Mafia Queen (The Manning Sisters #1) (9 page)

“Dakota, we need to stop,” Lis hissed through gritted teeth and he looked over at her.

“Oh, shit!” He yelled when he saw the blood running down her arm. “Fuck. You’ve been shot.”

“Yes,” she hissed out and closed her eyes. “I’m pretty sure it’s just a graze, but my arm is on fire. We need to stop the bleeding.”

“Yeah,” he agreed and looked around for a safe place to stop. When he spotted an abandoned warehouse with a ramp leading to an open loading dock he immediately pulled the car up the ramp and inside. After putting the car in park he jumped out and closed the dock doors before running back to Lis.

“Baby,” he said as he dropped to his knees beside her open door. He was having a mild panic attack at the sight of her bleeding and he knew he needed to keep it together. “I’m going to reach under your seat and get the first aid kit I keep under there.”

“Dakota, this burns like it’s been set on fire, but I’m not dying. Calm down.” He nodded, but didn’t say anything as he pulled the first aid kit out. “Dakota, I need you to focus and stop worrying. I’m certain it’s only a graze.”

“Yeah, okay,” he said and took a deep breath.

“You’d think a big, bad, former soldier man would not freak out at the sight of a little blood,” Lis said and he snapped his head up.

“Now is not the time for jokes, Elisabeth. You were fucking shot. You could have been fucking killed.”

“Yes, I know that, but I wasn’t killed. I’m alive and I’m right here,” she told him and laid her forehead against his shoulder. “I am bleeding on the interior of this lovely car of yours though, and I would really like to not lose any more blood.”

Dakota nodded and kissed the top of her head before he opened the first aid kit and assessed the contents. When he looked back up he gave her a half smile. “I’m going to have to rip your shirt to get to the wound.”

“You just want me half naked,” she teased and grimaced.

“That’s always a plus,” he said as he ripped her shirt open and looked at the wound. “Well, you were right, it’s just a flesh wound. I’m going to clean it and bandage it then I’ll get you a fresh shirt.”

“Okay,” Lis said and hissed when he dabbed antiseptic on it.

“I’m sorry, baby. I know it stings.”

“It’s okay. Just get it cleaned and bandaged so we can go,” she said and looked out the windshield.

“Okay, it’s all clean. I’m going to bandage it then get you a clean shirt. When I’m finished I’m going to check to make sure it’s all clear before we leave.”

Lis nodded and laid her head against the seat. Once he had the bandage secured she opened her eyes and looked at him. “Thank you.”

“No need to thank me. I will always take care of you,” he told her and kissed her forehead. “Let me get you a clean shirt, then we can get out of here.”

She nodded and he rose to his feet. As he rounded the back of the car, something inside the warehouse caught her attention. “Dakota, did you happen to notice what street we turned down?”

“No, I was trying to get as far away from Morrison’s men as possible. Why?” Dakota answered as he opened the driver’s door and slid in.

“Look at those boxes,” she told him and grabbed the shirt he handed her. After slowly slipping her arm through it, she buttoned it quickly and slid out of the car. “Turn the headlights on.” He did as she said and her breath caught in her throat.

“Holy fuck! This is one of Morrison’s warehouses,” Dakota said softly as he walked toward the boxes and crates labeled
Morrison Holdings
. “Wonder who left that door open?”

“Who knows, but I have an idea. Want to fuck with Morrison’s business?”

“What did you have in mind?”

“Well, we have matches in your box, and this shit is flammable. I say we make his business a little hot to handle.”

“Smart and beautiful. A deadly combination,” he told her with a smirk. “Remind me never to piss you off.”

She laughed and walked back to the car. “Get that door opened and the car pulled onto the ramp. I’m going to drop a couple matches and then we can let what happens, happen.”

“Wear gloves just in case the match stick doesn’t burn,” he told her and grinned. “We don’t need you arrested for arson.”

Lis grinned and snagged a pair of gloves from the lock box. After she slipped them on she grabbed a book of matches and quickly walked down the open aisle between rows of boxes.

As Lis found the perfect spot to start the fire, Dakota pulled the car onto the ramp. When he walked back inside he saw a small, flickering light coming from several places in the building and he started searching for Lis. When he saw her jogging toward him he grinned and darted back to the car.

He started the engine just as she opened the passenger side door and hopped in. “Let’s get far away from here fast.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said and hit the gas. Just as they rounded the corner at the end of the block several small explosions sounded from inside the building and Lis grinned.

“That was a warehouse where the Manning family held a lot of their illegal arms. We just cost them millions.”

“How do you know that?” Dakota asked and looked in his rearview mirror as sirens sounded behind them. Fire trucks were flooding into the warehouse district, but no one was paying attention to them.

“I opened a couple of crates before I set them on fire. The top half of them held the legal stuff, but under that stuff was a massive amount of guns and ammo. I can only assume he already had a buyer for him to have that much merchandise. This is really going to hurt them financially.”

Dakota didn’t say anything else as they made their way through the city. When he pulled into a parking place in the parking garage of his brother’s building and stopped, he glanced over at Lis. She was cradling her arm, but was looking around them to make sure everything was quiet.

“Let’s get you inside. I want to look at that shoulder and make sure you’re not bleeding again.”

Lis nodded and grabbed her gun from where it rested in her lap before she got out of the car. “I’ll watch our backs while you carry everything. I don’t think I can carry my suitcase anyway.”

Dakota nodded and less than two minutes later they were in a secure elevator heading up to David’s apartment.

“Lis, I’m so glad you’re okay,” Rachel yelped out and flung her arms around her sister.

“Easy, Rach,” Lis hissed and pulled out of Rachel’s arms. “I was shot by Morrison’s men. It’s just a graze, but it still burns like fire.”

“Shot? What the fuck happened?” James asked as he took a step toward Lis.

“We passed several SUV’s of Morrison’s men as we were leaving the island. Just as we started across the bridge one of them got behind us. They were about four cars back by the time we got off the bridge so I thought I could outrun them. I was wrong and they caught up to us. Lis poked her head out to take a shot just as they took a shot. She was grazed, but managed to get off several rounds anyway. One of her bullets hit their tire and they flipped.”

“Holy shit. You’re lucky they didn’t shoot you in the fucking head,” Rachel told her and shook her head. “Do you know what would have happened if you’d been killed? They’d have won and I’d be alone to face them.”

“Okay, calm down. I didn’t get shot in the head. I barely got grazed by the bullet. Dakota pulled into this open warehouse and you will never believe what we found,” The excitement in Lis’ voice was evident and the other’s just let her talk. “It was a
Morrison Holdings
warehouse.”

“You’re shitting me,” James said and looked at Dakota.

“Nope,” Lis responded and grinned. “It wasn’t just a Morrison warehouse; it was a Morrison warehouse where they housed illegal gun trading.”

“Did you turn them in?” David asked as he stepped up behind them from the kitchen.

“Nope, better,” Lis told them with a grin. “We burned it. Well, not everything burned, I’m sure, but what didn’t will be seized and they will be in a lot of trouble.”

“Holy shit, really?” James asked with a grin.

Lis nodded and Dakota grinned. “It was brilliant. Just remind me not to get on her bad side. She really likes to burn shit.”

“Wait,” Rachel said and shook her head. “You set it on fire?”

“I did. I wore gloves so there wouldn’t be any sign that it was me. I’m sure Morrison will connect it, but their entire organization is going to be answering questions for a while so I don’t think we are going to have too many problems.”

“What if he comes after us directly?” Rachel asked and looked around the room.

“You mean like he already has been? Like he was when he killed mom and dad? Like he was when he sent his men after you? Like he was when his men shot me? Rachel, I think we crossed that bridge a long time ago.”

“Yes, but we don’t need to make them come at us even more. I mean, we don’t want to draw any more attention to us,” Rachel said and Lis looked at her.

“They won’t know it was me. It could have been anyone. Morrison has made a lot of enemies over the years,” Lis responded then sighed. “Rach, we are already on their radar so we may as well fuck with them a little.”

“I agree with Lis. You’re already their biggest target so why not fuck up some of their business deals,” David told them and Dakota grinned.

“David likes to fuck up business deals,” Dakota explained and David nodded.

“It’s what I do best. Other than fly planes of course.”

“Okay, on a serious note, we need to leave here within two hours to be at the mansion in time for the conference call we set up. Lis, I want to look at that shoulder again, but first I think you should take a shower and clean it really well. We cannot have you getting an infection,” Dakota told her and kissed her forehead.

“I agree,” she told him and looked at David. “Mind if I borrow your bathroom? I promise to return it in the same condition it was in before I borrowed it.” David laughed out loud at her sarcasm and nodded his head.

“Thanks,” she told him and Dakota led her to the closest bathroom.

“Need some help?” He asked as he shut the door behind them.

“Yes,” she answered and he smiled.

He set the water as she gingerly took off her clothes. When he turned around she was standing wearing nothing but her bloodstained bra and he frowned. “Can’t get it off?” He asked as he swallowed the anger that erupted in him over seeing her blood.

“No, and I think it needs to be burned, along with the shirt I had on, when I get out of the shower.”

“I agree,” he told her as he walked behind her and unhooked the ruined yellow lace covering her firm breasts. “I’ll buy you a new one.”

She smiled at him through the mirror and leaned her head to the side as his lips gently brushed the bandage covering her left shoulder. “Thank you, Dakota, for everything.”

“Lis, there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do to keep you safe.”

“I know and I feel the same way about you.”

“I know,” he told her and dropped another kiss on her shoulder. “I’m going to take this off now so we can see that wound.”

Lis nodded and he slowly pealed the bandage back. The place where the bullet came in contact with her ivory skin was an angry, red color and had droplets of blood seeping out, but it looked clean.

“It doesn’t look too bad,” Lis said as she looked in the mirror at her shoulder. “It’s going to leave a nasty scar though. No more strapless or sleeveless dresses for me,” she added with a frown.

“Let’s just see how it goes. For now, let’s get it cleaned and bandaged back up so we can get to the mansion and deal with what awaits us there.” Lis nodded and Dakota pulled her away from the mirror. When she stepped into the shower, he quickly undressed and stepped in behind her. “Let me help you,” he said and she nodded.

As he slowly soaped up her body she closed her eyes and felt comforted by the gentle strength in his hands. In just the few days they had been together she knew his touch and knew that no other touch would ever make her feel the way his did. “Dakota, I know this isn’t the time, nor the place, but as soon as we are somewhere we can be alone, I want to show you how you make me feel.”

An instant heat came into his eyes and his cock hardened at her words. “Lis, if you weren’t hurt, I wouldn’t care where we were,” he told her then brushed his lips over hers. “Now, turn around so I can wash your hair before I forget you’re injured and take you right here and now.”

Lis blushed deeply and turned around like he asked. Once he was finished washing and rinsing her hair he squirted a little more soap in his hands and started rubbing them together. “This is going to burn, but it needs to be washed out.”

Lis nodded and closed her eyes. When he touched his lather-covered hands to her shoulder she hissed and her eyes popped open, but she didn’t say anything as he slowly cleansed the wound. When he was finished, he rinsed her off and turned the water off. They stepped out together and he snagged two towels off the rack. After handing her one, he wrapped the other one around her long, dark hair and kissed her forehead.

Before he could grab another towel for himself, Lis reached her hand out and wrapped it around his neck. When her lips connected with his, he groaned, but let the kiss go where she took it.

She pulled away after a moment and stroked her hand down his chest. “Later tonight, after everything is done for today, I want to make love to you. Slowly, deeply, completely,” she told him then brushed her lips across his again before she turned away and started drying herself.

Once they were both dried and dressed, Dakota pulled Lis into his arms and kissed her as deeply as she’d kissed him. “I want that,
too, Elisabeth,” he said when he pulled away. “But right now we have to re-bandage your shoulder and get the plans for this afternoon nailed down,
so let’s head into the kitchen so we can all talk.”

Lis nodded and followed him out of the room, her thoughts on the events that were set to take place in just over an hour.