Mafia Queen (The Manning Sisters #1) (16 page)

“Ready to do this?” James asked from the front seat of the SUV as he pulled into the church parking lot.

“Ready to get it over with,” Rachel answered and Lis nodded her agreement.

“Okay then, let’s go,” Dakota said and climbed out.

He walked around and opened Lis’ door before helping her down from the seat. When he closed the door behind her, he grabbed her hand and they walked into the church as a unit. Once inside, Dakota and James checked the parameter while Lis and Rachel met with the minister and discussed the service.

They would greet people for the first half hour then the service would start. Once the service started Lis and Rachel would be the most exposed during their speeches, but all entrances and exits would be closed by that point and security would be stationed inside and out. No one would be getting in and no one would be getting out.

“Father, we’d like to start precisely at three-thirty. We want to be wrapped up no later than five. Can we do that?” Lis asked and the minister nodded.

“Yes ma’am, Miss Manning. Your parents were huge church contributors and I will honor them however you feel is best.”

“Thank you, Father,” Lis said with a small smile.

“You’re very welcome, dear,” he said and they shook hands. When he pulled his hand away he glanced down at his palm and smiled at the hundred dollar bill she’d slipped into his hand. “Thank you, dear.”

Lis just nodded and smiled at the older man before she walked over to where Dakota was standing and positioned herself beside him. “People will be arriving in just a few minutes. Are you ready for this?” She asked.

“My shoulder is on fire, but I’m ready for whatever comes our way,” he told her and she grinned.

“Dakota, I’m not hiding the fact that you and I are together. I’m also not taking my ring off for this. I want people to know that when they mess with one of us they are messing with both. I want them to know that we are a team and that we will be running the family together.”

Dakota looked at her in shock for a second before his face split into a smile that lit up the room. “I love you, Lis.”

“I love you, too, Dakota,” she answered just as the doors opened. “I guess that means it’s time.”

Dakota nodded as the first small group of people entered. “It’s the Chakravarthy’s,” he whispered and Lis nodded. She knew this family well and was happy to see them here.

“Mr. and Mrs. Chakravarthy, I’m glad you could make it,” Lis greeted them with a small smile and Mr. Chakravarthy smiled back.

“Elisabeth, your father was a very good friend of mine and I am very sad to see him go, but I know that between yourself, Rachel, and Mr. Jackson, your family is in good hands. I look forward to working with you all in the future.”

“Thank you, sir. Dad spoke very highly of you and I know he’d be happy to know that you are behind us as we take over and lead the family on,” Rachel told him as she stepped up beside Lis. “Also, thank you for providing extra security today. Both of our families have been threatened way too many times over the past couple of weeks.”

“My pleasure, dear,” he answered and ushered his wife toward a seat in the back.

For the next half hour Lis, Rachel, James, and Dakota greeted the heads of the different families in the area, as well as several members of the church. When the doors closed at precisely three thirty Lis sighed and took her seat in the front row.

“We are here today to mourn the untimely passing of Richard and Bianca Manning. They were taken from this world unexpectedly and violently, but they will never truly be gone as long as the memory of them lives on.”

As the minister droned on, Lis and Dakota watched for any sign of trouble. There weren’t any, but they remained alert through his sermon. As Rachel went to stand to approach the podium, Lis placed her hand on her leg and shook her head.

“There’s someone in the upper balcony,” she whispered softly into the ear piece all of them were wearing. “I just saw movement up there.”

“I’ll check it out,” Schaffler told her quietly. He was the closest to the entrance and could get there in a matter of seconds.

“Lis, let Rachel go to the podium. Elliot, position yourself so you can get to her quickly if something happens. We have to keep going or we will alert whomever is up there that we know they’re there,” Dakota said and Lis nodded.

“Be careful, Rach,” Lis told her sister and kissed her cheek. To anyone watching, the exchange would look like nothing more than one sister lending support to the other.

“I will, Lis,” Rachel assured her and rose to her feet.

Before she made it to the podium a crash sounded from the balcony and Rachel dropped to the floor.

“Rachel?” James yelled and was to her before anyone else could leave their seats.

“I’m fine. I went down on my own,” she told them all and a collective sigh of relief filled the room.

“Get up there,” Dakota yelled to his men and he heard Chakravarthy yell the same to his men.

Before anyone could move, Aaran Nadas jumped from the balcony and landed in the middle of the aisle, right beside Mrs. Chakravarthy who was holding a screaming two-year-old in her arms. He grinned and grabbed for the baby, but Mr. Chakravarthy stepped between them and landed a solid punch to Aaran’s face.

“Think you can take me, old man?” Aaran asked mockingly.

“Let’s find out,” Chakravarthy answered and shrugged out of his suit jacket.

Aaran swung out and Chakravarthy dodged the blow meant for his face. When he swung up with a counter blow, he connected with the air in front of him where Aaran had been standing a second before.

Glancing to his left, he saw Aaran running down the aisle toward the door and followed him. As Chakravarthy’s men blocked the door, Aaran halted in his tracks. “You’ve got nowhere to run, Nadas. You know, you remind me of your father. He was a runner, too. He didn’t have to die, but he left me no option. You just made the same mistake he did all those years ago. You threatened what is mine. And now you will meet the same fate as he did.”

“You don’t have the balls to kill me in a house of God,” Aaran said and Chakravarthy laughed.

“You’re right, but I do have the balls to kill you just outside of one,” he responded and grabbed Aaran by the hair.

When his men opened the doors, Chakravarthy dragged Aaran out and threw him to the ground. “Here’s your chance to stand and fight like your father didn’t,” he told Aaran and the younger man leaped to his feet.

“Let’s see what you got,” he taunted and motioned for Chakravarthy to attack him.

Chakravarthy didn’t budge from where he was standing and Aaran grew frustrated. When he advanced on the older man, Chakravarthy moved to the right and dodged the fist Aaran blindly threw.

“If you lead with rage, you will die mad,” Chakravarthy told him and grinned when Aaran yelled out his anger and charged again.

This time Chakravarthy stepped aside and let Aaran’s forward momentum propel him into the church wall. Before Aaran could recover, Chakravarthy pulled him to his feet and punched him in the face.

“You are going to die now, just like your father did, alone and afraid,” Chakravarthy told him wrapped his hand around Aaran’s throat. “The question I’m asking myself is, should it be quick, or should I draw it out? With your father I made it quick, just a snap of the neck and he was dead. With you, I think I want to play with you a little more.”

As Chakravarthy talked his hand tightened on Aaran’s throat, cutting off his air supply.

“You’re not going to live to remember this, but I am going to tell you anyway. I eliminated your father because he kidnapped and killed my son. That’s the reason your family was taken out. I let you and your sister live because neither of you were at home when it happened so I felt you didn’t have a part in it. Now, you have made the same mistake your father did. You threatened my daughter.”

As Aaran’s eyes started to glass over Chakravarthy smiled and increased the pressure just a little on his throat. “He took the life of my son and now I am taking the life of his. The difference is, my son was a baby and was brutally murdered.”

When Aaran’s wind pipe crushed under Chakravarthy’s hand he smiled evilly. “Now I’ll finish you quickly,” he said and snapped Aaran’s neck like it was a twig in the forest. When he turned to face Dakota and his men he straightened his tie and looked at them.

“Elliot, clean up this mess,” Dakota ordered and handed Chakravarthy his jacket. “Come on, sir. We have a memorial to attend.”

Chakravarthy nodded and they walked back into the church like nothing had happened outside except a conversation between old friends.

The rest of the memorial passed uneventfully and by five-thirty James was driving them back to the hotel.

“Dakota, did Chakravarthy kill Aaran?” Lis asked as they changed out of the clothes they wore to the memorial.

“He did,” Dakota answered and Lis’ shoulder’s relaxed visibly.

“That’s good. One less threat we have to worry about,” Lis said and Dakota looked at her.

“It was brutal. He crushed the man’s throat with his hands,” Dakota told her and she shuddered. “He threatened Chakravarthy’s daughter. I can’t say that I wouldn’t have reacted the same.”

“Did you know that Aaran’s father murdered Chakravarthy’s son?” Lis asked and Dakota nodded.

“I didn’t until today, but that just makes Chakravarthy’s reaction that much more understandable,” he told her and she nodded.

“I agree. A lot of people think the Nadas family was eliminated because of what they were doing, but Nadas murdering Chakravarthy’s son is the true reason for it. All the families feared for their children so they banded together to eliminate the threat. That’s when dad and Mr. Chakravarthy formed their friendship. They bonded over the grief of losing a child.”

“Oh wow,” Dakota said as he struggled out of his suit jacket.

“Baby, let me help you,” Lis told him and walked over to where he was still struggling. “I don’t want you pulling your stitches.”

She gently pulled his suit jacket off then reached up to loosen his tie. “Do you know how sexy you look in this?” She asked as she tugged the tie loose and slipped it over his head.

“No idea at all,” he whispered softly as she started to slowly unbutton his shirt.

“Well then let me show you,” she told him and dropped her head forward. As she slipped each button free, she placed scorching hot kisses on his chest. When she pulled his shirt free from his pants and unbuttoned the last couple of buttons she slipped her tongue in his belly button and he groaned. 

“You’re driving me crazy,” he told her and tangled his hands in her hair.

After she unbuckled his belt she unbuttoned his pants and slowly lowered the zipper, causing his body to slightly tense in anticipation. “Patience, love,” she told him as she lowered his pants and boxer shorts, letting his erection spring free.

She wrapped her hand around his length and started to gently stroke his shaft as she lowered her head and gently flicked her tongue across the tip of his penis. When his hands tightened in her hair she pulled him into her mouth and started sucking.

Her hand continued to stroke him as her mouth sucked him harder. Her other hand reached around him and locked on his ass as she pulled him deeper into her mouth.

“Oh, God, Lis,” he moaned softly when she moved her hand off his shaft and took him all the way in, letting his head touch the back of her throat. She moaned around him, sending vibrations through his entire body and causing his knees to go slightly weak.

His hips started moving with the rhythm of her mouth and before long he was beyond control. His hips pushed forward as her hand wrapped around him again and she pulled her mouth away, letting his hot cum spill out on her chin and chest. When she lowered her mouth and gently licked his head clean he almost lost it again.

“My God, woman. You are going to be the death of me,” he said breathlessly as she rose to her feet and walked to the bathroom.

“No dying on me,” she teased as she cleaned herself up. When she walked back into the bedroom he was laying on the bed, completely naked and rock hard again.

“Come here and let me show you just how alive I am,” he told her and she shook her head.

“You were shot today, Dakota,” she said as she walked to her small over-night bag and pulled out the t-shirt and jeans Rachel had packed for her. “I wanted to make sure you were comfortable and relaxed, but I don’t expect anything in return.”

“I know you don’t expect anything, Lis, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to pleasure you, too,” he said in a soft voice. “Please, baby?”

“Dakota, you can barely move your arm,” she told him and he shook his head.

“I don’t need my arms for what I have in mind,” he told her and got off the bed. When he stopped behind her he lowered his head and brushed his lips across her bare shoulder. “I promise neither of us will get hurt.”

“You, sir, do not play fair,” she told him after he gently scraped his teeth across her creamy flesh.

“And you, ma’am, are too delectable for me to resist,” he countered as he gently pushed her forward until she was bent across the table in front of her. “I want to be deep inside you.”

“Mmm..” she moaned as he started stroking her exposed clit.

“I will have you, Elisabeth, and I promise you will enjoy it,” he said just before he slid his cock into her from behind. When she spread her legs slightly he smiled and started moving. His good hand tangled into her hair and he drove deep inside of her, filling her completely.

“That’s it, baby. Don’t hold back,” he said as he increased the pace.

Her moans bounced off the walls as he pulled almost completely out and drove back in, hard and deep. When she started shaking he increased the pace and when she exploded around him he didn’t slow down. He wanted her to reach maximum pleasure and he was fighting for control of himself.

As he felt himself losing it he let go of her hair and reached between her legs. Letting his fingers stroke her clit as her walls clenched his cock, he felt her start to come undone and this time he followed her over the edge.

***

“Dakota, Lis, are you two about ready?” Rachel asked after a soft knock on the door half an hour later.

“Yes,” Lis answered and opened the door. She was surprised she could walk after Dakota was through with her earlier, but it was a really good kind of discomfort.

“The windows are fixed and the panic room door has been replaced. We are cleared to go back to the mansion,” Rachel told them when she entered the room.

“Okay, good,” Dakota said and grabbed his small bag off the dresser.

“You, sir, will be getting some rest when we get home. You have seen too much action today as it is,” Lis told him and grinned.

“Yes, ma’am,” he responded ad winked at her. “Let’s get home so I can get into bed and let my sexy nurse tend to my every need.”

“Oh my God, you two had sex in here after we got back, didn’t you?” Rachel asked and Lis blushed.

“We did, and I got a little shower action before the memorial service too,” Dakota told her and Lis’ blush deepened.

“Spare me the details,” Rachel said and rolled her eyes.

“Details of what?” James asked as they entered the sitting area of the hotel suite.

“Their sex life,” Rachel answered and shuddered. “I don’t want to know.”

“Same here,” James agreed, but looked at Dakota curiously and shook his head. “Let’s get home.”

“Yes, let’s get home,” Dakota agreed as they stepped into the elevator and headed down.

When they got off the elevator none of them noticed the man standing in the shadows, watching as they loaded into the SUV and left the hotel. He watched them until they were out of the parking garage before he walked to his car, got in, and followed them. He had plans and no matter what they did, they would not stop him from completing those plans.