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

"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