Perfectly Exposed (Command Unit Book 1)

  Perfectly Exposed

  Command Unit, Book One

  By Gail Faulkner

  Five years ago Hailey had been so fucking far out of Jack’s reach. Then barely twenty, the woman-child wasn’t ready to handle the man who craved her, so he made sure his ass didn’t intrude on her life. The last three years he’s lived in her building, enduring the torture of maintaining distant-acquaintance status. An experience he’d recommend about as much as walkin’ across razors to get to your boots.

  Now she’s all grown up. All Jack had to do is get through this assignment and he’d be free to make his move. Fully prepared to tone down what he wants to whatever Hailey’s comfort level is. Still, he’s spent considerable time imagining how teaching her to be bad in private would be an exercise in extreme pleasure for both of them.

  Hailey in the club the night he has a meet with his mark was just goat-fuck luck. Yatzic, the vicious flesh trafficker is no fool. Hailey will catch his attention and do it in a big way. Yatzic likes innocent ass, he likes it bloody more.

  The clock just ran out on Hailey’s freedom, and she is his to protect even when she puts herself in a dangerous situation. Forced to get his shit together fast, Jack is faced with several issues. Deciding he is taking ownership of her little self and her agreeing with him on that might take some finesse.

  Copyright

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author except in the case of brief quotation embodied in critical articles and reviews. Perfectly Exposed, Command Unit, Book One Copyright © 2015 Gail Faulkner All rights reserved. First Digital Edition, 1 2015 gailfaulkner.info

  Faulkner, Gail (2015) Perfectly Exposed, Command Unit, Book One Kindle Edition.

  Chapter One

  Jack watched her slide onto a barstool. What the fuck?

  A glance around told him almost every asshole in the room had taken notice. At this moment the bar’s occupants were relatively harmless, in an insanely loose interpretation of the phrase. Shortly that was going to change. This club was the vanilla front for the BDSM rooms in back.

  Little girl was inserting her barely covered ass into a risky situation just by walking in the place. In about ten minutes he would run out of time to extract her and it was only a matter of time before that need arose. His meeting with the flesh trafficker couldn’t go bad because she was in trouble. Alleged trafficker, Jack corrected himself with acid humor.

  The dangerous slave trader was no fool. Hailey would catch his attention and do it in a big way. Yatzic liked innocent ass, he liked it bloody more.

  Jack forcefully dialed back the possessive snarl as he watched the woman he had waited a damn long time to grow up enough to handle him perch herself on a stool. Displayed and defenseless in this dive, and wearing shit he’d never seen on her before: Gauzy peasant blouse under a tight vest that framed her breasts and a flowing little skirt that slid over bare thighs as she moved. She was a ripe vision, right down to the high heels.

  Why the hell was she in here? The outfit was probably a huge clue but one he didn’t want to think about. The question got answered when a man sat beside her and it was apparent she was expecting him. One heartbeat later, and it was obvious the fucker thought he knew what was happening next.

  Oh hell no.

  Jack checked the door across the dimly lit expanse just as the Russian flesh trafficker and his henchmen entered. Three of them. Great. The bastards were early and the clock had run out on Hailey’s freedom.

  Rising, he went to get the woman who’d just become his. Making sure she saw him approach, he stepped up behind Miss Hailey May Lindale and snarled at the leather-clad fool in front of her. “Get lost.”

  Her tense little body visibly trembled as he spoke. His hand slid up under her chestnut mane and gripped her nape with possessive pressure, pulling her against his chest. Jack glared at the jerk for the moment it took the fool to figure things out and slink away.

  Bending to her ear, he laid it out fast. “Liston carefully, little one. You came here to meet a certain type of man. Consequence, you are in a dangerous world. No time to explain how intense the situation is but being here means if you are not a perfectly behaved sub, my guests will expect to see you punished. Nod if you understand.”

  She nodded. “Do exactly as you’re told, Hailey. No hesitation. I am serious about punishment and you do not want that.”

  A firm pull had her off the barstool, hand still on the back of her neck so even a full idiot could figure out exactly who owned her, he returned to his table. Yatzic and party paused a few feet away. Jack ignored them.

  He leaned into her, placing a light kiss at her temple and whispered, “Kneel by that chair and make it look like you do it every day.” Letting her go, he moved to his chair, ignoring the luscious sub sinking to her knees beside him.

  Jesus, fuck. Her tempting little ass was his, and sharing it, even the visual, was not happening. He hoped to Christ she could complete a few simple moves on command because taking her in the back and disciplining her was something he didn’t even want to think about.

  “Little one,” he spoke firmly but quietly. She was staring at her knees in perfect submissive pose, excellent. Her face turned up. Holding her gaze, Jack patted his thigh.

  Her lips parted as her eyes dropped to his thigh. She didn’t hesitate beyond that. Moving swiftly, Hailey settled that delectable bottom on his lap.

  Well hell. That felt way better than he had imagined it would. His hand smoothed up under the skirt, over the cheek of her ass and came to rest on the small of her back. Shit. How was he supposed to focus on the criminal element of the world when little Hailey’s ass was split with a thong?

  Shudders raced up her spine. Excitement or fear? he wondered as he looked down at her sitting where she belonged. Even if this was the worst possible place for them to begin, wanting her right where she sat for so long made the moment sweet. The freedom to express how deeply she belonged to him was fucking ambrosia to his soul.

  He stroked two fingers down her thong, pressing between clenched globes as he looked down at the prettiest face he’d ever seen. His other hand skimmed up her thigh and under the skirt from the front until two fingers caressed damp silk. Oh yeah. His girl was excited. Her body vibrated as he touched her with dominant intimacy.

  Making the visual statement that she was his to handle calmed him down on one level. On another level, being a possessive bastard, he was still pissed as all get out. Pissed but damn happy he suddenly had every fucking right to clear up her future activities. Little girl just bought herself a whole new reality.

  Jesus, now he had to focus on the pond scum he came here to meet. Shuddering, damp, Hailey could not be a distraction. Jack used the hands under her shirt to twist her so she faced away from him to straddle his thigh. He relaxed as if his only concern were watching her rock in entertaining little wiggles as she tried to find a comfortable position.

  “Good girl. Now move on that,” he directed as the Russians slithered closer.

  Yatzic grinned widely. “Your girl is lovely,” he purred as he pulled out a chair and sat. The thugs did a poor job of blending with the crowd.

  “Indeed.” Jack didn’t bother with a welcome. One of his hands glided out from under her skirt to smooth up her rib cage, stopping under her heavy breast. Yatzic’s eyes locked on the minimally
covered flesh. Not many men could avoid that automatic response.

  “Your meeting, man. You got an offer?” Jack inquired silkily. Yatzic’s focus snapped back to him.

  Hailey’s body had relaxed a faction. But Jack didn’t want her relaxed, and flexed his thigh to make sure she rocked entertainingly. She needed to present the picture of needy submissive. Flushed, panting as her hips moved on him, round thighs clenching. He wanted the males focused on her, not him. His hand gripped her breast, fingers finding the barely covered nipple, pinching just enough to get a gasp.

  Yatzic looked down at the hard little button Jack was fondling. “Not so fast, my friend. These things take time, like any good partnership. I wonder, how much are you willing to invest in our relationship?” His eyes shifted back to Jack’s face. “I want to be sure we are very good friends.”

  Jack raised a brow as his hand slid down Hailey’s body to slip under the little skirt and rest on her thigh. “You need a new BFF? Get a dog.”

  Yatzic turned his attention to Hailey, clearly enjoying a leisurely inspection. “As you Americans say, you need skin in the game.” Chuckling at his play on words, Yatzic continued. “Since you brought entertainment to the meeting, I assume you are offering her as…” The sentence trailed off.

  “Fuck.” Jack’s hand moved quickly to the nape of Hailey’s neck and he stood, guiding her up with him. Hailey was trembling but thankfully silent as Jack regarded Yatzic. “I was mistaken about who you are,” he said in a bored tone, his eyes flicking off Yatzic he dropped cash on the table.

  “You are mistaken about a great many things,” Yatzic purred softly, not moving out of his seat.

  Walking away from this table was the last thing Jack needed to be doing. Eight months had gone into this cover just to get this meeting. Having Yatzic request the meet had been fucking brilliant. Or lucky. Depended which team member you asked. Hailey, shivering at his side, was screwing with his ability to take risks. One last stab at getting the information he needed and then he was getting her out of there.

  “If you are who they say you are, you don’t need someone else’s piece,” Jack stated, having no problem putting distain in the tone.

  Yatzic gave Hailey the once-over again and smiled. “American females can be entertaining.” His face went hard as he stood. “However my market is for something else. I need supply. Can you accommodate that?”

  Jack glanced around as if checking for people listening. Looking a little cautious was just smart. Showing fear would have been deadly, but caution was expected. Hailey being with him was actually a huge advantage if she were, say, a trained agent. Her being more important to him than the deal was what would send this situation south in a goat-fucking huge way.

  Jack studied the Russian silently a moment. “Terms?”

  “Eight per, on delivery.” Yatzic smiled again.

  “Ten, three in advance, per,” Jack countered.

  Yatzic shook his head. “Now you insult me. No advance.”

  “Twelve per, no advance,” Jack responded, his hand on Hailey shifting to pull her into his body, sliding it around and down to cup her ass.

  Yatzic sighed, his eyes wandering over Hailey again. “Ten on delivery, per. I will need four immediately.”

  Jack nodded sharply in agreement. “Date and location?”

  “I will let you know. Before the weekend.” Yatzic’s eyes still on Hailey, he continued. “She would be a nice show of good faith.”

  “Property, man,” Jack stated and indicated the rest of the club with a jerk of his chin. “Unclaimed pussy floating about. My good faith gesture is introducing you to this place.”

  Yatzic didn’t look away from Hailey. “A gift is not a risk.” His oily smile turned Jack’s stomach as the toad licked his lips.

  “Free is bad business.” Jack firmly turned with Hailey in tow. “I don’t hear from you tomorrow, the price doubles,” he shot over his shoulder as he marched the little bit of trouble away from the sex trafficker.

  They reached the door. Hailey pulled on her arm that was currently clamped in his grip. “My purse is in my car…”

  “Not a word,” Jack said softly, controlling way more than his temper as he took them to his truck. “You get in the truck and stay there until I take you out of it. Then we will talk.”

  Five years ago, barely twenty when he met her, she had been so fucking far out of his reach. A baby with huge eyes the color of violets, a pouty little mouth that could launch a thousand wet dreams and a mane of thick hair that rioted down her back. Just long enough to wrap around a wrist as you held a fistful.

  That first afternoon, watching her laugh from across the wide expanse of a community Christmas party, he was unprepared for the fierce jealous reaction that tore through him when a kid her age asked her to dance. Realizing he was in big damn trouble, Jack made a point of not looking at her again and then getting the hell out of there as soon as possible.

  Ignoring the whole episode didn’t kill his fascination with her. Three months later he gave that shit up and decided his sick obsession with a sweet-faced woman-child required proving that she wasn’t all that.

  Investigating Hailey May just fucked him up. She was an avid reader, bit of a nerd. Loved Ren Fests. An artist who was working on a Fine Art degree. She eventually earned that degree which did her no good except to qualify her to work in the city museum. She had risen in the nowhere-to-go job and was now the museum’s event manager and office manager.

  He’d tried to put her out of his head with women. Didn’t do a damn thing but make him mad at himself for finding perfectly good, experienced women boring. No, he’d never been in love and wasn’t sure that shit existed, but up until clamping eyes on Hailey he’d had fun getting him some whenever the urge arose. Now it was a mission to get it done and on with his life. Until he could have her, everything else was just bodily function.

  Silently he had kept track of her. The last three years he’d lived in her building, biding his time, enduring the torture of maintaining distant-acquaintance status while making sure she was safe. An experience he’d recommend about as much as walkin’ across razors to get to your boots.

  Now she was all grown up and Jack had been about to make his move. Fully prepared to tone down what he wanted if that was what she needed. Nothing except her friendship with Julie Marks indicated little girl knew about guys who tread closer to the primal edge than others.

  Brad Marks was a dominant and there was no mistaking that about his relationship with his wife. It wasn’t for show, and it wasn’t on display. It just was, so likely Julie’s friend Hailey had noticed. She would have asked about that type of relationship. This was speculation on Jack’s part, but her ass prancing into that club put a new light on her level of awareness.

  Too long he had wanted all that displayed flesh under him. He’d spent considerable time imagining how he’d teach his little Museum Mouse to be bad in private.

  His plan had been to go gentle, introduce her to things slowly. Let her find her way and see if she wanted what he liked. Regardless of what she eventually was comfortable with, she was always going to be his. That whole careful and slow thing just died under the fuck-me heels her little feet were strutting. Heels that made her spectacular legs look better but took her ass from amazing to Fuckable with a capital F.

  Jesus, fuck. She was shaking, huddled in her seat like some half-drowned kitten he had scooped out of a river. It felt like he’d done just that, but it was a black-water river and she had walked her own self into it. Yep, he was still mad and needed to get his shit together.

  Deciding he was taking ownership of her little self and her agreeing with him on that point might take some finesse. He was fresh out. Had left it all back at the dangerous club with the vicious sadists and every other sick bastard who got off on hurting defenseless kittens.

  Chapter Two

  Jack stopped the truck at a light. He hadn’t said a word. Just swung up into the cab and drove away from the
club. At the light, his arm reached behind her seat and a blanket was dropped in her lap. He didn’t look at her.

  Whatever. Grateful for the ability to cover the ridiculous outfit, Hailey immediately shook it out and draped it over her body from chin to toes.

  What an unbelievable mess this stupid night had become. Closing her eyes, Hailey attempted, to beam herself to another galaxy, another time stream perhaps? It wasn’t working.

  They drove in silence for what seemed like hours but probably more like ten minutes. Opening her eyes as the truck stopped, all she could see was dark. No lights in the cab, all outside lights off too.

  “Stay. Don’t move,” Jack instructed, his face a stern mask as he opened his door and dropped out. Hailey nodded. He gently closed the door. The locks snicked quietly and then… Nothing. Seriously, one minute there was six foot four inches of smoldering male outside the door. The next only darkness.

  Hailey didn’t even dare turn her head to examine the inky night pressing in all around the F250 Super Cab. Sinking down even smaller into the leather seat, clutching the blanket up over her nose, she stared straight ahead, sitting perfectly still while her mind whirled with ongoing panic. How had this happened? Being supremely ignorant of what she was getting herself into tonight was not really an excuse. Not in the real world where consequences mattered and intentions didn’t.

  There were like forty million reasons she was an idiot for being in this vehicle. Chief of those was how foolish it was to agree to Trina’s plan. Being friends since kindergarten should have been a lifelong lesson in all the reasons her best friend was not to be listened to. Still, it wasn’t actually Trina’s fault, if she was being honest.

  Being honest sucked. While this whole evening had been Trina’s brainstorm, it was Hailey who walked her barely covered bottom into the scary club and sat it down to meet a man. A man Trina had met but, obviously, Hailey had not. And seriously, why had they thought it was good idea to meet in that club? Looking back, that had been incredibly dumb. So who was the real idiot? The one who comes up with the stupid plan or the best friend who actually did it?