Mafia Queen (The Manning Sisters #1) Read online

“I agree,” John said as he rose from the table. “Goodnight everyone.”

  As they all made their way to their bedrooms, Dakota glanced out the window at the quiet street. He had men stationed in several locations, men who weren’t connected to any of the families, and he knew they’d alert him at the slightest hint of danger, but he couldn’t shake the nagging feeling he’d had since leaving his beach house. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was going to go wrong.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Chakravarthy,” the man answered on the first ring.

  “Ram, Dakota Jackson here. I have a very important issue to discuss with you.”

  “Well, Mr. Jackson, I was wondering when I would hear from someone from the Manning family.”

  “Yeah, we can save the pleasantries for another time,” Dakota said and Chakravarthy chuckled. “Let’s see if you’re still laughing after I tell you this. The Morrison’s have teamed up with what is left of the Nadas family and are seeking revenge against the families who worked together to overthrow the Nadas’. They have already murdered Richard and Bianca Manning, and have come after their daughters. I wanted to alert you so you can keep your wife and daughter out of harm’s way.”

  “There were only two members of the Nadas family left alive. Their daughter, Kiwa, and their oldest son, Aaran. Aaran is living in Brazil at the moment and Kiwa is working as a free-lance photographer. They are harmless.”

  “Believe what you want, Chakravarthy, but Kiwa is working for Morrison and I believe that she had something to do with the Manning’s murder. I have reason to believe she’s out for revenge and won’t stop until she gets it.”

  “I’ll take what you told me into consideration, but I have had my men watching them both for years and have never gotten even the slightest hint that they are dangerous.”

  “Believe what you will, but I am not taking any chances,” Dakota told him. “Also, I am taking over the Manning’s holdings and operations from this moment forward. If you need anything, anything at all, please contact me directly.”

  “You’re taking them over? I heard that Manning’s oldest daughter was marrying Morrison’s son and he was taking over their operations and holdings.”

  “Well, you need to check your sources. Lis and I are getting married and I am taking over as head of the family. If those are the same sources informing you about the Nadas’ then I know for a fact they are unreliable.”

  “Well, I will check into my sources, but you need to know that Morrison is telling all the families that he is stepping forward as head of the Manning family.”

  “I’ll be having a conversation with all the families, including the Morrisons, tomorrow. For now, though, my beautiful fiancée is waiting for me to come to bed. I will look forward to speaking to you again soon, Chakravarthy. Until then, keep your family close and keep your eyes open.”

  Dakota didn’t wait for a reply before he hung up the phone and headed upstairs to where Lis waited for him.

  When he opened the door to his bedroom he heard the shower running so he decided to join her. He quickly undressed and walked through the open doorway of the bathroom. He could see her through the glass shower door and he instantly grew hard at the sight of the water streaming down her luscious body.

  He licked his lips at the thought of tasting her as he opened the shower door and stepped inside. He was just about to slide his arms around her waist when she turned around and punched him in the stomach with enough force to knock him out of the shower. He landed on his ass on the cold tile and immediately regretted sneaking up on her.

  “Oh my God. Dakota, I am so sorry. Are you okay?” Lis asked while trying to contain her laughter.

  “I’m fine,” he answered quietly, not completely able to catch his breath. “You pack quite a punch for someone so small.”

  “I told you earlier about my training. Didn’t you believe me?”

  “Well, yeah, but I didn’t really expect you to have such quick reflexes. And I didn’t expect you to use it on me.”

  “You snuck up on me. What did you expect me to do?”

  “Not knock me on my ass, that’s for sure,” he mumbled as he heaved himself up from the floor. “I just wanted to take a shower with you.”

  “Then let’s take a shower and I’ll rub the soreness out of your ass.” Dakota grinned at the look on her face and let her take his hand and lead him into the shower.

  As they stepped under the hot spray, Lis grabbed Dakota’s body wash and squirted a small amount in her hand. She slowly rubbed her hands together before she motioned for him to turn around. When he did she started rubbing the musky scented soap into his shoulders and down his back. He braced his hands against the wall as her hands caressed down his back and over his butt, gently kneading the tightened muscles of his body.

  “Your hands are magic,” he told her softly as she continued to rub his sore ass.

  “Do you like me rubbing your ass, Dakota?” She asked and he glanced at her over his shoulder.

  “Very much so,” he answered, but turned around. “But I like rubbing yours more.”

  She backed away when he reached for her and dropped to her knees in front of him. “I bet I know something you’ll like even more,” she whispered just before she wrapped her mouth around his cock.

  “Oh. God. Lis,” Dakota managed to get out between clenched teeth.

  “Mmm.” she moaned around him and his hips jumped.

  He braced one hand against the wall as he tangled the other in her hair and started moving his hips with the motion of her mouth. Her teeth scraped gently across his shaft as his head hit the back of her throat. Her moans intensified, causing his hand to tighten in her hair and his hips to move a little faster.

  Wrapping her hand around the base of his shaft, Lis slowed the pace and started teasing him with her tongue. Swirling it around his head, she tasted him and moaned, letting him slip fully into her mouth again. While sucking hard, she reached up and started playing with his balls, making them tighten with each stroke.

  “Oh, God. Lis, I’m going to cum,” he shouted as she sucked harder. When his balls drew up and his hot cum shot down her throat, she swallowed deeply, drinking him in. When his body went lax, she rose to her feet and smiled shyly.

  “That was the most erotic thing I have ever done,” she confessed and blushed deeply.

  “Well, I have to tell you, you definitely did amazing,” he told her and pulled her into his arms. “I love you, Lis.”

  “I love you, too, Dakota.”

  After a couple of minutes passed, they finished their shower. Once out, they dried each other and climbed into bed, where Dakota spent the next several hours showing Lis just how much he loved her.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “Dakota, I have to tell you something,” Lis said as she folded the last of her clothes in her suitcase.

  Dakota looked up from where he was tossing his clothes in his own suitcase. “Something bothering you, Lis?”

  “Yes and no. I’m a little worried about going back to the mansion today, but that’s not what I need to tell you. I’m not sure how to say this, so I’ll just say it. Last night, when we made love, we didn’t use protection and I’m not on birth control.”

  “I know,” Dakota told her and grinned. “You didn’t have your pills with you when we left Boston and I know you haven’t had them in a week now.”

  “So you’re okay with the fact that we had unprotected sex and I could potentially get pregnant?”

  “Lis, I want children. Maybe not right now, but I do want children with you. What happens at this point happens and we will cross that bridge when we come to it. I do want to apologize though. It was selfish of me to put you at risk like that. I should never have taken you without protection without your permission.”

  “I gave you my permission when I crawled on top of you and slide you inside of me. I wanted it, too. I just wanted to let you know that I’m not on any kind of birth control.”

>   “Come here,” he told her and opened his arms. When she stepped into them he closed them around her and pulled her tightly against his chest. “Baby, we will face whatever happens together. You never have to worry about dealing with anything on your own. We are a team and we will remain a team forever.”

  “I love you, Dakota.”

  “And I love you, Elisabeth. Now, we have to finish packing so we can be on our way. We have a very busy day ahead of us.”

  Lis sighed and stepped out of Dakota’s arms just as a knock sounded on the door.

  “Dakota, we have a problem,” James said as he opened the door and walked in followed by Rachel. “Morrison’s men have been spotted on the island. I’m not sure if they know where we are exactly, but they are too close for my comfort.”

  “Mine, too,” Dakota said and tossed the last of his clothes in the open suitcase. “We will be ready to leave in two minutes. Are you both ready?”

  “Yes. I just loaded our stuff in the car when I got the call from one of my men. Morrison’s men crossed the bridge about five minutes ago.”

  “Even if they know where we are there’s no way they will get here before we leave. Alert my parents then head out. We will be right behind you,” Dakota ordered and James nodded.

  “Be safe, Rachel. I will see you at David’s in a couple of hours,” Lis hugged her sister then turned to her suitcase and tossed her last pair of jeans in and zipped it closed. “Ready.”

  “Good. Let me grab one thing then we can be on our way,” Dakota said and walked to his closet. When he pulled a lock box down Lis smiled.

  “How many guns are in there?” She asked with a cheeky grin.

  “Four and enough ammo to wage war. Let’s go,” he told her as he grabbed his suitcase.

  “Right behind you,” she said and grabbed hers, too.

  They were downstairs and had the suitcases in the car in less than a minute. When John walked into the garage Dakota turned around and hugged him. “Stay safe, dad.”

  “We are securing the house and will be behind you in less than five minutes. No one knows any of our vehicles so we will be fine even if we have to drive down a street filled with Morrison’s men. You, on the other hand, will not, so go and be safe.”

  Dakota nodded and climbed into his vintage Firebird. When Lis was settled in the passenger seat with the gun box in her lap he started the car and backed out of the garage.

  “The code is 0706,” Dakota told her and nodded to the box. “Open it and have it ready just in case.”

  “The code is my birthday?” Lis asked and grinned. “How long have you had this?”

  “Three years,” he answered as he steered the car through traffic. “I bought it when I had the beach house built. I was meaning to take it there, but never did. I’m glad I didn’t because we may need them today.”

  Lis nodded and opened the box. Inside was four perfectly pristine hand guns and several full clips for each. She took her eyes off them for a moment to look around them before she pulled two out and popped the clips in them. “I’m glad you never took them, too.”

  “Keep out an extra clip for each and set the box on the floor. I don’t want anyone driving by to see what we have in here.”

  “Good idea,” She said as she pulled out two more loaded clips and closed the box, making sure it didn’t lock, before setting it on the floor at her feet. She reached over and slid one of the guns under his leg, where it was easily assessable, but not seen, and slipped the other under her own leg.

  “Help me keep an eye out for trouble. We will be at the bridge we’re taking in about five minutes and I really don’t want to get caught unaware.”

  Lis nodded and glanced around her. When her eyes landed on a dark SUV with tented windows heading in the opposite direction she watched it until it passed them. “Dakota, that was one of Morrison’s SUV’s.”

  “How do you know?” He asked and looked in his review mirror as the SUV disappeared from sight.

  “It was an Audi Q5. That’s all he buys for his men. They’re easily recognized if you know what to look for,” she told him and then nodded as another one passed. “There goes more of them.”

  Dakota watched as that one disappeared from view, too. Just as they entered the bridge another one passed and Dakota held his breath. At any moment one of them could recognize him or Lis and then all hell would break loose. “It seems he’s filling the island with his men. That makes me believe he knew we were here, but didn’t know where.”

  “Dakota, we have trouble coming up on our rear,” Lis said as she glanced behind them again. “They’re about ten cars back, but they are slowly closing in.”

  “Fuck. I guess one of them spotted us. As soon as we get off the bridge I want you to hold on tight. I am going to try to lose them.” Lis nodded, but slid her hand under her leg. She was going to be prepared just in case. As soon as the tires left the bridge, Dakota floored it. They sped down the road and were on a side street before the SUV made it off the bridge.

  “Hold on, Lis,” Dakota said through gritted teeth as he took the next left and then an immediate right. “I really don’t want a shootout right now.”

  “Neither do I,” she agreed as she watched behind them. “I’ll watch the back you watch the front.”

  “Deal,” he agreed and grinned. She definitely knew what she was doing and he couldn’t be happier about that.

  “Fuck. They’re behind us,” Lis said as Dakota took the next turn at full speed.

  “Lis, can you shoot from a moving vehicle?”

  “I can,” Lis confirmed and Dakota grinned. “Hold the car steady.”

  Dakota took one more turn onto an empty street and Lis rolled down the window. As she stuck her head out and leveled the gun at the SUV a shot rang out and pain radiated through her shoulder. She hissed loudly, but took aim at the SUV that was quickly closing the distance between them and fired off ten rounds.

  One round hit the mark and the tire on the SUV blew out. As the SUV flipped, Dakota took a sharp turn and floored it, putting as much distance between them and the wrecked SUV as possible.

  Chapter Seventeen

  “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 g
oing 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.”