Breaking Me In- The Complete Series Read online

  Breaking Me In

  The Complete Series, Collecting Parts 1-3

  Penelope L’Amoreaux

  Copyright 2014 Penelope L’Amoreaux

  All rights reserved.

  Cover art by Angie Zambrano of pro_ebookcovers.

  Chapter One

  What the hell am I doing here? I had chewed the inside of my mouth raw from nerves. Seven years of intense study led to this moment and I was getting cold feet. But then, I was about to become an official spy in a secret elite force for the government. Messing up was not an option.

  The sting was an elaborate one. Our field unit had taken over a local brothel, completely revamping it in an old-school Japanese style. It was beautiful, even if it was just the front for our operation. Smooth bamboo hardwood floors, elegant kimonos, fresh flowers in precise arrangements… My unit had gone all out to create a space that was sensual and exotic while remaining upscale.

  Our leader, Walker, was pacing. She always paced and seemed nervous until the operation began. Then she became cool as a cucumber, poised and elegant, getting the job done. We were spies, but under her rule, we became elite. In school, I had always admired her when reading about her success. Her beauty and intelligence made her one of the most valuable spies in the government. More than that, she was a wall, just like me, here to keep the prying minds of extractors out of our operatives.

  The brothel was a popular place for foreign dignitaries. Today, we wanted one specific dignitary: Salvatore. A popular South American revolutionary, Salvatore had been on the government’s radar for his outrageous statements regarding our policies. He might be harmless, but rumors were flying that he had his hands in deep with some major revolutionaries. You know, the kind who don’t mind bombing their own women and children in the name of their beliefs.

  The goal was simple. Walker and myself were there as walls, along with my classmate, Mark. Mark and I had been at school together for a long time, but I hardly knew him. Walls are, well, notoriously difficult to get to know. We spend so much time learning to block everything from getting inside that it takes major effort to let anything out, even if it’s how we feel. I was first in my class, but Mark had been my constant competition, always on my heels.

  Our job was to use our skills as telepathic blockers to protect the extractors. They had the hard job.

  We were spread through the room. Mark was the doorman, Walker filling in as the Madame, and I was on the far end, cleaning and providing shielding for the extractors.

  We had six extractors, four women and two men. Unlike me and the other walls, they could pull information out of the minds of others. The only caveat was they had to be touching the person whose mind they wished to read.

  Currently the extractors were in some seriously slutty clothing, lined up in the middle of the floor and waiting for Salvatore’s arrival. One bit of leaked information we had on Salvatore was that his intimate tastes ran the gamut—he slept with men and women.

  Our goal was simple, but getting there not so easy. Our extractors would seduce Salvatore and get the information we needed. This sort of psychic warfare was still new but now the primary form of espionage. No one knew where we psychics, both walls and extractors, had come from. Our origins didn’t matter, though. What mattered was that everyone had some.

  Salvatore would also have extractors and maybe a wall with him. All major countries had small groups like us who worked in intelligence and body guarding.

  What we hoped other countries didn’t have were walls like me and Walker. We didn’t just block our own thoughts. If we worked hard, we could block those close to us. Salvatore would walk in, see the extractors pretending to be prostitutes set up. They were prepared to do anything to get the information, even sleep with him. Knowing extractors trained for every scenario made me uncomfortable and glad to be a wall.

  Seeing one of ours he wished to purchase for the evening, he would send his own extractor over. This was where I came in. I would move near the chosen extractor. Of course I would be yelled at and made to look a fool, but that was part of the distraction. Because I would be close, I would be able to block any perception Salvatore’s guard would have. They would think our extractor was just another prostitute. If everything went perfectly, they would go to perform the act. Salvatore would leave satisfied and none the wiser, but we would have a wealth of new information at our fingertips.

  The front door chimed. Walker immediately ceased pacing.

  “Alice, focus on your job. You’re new. This will be fine.” I was surprised she called me out by name but felt a small spark of pride. I watched as her brow relaxed and instantly she was smiling, welcoming, every bit the owner of an established brothel. Mark opened the door and the extractors all knelt in sublimation. I scrubbed a little harder at the floor to hide my trembling hands.

  Show time.

  A huge guffawing laugh filled the space. Bingo. Salvatore strutted in with an entourage of three. Pretty impressive. There weren’t that many known walls and extractors, and we were priced pretty high for our talents. Unless you were a government funded cell like ours, most wealthy people could only afford one, maybe two for personal use. Three meant Salvatore knew his shit and was guarding some pretty important secrets.

  “Good evening, Sir. Welcome to my humble establishment.” With a grace that left me envious, Walker went to Salvatore to lead him in. She reached out to take his arm in welcome when one of the entourage blocked her, his hand gripping hers tightly.

  “One moment, Ma’am.” He was screening her. An untrained wall would be obvious because no thoughts would be available. An immediate tip off that something was going on. But we weren’t untrained walls, Walker more than any of us. Our years of school trained us to drop just enough of our block to allow what we wished out. Inane banter, frivolous thoughts, made up family problems, etc. We had it ready to leak out.

  Whatever Walker leaked must have convinced the extractor. He released her and Salvatore offered his arm. She took it, a carefully crafted mask of confusion on her face.

  “I’m sorry, my lady. One can never be too careful,” Salvatore said. “You have such a lovely establishment, and I thank you for accommodating me.”

  She laughed easily and led him in. I peeked at Mark. He was still by the door and seemed to gaze at nothing, the perfect unobtrusive doorman. I hadn’t really paid attention to him before. He was tall and handsome, with a boyish charm, I supposed. I hoped I looked the part as much as he did. I might have been first in the class, but now that I was in the real world, I thought everyone would hear my thudding heart and know we were up to something.

  “Mister Salvatore, would you care for some tea? Or a stronger refreshment, perhaps?” Walker’s smooth voice was disarming and charming. She was still absolutely gorgeous, but with lines that made her look wise instead of old.

  Salvatore laughed again, his chest bouncing with each chuckle.

  “No, kind lady. I am here for a different kind of refreshment, if you would.” He winked, and I wanted to gag. Though I was supposed to keep my eyes on the floor, I chanced a look at the diplomat.

  He was short, stocky with a build that used to be muscle but had turned into hard slabs of fat. Dark skinned and hairy, he still radiated a sexuality that intimidated me. In his expensive suit, he looked like someone who could sweep you off your feet with kind words or a punch to the gut and you never knew which he’d give you. He looked dangerous.

  He looked my way and caught me peeking. Shit. Quickly, I looked to my hands and continued cleaning, my cheeks hot with nerves. If Walker saw the exchange I would hear no end of it later.

  “Let me show you our offerings.” She dis
tracted him, steering him to our extractors.

  Okay, focus. My job was close. I needed to time it just right. I began to clean closer to the extractors, but still in the background, on my hands and knees. I tried my best to look like the apprentice, the lowest-tier worker in the house.

  I could hear his shoes moving back and forth in front of the extractors, evaluating them as if they were cattle. I couldn’t believe it. So far, everything was going according to plan. He stopped near a male, William.

  All of our extractors were excellent, already having put in a lot of field work. William was only five years older than me but already an exceptionally accomplished extractor. Tall, blond, with an incredible body and a face that could be in Hollywood. Okay, so maybe I had looked in his file a little too long. It wouldn’t matter. He was way out of my league.

  My breath hitched and I began to move closer to William. I wouldn’t blame Salvatore for his pick. While the other extractors were all good looking, William was beautiful. But I couldn’t help feeling a twinge of panic at the thought of what William would have to do with Salvatore. Would he be able to?

  Of course he would, idiot. He’s a professional.

  Still, I wondered how it felt for him, letting his body be used in the name of service. I inched closer, ready to push my shield out, ready to protect William’s identity.

  “Does this one please you?” Walker moved to Salvatore. Both of them were standing over William. I closed the gap, scrubbing directly behind William’s bent over body.

  “Oh yes, I am quite pleased with what I see. If you’ll permit my associates a quick examination?”

  Of course, Walker knew what they would be checking for. But the average citizen knew nothing of psychics and she knew how to play dumb. Her voice had a tinge of insult that was perfect as she cried, “Sir, must they really? I assure you all of my employees have clean records and clean everything. Examinations are not necessary.”

  I envied her execution. Even I could believe she was just a high-class Madame showing her wares and insulted at the implications of an “examination.”

  Salvatore’s hands went up in a charming shrug. “Please, please. Nothing too intrusive. They just like to make sure my choices are, er, right for me.”

  Biting her lip and pretending to be a woman wrestling between pride and money, Walker relented.

  “Of course. You are, after all, my guest.”

  Salvatore chuckled and leaned in to whisper to one of his extractors. He must have said something funny, because the extractor joined him in laughter. I bristled at the thought of them laughing at William. It took courage to do what he was doing, and those stupid diplomat assholes wouldn’t know that courage if it bit them.

  The extractor moved closer and I threw up my walls, pushing them out to William. Only the man stepped over William and headed to me. Panicking, my walls snapped in, shielding me. Like second nature, I leaked a little information out, but as much as I had practiced, my only thoughts were don’t pick me oh my god not me not me not—

  His hand closed on my shoulder and I know he heard me. I’m a virgin, please, not me, I’m not ready for this, not me!

  The hand lifted off of my shoulder. The man stood, snickering.

  “She’s all good, boss man, and a bonus—she’s a virgin!”

  A tear escaped my eye. I didn’t know what to do. I wasn’t trained for this. I wasn’t an extractor. We needed this information and if I blew our cover, we might never get it. However, to not blow our cover… I would have to give myself to Salvatore. Silent, I looked at Walker, terrified. I shook my head. Please help me. I don’t know how to do this.

  William sat up. “Sir, surely not her. She’s just an apprentice. Consider me, I beg you. I know some tricks that will make you forget you ever saw her.” His voice, dark and rich, was a beacon of hope for me. Who could resist him?

  Walker chimed in, “Yes, I’m terribly sorry, but she is not for sale yet. He would be a much better choice. Let me set the two of you up in a room and—“

  “No.” Salvatore wasn’t laughing anymore. Eyes wet, I looked at him. It was a mistake. He was sizing me up, a hungry look in his eye. “I want her, and I get what I want.”

  Chapter Two

  “Goddamnit!” Walker punched a wall after Salvatore had left. After she had convinced him to leave. After she made a deal with him that made me sick to my stomach.

  “Sir, you don’t understand. We run a clean establishment here. She hasn’t been trained at all and, if I am honest, she hasn’t been tested. I cannot allow her to be sold tonight. It would hurt my business.”

  “Fine. You have a week. But I want her and I will have her. If she is apprenticing, I will be the one to break her in, you hear me? Get her tested and get her ready.” Salvatore nodded at William. With that he had stormed out.

  We hadn’t completely blown the operation. Yet.

  Now I was in a back office with Walker and William. Walker had been cussing and pacing as she tried to figure out how to proceed.

  “We need this, Walk.” William interrupted her thoughts.

  “You think I don’t know that? This cannot be blown. But she's a wall, William. She can’t read him. It would be stupid to go through with it.”

  My stomach twisted in knots as I listened to them. They were acting as if I wasn’t even in the room. Were they seriously considering this?

  Suddenly, Walker stopped in her tracks and turned toward me. I didn’t trust the glint in her eye.

  “William, we just need you in the room. We’ll tell him you're protecting her, or grading her or something. You can do your thing, and we’ll have the information we need.”

  Wait, what thing? Extractors needed to touch for pulling information out. The longer the touch, the more they could read. This had been set up to allow for, well, maximum amounts of skin contact.

  Walker’s suggestion seemed to mean something to William though, because he nodded.

  “That would work, if Alice can learn to let me through her wall in a week. We haven’t tried it for long periods of time. It’s risky, but it might be our only chance.”

  “What do you mean, ‘let you through my wall’?” I finally cut in, getting angry and scared at where the conversation was heading.

  William faced me. I couldn’t help softening when looking at his chiseled jaw and dark chocolate eyes. Unfortunately, those eyes were looking at me in a way that made me feel like meat on display.

  “I'm going to let you in on something top-secret. Maybe one of our most carefully guarded secrets. Can you promise the information you are about to hear will never leave this room?”

  I nodded—secrets were what I was trained for.

  “I’m not just an extractor, Alice. I’m something we haven’t seen before. We call it a projector. I can project myself into other people’s minds and control their bodies. While inside of another person’s skin, I can still extract. The problem is, the person whose body I’m in has to allow it, has to let me control them.”

  A shiver went down my spine. What was he saying?

  Walker stepped toward me, excitement on her face. “Don’t you see, Alice? Salvatore wants you, but he’ll get William…in your body.”

  I froze, panic seizing me as I realized what they were asking. I knew extractors were trained in this sort of sexual espionage, but I wasn’t. I wasn’t, well, I wasn’t even experienced enough to be convincing.

  “I’m a virgin,” I blurted out. My flush burned my cheeks, but it needed to be said. In eighteen years I had only focused on school and my training. There had never been time for boys.

  Walker snarled in her disappointment, scaring me. William just looked at me, pinning me down with his stare, thinking.

  “If we trained you, Alice, in both things, in letting me into your mind and learning to pleasure someone, could you do it?”

  My instinct was to say no. This was asking too much. I was still so new to this job, to this life. How could I ever manage a mission like this? Ye
t…

  This was what it meant to serve my country, right? The whole purpose of my life, my school, my gift as a wall... It was all for things like this. And I’d be working with William, my crush and hero. I’d be letting him into my mind. I got butterflies just thinking about it. Maybe he could help me forgive myself for using my sexuality in such a gross way.

  It terrified me. This situation couldn’t be any worse.

  But I nodded anyway.

  “Good,” Walker said. “You’ll start training tomorrow.”

  Chapter Three

  It had taken five days for me to learn how to let William in my mind. Five grueling days had passed. Days that left me exhausted, falling into bed in my clothes each night. Waking the next morning only to start all over.

  Like leaving holes, I was forced to push down my walls. Only instead of leaking out choice thoughts, I had to struggle to hold all of myself in while William assumed control of my body. The hardest part was that we were both there, in my mind. I could hear his thoughts, and he could hear mine. Things I felt, he felt.

  On the fourth day he had controlled me enough to walk to a table and eat a meal. At the end, though, we were both straining so hard to maintain control that he (me) dropped a glass. He moved my limbs, bending me down to begin cleaning up. A shard of glass had sliced my finger, but it was William who cried out, sticking his “wounded” finger into his mouth.

  Still, it was progress. But now I was sweating and waiting, because today he was going to take my training to the next level. The sex part of the training. We had decided it was best if I lost my virginity before Salvatore. I needed to experience sex before I could work as an agent. William was afraid if I was deflowered by Salvatore I wouldn’t be able to maintain control, and I would kick him out of my mind before he could extract the information he needed.

  For William, he had admitted he needed practice performing such intricate control and extracting at the same time.

  I had thought about this all night, wondering how we were going to practice. Was William going to control me and take me? I imagined him using my body and my mind and my sex became flooded with arousal.