United and Dangerous by Cherie Benjamin (the speed reading book .TXT) 📕

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