight smirk on his face.  He knew when Sean was in this type of mood; it was better not to push. 
 “I don’t give a fuck.  I am going for a walk and I am going alone.”  Sean barked in a tone that would make a grown man piss his pants. 
 “Yes, sir.”  Seamus returned.  Colin stationed himself outside the front entrance to the building, but not before instructing Seamus to keep an eye on the monitors. 
 Sean walked out the door and down the street towards the park.  With every step he reviewed every word they had shared, every look, and every touch; fuck, why couldn’t he get Elizabeth out of his head?  Why the fuck was that?  All the other women he had ever dealt with had never been a problem.  As he fucked them, he didn’t think of them again.  Even though he and Elizabeth had never had sex, he couldn’t seem to stop thinking of her and longing spending more time with her.  But she shut him out.  Did she not share the same feelings that he had?  Better yet, what the fuck were these feelings?  And why the fuck did hurt so much when she left and why was it that he wanted nothing more than rush over to the Leone townhome, rush in, take her into his arms, and kiss the fuck out of her before he kidnapped her and rushed off to Vegas for a quick wedding.  WAIT!!! Marriage?  Was that what he was feeling?  Was he in love with Elizabeth?  
 Suddenly, he was faced with a punk ass kid dressed in all black, holding a knife. 
 “Give me your fucking money or I will cut you, motherfucker.”  The kid snarled, shaking the knife in Sean’s face. 
 Shit, this was not this kid’s lucky day.  Sean looked at the kid, his shaking hands, his hold on the knife, and knew he had nothing to worry about.  “Really, you want my money?” 
 “Yeah, motherfucker.”  The question made the kid nervous. 
 Sean reached into his jacket and pulled out his gold plated, pearl handled desert eagle and pointed it in between the kid’s eyes.  When the kid saw the gun, his hands shook so badly that he dropped the knife.  “You don’t know who the fuck you are messing with.  Who do you work for?” 
 “Jose Lopez.”  The kid responded.  He wanted to either run, or piss his pants, and not necessarily in that order. 
 “And that fucking name should mean something to me?  Who is the Boss, ese?”  Sean barked, knowing that, if the kid was part of a family, he would know what he was asking. 
 “Roberto Cortez.” He responded with just a little more bravado.  He knew that name meant something in this town. 
 Fuck, this punk ass kid was working for the fucker who was trying to cut into his turf.  He needed to send a message to Roberto and this kid was going to do it.  “Listen to me very carefully.  You listening?  I want you to take this message back to the Boss, not Jose, but to Roberto.  You tell him to stay the fuck out of the O’Leary turf or there is going to be a lot of fucking bloodshed, and it isn’t going to be Irish blood.  Do you have that, ese?” 
 “Yes, sir.”  
 “Good, now get the fuck out of my face!”  Sean said, shoving the kid hard to the ground.  The kid jumped up and took off down the street, leaving his knife on the ground.   Sean returned his weapon and continued his walk.  After hours of walking around the city, he headed back to his apartment with a plan to go to Leone’s townhome tomorrow and lay his feelings on the line.  If they didn’t straighten out where they stood, Elizabeth was going to drive him batshit crazy. 
 Sean arrived about mid-morning at the townhouse.  Maggie was there and told him about the dress she had picked out yesterday.  During their conversation, he saw Jack enter through the back door.  From all appearances, he had been searching for the suitcase.  Jack’s expression said it all; the suitcase was found, and so was Lisa.  Sean wrapped up his conversation with Maggie, and went to the command post to find out what was going on.  When he entered the room, he noticed all the color had drained from Elizabeth’s face, and her knees were buckling, and she was gasping for air.  Her eyes were empty.  There was no emotion, no tears, just that blank stare.  He had seen this look before, it was not a good sign.  As soon as he neared her, her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she began to fall backwards toward the table.  Running the last few steps, Sean quickly caught her before she hit the floor, cradling her limp body close to his.  “Get a damn doctor in here!”  Sean screamed. 
 Kane grabbed his phone and called the Dr. Mallos, who had come with the team on the trip.  It had been determined early on that they would have a doctor on all extensive jobs, just in case something went wrong.  It was almost impossible for them to go to a regular hospital and it was more cost effective to pay the good doctor a hefty sum to keep the team alive and healthy. 
 “Let me take her, Sean.”  Kane said as he began to kneel beside them. 
 “No.  Get the goddamn doctor in here and don’t even fucking attempt to take her from me.”  Sean seethed between his tightly clenched teeth.  “She is mine and mine alone and I will kill any motherfucker who tries to take her away from me.” 
 Kane slowly rose and took a step back.  He could relate to the way Sean was feeling; he felt the exact same way every time someone came too close Ara, the rage for his need to protect the woman who was his everything.  
 Dr. Mallos walked into the room carrying his bag and went straight to where Sean was kneeling on the floor holding onto Elizabeth.  He knelt beside them.  Sean instantly tightened his hold of Elizabeth and gave Dr. Mallos a look of warning that would kill.  “Sir, I am Dr. Mallos, and I need to check Elizabeth out.  Do you think you can possibly take her to her room and lay her on her bed?  She will be more comfortable there.”  He said calmly. 
 Sean rose up and gently carried Elizabeth to her room, with Dr. Mallos following closely behind.  
 He laid her down on the bed with care and willed himself to remove his arms from her.  He knew he needed to allow the doctor to do his job, but he didn’t want to lose the connection.  Finally, he let go and stepped back to allow the doctor to begin his examination.  
 Kane walked up to Sean and placed his hand on his shoulder.  “She is going to be okay.  She just found out that they found Lisa’s body.”  
 “Fuck.  I knew they were holding out hope, even if it was clear that she was dead.”  Sean groaned.  “Where is Sebastian?”  
 “We have him under surveillance and they have already begun implementing the plan.” 
 “Kane, you need to make sure that fucker suffers ten times the pain he has caused.” 
 “I promise you that he will.  I need you to get a hold of Peter; we are flying out tonight for Seattle with Sebastian.” 
 Sean turned and looked Kane dead in the eye.  “I’m coming, too.” 
 Kane knew this was more about Sean being there for Elizabeth than it was about getting a shot at Sebastian.  “That’s fine, Sean; I already assumed you would want to be there.” 
 Ara walked into the room and wrapped her arms around Kane’s waist, needing the connection that they shared, to help ground her during the chaos and tragedy of the news.  “How is she?” 
 “The doctor hasn’t said yet.”  Kane said, kissing the top of her head.  He loved how she fit so perfectly against his body.  Well, fuck, she fit perfectly everywhere.  
 “We’ve got a situation back in Seattle.”  Ara said.  “It seems that someone tried to hack into our personal bank account.” 
 “Fuck, did they get in?”  Kane groaned. 
 “No, Simon’s system was able to keep the person online long enough to back track their web address and turn on their camera of their computer.  He got the picture of the person, along with the address where the computer was housed.” 
 “Great.  Damn, Simon is worth his weight in gold with these programs.” 
 “Here is the thing though Kane, we know the person.”  Ara stated.  Kane was slightly surprised that someone that knew them would be so fucking stupid. 
 “Who was it?”  Kane asked. 
 “Donnie Newton and he was doing it from Judith Young’s apartment.”  
 “That Goddamn motherfucker is dead!  Dead, I tell you!”  Kane yelled.  “I want his ass picked up immediately and taken to the warehouse along with that Judith bitch.” 
 “I already sent out the command and they got Donnie, but Judith was nowhere to be found.”  
 “Fuck!”  Kane groaned. 
 “I have extra guys looking, but the stupid blonde was smart enough to leave everything in the apartment and her car is still in the garage.”  Ara grumbled.  
 At this point, the doctor walked back over to the group.  “I have checked Elizabeth over and she is just in shock.  She has held in the grief so long that this bit of news pushed her over the edge.”  
 “When will she wake up?”  Sean asked as he looked over to where she was lying and wanted nothing more than to lay beside her and wrap her up in his arms and make all the sadness to go away. 
 “I don’t know for sure.  This is the brain's defense mechanism; when she is ready, she will wake up.” 
 “Thanks, Doc.  We will be leaving in a few hours, so you need to pack and be ready to leave.”  Kane said. 
 “Certainly.  She is going to need a lot of support when she wakes.”  
 “We are her family and we will be here for anything that she needs.”  Ara whispered.  She didn’t have a sister, but she could imagine what it would be like if something like this happened to Katrina.  She looked up at Sean; his face said it all.  He was in love with Elizabeth.  “Sean, why don’t you sit with her until she wakes up?  Kane and I have to attend to some business.” 
 “Thank you, Ara.  I promise to take care of her and protect her with my life.” 
 Kane and Ara walked out the door and Sean took his place beside Elizabeth.  He watched her chest rise with each breath she took.  He may be the head of the family, but he believed in God and silently prayed that she would awake soon and allow him to console her through this time of grief.  But, he didn’t know if she would.  Why was she this way?  Women. 
 As he sat patiently waiting, he made some phone calls.  First, he phoned Colin and filled him on what was happening.  He told him to contact Peter immediately, and to get with Mackenzie, the family Consigliere, to make the funeral arrangements for the family.  With them returning to Seattle with Sebastian, the arrangements were going to need to be made as soon as possible. They could hold the funeral when they returned.  Since he would be traveling with the Leones, and wouldn’t need additional security, he appointed Colin as acting Don until his return. He brought him up to speed on the different shipments that were scheduled, and told him to get with Mackenzie for any questions.  He could call Sean whenever necessary. 
 When he ended his conversation with Colin, he noticed Elizabeth’s breathing change and eyes began to flutter.  A small moan escaped her pouty lips and then her red rimmed eyes opened and stared into his.  “What happened?” 
 “You fainted, lass.  I caught you and brought you to your room.  The doctor has been in and you are physically fine.  He just left the room with Kane and Ara.” 
 “What are you doing here?”  Elizabeth asked.  Her heart was shattering into a million pieces; she didn’t have the energy to put up with a man who would in the end break it more.  
 “I came to talk to you, lass.”  Sean said in a calm voice.  “I thought I would tell you what it is I feel and want.” 
 Raising up and getting off the bed, she still felt a little shaky, but she needed to put distance between herself and Sean.  “What you want?  Let me tell you right now, Sean O’Leary, what I want.  I want you to leave me alone.  I will not be one of your come Saturday night girls and I am sure you don’t want anything else, because I have heard all about your sexual exploits.  News flash, Mr. O’Leary, I am not a whore.” 
 “I don’t want that.”  Sean implored. 
 Laughing a nervous laugh, she continued, “Yeah, right.  Mr. O’Leary, leave me alone.” 
 “But, Elizabeth, I have these feelings for you.” 
 “Take a damn laxative, then, because you are so full of shit right now.  
 I’m leaving; I have a job to do. See you around.”  Elizabeth said, and then marched out of the room.  She walked quickly down the hall and into the nearest empty room.  Shutting the door behind her and leaning up against it, she willed herself to calm down.  This man always had a way of getting to her.  She didn’t know how much longer she could keep him at arm's length.  Finally, she had calmed down enough and continued to the command center.  She didn’t need this added onto what she was already dealing with because of Sebastian.  
 “Give me an update.”  Elizabeth barked. 
 “Daniella is en route as we speak.  The extraction team is already set up and the containment box has been readied and waiting for the target.  But we have a situation we need to inform you about.  Our tracers indicate that Sebastian placed a phone call and set up a meeting with someone.  He was followed to a club which we traced back as being owned by one Roberto Cortez.  Mr. Cortez is currently under contract with Hugo Boss as one of their models, however, he is also known as the head of a Colombian family who is notorious for their drug imports.” 
 “All right, I want a detailed workup on this Roberto Cortez.  Be ready to move to Seattle as soon as the target is in the box.”  
 Elizabeth was in control again.  That is how she would survive for the coming weeks, focusing on the task at hand.  She had no time for Sean, nor would she direct her efforts on anything other than the pain and suffering that would soon be inflicted on Sebastian Morotti.  She would avenge her baby sister if it was the last thing she did. 
 
 
 
 Chapter 19 
   
 Daniella Canalis dressed for her part as the enticing doctor making a house call in a black pencil skirt and a white silk blouse that wrapped snugly around her more than ample breasts, like a present waiting to be opened.  She had styled her long brunette hair in a chignon.  Her combination of both professional and sensual would entice any virile male to immediately want to play patient to her doctor.  According to the operations plan, Daniella’s appearance would cause Sebastian to be so distracted that it would prohibit him from suspecting that anything was amiss.  
 She was simply a doctor responding to his call.  The extraction team was in place and prepared.  As soon as Daniella gave them the signal, they would immediately implement the extraction. Kane and Ara were making their own preparations, because they had a surprise for Sebastian.  Daddy Dearest was in for a very rude awakening.  
 Daniella was carrying a black leather medical bag containing the standard items one would find in a doctor’s kit, as well as the items needed to carry out the plan.  A secret compartment within the bag contained her 9mm, zip ties, and a syringe filled with Propofol, just in case Sebastian became suspicious and decided to put up some resistance.  Kane and Ara had instructed that they wanted Sebastian to be as coherent as possible, so he would be aware of what was happening, as well as feeling the pain.  The extraction team had already prepared syringes of adrenaline in order to revive Sebastian if he passed out from pain.  
 “I am ready to go in.” Daniella said, making one more check for her silent alarm that was part of her watch and that the camera contained in her necklace was sending a live feed to the waiting team. 
 “Affirmative.  Proceed to the target, commence the operation.  I want that fucker to start suffering.  Extraction team, standby for signal.”  Elizabeth smirked. 
 Affirmative responses were received from both Daniella and Diego, the extraction team leader. 
 Danielle exited the townhouse and got into her rented red Audi S5.  The extraction team was following her in a white panel van. The van was carrying a specially designed container for moving Sebastian, a medium size wooden crate that had been specially fitted with sharp metal stakes protruding into the crate every six inches from the top to the bottom on all sides. Diego designed the crate based on a medieval torture device, the Iron Maiden.  
 Danielle arrived at the hotel and walked through the lobby and directly to the elevator up to Sebastian’s room.  Taking a cleansing breath outside of his room, she put her game face on, and knocked on the door. 
 Sebastian had been on pins and needles all night until the desk clerk called and informed him that the doctor would be up first thing in the morning.  He had hoped, when he woke up this morning, that things would be back to normal, but he was the complete opposite.  His situation was rapidly deteriorating. As he was showering this morning, he noticed that his dick was still limp, and no amount of jerking, or gripping, helped.  He also became panicked when he saw large clumps of hair falling from his scalp as he was washing his hair. It was no wonder that he was ecstatic when he heard a knock on the door.  Remaining ever suspicious, he looked out the peephole and gasped at the stunning woman who was standing away from his door holding a doctor’s bag.  Was this his doctor?  “Who is it?” 
 “I am Doctor Canalis.  The concierge called and said you had a medical emergency.”  Daniella said. 
 Removing the locks, Sebastian opened the door and stared at the woman before him.  She had to be one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen.  “Please, please come in.”  Sebastian cooed. 
 “Thank you.  Good morning.  Are you Arturo Cygnet? 
 “Yes, yes I am.” 
 Sebastian led Daniella into the sitting area and motioned for her to have a seat on one of the chairs while he sat on the couch.  
 “So, tell me, what is going on, Mr. Cygnet?”  Danielle asked. 
 “I am having some serious issues, doctor.  First, my hair started falling out in huge clumps and my dick is limp.”  
 “Pardon me?”  
 “My dick is limp.  It won’t get hard.”  Sebastian groaned as he waved his hand towards his crotch, as if the doctor didn’t know where it was located. 
 Daniella cleared her throat and looked at Sebastian Morotti, mentally acknowledging that his hair and dick would soon be the least of his problems.  “Sir, it is well known that men your age sometimes experience periods of erectile dysfunction.  Has this problem occurred before?” 
 “NOT ME!”  Sebastian yelled.  “I have never ever had a problem with getting or keeping an erection.  So there has to be some other reason.” 
 “Calm down, Mr. Cygnet; let's review your medical history and see if we can find the cause of the problem.”  Daniella was preparing to ask the basic medical questions when Sebastian reached over to the table and picked up the two four inch thick folders full of his medical information.  When he left Seattle, it was the first thing he took out of his safe, knowing that he would need medical attention at some point.  “Here is my complete medical file.” 
 Daniella took the files from Sebastian and tried her best to maintain her role and not laugh.  She had been made aware that Sebastian was a hypochondriac.  As she flipped through the sheets, she was amused by the things that he complained about.  “I see you have had several health issues over the years.” 
 “Yes I have.  My numerous health issues are directly linked to the genes I got from my father.” 
 “I see you are on a drug and vitamin regimen.  Let's get your vitals and I can get a better picture of what is going on, sir.”  Daniella removed the stethoscope from the bag and checked Sebastian’s heart rate, while taking his pulse.  She then applied the cuff from the portable blood pressure machine, and check his blood pressure. “Well, sir, everything seems to be normal; since you have stated that you have never experienced this type of predicament before, I would like you to try a topical steroid cream and see if it helps.”  Daniella pulled out a box containing various medications in pill form, liquids, and creams.  They wanted it to appear that the “doctor” had medications stocked in the bag, so that Sebastian would not question her having the cream readily available. 
 “Has it worked in the past for other patients?”  Sebastian worriedly asked. 
 “Yes, sir.  The steroid cream has multiple uses, and has a high success rate for temporary erectile dysfunction.  Now one of the side effects is a slight case of a burning sensation when first applied, but that should subside rather quickly.” 
 “If this helps, a little burning is well worth it.  And, when this cream works, I would love nothing more than to show you just what a hard cock can do, doctor.”  Sebastian smirked, thinking about all the erotic things he could do to the good doctor.  
 Daniella swallowed down the bile that wanted to make an appearance, and tried to keep up appearances, because she really wanted to pull out her gun and kill this sick bastard.  “Okay, Mr. Cygnet, please stand and drop your pants for me.” 
 “With pleasure, my dear.”  Sebastian said, licking his lips at her. 
 Daniella reached into the case and pulled out a pair of latex examination gloves and the tube of cream.  When she righted herself, she came face to penis with Sebastian’s limp, lifeless dick.  Swallowing back another bit of vomit that was trying to make an appearance, she put on a smile and began putting on her gloves.  She wondered what the surveillance team was thinking, as they had an up close and personal view of Sebastian’s limp, hairless dick.  “Mr. Cygnet, as I said earlier, this might cause a slight burning sensation, but that is totally normal.” 
 “As long as it corrects my problem, I can take a little pain.” 
 Squeezing on a large quantity of the cream onto her fingers, she rubbed it all over his lifeless dick and then squeezed another large amount and coated his testicles, ensuring every inch of his privates was coated with the cream.  He was going to be in a hell of a lot of pain. “Okay, that should be sufficient.  Please put your pants back on, sir.” 
 Sebastian licked his lips and grabbed Daniella’s left arm tight.  “But, wouldn’t it be easier if I left them down?  Because, as soon as this cream does its job and I am hard, I plan to ram it into that tight pussy of yours over and over again, until you cry out my name in ecstasy.” 
 Danielle had enough of this asshole and she needed to put him in his place.  Rearing back with her right hand palm side up, she thrust it with all her strength into Sebastian’s nose, immediately hearing the satisfying crunch of his nose breaking.   Take that, you fucker  she thought. 
 “YOU BITCH!”  Sebastian screamed, letting go of Daniella’s arm and holding on to his bloody, broken nose and falling back into the chair with his pants around his ankles.  
 Daniella quickly and smoothly reached into the bag and grabbed the specially made zip ties they had designed for Sebastian.  Instead of the usually smooth surface, these had hard sharp teeth cut on the inside that would dig into the captive’s skin.  She quickly circled behind Sebastian, pushed his head down and grabbed his wrists and placed the ties around them and pulled it tight.  “Shut up, you sick bastard.” 
 “That hurts, let me fucking go, you bitch!  Do you know who you are messing with?”  Sebastian seethed, his teeth grinding together tightly. 
 Suddenly, the door opened and in walked Kane and Ara, guns drawn and pointed at Sebastian.  “Well, well, well, look who we have here.  Daddy Dearest.”  Ara chuckled.  “Looking a bit under the weather, I see.  Nice job, Daniella.” 
 “You fucking whore, let me go!”  Sebastian yelled.  His nose was fucked up and bleeding, his wrists throbbed in pain, and he began to feel an intense burning sensation on and around his dick; as the seconds ticked by, the pain was increasing.  “What the fuck is going on?  What the fuck are you doing in my room?”  He tried to turn around to see the doctor; then he yelled out, “My dick is on fire, make it stop.”  
 “Oh no, no, that won’t be happening.”  Kane smirked.  “This is only the beginning Sebastian.  Il dolore è solo voi a partire fottuto maiale.  (The pain is just starting, you fucking pig). ” 
 “Fuck you.  Fuck all of you.  Let me fucking go!!!!!”  
 Kane laughed a devilish chuckle.  “Don’t swing that way.  I love my wife’s pussy too much.  Now, this is what is going to happen, we are taking you back to Seattle in first class accommodations.  Your sick ass is going to pay for all the pain and heartache that you have inflicted, not only on my family and your own family, but on the O’Leary family as well. 
 Sebastian tried push through the extreme amount of pain his was feeling to get a grip on the situation. He was at a fucking loss as to what fuck he did to the O’Leary family.  “I don’t know what the fuck you are talking about, motherfucker.  I have never done anything to the fucking Irish.”  
 Kane stepped up and threw a punch, whipping Sebastian’s head around.  “You fucking killed and dumped the body of Lisa O’Donnell, daughter of Peter O’Donnell of the O’Leary Family.  Sound familiar now, cocksucker?” 
 “What do you care what happened to the whore?” 
 Ara rushed forward and hit Sebastian over the head with the butt of her gun.  “Don’t you ever call her a whore again!  That young girl was a beloved sister and daughter, and you took her life and discarded her like a piece of trash. For that, your fucking death will be drawn out and extremely painful.”  Ara growled. 
 Sebastian spit blood all over the front of Ara’s blouse.  “Fuck you.  You are nothing but fucking mistake that should have trickled down your mother’s thigh, bitch.” 
 Kane punched Sebastian’s jaw so hard, he caused several teeth to fly out of his mouth.  “You will not speak to my wife like that, you fucking monster.  You are not fit to be in her presence.  The only mistake in this room is you. The fact that you are still breathing is only temporary, and something I plan on correcting very fucking soon.” 
 Kane turned to the team members who had followed Kane and Ara into the room.  “Get him ready for transport and get the cleanup crew in here.”  
 “Yes, sir.”  Jack said with confidence and pleasure.  The cleaning crew was the best in the business.  Not only did they remove all physical evidence, but also electronic evidence.  When they were through, there would not be one fraction of a millisecond of video left of Sebastian or any of the Leones.  Their trip to New York would be non-existent and new video and pictures would reflect the whole family in Seattle for the entire time.  
 Ara turned back to Sebastian.  “See you in Seattle, motherfucker.  Have a nice trip.” 
 Kane smirked and took Ara’s hand and walked out of the room.  Their vehicle was waiting and the entire family was in the process of making their way to the airport to board the plane.  Erik and Seth had been with Kane and Ara as they took Sebastian captive and Uriel and a large security team made sure the rest of the family arrived to the runway safely.  
 Daniella helped the team get Sebastian prepared for transport.  The first order of business was to tape his mouth shut.  Daniella inserted a ball gag before applying the duct tape over it. They all were getting sick and tired of hearing his moaning and groaning.  Fucker was an annoying shit.  The specially constructed five foot by five foot wooden box was brought into the room.  If he moved in any direction he would be impaled by the metal stakes, which just gave the team a warm happy feeling.  After Sebastian was placed in the box and the lid was nailed shut, they loaded him on a cart and wheeled out to the van.  
 Jack was driving the van and made sure to hit every bump and pothole between the hotel and the airport.  Yes, he was one evil sucker and he loved his job.  He was still full of rage for Sebastian; he had been the unfortunate one to locate the suitcase and Lisa’s body, and so any pain that he knew that Sebastian was feeling made it just a little sweeter.  Soon, they arrived at the airport and he drove the van to the cargo hold of the airplane.  The team rolled Sebastian’s temporary coffin out of the van and placed him into the cargo hold.  The ride to Seattle was going to be cold and noisy and every minute of displeasure that Sebastian endured would be just one second of pleasure to those who had been touched by his cruelty.    
 Kane and Ara had boarded the plane and the family was very interested in how the extraction had went and if everything had gone as planned. 
 “We are very pleased with how the Coven team has performed throughout this operation.  Their precision, dedication, and success are admirable.  We will be proud to promote this team to other families who will need the services of the best assassination team in the world.”  Kane proudly announced.  “Sebastian is currently in a box in the cargo hold.  The Seattle team has the warehouse all set up and currently have Donnie Newton in a cage awaiting our arrival.” 
 “Fucking Newton.  I can’t believe he was that stupid.”  Nazario murmured.  “Did you find Judith?” 
 “Not yet, but we are continuing our search.”  
 “When are Sean and Peter going to arrive?”  Rosa asked. 
 “Actually they left about an hour ahead of us.  Since we needed to take care of loading up the extra dead weight.” 
 “What?  Sebastian’s dead already?”  Rosa squeaked. 
 “No, Mom, not yet, he will be wishing for death before that mercy is granted.”  Kane smirked. 
 Elizabeth was sitting toward the back of the plane with her laptop open, but, instead of going over the information concerning the cleanup crew’s progress, she was daydreaming about Sean O’Leary.  How had this man managed to get under her skin so quickly?  She had tried to distance herself from him, but, every time she did, her heart physically ached.  Thinking back to all the conversations they had, she began to think that perhaps she had been too overly critical of Sean.  Maybe, just maybe, she could open up more to him.  He had said he would be there for her and she knew that she would need someone strong to lean on during Lisa’s funeral.  Because, as much as she wanted everyone to think she was holding it together, in reality she was barely functioning.  Damn Irish sweet talker.  She really had missed the Irish brogue; every time he called her lassie, her heart would skip a beat.  She was so afraid that she was going to be hurt again, but she knew that if her sister had been here, she would tell her that the great treasures are those that you endure some pain for. For the first time since this trip started, she actually allowed herself to smile.  Now she only hoped she hadn’t pushed him to far away; she was going to allow herself to open up to Sean’s advances and see where it took them. 
 The Leone family put all thoughts about what was going to happen once they arrived in Seattle to the back of their minds.  It was the first time since Sebastian’s escape that they were breathing a sigh of relief.  Kane and Ara sat as close as possible on one of the couches in mid cabin.  They were relaxed, cuddling with each other, and whispering in hushed tones.  “Are you sure you are ready for this?”  Ara asked. 
 “Oh, baby, I can’t wait.”  Kane said as picked up Ara’s delicate hand and kissed each knuckle sweetly.  
 “Okay.  I was scheduled to have the shot on Friday, so I will cancel the appointment.  But you do know it may take some time before anything might happen, right?” 
 “Yes, but we’ll have a fuck load of fun practicing, literally.”  Kane joked as he then wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her even closer.  
 Rosa watched her son and daughter, yes, daughter, not daughter-in-law; Rosa felt as though Ara were the daughter she never had, but always wanted.  As she watched them, there was something about the way they touched and looked at each other and then it hit her, they were talking about a baby.  Was Ara already pregnant?  Was she going to be a grandmother?  “Nazario.”  Rosa whispered. 
 Nazario leaned closer to Rosa.  “What is it, my love?” 
 “Look at them.  I think our family is going to be getting larger.” 
 “Really.” Nazario answered, not really questioning his wife’s intuitive nature. 
 “I think so.  Oh, Nazario, that would be so wonderful.”  Rosa cooed. 
 “It really would be, but, sweetie, let them come to us.” 
 “Oh, I will.”  She promised, but she was already thinking of themes for the nursery. 
 The rest of the trip was uneventful and the security team kept an eye on Sebastian with the mini camera that been installed in the box.  He was in a lot a pain. Even though he was gagged, one could tell he was screaming out in agony.  When the plane touched down, the ground team was ready to take Sebastian to the warehouse, where his torture would continue until his ultimate demise.   After the team left, the family disembarked the plane and headed into the limos that were waiting for them.  The family would be staying at the Leone Estate while Sebastian was being dealt with, but Kane, Ara, Nazario, Uriel, Erik, and Seth would be in attendance for each and every hour of torture he was to receive.  Zachary and Tony would be attending, along with Sean, Peter, and Elizabeth.  Several members of the Coven team were going to assist as necessary and help with keeping Sebastian conscious.  Simon had decided he did not want to be there as his father was being tortured, but elected to stay with his mother and Maggie.  Even though Sebastian was a demon, who possessed a black and evil heart from hell, he was still his father and, as much as he hated everything about him, he just couldn’t be in the room when he was killed.   
 The Leones and Morotti arrived at the warehouse and were met by Sean and Peter.  Elizabeth had ridden in with the Coven team which had arrived before everyone else to make sure all preparations had been made and everything was in order.  Kane and Uriel had given them a list of tools that they would be needed.  
 Before walking into the warehouse, Kane pulled Ara to the side of the door.  Over the years, he had participated in numerous tortures and killings of those who had wronged the family. He knew that, once he set foot through the door, he would need to be in a different mindset.  He would no longer be the loving, caring man that Ara knew, but the hardened, unforgiving Don of the family.  But Ara would also need to turn off her emotions and walk in as the Donna of the family.  The man that was tied up might be her biological father, but she could not, at any time, show any weakness for him.  
 “Baby, we talked about this.  When we walk in we need to be in the right mindset.  Once we step through that door, we must rid ourselves of our compassion, hell, our humanity.”  Kane implored.  “Do you think you can do this?” 
 Ara knew what was about to happen and she had been preparing herself mentally for this all week.  “Kane, I have considered everything that man has done, everything he could do if left to survive, and I am also aware of how I need to perform during this time.  I need to see this to the end.  I will see it end, and I can handle it.  We are doing the world a favor, and I am looking forward to starting our future without his shadow.  We need to do this for our family.” 
 “Okay, love, I just wanted to make sure you are ready.  Let’s get this over with.  I love you.” 
 “As I love you.”  Ara said, reaching up and placing a kiss on his pouty lips.  
 Kane turned back to the group, who were standing by waiting to enter the warehouse.  The Don and Donna would enter first, according to protocol, and others would follow in a sign of support and loyalty.  Kane opened the door and the smell of piss and blood flooded his nose.  The Don side of Kane relished in the smell, because he knew that the smell was an indication of fear.  He also knew the smell of death would soon be joining them.  Making their way down the hallway, they entered the main room where the Coven team had both Sebastian and Donnie Newton suspended from meat hooks.  Donnie was stripped naked, his feet were tied by ropes and his legs were stretched as far as possible.  The welts on his sides and back indicated that the team had gotten a few good shots, providing him a preview of the real pain he was about to receive.  
 Located in the middle of the room were two metal surgical tables, accompanied with side tables, which contained the specific instruments that Kane had requested of the team before they departed New York.  The floor was concrete with sewage drains located under each table.  There was a hanging spotlight over each table and metal restraints built in at the throat, ankle, and hand locations.  
 Kane nodded to one of the team members, Kevin, to bring Donnie forward using the pulley system the meat hook was attached to.  Donnie was gagged, but the muffled sounds emanating from him, clearly demonstrated that he was unhappy. 
 “Mr. Newton, since you are not at liberty to speak, simply nod yes or no for the required answers.  Do you understand?”  Kane started with the questioning. 
 Donnie nodded his head yes. 
 “Good, good, Mr. Newton.  Do you know why you are here?” 
 Donnie shook his head in the negative. 
 “Well, Mr. Newton, perhaps I should refresh your memory.  Strength of the family, like the strength of an army depends on the loyalty of its members.  You have not been loyal to the family.  In fact, you tried to steal from the family; for that, the sentence is death.” 
 Donnie's eyes grew wide as he heard what Kane said.  He didn’t know how Kane had found out about him trying to hack into the system, but he must have underestimated the security that little shit Simon had designed. 
 “Newton, your downfall is that you were thinking with your dick and not your brain.  Wrong head, man.  Judith was sent to seduce you by that asshole over there.”  Kane smirked, pointing at Sebastian, who was also hung up by meat hooks, which were pierced through his shoulders and his collarbone, with his shoulder bones supporting his weight.  “Take Mr. Newton down and strap him to the table.”  
 Jack and Kevin came over and loosened the rope and allowed Donnie to drop hard on the cold hard concrete floor with a loud thump.  Chuckling, they removed the ropes around his ankles and yanked him dragging him across the floor to the table.  Picking him up, they threw him on the table and strapped each wrist and ankle.  “Ready whenever you are, boss.” 
 Kane took off his jacket, tie, and cufflinks and began rolling up the sleeves of his crisp white shirt.  Turning to Uriel, “Did you bring my little friend?” 
 “Yes, Boss.”  Uriel smirked as he reached into his jacket and pulled out Kane’s favorite knife. 
 Newton was screaming and writhing on the table, trying to figure a way out of this, but, of course, the gag was not allowing him to give excuses he was thinking up. 
 “Oh, my little friend, I haven’t seen you in a while.”  The last time he had seen or used the knife was on the guy who had killed Ernie at the docks.  “Newton, I am going to tell you how this is going to go down.  I am going to cut off each one of your fingers, for trying to steal from me and then I am going to cut out your heart, for breaking the code of the family.” 
 Donnie thrashed around trying to get loose, but to no avail.  Kane was pleased that Uriel, who was the keeper of his knife, had made sure that it was razor sharp, so cutting off each of Donnie’s fingers was like slicing through butter. By the time he cut the last one off the table, rivulets of blood were running down from where each finger had been sliced away, and made their way into the drain.  Kane reached down and grabbed a handful of hair and brought Donnie’s face closer to his.  “We took you in, we gave you a job that pays you well, you were protected under the family, we trusted you, and this is how you repay us?  May the devil welcome you into the depths of hell for your betrayal.”  Kane said, dropping Donnie’s head and jabbed the knife into his chest and cut his heart out.  Dropping the heart onto the table, he turned to everyone present.  “Family first.” 
 “FAMILY FIRST!”  Everyone yelled. 
 Walking back to the table, where all the tools were laid out, Kane picked up a towel and cleaned some blood off his hands.  It was not something Kane wanted to do on a daily basis, but enforcing the code of loyalty was a necessary evil and it felt good.  “Take Sebastian down and strap him to the table.”  
 Jack and Kevin lowered Sebastian; once his feet were on the ground, they pulled the meat hooks from his body.  Sebastian’s face went deathly white and then his head fell forward.  He had passed out from the pain. 
 “Oh, no, we won’t have any of that shit; wake that motherfucker up!”  Kane barked. 
 Daniella rushed forward with the syringe of adrenaline and jabbed it into Sebastian’s leg, pumping in a large dose.  Sebastian’s head began to sway back and forth as he began to wake up.  
 “Once he is strapped down, remove his gag.  I want to hear his cries.”  Kane smirked.  
 They carried Sebastian over to the table and strapped each wrist and ankle to the table.  Once secure, they lifted the edge of the duct tape and ripped it from his mouth taking the ball gag with it.  Sebastian cried out in pain.  
 Kane picked the cat o’nine tails and walked over to the table.  “You have boasted that you are a Dominant, but you are not.  You don’t put the needs and desires of your submissive before yourself and do not care that you inflict damage to your submissives.  As a Dominant of good standing in the community, I am here today to right this wrong.  I will be dealing out the punishment for your many sexual transgressions within and outside of the community.  Then, I will report to the community that no aftercare was given.”  
 Kane took a step back and with all his strength, he snapped the cat o'nine onto Sebastian’s chest.  The razor sharp teeth cut into the flesh and, as it was ripped back out for another strike, it tore the skin into deep gashes.  With each strike, Sebastian’s cries grew louder and louder.  Finally, after the fifth strike, Kane admired his handy work.  The gashes were all over his chest and legs, which were bleeding quite profusely.  He smiled down at Sebastian and then spit on him.  “Fuck you to hell for the pain and suffering you have caused, asshole.” 
 As Kane walked away, Zachary Morotti walked up to the table.  “You have brought great shame to this family.  Your soul is as black as night and I do not consider you my son.”  Zachary said, and then pulled a black handled knife from his pocket.  “You planned and tried to harm my wife, your own mother.  That you would even entertain the idea of harming a single hair on her beautiful head is unbelievable, and for that I am going to remove the hair from yours.”  Making several quick semicircular cuts on either side of Sebastian’s head, and grasping a hand full of his hair, Zachary yanked it back quickly, removing the scalp from his head.  Once the scalp was removed, Zachary poured a cup of sulfur over the open wound. 
 Sebastian couldn’t concentrate, couldn’t think of anything but stopping the pain.  The world was spinning and he didn’t know what hurt worse at that point and he just wanted it to end. 
 “MERCY!!!!” He finally screamed in agony. 
 “We will show you the mercy that you have so graciously shown your victims.”  Kane spat. 
 Elizabeth walked over to stand beside her father and Sean.  As Lisa’s family, she and her father would be administering the last part of Sebastian’s torture.  They walked up to the table, one on each side. 
 Peter looked down at the bloodied face of the monster who had robbed him of his daughter.  “You took away a bright light from this world.  My daughter, Lisa, who you abused, and brutally murdered, then threw away like a piece of garbage, had a long life ahead of her.  She was intelligent, beautiful, and loved, until she met you.  As her father and sister, we invoke the right of revenge.”  Peter said, trying to hold it together.  
 He nodded to Elizabeth, who had been told that she and her father would be sharing in ending the life of the monster who had robbed them of their sister and daughter.  It was not a reunion for the two of them, but a common goal, getting justice for Lisa.  Picking up the cattle prod she rammed it up Sebastian’s ass in one swift motion, and turned it on.  Sebastian screamed out in pure agony.  
 Peter walked around to the head of the table and bent down to Sebastian’s blood filled ear and spoke, “ Che tu possa bruciare all'inferno.”  (may you burn in hell)   It was an Italian phrase he had asked Kane to translate for him. 
 He nodded once again to Elizabeth, who yanked the cattle prod from Sebastian’s ass, as Peter took a piece of barb wire into his gloved hands and wrapped it around Sebastian’s throat, pulling tightly.  The spikes cut deeply into the skin and Sebastian gasped for air.  “ Che tu possa bruciare all'inferno ” Peter repeated.  Sebastian gasped and gurgled as he choked on his own blood, thrashing about until his eyes rolled back into his head and he slumped upon the table. 
 Sebastian Morotti was dead. 
 
 
 
 Chapter 20 
   
 After ridding the world of the demented Sebastian and the delusional Donnie, everyone who attended, or been in contact with the bodies in anyway, were required to remove all clothing, to include shoes, and take a sterilizing shower.  The Coven’s cleanup team had been dispatched to remove all traces of DNA and evidence of the prior events, leaving no traces of Sebastian and Donnie’s existence, just in case the pigs started nosing around.  
 Once Kane had changed into the spare suit and shoes that had been brought along, he returned to where Ara was standing with Nazario.  
 His father had his arm wrapped protectively around her.  She had remained strong during the torture, maintaining the perfect facade of a true Donna, but he knew, from past experience, that she was going to be need him as much as he needed her.  The extreme emotions that one experienced either by participating or simply witnessing torture and eventual deaths, needed to be vetted.  Once they were alone, he could finally come down from the adrenaline required to deliver the punishments, either as the man who just delivered a death sentence, or beat another. 
 He would soon find and give comfort wrapped within the arms of his beloved.  She was his center; his affirmation of all the wonders life provided. The connection they had was strong and growing with each passing day.  He couldn’t wait to spend a very long life with her.  She was still blissfully unaware that, each and every morning, he would awaken before her to lay beside her and watch her sleep.  She was so beautiful and so caring; she was his own personal angel.  However, she also possessed a steel fortitude that enabled her to install fear with compassion required of the position of Donna.  His Ara was a loving angel and a badass Donna. 
 When he reached her and his father, she immediately made her way to close the distance between them, and wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face into his chest.  Kane placed a kiss upon her head and wrapped his strong arms around her, embracing her tightly. 
 “Let’s get out of here.”  
 “Please.” 
 Nazario stood and admired the couple before him.  He couldn’t have more prouder than he was at this moment.  He knew for sure that the family was in better hands than it had ever been.  Kane had handled Donnie Newton with a level head and strong hand. His Dominant training showing through; where others would have lost their cool, he remained in complete control.  No member steals from the family.  Then, his beautiful daughter, Ara, stood on the side, dedicated to the task and unwavering, she didn’t flinch once, even when Sebastian was finally killed.  She had once told him that she considered him her one and only true father, and that the other men who had been in her life were insignificant, meaningless.  Stepping up, he placed his hand on Kane’s arm.  “ Sono così orgoglioso di voi due . La famiglia non è mai stata in mani migliori .”   Nazario declared.  (I am so proud of you both.  The family has never been in better hands.) 
 “Grazie, padre. Prima la famiglia.”   Kane exclaimed. (Thank you, father.  Family first.) 
 Zachary walked up and placed his hand on Ara’s arm.  “T u sei l'unica cosa buona che è venuto da mio figlio . Sono così grato di averti nella mia vita e di essere il capo della famiglia .”   (You are the only good thing that came from my son.  I am so thankful to have you in my life and to be the leader of the family.) 
 “ Grazie, nonno . Prometto di prendersi cura di loro con la mia vita .”   Ara said. (Thank you, Grandfather.  I promise to take care of them with my life.) 
 “We will see you tomorrow, once Elizabeth and her father have made plans for Lisa’s funeral.  I want everyone that is not needed here to be in attendance in Boston.  Elizabeth needs the family’s support during this difficult time.”  Kane said.  “Zachary, I hope that you can make it as well.” 
 “Do you think that is wise?”  Zachary asked. 
 “Elizabeth knows that you had nothing to do with it.  She and her father witnessed the punishment that you doled out to Sebastian.  You are most welcome; please come and support her, because she is part of the Leone-Morotti Family.” 
 “Then Claudia and I will be there.  I need to return home to inform Portia that she no longer has to worry about Sebastian.  Please let me know of the plans.” 
 “We are headed home.” Kane said, and then turned to Uriel.  “Take care of my little friend.”  He instructed with a smirk. 
 Uriel had always been in charge of Kane’s knife.  He took great care in making sure it was cleaned and no traces of blood were left.  “Sure thing, Boss.” 
 Kane took Ara’s hand and left the warehouse.  Seth went out the door first and checked the area; when he felt it was safe, he motioned Kane and Ara to exit.  Once he opened the door to the SUV, they entered and snuggled close together.  The entire drive home was done in complete silence.  They both needed time to digest the events of the evening.  Ara was amazed that she was able to remain so unfazed by the torture and death of two men.  After her conversation with Kane before going in, she knew that it was going to bad and she had hoped that she could be the Donna that the family would be proud of.  She had seen blood when she shot Kurtus, but nothing prepared her for the amount of blood she witnessed this evening.  At one point, she thought she was going to lose her composure, but then she felt Nazario wrap his arm around her back, giving her the support that she needed.  After that, she was able to pull strength from the man that she considered her true father.  
 Soon, they pulled up in front of their house and quickly made their way in.  It felt good to be home.  Their time in New York had been stressful, and when they returned, they headed straight to the warehouse.  This was the first time they had been home in several weeks.  
 Kane circled his arms around her from behind and she leaned back, the connection between them pulsed and hummed in relief.  “I love you beyond measure.”  Kane moaned into her neck as he began to place kisses on every accessible piece of skin.  As he got to the spot behind her ear, she let out a deep lustful moan.  Their embrace alone awakened their arousal. 
 “Oh, Kane,  I love you so much.” 
 Turning her around, he grabbed her ass and lifted her up, so her hot pussy was now rubbing against his hardened cock.  “I need you so fucking bad.”  
 “Take me, I am yours.”  Ara cried.  She was so turned on that she needed Kane to quench the fire that was raging inside of her. 
 Kane carried her up the stairs and into their bedroom.  Walking over to the bed, he carefully and slowly lowered her legs and feet to the floor.  He delicately removed her clothing piece by piece, until she stood before him in just her bra, panties and stilettos.  “You have the sexiest body on this planet.  I can’t believe you’re mine.”  
 “I am.  My heart, body, and soul belongs to you and you alone.  I could never love or want anyone other than you.” 
 “I feel the same.  Lay down and let me worship my goddess.”  
 Ara sat on the edge of the bed. Kane gently pushed so she was in the middle of the bed and laid back.  Kane admired the sight before him, God, he was a lucky bastard.  He needed to be in that tight pussy.  
 Removing his suit, shoes and lastly his underwear, he stalked her as a panther stalking his prey.  As he made his way up her body he kissed, licked, and nipped her sweet skin.  When he reached her perky tits, he wanted to send a very expensive bottle of champagne to the person who designed front latching bras.  Unlatching the clasp of lacey black bra, he released her aroused breasts, ready for him to worship.  Leaning in, he began, licking and sucking one breast, while he rolled and pinched the nipple of the other one.  
 “Oh, Kane, please I need more.”  Ara moaned. 
 Looking up, he gave her one of his sexiest grins and licked his pouty thick lips.  “You need more?  What do you need, my little kitten?  Do you need me to pet your pussy?” 
 “YES! Please touch my pussy.”  She cried, arching her hips trying to find some relief.  
 Kane leaned back in and continued to worship her breast.  Ara thrashed her head back and forth, she wanted, no, needed Kane to touch her pussy.  Arching her hips even higher, she tried to rub up against Kane’s body. 
 Kane grinned against her rose puckered nipple; he loved the fact that he could arouse her so intensely.  He, too, was in need of relief; his cock was so fucking hard that each time she arched her back, she hit the tender head, causing it to weep with need.  This caused him to bite down harder than before, which caused Ara to cry out. 
 “FUCK ME!!!!” 
 Sitting back on his calves, he took his long thick cock, and laid on top of her lace covered mound.  He could feel how wet she was.  Taking his cock into his hands, he began to pump it up and down.  “Do you know what I am going to do?” 
 “No.”  Ara cried.  At this point, she really didn’t care as long as it involved his dick inside of her. 
 Kane reached down and ripped the tiny lace panties from her body.  Taking a long nimble finger, he rubbed the swollen wet labia he knew she was very fucking ready.  Lining up his cock to her wet entrance, he thrust deep inside of her hot pussy.  He was fucking home. 
 Ara was in heaven; she was filled so completely. With each thrust of his magnificent cock, it hit all the right places; her orgasm was on the brink of exploding.  “I am so close.” 
 Kane shifted his hips and in this new position his cock hit the right spot, over and over causing her legs that were wrapped around him to quiver.  With each thrust, he could feel the quivering of her muscles.  
 Her pussy clamped down around his cock in a stranglehold, causing them both to explode in a glorious, heavenly release.  Then, his release began, shooting long streams of cum deep with her.  Life giving sperm looking for the golden egg.  After the orgasms subsided, they still remained connected, drinking in the celestial feelings. 
 “I love you.”  Kane declared with all his heart and soul. 
 “As I love you.” 
 “I am so proud and honored to be part of this life with you.”  Kane exclaimed.  “Till my last dying breath I will belong to you.” 
   
   
 Elizabeth was sitting in her apartment, digesting all the preparations that she and her father had planned for the funeral.  Lisa’s funeral was going to be a traditional Irish funeral.  Peter had been distant during the planning and she was happy about that.  Down the road, she would confront him, but now was not the time.  After he had left, she texted Sean and asked that, if he had time, she would like for him to come over and talk.  He quickly texted back that nothing was more important than her.  She couldn't help but smile when she read it.  Her heart began to soften to the thoughts of the two of them together.  Sean was going to arrive in thirty minutes and she didn't know what to wear.  Before now, she never even thought about it, but now she was panicked about it.  What to do?  She needed advice.  Picking up her phone, she called the woman who had become a good friend.  
 “I need your help.”  Elizabeth begged. 
 “What is it?” 
 “I don’t know what to wear.”  
 “Elizabeth, what are you talking about?” 
 “I don’t know what to wear.  I invited Sean over to talk.  Now, I am standing in front of my closet naked and don’t know what to wear.” 
 “Well, knowing how bad Sean has it for you, I would say that you are ready.”  
 “Not fucking funny.  Ara, seriously, I need your help.” 
 Ara laughed.  She had never heard Elizabeth like this; it was nice to see that she was excited about seeing Sean.  Kane had told Ara that Sean’s feelings for Elizabeth were similar to those he had for her.  “Elizabeth, why don’t you just wear a pair of skinny jeans, that green top that we bought last month, and a pair of flats.” 
 “Are you sure?” 
 “Yes, now go get dressed, because, if you answer the door right now, I won’t hear from you in a week.” 
 “Funny.  I don’t even want to know what you and Kane did last night.” 
 “Oh, I think you mean last night, late last night, early this morning, this morning, oh, and about thirty minutes ago.”  
 “Fuck, girl.” 
 “Yes, I was.  And it was fucking great.”  Ara giggled.  It was nice to have a girl who knew all about her and she could be herself. 
 “You do know that your child’s first word is going to be fuck, right?” 
 “Yeah, I am afraid so.  Now get dressed.  Elizabeth, remember that Sean is a good man.” 
 “Thanks, I needed to hear that.  I will call you later and give you the details of the funeral.” 
 “Okay.” 
 Elizabeth hung up and pulled out a pair of dark wash skinny jeans, the green silk top, and paired it with a pair of black flats.  After putting on a dusting of powder, mascara, and a lip gloss, she opened her jewelry box, for a pair of earrings.  The first thing she saw was her wedding band and engagement ring.  She had never gotten rid of them; they served as a reminder of her love and happiness with Tony.  She loved Tony, but the feelings she was experiencing with Sean made her question if Tony had been the love of her life.  This was the main reason why she had kept Sean at arms distance; she didn’t think she could survive another heartbreak.  Picking up the diamond earrings that her parents had given her on her last birthday, she put them in and glanced in the mirror.  They were perfect.  She was amazed at the woman before her.  This woman was glowing and had a sparkle in her eyes.  Maybe, just maybe, this was the start of her happily ever after.  The doorbell pulled her out of her day dreaming.  
 She went to the door and, after a deep cleansing breath, she opened the door.  There stood Sean O’Leary, he looked so fucking handsome in his jeans and white button down shirt, with the top buttons open enough to see a dusting of red chest hair.  
 “Come in.”  Elizabeth said. 
 Sean had been nervous ever since he received the text from Elizabeth.  He had never been nervous about anything in his entire life, but this slip of a woman held his heart in her delicate hands.  He had talked to Kane about his feelings for this woman; Kane had told him he couldn’t go into this like every other relationship he had.  He told him about how damaged emotionally Elizabeth had been after her husband had died, but also because of the loss of her family.  She was denied contact with her sister and now she had to deal with the loss of opportunity to ever reestablish her relationship with Lisa.  Now, here he was standing in her living room, hoping for a chance.  
 “Please have a seat.”  Elizabeth said, motioning to the couch. 
 Sean sat down and Elizabeth sat beside him, pulling her legs underneath her and turning toward Sean.  Sean turned so they were now facing each other.  “Sean, thank you for coming today on such short notice.” 
 “Elizabeth, nothing in this world was more important than spending time with you.”  He declared. 
 “Sean, I am sorry for the way I have been treating you.  I have been trying to protect myself and by doing so, I have been distant and harsh to you.” 
 “Elizabeth, first of all,  you don’t need to apologize to me.  I came onto you very hard and didn’t give you a chance to get to know me, but I want to change that.  Now, about protecting yourself, I would never intentionally hurt you.  My feelings for you are something that I myself am unfamiliar with; you are always, I mean always on my mind.”  Sean said, wanting to reach over and take her hand, but he was sincere in his intentions, and knew he had to take this at her pace. 
 Elizabeth’s heart was pounding.  Through training and intuition, she was able to decipher sincerity and honesty in others, and it was apparent that Sean’s admission was both sincere and honest, which meant that he truly did have feelings for her.  “I would like to get to know you and you to know me.” 
 Over the next few hours, they talked about anything and everything.  Elizabeth was amazed on how much they had in common and, with each passing minute, she fell just a little more for this Irish lad.  
 “Look at the time.”  Sean said, hoping he could convince Elizabeth to go out to lunch with him.  “Do you know any good Irish pubs?” 
 “Yes, I do.”  She grinned, excited to show Sean her city. 
 “Would you like to show me?  I mean, would you like to go to lunch with me at the pub?”  Sean stuttered.  
 Elizabeth had to giggle at the hard ass Don stuttering about asking her to lunch.  
 “Are you laughing at me?”  
 “No.  Well, maybe a little.  And I would love to go to lunch with you.” 
 Elizabeth took him to the little Irish pub that she went to when she missed her sister.  Mulleady’s Irish Pub was a tradition for her.  It boasted Irish fare, weekend brunch, and whiskeys galore in an elevated pub with woodwork & stone fireplaces.  They also provided her favorite, a wonderful Irish stew.  They sat with their bowls of stew and a pint of Guinness and continued to get to know each other.  At the end of lunch, Elizabeth decided that she wanted to pursue a relationship with Sean O’Leary and see where these feelings went.  
 After lunch, Sean walked Elizabeth back to her door.  “I had a wonderful time.” 
 “So did I.” 
 “I guess I will see you on the plane back to Boston.” 
 “Yes.” 
 “Fuck, Elizabeth, may I kiss you?” 
 “Please.”  
 Sean slowly moved in and captured her lips in a  sweet but passionate kiss.  Finally pulling away, he looked deeply into her lovely green eyes.  “I have wanted to do that for so long.  It was even better than I could ever dream.” 
 “I know what you mean.  I hope this is the beginning of something special.” 
 “It will be.  I see a very bright future for us.”  Sean implored.  Then kissed her once more.  “I will see you tomorrow morning.” 
 “Have a good evening.” 
 “I won’t, because you won’t be with me.” 
 Elizabeth smiled at the comment and went into her apartment before she asked him to stay.  She needed time to think about all that had happened. 
 Sean left with a spring in his step and love in his heart.  He was so lost in this red headed lass. 
 The rest of the afternoon, Elizabeth called Ara and filled her in on her date, yes she considered it a date with Sean and the plans for the funeral.  When she found out the amount of people who would be in attendance from the family, she broke down and cried.  She might have Irish blood running through her veins, but her family was Italian.  
   
   
 When the members of the Leone/Morotti families, along with her parents, Monica and Anthony Servillo, boarded the plane, Elizabeth handed out an itinerary of the events for Lisa’s funeral, that she and her father had organized. 
 Prior to leaving Seattle, Elizabeth had placed an obituary in the Boston Globe.  Lisa’s body was currently being kept at O'Brien’s Funeral Home, in the south end of Boston.  Because of the time constraints and the condition of Lisa’s body it would be a closed casket.  It was planned that a mass would be held at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, followed by a graveside service. 
 Kane and Ara had agreed to have the family and Coven team members stay at the townhouse.  Sean had agreed to escort Peter, Elizabeth, and her parents, the Servillos, to the funeral home to make the arrangements.  
 Upon entering the funeral home, Elizabeth became ill, and was glad she had Monica and Anthony there for support, as well as Sean.  Elizabeth and Peter selected a beautiful white casket. It would be covered in an enormous spray of pink and white roses, Lisa’s favorite.  The funeral home also suggested, due to the enormity of the funeral, that a white horse drawn carriage would be a nice touch for the procession from the funeral home to the cathedral, and then to the cemetery.  Peter mumbled that he didn’t see anything wrong with a hearse, but Elizabeth and Sean both vetoed that idea, and arranged for the carriage.  It was to be drawn by two beautiful white horses bearing pink feather plumes. 
   
 Elizabeth asked Peter if she would be permitted to access Lisa’s wardrobe to select an outfit, to which he agreed.  They picked out the traditional Irish prayer book and cards, which would be available to visitors at the cathedral entrance.  
 The funeral director requested a picture of Lisa that would be used for a poster to be displayed on an easel next to the coffin at the church.  Peter acquiesced that he would provide a current photo. 
 After all the arrangements were made, everyone retreated back to the Leone townhome, where there would be a small reception held in Lisa’s honor. 
 Elizabeth was feeling extremely emotional and drained.  Monica suggested that she may want to lie down and rest for a while.  Sean said he would take her up to her room and see that she rested.  They sat for a while as Elizabeth recanted the various adventures she and Lisa had while they were growing up.  Sean listened attentively as she  reminisced about her childhood, and noticed that, after a moment of silence, Elizabeth had drifted off to sleep.  Sean placed a quilt that was sitting in a chair to the side over Elizabeth, lightly kissed her forehead, and left her to rest. 
 The day of the funeral dawned with bright sunshine, blue skies, and unseasonably warm temperatures.  Elizabeth felt refreshed as she arose for the day.  She heard a knock on the door, and opened it to find Ara and Monica with a tray of breakfast foods.  The three women sat on the bed chatting about the events for the day, while Ara and Monica made sure Elizabeth was supported in any way they could. 
 After donning a simple black tank dress and heels, along with her cross necklace, the family Bible, and rosary that she had been given by Peter the day before, she was ready to face the daunting task of saying her final farewell to her beloved sister. 
 Limousines were lined on the street outside the townhouse to take all the family members directly to Holy Cross cathedral.  Elizabeth rode with Kane, Ara, Sean, Peter, and Monica and Anthony.  Sean held her hand tightly throughout the ride to the church, and continued to stay firmly by her side during the greetings, and service. 
 Once the casket was placed into the horse drawn carriage, all in attendance followed on foot to the cemetery, which was a half a mile up the road from the cathedral.  The Boston Premier Bagpipe unit led the processional up the hill to the cemetery.  
 After the Bishop gave the sermon and the traditional benediction, Elizabeth rose from her seat and stepped up to the podium that had been provided.  This was to be her only opportunity to speak for and to Lisa.  With a handkerchief in her left hand, and a rosary in her right, she began.  
 “My name is Elizabeth O’Donnell Servillo, and I am Lisa’s older sister.  I haven’t been able to spend a lot of time with my wonderful sister over the last couple of years, but I loved her any less.  She was my sunshine.  Lisa was a beautiful woman, with a loving and caring spirit.  Her presence among us was too short, and she will be truly missed.  I would like to say the traditional prayer of our Irish brethren. 
 Death is nothing at all. 
 It does not count. 
 I have only slipped away into the next room. 
 Everything remains as it was. 
 The old life that we lived so fondly together 
 is untouched, unchanged. 
 Whatever we were to each other, that we are still. 
 Call me by the old familiar name. 
 Speak of me in the easy way which you always used. 
 Put no sorrow in your tone. 
 Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes that 
 we enjoyed together. 
 Play, smile, think of me, pray for me. 
 Let my name be ever the household word 
 that it always was. 
 Let it be spoken without effort 
 Life means all that it ever meant. 
 It is the same as it ever was. 
 There is unbroken continuity. 
 Why should I be out of mind because 
 I am out of sight? 
 I am but waiting for you, for an interval, 
 somewhere very near, just around the corner. 
 All is well. Nothing is hurt; nothing is lost. 
 One brief moment and all will be as it was before. 
 How we shall laugh at the trouble of parting, 
 when we meet again. 
 Elizabeth wiped away her tears and simply said, “  Weep nach, do tá tú i gcónaí i mo chroí.”    (Weep not, for you are always in my heart.)  As she stepped away from the podium, Sean placed his arm around her waist and held her as the mourners filed by.  The mourners each tossed a white rose upon the casket, which was lowered into the ground.  Everyone was then invited back to Sean’s home for a wake in Lisa’s remembrance. 
   
   
 Judith couldn’t believe she was in this tiny town that didn’t even have a Starbucks, or even one designer shop.  She was currently wearing a pair of jeans, a blouse, and tennis shoes that she purchased for $30.00 at a Walmart before she arrived in this one red light town.  She had been on her way back home when she spotted one of the members of the Leone family storming into the apartment building, and, in an instant, she knew that the idiot Donnie had been caught.  Slipping out a side door, she caught a cab and she laid on a sob story about how she was running away from an abusive relationship and the cabbie agreed to go the ATM for her, so she wouldn’t be seen on surveillance and buy her bus ticket out of town.  
 The bus took six hours to get to the little town that was four hours away from Seattle.  She rented a room at the only motel/hotel in town and laid low.  She would reach out to Sebastian in a few weeks when the dust had settled, but, for now, she would just have to suffer. 
 After eating another terrible meal at the diner, she was walking out the door when she ran into a man.  Looking up, she became really nervous, he had on a policeman’s uniform and, when she looked at the name tag it said “Chief.”  Fuck. 
 “Are you okay, ma’am?”  He asked. 
 “Yes, I am so sorry.” 
 “Oh, you didn’t hurt me.  You must be new to town.” 
 “I am.” 
 “Well, welcome to Redmond.” 
 
 
 
 Chapter 21 
   
 The weeks that followed the funeral were extremely busy.  Kane and Ara had their hands full with finishing up the plans for the Coven Commission allegiance ceremony.   The Commission members would swear their allegiance to the family, receive their tattoos, and begin designing the magna carta of the organization.  The remaining family and teams members would attend a larger scale allegiance ceremony, after which they, too, would receive their tattoo aligning them with the Coven.  Kane planned to get with Steve, his personal tattoo artist, and get the list of supplies he would need for such a massive tattoo job.  He would also have to have Steve provide him a list of the artists he was bringing in to help, and have them vetted by Simon. 
 Invitations were being sent to the heads of all of the American and International families. Kane had used his connections, and suggestions from Sean to ensure that the hotel in Vegas, where the Coven’s debut was to take place, would be prepared for everything, from the finest cuisine to the best level of security.  As he had told Ara in a prior discussion, the entire hotel was booked for the Coven’s debut.  
 Ara had been coordinating with Portia, Brook, Claudia, Maggie, and Rosa to finalize the construction/interior design of the club, and the proper care of the new staff.  A meeting was to be scheduled to select the new managers for Diamond Knotts and Solar Eclipse. 
 They had been blessed with good people under them so the day to day business of the family had settled down and was running smoothly.  Both sides of the family were getting along and were becoming more trusting of each other, which was a huge step.  
 Ara was sitting in her office when Kane came in to discuss the issue of the club managers.  Eclipse was nearing completion, all the permits were finalized, and they were waiting for the final occupancy approval.  The staff had been training and were prepared to begin their new positions.  
 “Can I have a minute of your time, love?”  Kane asked as he bent down to kiss the side of Ara’s neck. 
 “Keep that up, and it will take more than a minute.”  She replied with a smirk.  “What can I do for you, husband?” 
 “I have the file here of the applicants for both of the club manager positions.  I wanted to go over them with you and see what you thought.  You know that we need a trained Dominant for Knotts.  Someone who is known in the community and is versed with the rules.  A trained Dominant would be best, but they also require strong managerial skills.  I was hoping we could find someone in the family, but after going through each of the names, no one seems to meet the criteria we have set.  These applications are from applicants outside of the family.  Most are the result of the feelers we sent out through the BDSM community and club owners throughout the country.  It is a short list of candidates.” 
 Kane and Ara went over the applications and turned over their top pick’s personal information to Simon to begin his extensive background check.  Of the five applicants, three were immediately dismissed after Simon’s background check; he had detected red flags for questionable activities and complaints.  This left two highly qualified candidates.  The remaining applicants were summoned to Seattle for a face to face interview.  
 The first candidate was Carmine Thomapolis.  Carmine was currently managing a five star club in Los Angeles, The Mayan.  He was 6’5”, 240 pounds with an olive complexion and greenish brown eyes.  Kane and Uriel were both familiar with Carmine, as they had hung out while attending UDub.  He was familiar with the BDSM community, however, he was more tailored to the needs of Solar Eclipse.  When Carmine took over The Mayan, it was a somewhat popular hotspot with a two to three star rating.  During the last five years, Carmine was able to capitalize on the club, raising it to five stars, and making it the “It” spot to be in LA. 
 The other applicant was a gentleman named Andy Garcia.  He was the operations manager of The Drake in Houston, Texas.  It was a high-end bar on the lower level, but the upper level was an exclusive member’s only BDSM club.  Simon’s background check had come back crystal clear.  He was 6’3” tall, dark skin, jet black hair and piercing violet eyes.  He was a trained Dominant and was in good standing in the community.  On paper, he presented as the perfect choice for Diamond Knotts. 
 Andy Garcia arrived at Leone Towers and was in the reception area waiting for his appointment time.  He had heard that a new club was being opened, but what interested him more was the name of the owners of the club.  He had heard of the Leone family for years and wondered if all the stories were true. 
 “Mr. Gracia, Mr. and Mrs. Leone are ready for you.”  Gina said.  She escorted Mr. Garcia the conference room where Kane and Ara had designated for the interviews.  
 Kane and Ara rose from their chairs to shake Mr. Garcia’s hand in welcome.  On the table were the questions that they had agreed would give them a clear picture if the candidate was what they were looking for in a manager.  
 After Mr. Garcia had answered the questions about his experience, ideas he may have had in club improvements, and his expectations for income, Kane was ready to wrap-up the interview.  When asked if he had any questions for Kane and Ara, he eluded that he did. 
 “I’m hoping that this is not offensive in any way, but, in this industry, you hear things.  I was curious, and well, felt that if I am selected for the manager position of either club, I should be completely informed of, you know, things.”  Mr. Garcia stuttered. 
 “What type of things are you referring to, Mr. Garcia?”  Ara asked.  She gave Kane a stealthy side glance. 
 “Well, you know, about your family being in the mafia.”  He eluded.  When he saw the glance shared by Kane and Ara, he instantly knew he had made a mistake.  He was curious who his possible employers truly were.  Was he wrong in wanting to know?  He felt he was really wrong right this minute.  “Never mind, my mistake, I am sure it was just gossip.” 
 Ara smiled at him while removing Kane’s death grip from her thigh under the table.  She knew he was about to reach for his gun, and that would not bode well for anyone.  “Mr. Garcia, frankly, I am not sure what you may or may not have heard, but I can assure you that you are here to interview as the manager of one of our clubs.  There is nothing nefarious about our businesses, nor should you concern yourself with anything other than the running of said club, should you be selected for the position.  Any other questions?” 
 “No, no, ma’am.  I am humbly sorry if I have offended you or Mr. Leone in anyway.”  He offered as he rose from his seat to leave.  
 “No problem, Mr. Garcia.  If you had offended us, as you so delicately put it, you would surely know by now.”  Kane responded with a sneer on his face.  “I think this interview is concluded.  Have a nice day, we will be in touch.” 
 “Yes, yes, thank you both for the opportunity.”  Mr. Garcia offered as he practically sprinted out the door. 
 Ara turned to Kane and busted out laughing, “Seriously, husband, are you affiliated with the mafia?”  She asked as she placed her hand on her chest in mock horror. 
 “I’ll show you affiliation, Mrs. Leone.” Kane responded as he raced to close and lock the conference room door. 
   
   
 The interview, a few hours later, with Carmine was the complete opposite of the prior interview with Mr. Garcia. Carmine was extremely charismatic, knowledgeable, experienced, and the perfect selection for Solar Eclipse.  Carmine was delighted to see his old college buddy, and expressed his happiness at his recent nuptials.  He noticed what an enigmatic couple Kane and Ara were, and already felt at ease in their company.  He felt that this venture would prove beneficial for all of them.  Kane and Ara certainly knew that the choice was made at the conclusion of the interview when Kane suggested that perhaps they could get together for drinks, along with Uriel, Carmine felt sure the job was his.  
   
   
 Ara was thrilled to at least have one of the manager positions filled, and could not wait to share the news.  She phoned Brooklyn, and together they invited Elizabeth, Portia, Maggie, Rosa, Claudia, and Katrina for a girls’ day out.  Ara had made arrangements for them to enjoy a day at the spa, then dinner.  As soon as she told them about the interview with Mr. Garcia, Claudia piped up, “Is he still breathing?”  After everyone quieted their laughs, Ara turned to her grandmother, “For now.”  Again, everyone burst out laughing.  After their meals, everyone discussed the itinerary for the club opening, and staff, and other statistical information that needed to be fine tuned.  It was truly a memorable dinner, and so nice for them all to get together.  As everyone was preparing to leave the restaurant, Katrina hugged Ara.  
 “It has been a long time since we got to just relax.  I have missed you girl.”  Katrina stated. 
 “Oh, trust me, I have missed you, too, sweetie.  It seems like I have been on a non-stop rollercoaster.”  Ara responded sincerely. 
 “Well, we will have to make it a monthly habit to get together like this.  You know, I was thinking while you were talking about the interviews, and wondered, have you selected anyone for Diamond Knotts?” 
 “Not yet.”  Ara responded, but it was obvious that Katrina had someone in mind.  “Did you have someone we should consider?” 
 “Well, I was thinking of Uriel’s brother, Peter.  He has trained most of the Doms who are members at the club, not to mention, Kane as well.  I was wondering if anyone even considered offering him the position.” Katrina asked. 
 Ara smiled.  “You know, Katrina, you may be onto something.  I’ll talk to Kane about it when I get home, and see what he thinks.”  They went their separate ways after embracing once more. 
   
   
 Later in the evening, Kane and Ara were at home, waiting for Steve to arrive.  Kane had informed him earlier, when they were going over the supplies needed to tattoo the entire Coven membership, that he felt it would be more intimate for him and Ara to have theirs done in the privacy of their home.  Steve was more than happy to comply, with the knowledge that the fee he was getting for this job was more than he made in six months in his shop.  
 Kane had decided he wanted his tattoo over his right pec, leaving the spot over his heart for a future tattoo that he had in mind.  
 He and Ara had multiple discussions on where to place her tattoo.  The first spot was the on her back near the shoulder blade, but Kane felt that since she would be wearing evening gowns at many functions, that it was not a good spot.  Then Ara suggested another location, which caused Kane to blow his top.  There was no way she was getting it on her ass.  NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!  Ara couldn’t understand what the big deal was, but Kane would not allow anyone to have that much access to her ass; it was his.  Finally, it was decided that the original location they thought of, her upper right thigh, was the perfect spot.  Kane would not be leaving the room while she got her tattoo; he liked Steve, but he was still going to have his hand near Kane’s prized possession. 
 The day of the ceremony had finally arrived.  Every detail of the ceremony had been checked and rechecked.  Kane was dressed in Armani black suit, crisp white shirt, black tie, and the cufflinks that Ara had gotten him for the occasion.  They were platinum with the Coven crest engraved on them.   As he finished placing them on, he turned to find his beautiful wife standing with her foot on the chair, adjusting the strap on her shoe.  Her long, toned leg brought images of it and its partner wrapped around him as he drove his hard cock deep inside of her.  Since their return from Boston, they had taken every available opportunity to be wrapped around each other.   Kane hoped each time  would be the time that the new legacy of Leone empire would be conceived.   He walked over and placed a kiss on her leg before taking his long tongue and swiping it up to her knee, causing goosebumps to form. 
 “Kane, stop that.”  Ara moaned unconvincingly.  
 “But, baby.”  Kane cried. 
 Putting her leg down, and grabbing his necktie, she pulled him up.  “We have to be on time, but I promise later, tonight, we will continue this.” 
 “Fine.”  Kane whined.  
 Ara was wearing a short black suit from Chanel.  She had found the dress when she was in New York and knew it would be perfect for the Ceremony.  She had also found her dress for formal reception in Vegas.  Kane hadn’t seen it yet and she was sure he would be all over her once he did.  
 “I have something for you.”  Kane said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a red velvet box.  He opened it; inside was a pinky platinum ring with the Coven crest engraved on it.  
 “Oh, Kane, it is perfect.”  Ara cried, taking the ring and placing it on her right pinky finger. 
 The Don and Donna were ready to perform the ceremony that would join the most skilled teams in the world together. 
   
 The Coven team members would all be getting their insignias after the allegiance ceremony, during the reception afterwards.  Steve was bringing in a team of ten additional artists to assist with the large group of members.  Booths were going to be setup along the wall of the Coven chamber, allowing members to get their mark when a booth was vacated.  There was a catered reception where they could mingle and get to know their team members, as well as their new Don and Donna.  Each team member would be provided with the travel itinerary for the Vegas trip, as well as a surprise bonus check.  Kane and Ara were aware of all the effort and hard work the members had been providing in getting the teams equipped and up and running; not to mention their contributions during the apprehension of Sebastian.  Showing that appreciation would go a long way. 
 The team was assembled in the great hall.  Kane and Ara both had been very excited about finding the location.  It was a large cavernous room with balconies overlooking the main area.  On the back wall, they had the Coven crest placed on a stone slab.   Minimal lighting was throughout the entire room, except in the large circle in the center of the room where two bright lights illuminated whomever was standing there.  This was the center of power for the group.  
 Kane and Ara walked into the room and took their positions in the center.  Looking around the room, they were amazed at the sheer power that the shadows of the team projected.  These men and women were going to be the most lethal group in mafia history, even surpassing their mentors, Monster Inc. from the 1940s.  
 “The Commission members, please step forward.”  Kane commanded. 
 Uriel, Erik, Roaland, Reinzo, Sal, and Tony stepped forward and faced Kane and Ara. 
 “The task before you comes with great responsibility.  Your decisions on the contracts submitted will ultimately determine the life or death of intended targets.  All decisions must be made with just cause, without regard to any outside influences.  You will determine the contracts without emotions, consideration of monetary value, or the relationships involved.  All contracts that end in a tie, will be submitted to myself and your Donna for the final vote.  There will be no rescinding of the final decision.  You will be called upon on a weekly basis to meet and review submissions.  You will not discuss any Coven matters outside of the confines of the family.  You are to report directly and only to myself, your Don, and Arabella, your Donna.  The only release from this oath and your position on the Commission is to be granted such by us, or by death.  Do you swear your fidelity to the family, to uphold the rules and laws of the group?” 
 “We do.”  They confirmed. 
 “Stand behind us, facing your teams.”  Ara commanded.  The Commission followed her command and were now standing behind their Don and Donna facing their team members. 
 “Men and Women of The Coven, do you hereby swear your allegiance?  Do you vow to follow all orders dictated by your Don and Donna as passed down through the Commission?”  Kane asked. 
 “We do.”  Came the thundering voices of the team members. 
 “Do you swear to maintain and conceal from everyone but members of the Coven the existence and mission of this organization, upon penalty of death until the day you die?”  Ara asked. 
 “We do.”  Came the resounding agreement. 
 “Then, from this day forth, you are avowed members of and will function as part of the elite team and family of The Coven.”  Kane and Ara both stated proudly.  “Please join us for the welcome reception.  You will each be marked with the insignia of The Coven.  Tattoo artists have been placed around the chamber ready to provide your insignia.  This is the opportunity to celebrate the new beginning and to meet your fellow team members,  so we might get to know each of you better.” 
 Many of the members mingled with Kane, Ara, Nazario, Zachary, and even Sean, who had been invited to attend while he was in town.  It was intimidating to everyone; the sheer amount of power occupying the room at one time.  
 Kane noticed that, for some reason, Sean seemed slightly irritable this evening.  Once he worked his way over to him, he questioned, “Hey, Fucker, what’s got your panties in a twist?”  
 Sean was irritated all right, but Kane actually managed to make him crack a smile.  “Got some problems with a Colombian group trying to worm their way into my territory.  I warned them once, now I am about to get real on their fucking asses.” 
 Kane looked at Sean and noticed that he was serious.  “What Colombian group?” 
 “Roberto Cortez’s punks.  They’ve been selling in my territory.  One of those fuckers tried to knife me while we were in NY.  I sent his fucking ass back to his fucking boss to deliver the message, but apparently the fucker doesn’t speak fucking English.  I have been on the phone with Liam off and on all night.  Looks like I may be your first client.  I want the fucker done.  Maybe we can meet with the Commission tomorrow and have a sit down and go over the facts?” 
 “Definitely.  We would be proud to have you as our first client.  Let me get with the Ara and we will arrange a meeting tomorrow.”  Kane responded.  He was almost giddy at the thought of having their first client before even having the show in Vegas. 
 “So how is it going with Elizabeth?”  Kane asked. 
 Sean smiled brightly.  “Great.” 
 “Really?”  Kane questioned, leaning close.  “So, how great?”  Kane smirked, raising his eyebrows up and down. 
 “I am not telling you anything, asshole.”  Sean growled.  He was about to tell Kane that they had not taken their relationship to a physical level.  He was allowing Elizabeth to set pace on their relationship.  During the last few weeks, they had talked daily on the phone, he had sent flowers, chocolates, and a charm bracelet with a claddagh on it, with a note saying “ more charms to follow ”.  
 “Fine, fucker.”  Kane laughed.  “Enjoy the rest of the evening.” 
 “I will, I have a Coven Inc. member to find.”  Sean smirked as he walked away to spend some time with the woman he loved.  
 
 
 
 Chapter 22 
   
 Sean entered the conference room that held the six members of the Coven’s Commission.  After introductions were made, Sean submitted his case for the execution of the crime boss, Roberto Cortez, of Colombia.  After hearing Sean’s statement, he was dismissed to allow the Commission to discuss his request.  The Commission unanimously agreed to accept the Coven’s first contract for a hit.  Sean signed off on the contract with the Coven, then transferred the required $750,000 dollars into the designated Coven account.  The Commission then convened with the assigned team leaders to provide them with the pertinent information for their first job.  There was a palpable excitement to the meeting.  This is what they had trained and prepared for.  Although they were able to demonstrate their skills to some degree with the Sebastian abduction, this was to be their first professional hit.  Each team leader ensured he or she had all the facts that would affect their particular team’s skills.  There was no room for mistakes on their very first assignment.  This hit would set the standard for all other requests when deciding whether or not to utilize the Coven’s talents.  
 The logistics involved in accomplishing a hit of this caliber were anything but simple.  First the target was international.  Second, the target was a semi-celebrity as a male model. Third, the operation could in no way be traceable, nor leave any shred of evidence of who accomplished the hit, or who requested it.  Most people thought that it was as easy as finding the target and shooting him.  But that is not how this highly trained killing team would perform their task.  Planning out every detail and then executing the hit in such a way that the actual hit would not be detectable, but the result simply with his death from natural causes, was brilliant. 
 The surveillance team would be the initial phase of the operations, gathering all the intel possible on Cortez’s schedule, habits, routines, and travel.  It would not be easy to do, but the team felt sure they would be able to do it and do it very fucking well.  It would take time to gather the needed information, plan the job, execute it, and clean up all evidence that would link it to them or to Sean.  Roberto Cortez was going to die, but it would appear he died of natural causes.  
   
   
 Elizabeth was taking some time away from the team to join Ara over at the Rehab center to talk to Portia and deliver a gift to her.  They arrived at the center with Seth and Ben, who stepped out of SUV and surveyed the area for any threats.  Kane had taken them aside before they left and asked them to extra vigilant.  He couldn’t exactly pinpoint why, but his intuition told him that something was not quite right.  When they felt that it was safe, Seth opened the door and Elizabeth came out first, followed by Ara.  Seth enjoyed being Ara’s bodyguard.  She was as compassionate as she was intimidating, and had proven that she was a kickass leader.  He had enjoyed taking her to her weekly training sessions, both target shooting and her hand to hand training.  The first time he had seen her on the firing range, he was shocked.  He was sure that if he had tried to out shoot her, it was possible that she might beat him.   Yet she still struggled in hand to hand combat, but she never stopped, even though she spent most of the time on her ass.  
 Ara and Elizabeth walked into the center and were met by Portia.  She looked so much better than she did when Ara had first met her.  She knew it was because she no longer had to endure the stress or brutality of her toxic husband.  
 “Ara,  la mia bellissima figlia , it is so good to see you.”  Portia cooed. 
 Ara engulfed Portia in a tight hug.  “ Anche tu , I’ve missed you.” 
 Portia pulled back and with a bright smile.  “Let’s go have a cup of tea and talk.” 
 Elizabeth and Ara followed Portia into her apartment.  The design team had done a wonderful job of redesigning the old hotel into apartments for each of the girls.  Portia had decided early on to live at the hotel.  She didn’t want to live in the house that she and Sebastian shared.  There had been too much pain suffered in that house, so, when Sebastian disappeared, she moved all her stuff, sold all his belongings, and sold the house.  She had spoken with Simon and he, too, wanted nothing to do with the house.  So, instead of moving in with his mother, he rented an apartment conveniently located in Maggie’s building.  
 Portia’s apartment was the largest in the building and she had chosen her own colors and decor, unlike when she lived with Sebastian.  Everything had to be Sebastian’s way and she couldn’t pick out anything without his approval.  Shopping for her apartment had been so much fun.  It was nice not to have to worry about someone else’s opinion.  
 The apartment had been finished with a blond hardwood floor, and painted in soft mint green walls with eggshell trim.  With the exceptionally tall windows, she had hung a beige damask fabric.  The furniture included a two drawer cabinet in white, a beautiful chaise in white and lilac, and an off-white sofa, with various colored throws.  In all, it truly reflected Portia’s femininity.  It was soft, yet the use of various colors were warm and inviting.  
 She collected her English Brook tea service and placed a crystal plate of sugar cookies that she had baked this morning with some of the girls on the tray.  
 Oh how she loved supporting the girls in her care.  Each one had a heartfelt story of how they came to fall into the grips of the Morotti family prostitution ring.  When they were first asked to stay at the hotel, they were leery that it was some type of trap, but Portia reassured them it was not.  Portia spoke with them, encouraging them to realize that they were all victims of circumstances.  All of the girls were taken to various clinics, spas, as well as counselors that were affiliated with the family.  After getting back on their feet, some of the girls had contacted their real families and were welcomed to return home, while others had nowhere else to go.  The new family leaders had furnished Portia with not only housing, but also technical and educational support to train the young women to join the workforce in various jobs.  They were informed that these opportunities were theirs for the taking with the promise that they would no longer turn to prostitution.  
 Ara had contacted Portia early on and asked if she thought some of the girls might like working at the new club that would be opening.  When Portia asked, several of the girls jumped at the chance.  Even with all the training, some of the girls just couldn’t get it, but they were excited about the chance to dance at the new club or be one of the servers.  Portia was concerned about the girls working in a nightclub, where the opportunity may lead them to other things, but one of them said.  “Some people in life are made to do certain jobs; I was one of them.  I know that I am good at dancing and I enjoy doing it.  Why do something you hate day in and day out?”  After that day, Portia listened more to the girls and learned that perhaps the girl had been right and she wanted each girl to happy.  
 Portia walked back into the living room and set the tray on the table.  Pouring each person a cup and tea, and sat down.  
 “Thank you, Portia, this is wonderful.”  Ara said as she sipped on her delicious English tea and taking a bite into the perfectly balanced sugar cookie, with creamy frosting.  “These are delicious.” 
 “Thank you,  caro .” 
 Ara sat her cup down and reached into her bag and pulled out a piece of paper.  “I know you have been contacted by the police that both Kurtus and Sebastian were on a ship that went down at sea.”  
 “Yes.  I should have received an academy award for my grieving wife and mother performance.”  Portia snickered. 
 “I would have loved to have seen it.  So here are their death certificates, you are now free to do whatever you want.  Sebastian left everything to Kurtus and, in case of Kurtus’ death, then it all comes to you.” 
 Portia thought for a moment that she didn’t want any part of the asshole who had made all of her adult a living hell, but she thought  Why the fuck not? 
 “Ara, thank you and your family for making sure that Sebastian got what he deserved.  And, Elizabeth, I know I can’t say anything that makes the pain less painful, but I truly am sorry about what he did to your sister and your family.” 
 “Thank you, Portia.”  Elizabeth said, wiping a stray tear from her eye. 
 “Portia, we have hired a General Manager for Solar Eclipse and I was wondering if you would like to come in and meet with him and tell him about the women that have shown interest in working at the club.” 
 “I would love to.  I have the resumes of all the girls and headshots for him to take a look at.  They are in my office.  Come, I will show you what I have put together.”  Ara and Elizabeth followed Portia to her office.  It was down the hall from the living room, and was beautifully appointed.  Two walls were painted a soft beige with an accent wall of baby blue.  The accent wall contained a large white bookcase that matched the white desk.  It truly reflected its owner.  Portia pulled out the notebook she had put together on the girls.  Each girl had a profile shot along with a resume.  
 “Oh, Portia, Carmine will be very pleased with this.  We are very excited to have him on board as the manager.  He has also brought along his father to assist him.  They have worked together as a team for many years and have had great success with any endeavor they have worked on.”  Ara declared. 
 “Is he a member of a family?”  Portia asked, wondering if he was part of the Leone family that she had not heard about. 
 “No, he is not.  But he is a trained Dominant.” 
 “Oh.”  Portia responded quietly.  
 “Yes, but before we hired him we requested a very detailed report from the LA community and they sent it along with letters from all his submissives.  He has an impeccable background.” 
 “If you say that he is okay, I trust you on that.  I know that some of the girls do enjoy that type of lifestyle.”  Portia said. 
 “Portia, I have a wonderful idea; would you mind allowing Rosa to come in and do a beginners submissive class for those women who have expressed an interest?  That way they will be familiar with the rules and what is expected of them.” 
 “Do you think she would consider it,  caro ?” 
 “I am positive she would.  She actually conducts classes at Diamond Knotts once a month.” 
 “I forget that she is a submissive.”  Portia confessed.  “Nazario is such a wonderful man and I can see how much he adores and loves Rosa; I guess I don’t think of them that way.” 
 Ara knew what Portia was alluding to; “Portia, Sebastian was not a dominant, he was an evil controlling bastard.  In a true Dominant/submissive relationship it is not the man who holds the power, but the woman.” 
 “Really?” 
 “Yes.  I am assuming that you were not aware that I am submissive.”  Ara questioned. 
 Portia eyes grew wide and her mouth fell open.  She had no idea that the Donna of the family was a submissive.  How could that be?  “How?”  Portia asked. 
 “I have known I was a submissive for years; I actually taught myself the rules and mannerisms.  Kane is my first and only Dominant.” 
 “But why?  Why would you allow someone to beat you like that?” 
 “Portia, that is not a true Dominant/submissive relationship.  Look, why don’t you go sit in one of the training sessions and you will see what I am talking about?” 
 “I will think about it.”  Portia mumbled.  Could there be another way? 
 “As much as I would love to stay, I need to get back to the office.”  Ara proclaimed. 
 “Oh, that is right, the big meeting in Vegas is coming up.” 
 “Yes and everyone we invited has said that they are coming, so we need to make sure we don’t put people who hate each other in rooms that are next to one another or next to each other at the dinner table.”  Ara chuckled.  Portia stood and hugged her pseudo daughter, as well as Elizabeth as they departed. 
   
   
 Elizabeth was extremely busy with planning the details for gathering intel on Roberto Cortez.  What made the job difficult was, not only did he live in Colombia, but he was in the states a lot doing modeling for BOSS.  That was something they couldn’t seem to understand.  Most people want to stay under the radar, but Roberto loved being in the limelight.  She was planning to use his obvious arrogance against him. 
 As she worked, she felt her anxiety rising.  She knew Sean was flying in this evening.  Over last few weeks he had spent an enormous amount of time in the air, flying back and forth between Boston and Seattle.  Each time he came they went out to dinner, they’d take long walks along Pike Place, talk for hours, and had some very heated make out sessions.  They had kissed and dry humped, but Sean never tried to push it past that point.  And when he had to leave to go back to Boston, she would become frustrated, emotionally and sexually.  That Irish lad had won over her heart and soul, so, tonight, she was going to let him know she was ready to proceed further into their relationship.  Fuck that, she was going jump his fine ass and ride him into next week. 
 She had gone to the spa and had the works done.  By the time she left, there had not been one inch of her body that had not been touched in some way, shape, or form.  The next stop was the lingerie shop, where she had taken her bonus check and purchased a shit load of sexy lingerie.  The set for their first time was an emerald green bra and panty set that reminded her of Sean’s eyes when he was aroused.  
 The times when they had been dry humping, she could feel the outline of his cock and she hoped it was a glorious as it felt.  She also purchased several other sets, for the days and weeks to come.  
 Sean was in the air again, making his way back across the states to his love.  He had rushed home to take care of some problems.  He would so glad to see the Coven team take care of Roberto; his organization had been causing nothing but problems over the last few months and his tactics were getting more vicious than ever before.  Two of his men had been ambushed outside one of the warehouses and killed, the warehouse was emptied of a shipment of guns. Damn that fucking asshole.  But what kept him from going off the deep end, was the lovely red-headed lass in Seattle.  Everything about her called out to him; he knew that she was the one for him.  Elizabeth was going to be his wife as soon as his he could convince her to accept.  
 It had taken every bit of his self-resolve to not to push their relationship further than kissing and rubbing against one another, but he didn’t know how much more his poor dick could take.  He was hard all the fucking time and, no matter how many times he rubbed one out, it wasn’t enough.  It needed to be in that hot pussy.  Fuck, hard again.  
 Elizabeth dressed in her lingerie and a dark green wrap dress and fuck me heels.  
 She had told the hair dresser that she needed the style to be a “take me bed NOW” look,  and the hair dresser didn’t let her down.  It looked fucking amazing.  Applying her makeup with sultry eyes and lips, she was ready to go.   She had told Sean that she was cooking dinner, but, in fact, she had ordered in from the local Chinese restaurant and it was scheduled to arrive ten minutes before Sean.  He had called when he landed and was in route, but traffic was horrible.  
 The dinner had arrived and as the minutes ticked by to the arrival of Sean, Elizabeth became very nervous.  What if she forgot how?  What if she wasn’t good enough?  Sean had been known for his sexual prowess and here she was not having had sex since her husband's death.  Yup, no sex in four years.  She had a drawer full of toys that took care of some of her needs when it got too great to handle, but there was nothing like a long, thick, warm cock.  Fuck, she was horny as hell.  A large box of condoms was sitting on the nightstand, waiting to be used.  They had not talked about birth control or testing and, with Sean’s history, she didn’t want to take a chance; even though she felt sure he was healthy, in this day and age you couldn’t take it for granted.  When Tony was alive, they always used condoms, due to the fact that she had an allergic reaction to the birth control pills she had been taking.  She had contacted her doctor when she knew that Sean and she were progressing in their relationship and he told her that were some new pills, but he recommended a diaphragm. Research showed that it had less side effects, but was still effective.  She had went in and got one to be on the safe side, not that she had not dreamt about little red headed babies.   
 When the doorbell rang, it broke her out of her daydreaming.  Taking a deep breath, she walked to the door and opened it up to find her sexy boyfriend with a bouquet of yellow roses in one hand and a small red box in the other.  Every time he visited, he brought another charm for her bracelet, each embracing their Irish heritage.  
 Sean almost dropped his flowers when he saw Elizabeth in that short, green dress that looked like if he untied the bow on the side it would fall open.  FUCK!  “ Fhéachann tú leanbh álainn sin fucking .” (You look so fucking beautiful, baby)  Sean cried. 
 “ Go raibh maith agat .”  (Thank you)  Elizabeth said as her cheeks bloomed in a bright red glow.  “Come in.” 
 Sean walked in her apartment, which was bathed in candlelight.  She had placed candles on the floor, in front of the couch was a group of pillows and on the table were place settings with Chinese food on them.  “Did you make Chinese?” 
 “No, I ordered in.  I thought it would be nice to stay in.” 
 “It is, oh, these are for you, lass.”  Sean said handing her the roses.  “And this is for your bracelet.” 
 “Oh, Sean, they are beautiful.”  Elizabeth said, bringing the roses up to her nose and taking in the lovely scent.  She laid them on the table, along with her box and wrapped her arms around Sean’s neck and began to kiss him with all the passion and love that she had inside of her.  
 Sean wrapped his arms around her tiny waist and pulled her tightly to him.  God, how he loved this woman.  They continued kissing until there was no air left in their lungs.  “Fuck, baby, I missed you.” 
 “I missed you.  Come let’s eat and enjoy the evening.”  Elizabeth said, taking his hand and leading him to the sitting area she’d set up on the floor.  
 Dinner was filled with conversation of their week and with every opportunity a touch, kiss, or caress.  Elizabeth finally had enough.  She turned to Sean and pulled the tie of her dress, causing it to fall open, exposing the emerald green and black lace bra and panty set.  “Sean O’Leary, I want you to make love to me.” 
 Sean shook his head in disbelief.  He had dreamed of this, but he never thought it would happen like this.  Coming out of his stupor, he grabbed her and pulled her onto his lap and began to kiss the living shit out of her.  “Fuck, baby, are you sure?” 
 “Yes.  Oh, yes!”  Elizabeth moaned as Sean kissed down her neck and to her silk covered breast.  
 She tasted so fucking good and he knew that he needed to slow things down, because his dick was so hard that he could cum at any moment, but he needed to take care of her needs first.  “Baby, let’s go to the bedroom so I can love you better.” 
 Elizabeth nodded and Sean was on his feet, scooping her up and carrying her into her room.  She had lit candles and put on soft sensual music on before Sean arrived.  He lowered her to the floor and pushed the dress off of her shoulders, causing it to fall into a emerald green pool at her feet.  Kissing down her neck to her shoulder and slipping off the straps of the bra, he reached behind and unclasped it.  Her breasts fell out and were on full display, ready for him to pay homage.  “Oh, baby, you are so fucking beautiful.  I can’t believe you are mine.”  
 “All yours, for as long as you want me.” 
 “Well, be prepared, lass, because you are it for me.”  
 Sean dropped to his knees, reached up and grasped the side of her panties and slowly pulled them down her firm smooth legs.  Leaning in, he placed soft kisses on her smooth mound.   Fuck, she tasted good.  Standing up, he took a step back and drank in her beauty.  How the hell had he gotten so fucking lucky to find someone like her? 
 Elizabeth reached forward and began to unbutton his shirt.  With each button, she slid the backs of her fingers against his skin, sending shivers down his spine.  When she reached the bottom, she pulled the shirttail from his jeans, pushing it off his shoulders.  His arms, chest, and abs were toned and muscular and she was happy to see a dusting of red hair on his broad chest.  Scraping her nails down his chest, over his abs, she reached for the button of his jeans.  Fuck, she loved button fly jeans on a man.  Slowly, she unbuttoned each one and when the last button was undone, she reached in and stroked his thick cock.  If she wouldn’t have looked like a fool, she would be doing a happy dance, because her man was going commando.  
 “Commando, baby?”  She smirked, licking her lips. 
 “Fuck, baby, you’ve had me so worked up lately, that I couldn’t stand to wear underwear anymore.  Lay down, my beautiful lass.”  Elizabeth laid down on the bed and looked up at Sean, who was removing his pants, causing his long, thick, glorious cock to bounce.  
 “Sean, I wasn’t sure about things, so I purchased some condoms.”  Elizabeth said, hoping that she hadn’t overstepped her bounds.  “We haven’t had the conversation about being tested and past sexual histories.  I know that you have been with other women.” 
 “I have, but it has been over six months since I have been with someone and I just went for a checkup last week and the test came back clean, but until you see the results I don’t mind wearing a condom, even if we both know that it is a sin to do so.” 
 “Sean, you are a Don of a crime family, you have killed people; I think wearing a condom is the least of our worries with God.  But, thank you, and I haven’t been with anyone in a long time.”  Elizabeth whispered. 
 “How long?”  Sean questioned, wondering if it had been someone he knew and whether or not he needed to kill the fucker. 
 “Well...” Elizabeth stuttered, the blush traveling down to her chest. 
 Sean took her face into his hands and looked deeply into her eyes.  “Don’t be embarrassed, lass.  How long, my love?” 
 Elizabeth’s heart began to quiver.  “The last night my husband was alive.” 
 “Oh, my sweet lass, never be ashamed of that.  I am so fucking grateful that you are giving me this gift. And I promise to cherish it and you until my last breath.  I love you, Elizabeth, with all that I am.”  Sean proclaimed, then placed a long passionate kiss upon her lips. 
 As the kiss ended, Elizabeth smiled with tears in her eyes.  “Sean, I loved my husband, but what I feel for you is so much greater.  I love you.” 
 The rest of the night was filled with shared breaths, urgent moans, and their sated bodies entwined together.  At the end, the box of condoms lay empty on the floor. 
   
   
 Over the next few weeks, the Coven continued planning their hit of Roberto.  Elizabeth had contacted Simon to use his IT expertise to get his photoshoot schedule from his agency’s database.  It would save time on assigning surveillance teams more accurately.  They had a team watching his apartment in New York and his mansion in Colombia, but something wasn’t adding up.  There were days that he would disappear and even though the team had his electronic devices tagged, the signals were dropping off the grid.  Team leaders were frustrated and when they provided their weekly update to the Coven Commission, they were not happy.  What were they missing? 
 Everyone was packing for their trip to Vegas.  The details had been finalized and Kane and Ara couldn’t wait to show off the talents of the Coven team.  The income possibilities were endless.  Kane still had a gut feeling that something bad was coming their way, but the security team that he had questioned said that there had been no suspicious activities.  He was still worried.  
 If he had learned anything in life, it was to trust his gut feelings.  He pulled Seth in the office and told him that he wanted him to be extra vigilant when they were in Vegas. 
 Ara packed her luggage for the trip, making sure she had all of the dresses and suits that she would be needing for each event.  By the time she was finished, she was exhausted and decided to lay down and take a nap, which was rare for her to do.  
 
 
 
 Chapter 23 
   
 Vegas was like nothing Ara had ever expected, or seen in her entire life.  They had arrived in the dark of night, so as not to draw attention to their arrival.  As the limos entered the city limits en route to their hotel, the lights of the Vegas strip were so bright that it looked as if it was daytime.  There were people everywhere, and excitement could be felt in the air. It was the city where one could win their life’s dream, or lose it with the roll of the dice.  
 Their limo pulled up to Bally’s Las Vegas Hotel.  Kane had called in a favor with the owner of the hotel to ensure that their party and guests were the only ones booked at the hotel for the next three days.  Matthew Allen had been a college buddy of Kane and Uriel’s.  They had stumbled on him one night as he was being attacked while walking back from the local bar.  He had been stabbed multiple times in the stomach and one large gash on his thigh, which still caused him to walk with a slight limp.  Uriel and Kane had gone with him to the hospital the night of the attack. It was there they met Matthew’s father, Roger.  He was distraught at what had happened to his son and wanted vengeance for him.  
 Kane knew that Mr. Allen owned several hotels around the country; his largest was in Vegas, but he had one in Seattle as well.  Kane’s father was friends with Roger and he knew that he would want him to help catch the fuckers and make them pay for what they did.  The assholes who had done it were easy enough to track down.  Once they were caught, there were sliced, diced, and filleted by Kane’s favorite “little” friend, their remains were never found.  Mr. Allen had been so grateful that he extended his gratitude to the Leone family.  If there was ever a time that they needed anything, it was theirs.  Matt was more than agreeable for this opportunity to return the favor, and block off the hotel solely for the Coven’s convention.  Of course, Kane was compensating Matthew and his father for the rooms, so it was a profitable venture for everyone. 
 As they pulled up to the valet stand, Seth saw the extra security team already in position at the front doors.  Kane had demanded that security was the number one priority for this weekend, so everyone who was not needed to run the businesses back in Seattle was assigned to the event in Las Vegas.  Seth got out of the limo and went over to check in with the security team.  It had been all quiet, nothing out of the ordinary had happened.  Seth did a survey of the area and, once he felt that it was safe, opened the back door of the limo. 
 Kane exited first, even knowing that the security team and Seth had conducted a survey of area, he discreetly did one as well, because the person coming out next was the most important person in the world to him.  The love of his life, his wife, his submissive, and he would never permit anything to happen to her.  He would never survive in a world where she did not exist.  Once he was satisfied, he reached out his hand and she placed her hand into his.  
 Ara stepped out and Kane pulled her in close and bent over and placed a sweet kiss on her lips.  “Welcome to Vegas, baby.” 
 “Oh Kane, it is so beautiful.”  Ara’s head was practically on a swivel trying to take in all the sights. 
 “I promise we will come back soon and spend some time enjoying what Vegas has to offer.”  Kane assured her.  He knew they needed a honeymoon, but with everything that had been happening, there just wasn’t an opportunity; he hoped soon things would die down and they could take some time for themselves. Hell, maybe they’d make that baby they so badly wanted. 
 Kane and Ara walked into the hotel.  The large lobby had white and brown marble floors and the check in desk was a large marble wall with a large gold leaf medallion in the center.  Even at 2:30 A.M. the place was a hive of activity.  Kane looked toward the desk and saw Matthew walking toward him. 
 “Kane, it’s been awhile; so good to see you again.”  Matthew greeted, shaking Kane’s hand.  As he did, Matthew glanced over to see who was on Kane’s arm and couldn’t believe his eyes.  She was a true beauty, long mahogany hair, a fucking hot body, with the face of an angel.  
 Kane saw how Matthew was staring at his wife and he knew exactly what he was thinking.  Squeezing Matthew’s hand with a bit more force broke him from his trance.  “Matthew, I didn’t expect you to greet us personally.  Let me introduce my lovely wife and partner, Arabella Leone.” 
 “Wife?”  Matthew questioned, because he knew Kane Leone as a womanizer and now he was married to this goddess. 
 “Yes, wife.  Do you have everything ready for us?”  Kane asked, trying to direct his attention to the task at hand.  Matthew had known him during the time when women were good for only one thing and once the goal was met, he dropped them like a hot potato.  
  “Oh, of course, everything is ready per your instructions, Kane.  Your immediate family have been placed in the penthouse suites.  The remainder of the Leone family are located three floors below.  The guest rooms are ready and are set according to the specifications that we received.” 
 “Wonderful!”  Kane said as he clapped Matthew on the back.  “We would like to retire to our room.  It has been a long day.” 
 “Certainly, let me get the bellhops to get your luggage.”  Matthew said. 
 “No, that will not be necessary.”  Kane barked.  “Our security team will take care of that.” 
 “Okay.  And let me say, it is a pleasure having you here at Bally’s.  I will be staying at the hotel, so if you need anything, don’t hesitate to contact me at any time.” 
 “Thank you, Mr. Allen, we will do that.  It was a pleasure meeting you.”  Ara said in her most authoritative voice.  She had seen how Matthew had looked her over, and she would make sure he knew that she was not what he expected. “Kane, dear, take me to bed.”  
 “Hmm, gladly.  Matthew, goodnight.”  Kane chuckled, wrapping his arm around Ara and walking toward the elevator. 
   
   
 The next few days were filled with meetings with their guests.  Each family head was provided with a detailed booklet that listed every service available for hire.  Demonstrations were provided in various conference rooms for each of the teams, as well as interviews with the team leaders.  At the conclusion of each demonstration, there would be a meeting to address any questions or concerns.  The Coven had made an unprecedented impression on their guests. If the murmurs were any indication, there would be a windfall of assignments coming the Coven’s way. 
 Kane and Ara had been well received and garnered enormous respect from their guests, each wanting to spend time with the new West Coast power couple.  Many of the heads of invited families had been unsure about union between Kane, Ara, and the two most powerful West Coast crime families, but, one by one, their doubts were assuaged, and their respect won.  They were impressed by their knowledge and professionalism.  It was obvious that they were strictly business, and were extremely capable of providing a successful outcome.  
 Kane and Nazario were scheduled to have drinks with an old friend.  Kane had asked Elizabeth to stay with Ara in their suite.  He knew that she had Seth and the extra security detail, but he wanted someone on a personal level to stay close; Elizabeth was a perfect choice.  Ara had been feeling slightly ill and when she woke up this morning, she felt sick to her stomach.  After a short time, it seemed to pass.  As she sat on the side of the bed, she remembered that she had been tired lately, requiring a nap, which was highly unusual.  Now she was feeling nauseous, and out of sorts.  As she added things up, she was shocked at her conclusions; could she be pregnant?  Instinctively covering her stomach with her hand in a protective manner, she smiled and couldn’t help but think about how happy Kane would be.  She needed to get a home pregnancy test. 
 Once her nausea seemed abated, she dressed for the day and went out into the living room of the suite to find Elizabeth typing away on her laptop.  “Elizabeth.” 
 “Ara.  Are you okay; how are you feeling?”  Elizabeth asked, because, instead of the healthy glow that Ara always seem to have, she looked a little pale.  
 “Actually, I need to go pick up something, but I want it to be a surprise for Kane.”  
 “Okay, what is it?” 
 Ara looked around the room to be sure they were the only two within hearing range.  Once she was sure they were she leaned in close and whispered.  “A pregnancy test.” 
 “REALLY?!”  Elizabeth excitedly asked. 
 “Shhh.  I don’t want anyone to know, especially Kane, until I know for sure.” 
 “Okay.  Are you okay to leave the room or do you want me to get it?”  
 “No, I’m feeling much better now.  I need to get out and get some air.” 
 “Okay.  I will make this happen, I promise.”  Elizabeth put away her laptop, and informed her team that if they needed her to contact her on her phone.  She was growing concerned by the outages they were experiencing on Roberto Cortez’s electronics.  Something was up, and she didn’t like it. 
 Elizabeth and Ara left the room, followed by Seth and the security detail.  When they reached the ground floor, Seth and the detail surveyed the lobby for any threats and, once they felt that it was all clear, Ara was permitted to leave the elevator.  Elizabeth locked arms with Ara and chatted as the crossed the lobby. 
 “Seth, we are going to do a little shopping in the Grand Bazaar.”  Ara said.  Bally’s had a large array of shops.  Ara and Elizabeth went from shop to shop, buying clothes, jewelry, lingerie and some kinky toys at the Lolo Exotic Home Goods store.  As they were passing by a pharmacy, Elizabeth gave Ara a wink.  
 “Ara, I need to drop in a grab some feminine products.”  Elizabeth said, making Seth cringe at the thought.  
 “Oh, Elizabeth, how horrible to have that ruining your week.”  Ara smirked.  
 Elizabeth and Ara walked in and headed toward the feminine product row, which was where they located the pregnancy tests.  Picking up several boxes of tampons, liners, pads, feminine wash, and, lastly, five tests they walked to the counter.  Seth normally would be following more closely, but he just couldn’t when they were buying those items.  Ara paid for the items and they were placed in a bag, which they stuffed in one of their other large shopping bags.  With the tests securely in hand, they shopped at a few more shops and told Seth they were returning to the room. 
 Once back in the room, and after Seth had left to stand guard at the door, Ara pulled out the tests and went to the bathroom.  Reading over the instructions, she used one of the available plastic cups from the bathroom to collect the urine for the five tests she had purchased.  There was no way she could pee on five test strips.  Dipping each test in and placing them on the bathroom counter, face down, the agony of waiting began.  She walked out of the bathroom to find Elizabeth waiting for her. 
 “So?” Elizabeth’s face lit up with excitement. 
 “I am waiting on the results.”  Ara nervously muttered.  
 “Oh, Ara, come over here and sit down.  So, was this planned?”  Elizabeth tilted her head, smirking at Ara. 
 “We have been trying.  Kane has been putting his  cough, cough  all into making it happen.”  Ara giggled. 
 “Damn...lucky girl.” 
 “Yeah and what about Sean O’Leary?  I heard that he has been racking up the air miles for some redheaded lass here on the West Coast.  I also heard each and every trip has him leaving with a large grin on his face.” 
 “Oh, Ara, he is so amazing.  I am so happy, but I keep looking around, waiting for the other shoe to drop.  It just seems that, every time we turn around, something negative happens.”  Elizabeth said. 
 “Elizabeth, you can’t always look for something bad to happen; look at the bright side and enjoy this time with Sean.  He is your match in every way.  I can see the love he has for you in his eyes when he talks about you.” 
 “I love him so much it is scary.  I never felt anything like this, even for Tony.”  She muttered as she dropped her head. 
 “Sean is your one true love, like Kane is mine.”  Ara tried to console her friend. 
 Looking down at her watch, Ara saw it was time to check the tests.  “Elizabeth, it’s time, will you go with me?”  
 “Of course, sweetie.” 
 They walked in the bathroom and over to the vanity.  All the tests were turned over facing down.  
 “On the count of three we start flipping them over, agreed?”  Ara asked nervously.  Elizabeth stood there nodding her head with a huge grin on her face. 
 “One, two, three…”  They each started flipping over the test sticks to see a glowing plus sign on each.  The girls hugged each other, jumping up and down in excitement.  Tears ran down Ara’s face and both hands were now placed on her flat stomach.  “I am going to be a mother.” 
 “And a wonderful mother at that.  Ara, I am so excited for you and Kane.  I hope one day this will be Sean and me.” 
 “It will be, have faith.  Oh my God, I need to tell Kane, but I think I’ll wait until we get home.  I want to make it special.  Can you get rid of all these except one and transport it back to Seattle for me?” 
 “Of course.”  Elizabeth agreed, Ara another hug. 
 Elizabeth took the tests and got rid of all but one, which she packaged in a plastic bag and placed in her suitcase.  Ara would be getting it from her when they arrived back in Seattle. 
 Ara sat in the living room of the suite later that afternoon, staring out at the Vegas skyline.  She was going to be a mother.  A mother.  She was carrying Kane’s baby.  The smile and tears wouldn’t stop.  She never thought she could be happier with her life, but this little person growing inside of her made her rethink everything.  
 Kane returned a little while later and found his lovely wife sitting in the living room reading a book.  He stood and watched her for a moment and counted his lucky stars for bringing her into his empty life.  “Hello, sweetheart.” 
 “Kane, did you have a nice time?”  
 “Yes. Gregory is an old friend of Dad’s and wanted to catch up.  What did you and Elizabeth do with your day?” 
 “We went shopping over in the bazaar.  I even picked up a few things you might even like.” 
 “Really and what would those be?”  The visuals going through Kane’s mind were endless. 
 “Why don’t I show you?”  Ara said with a sexy smile. 
 “Well, lead the way, my little minx.”   Oh, yeah, this was going to be a good day , Kane thought. 
 The rest of the afternoon was spent using the toys that Ara had purchased.  In the end, the couple collapsed into an exhausted afternoon nap.  When they woke up, they began to get ready for the final reception.  
   
   
 The conferences and demonstrations that were conducted had impressed the family heads. Inquiries were made, answers provided, and Contracts were already being negotiated.  It appeared that the Coven Commission and Coven were going to be very busy.  If the rumors were true, the income expected would exceed both the Leone and Morotti families combined.  Kane and Ara were both convinced that this would alleviate any concerns the family members had at the initial meetings when the idea of the Coven were discussed.  Now, it was time for the closing reception. 
 Kane dressed in his new Armani tux that Ara had purchased him, a crisp white shirt, bow tie, and the Coven cufflinks.  
 Ara had purchased a beautiful gown for the occasion.  The top was a fitted bustier in cream with black lace, with a cream bottom containing inserts of the black lace.  She pulled her hair up into an elegant updo and placed the diamond and emerald necklace that Kane had given her around her neck.  Looking in the mirror she was pleased with the way she looked.  She didn’t look like the same Ara that she was in May; this woman was the Donna of the most powerful family in the country.  
 “Fuck, baby, you look great.”  Kane moaned, wrapping his arms around her and placing a kiss on her exposed neck. 
 “Thank you.  I am excited for this evening to be over with so we can get back home.” 
 “Me, too.  I think we need to have a little session soon, my pet.”  
 Her heart rate picked up, and shivers rolled down her spine at the thought of returning to her Master’s playroom.  Work had put a damper on time they were able to spend enjoying each other in the playroom.  “Whatever you think is best, Master.” 
 “Fuck, baby, you can’t say things like that to me before we have to leave the room.  Damn, now I will be hard all night until we get back. 
 “And I will take care of you when you get back, I promise.”  She purred as she ran a hand down his chest. 
 “All right, come on, let’s get this show on the road.”  Kane grumbled, wanting nothing more than to strip her and bury his hard cock deep inside. 
 The reception area had been beautifully decorated in the colors of the Coven’s black, white, and red.  Ara and Rosa had provided detailed instructions on what they required.  The tables were covered in white linen table cloths, with black napkins.  The place settings were white china with black chargers.  In the center of the table was an arrangement of blood red roses in crystal vases.  It was a very powerful and elegant presentation.  The head table was occupied by Kane and Ara, along with Nazario, Rosa, Zachary, and Claudia.   The Coven Commission and their wives were put at a table to the right of the head table and to the left was the table containing the team leaders of Coven, Inc.  Dinner was served and the wine and liquor was flowing.  All the heads of the families seemed to be getting along, which shocked more than one person.  
 Ara had been careful about not drinking any wine with dinner.  She had been happy that no one seemed to notice that, but, after drinking all those glasses of water, her bladder was screaming.  “Sweetie, I need to use the restroom, I’ll be right back.”  She whispered to Kane.  
 “Let me get Seth.”  Kane said as he began to rise from his seat. 
 “No, I will take Elizabeth; it’s just down the hall.  We’ll be fine.”  She assured him. 
 “All right, but be careful.”  He was trying not to smother her in protection, with all the families in attendance, but he could never be too cautious. 
 “I always am.  Love you.” 
 “I love you.”  Kane stated. 
 Ara walked over to the Coven team leaders’ table and whispered into Elizabeth’s ear what she needed.  Elizabeth got up and went with Ara to the bathroom.  
 They finished up and were on their way back when the lights went out on the entire floor.  They heard yelling and screaming coming from the reception area and then gunfire.  Elizabeth placed herself between Ara and the room, above all else the Donna of the family must be protected, but Ara was struggling against her hold to get back to make sure everything was okay.  Elizabeth was reaching in her purse for her nine mil as they opened the doors.  They saw people running out of the doors at the front of the room, with their guns drawn protecting their loved ones the other families rushed out, but suddenly they heard Erik’s booming voice echoing through the room.  “Get a doctor here now!  Kane doesn’t have a pulse.” 
 Ara tried to get around Elizabeth to run to Kane, causing Elizabeth to drop her gun.  At that precise moment, someone grabbed Ara from behind and placed a cloth over her mouth.  Before closing her eyes for the last time, she saw that Elizabeth was in the same position with a hooded man holding her with a rag over her mouth.  As she was blacking out Ara’s mind was on one thing and one thing only, the love of her life was dead.  
 
 
 Publication Date: August 10th 2021 https://www.bookrix.com/-gl1568e1b833685