Blind Justice

Men of Steele, Book 5

Fun Facts:

• Special Operations Weather Team Airmen like Jeff Patarava are a blend of air commando and meteorologist, trained to covertly enter hostile or denied territory to assess the terrain and weather in support of other special operations teams. Pretty cool, right?

• Some of the songs that sustained me while writing Blind Justice include London Thunder by Foals, If I Had a Heart (“Vikings” Intro Song) by Fever Ray, The Imitation Game by Alexandre Desplat and the London Symphony Orchestra, and You're Somebody Else by flora cash.

• Jeff's motor home is similar to the one in this stock photo.

Not fun, but important facts:

• Child pornography is devastating to its victims. Want to help? The Innocent Justice Foundation, lists actions steps that one can take to stop child pornography. In addition, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children offers tons of information on child safety, and operates a Cyber Tipline for reporting information you may have about a child being exploited online.

• If you think someone you know is considering suicide, encourage them to get help or call a lifeline. (And if it’s you, please talk to someone in person or on the phone who can help. The world needs you.) In the U.S., call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (800-273-8255) to reach a trained counselor. Use that same number and press “1” to reach the Veterans Crisis Line. The Mayo Clinic has more suggestions for how to help in their article entitled “Suicide: What to do when someone is suicidal.”

Excerpt

CHAPTER ONE

“Unbutton your top a little more,” Mars said, flipping his dark blond hair out of his eyes as he adjusted a setting on an enormous camera.

Tara Fujimoto hesitated. Aided by her underdeveloped stature and a heavy hand with some black eyeliner, she had convinced him she was a naive teenager, but her reluctance was all too real.

“Do you really want to be a model?” the photographer asked with a sigh.

She nodded and forced an earnest smile. “More than anything.”

“Then trust me to know what will make you a star.” He stalked across the light-filled DC loft, his face intent. “If you’re not comfortable with your body, you’ll never make it in this industry.” Grabbing her shirt, he jerked open the remaining buttons one by one.

She gasped when his fingers brushed the tops of her breasts as he spread the cloth wide to reveal her black bra.

“Hey.” She shoved his hands away. “I can do it.” For Emily.

If this were a real photo shoot, she would walk out now. Nobody should have to put up with this predator’s shit for even a minute. But this wasn’t about Tara. It was about her sister. About revenge on the man who’d driven Emily to take her own life. About protecting other girls from this vile man who preyed on their hopes and dreams.

Unlike when Emily had been at his mercy, all Tara had to do if she needed help was utter “I want to leave,” and one of Steele’s security specialists would ride to the rescue.

Mars narrowed his blue eyes and shook his head. “With that attitude, you’re not going to get very far.” He reached forward and unbuttoned the top of her jeans and dropped the zipper.

Tara jumped back, her heart pounding for escape. “Stop.”

“Don’t be a child. This is how the industry works. If it’s not me, it’ll be someone else.” Instead of retreating, Mars backed her into the wall and caged her with his hands. “I can make or break you in this world, Tara,” he said, his voice low and husky. “You’re a pretty girl, but I can make you beautiful. Who do you think catapulted Karina Hempstead and Ivy Tanaka to stardom?” His steely blue gaze met hers as he gave her an oily smile. “Me.” He ran the tip of his finger down her sternum.

Tara steeled herself against the nausea climbing her throat.

He leaned in. “Do you know how I get a girl to look her best on film?” he asked, his breath hot on her neck.

“No.” She cringed at how weak she sounded, even if it fit the role.

He flicked open the clasp at the front of her bra, sliding it and her shirt off her shoulders before she realized what was happening.

She flinched and pushed at his chest. “Stop.”

He grabbed her wrists and pressed them to the wall, holding her hostage for his lecherous perusal far too easily. “Every woman is more beautiful after a good fucking. It’s my secret to success.”

Twisting against his hold, she aimed a knee toward his groin.

Mars laughed and easily dodged. “Ah, now you’re getting feisty.” His face darkened. “I like it.”

“I’ve changed my mind. I want to leave.”

“Come on, Tara. I’ll be good to you.” He pressed his thigh between her legs, pinning her to the wall. “You’re going to look amazing. Just surrender to the process and I promise you’ll be an even bigger star than Ivy.”

Her chest tightened. Too much could happen before Jeff intervened. She needed to get free of Mars now.

Forcing herself to relax, she widened her eyes. “Bigger than Ivy?” she asked in a breathy voice.

Mars gave her a triumphant smile, as if he’d hooked her. Is that how it had happened with the other girls? Had they given in, thinking sex with this man was a necessary evil for the career they craved, or had they fought the whole time like Emily?

Adrenaline pummeled her veins. Her stomach churned. No matter how it went down, none of them should’ve had to suffer this asshole’s revolting touch.

“Much bigger.” He leaned back and gave her a quick once-over. “Your breasts are small, but you’re not built like a boy.” He released his hold and slid his hands down her arms, his gaze following his progress.

Tara swallowed against the bile rising in her throat. Don’t panic. Jeff’s on his way. Not bothering to suppress a shiver, she waited until Mars smoothed rough fingers over her collarbone and squeezed her breasts.

Then she punched him square in the throat.

“I told you to stop, asshole.”

As Mars staggered back, his eyes and mouth open in shock, the door flew open with a bang. 

A scowling Jeff rushed in, his hands fisted, face red. “Tara?” His eyes widened at the sight of her half naked before he averted his gaze.

She crossed her arms over her chest, her left hand throbbing from the punch. Her body started to shake and she had an overwhelming sensation of falling apart, turning to rubble.

“You okay?” Jeff asked, not looking directly at her.

“Fine.” Or, she would be once she was dressed and the bastard eyeballing Jeff with a healthy and advisable dose of fear was in police custody.

“What about your hand?”

“I’m fine.” She’d ice it later.

“Turn around and take a seat,” Jeff told Mars, straightening to his full height of six-four. He wasn’t as beefy as Dan or Kurt, but his size and obvious strength could still intimidate.

Manhandling and threats were off the table—they didn’t want to give Mars’s lawyers any ammunition—but the shorter, thinner photographer must have decided he didn’t stand a chance against Jeff, because he followed orders without protest.

Grabbing her bra and shirt from the floor, Tara quickly dressed, not bothering to tuck anything in. She snagged her pea coat from the coatrack and shrugged into the thick wool, glad for the additional barrier from the men to whom she’d already bared too much.

She rummaged through her purse with trembling hands, located her cell phone, and dialed. Keeping her gaze firmly on the floor while one arm encircled her waist, she said, “Yes, I’d like to report an assault.”

Published: March 25th 2019, ISBN 978-0991607341

Previous book in the series: Running Blind ~ Next book in the series: Blind Trust