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

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