Owned (Office Intrigue Book 8)

by Nicole Edwards

  “Order? Like a hotel?”

  “Technically, the Owners’ Retreat is a hotel.” I removed the tape securing the needle in his arm and gently pulled it free, pressing a cotton ball to his skin with my thumb. “Talon has it structured that way because of the frequent guests who come here.”

  “Guests?”

  “Potential Owners,” I explained. “But it’s a private resort.”

  Ransom frowned.

  Evidently Talon hadn’t explained the details of what transpired here on the island of sin and debauchery.

  Because I had no intention of going into detail—not my place—I shifted the topic. “There’s a kitchen staff on duty twenty-four seven. You can order pretty much anything at any time. There are possessions to tend to anything else you might need. Laundry, cleaning. They rotate shifts and handle all chores.”

  “Have you eaten dinner?” he asked, peering up at me as he rubbed the spot where I’d secured the cotton ball with medical tape.

  “I have not,” I said.

  “Good. You’ll have dinner with me.”

  My gaze shot to his face and I swallowed hard. The polite refusal was sitting on the tip of my tongue, but it remained there when those brown eyes seemed to peer into my soul.

  “Very nice,” Ransom said, his voice pitched low as he stood. “I like when you don’t argue.”

  Since I hadn’t moved back, we were nearly chest to chest, and because he was a few inches taller than my six feet, I had to peer up slightly to hold his gaze.

  “Have I mentioned I missed you?” Ransom’s thumb brushed my chin, rasping against the two-day beard growth, his gaze skimming my face as though he was taking it all in once again.

  When his eyes met mine, I found myself holding my breath. I knew he wasn’t looking for an answer because it was a rhetorical question. I seriously doubted he could hear the pounding of my heart, but the rapid blood flow was currently filling my ears.

  I forced myself to take a step back, focused on my breathing, prayed I didn’t faint because, yeah, he had a way about him that made me light-headed.

  “I’ll show you to your villa,” I said, turning away, reminding myself of all the reasons I could not let this man get under my skin again. Hell, it had taken me nearly a decade to get over him.

  “Jasper.”

  I stopped at the door, peered over my shoulder.

  “I did,” he said. “Miss you.”

  I hated that my heart lurched at his admission.

  Oh, who the hell was I kidding? I would never get over Ransom Bishop.

  Not ever.

  Which meant things were about to get really, really awkward.

  *

  RANSOM

  While every muscle in my body ached from the collision with the tree, I did feel immensely better. The headache was now manageable, my shoulder, too. That didn’t stop me from laying it on thick in an effort to get Jasper to stick around after he dutifully showed me to the villa he said Talon had assigned to me.

  “Am I getting special treatment?” I asked when he led me into the two-story, stand-alone structure that blended into the surrounding foliage as though it had been here since the island formed.

  “Talon said you were to be treated as a member of the staff.”

  Oh, really? “And staff members get their own place?”

  Jasper didn’t look at me when he nodded. “They do, yes.”

  “I assume you have one of these, too,” I said, motioning around the open and airy space that was far bigger than it appeared from the outside. Hell, from out there, it looked modest. That changed drastically on the inside. I doubted anything had been spared when building this spacious villa with what appeared to be a second-floor loft and no walls on the main floor.

  “I do, yes.” Jasper didn’t look at me when he spoke. “Next to yours, actually.”

  “So we’re neighbors?”

  “I guess.”

  I walked through the living space, across the white ash hardwood flooring, toward the retractable wall of windows that lined the back of the house.

  “There’s a pool out there,” Jasper stated. “It’s shared by these six villas, which Talon’s reserved for those who work here.”

  “Who stays in them?”

  “Cody and I are the only permanent residents at the moment. Tiegan’s got one, Zion another, but they’re rarely in theirs because they travel so often.”

  “Guests don’t stay in them?”

  Jasper did glance my way briefly. “No. The guests stay in the Owners’ Retreat.”

  I continued to stare at him, waiting for him to make eye contact.

  He didn’t.

  “Do I make you nervous?” I asked, taking a step toward him.

  His Adam’s apple bobbed slowly as he swallowed, those celadon-green eyes finally shifting to my face. “No.”

  A smile pulled at my lips and I let him see it. “Why does that sound like a lie?”

  Jasper swallowed again, but I had to give him props because he remained rooted to the floor even as I invaded his personal space.

  “How did you end up here?” I asked. “With Talon. How’d he find you?”

  “At a club.”

  “Not Dichotomy. I would’ve seen you there.”

  Jasper shook his head. “No. A different one.”

  “Fetish club?”

  His nod was barely discernible.

  “In Chicago?”

  His eyes flared slightly. “Yes.”

  “So you came back?”

  There was something in Jasper’s eyes, something I couldn’t quite make out.

  “But you never came back to me?”

  I knew he wouldn’t answer the question. And if he did, I doubted I would like the reason, because if I had known Jasper Tate had been back in Chicago, there was no doubt in my mind I would’ve tracked him down. As it was, it’d taken tremendous restraint over the years for me not to search for him, to see what he was doing. The only thing that kept me from it was the fact Jasper had left me, not the other way around, and I was respecting his wishes.

  I stepped forward, bringing our chests together.

  “Where’s your sling?” he asked, huffing. “You have to—”

  I cut him off by gripping his jaw firmly. “You can’t run from me this time, Jasper.”

  He inhaled sharply, his eyes searching mine before he finally whispered, “I’m not running.”

  But he wanted to. It was written across his too-handsome face. Jasper had never been good at masking his emotions.

  I lowered my voice. “Tell me something, Doc. When’s the last time someone tied you up and used you for their own personal pleasure?”

  Just as I expected, his eyes dilated, his breaths became choppy.

  His answer was a simple shrug.

  I instilled dominance in my tone when I said, “Answer me.”

  “Not since you,” he rasped, his eyes bouncing over my face.

  That admission both shocked and pleased me. But I wasn’t sure I believed him.

  “You’re telling me you haven’t played with anyone else since we were together?”

  “No. That’s not what I’m saying.” He inhaled sharply. “I just don’t let anyone else tie me up.”

  I studied him momentarily, ignoring the aches and pains that were beginning to plague me now that I was vertical. I knew I needed to rest, to sit down, maybe even lie down. But something told me I couldn’t let this moment pass me by.

  “Will you let me tie you up, Jasper?”

  “Now?”

  That wasn’t a no, I noticed.

  Unable to help myself, I dragged my finger over his bottom lip, holding his gaze. “Not now. Soon, though.”

  “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

  “And why’s that? Do you belong to someone else?”

  “No.”

  That pleased me more than anything.

  “Good. I’m not sure I could handle seeing you with someone else.”

&nbs
p; And that much was true. All it took was seeing Jasper again to bring back so many memories, so much emotion. It was as though we’d never parted ways. I felt this undeniable connection with this man, and although he seemed to be fighting it, I got the feeling Jasper felt the same. After all, why would he avoid doing the one thing he craved more than anything unless that was the case? I could hardly remember a day that had gone by when I hadn’t restrained him in some capacity, done wicked, dirty things to him while he was completely at my mercy. It was his proclivity, the one thing he needed to be content.

  Yet he’d gone nine years without it.

  I swayed on my feet, suddenly feeling woozy.

  Right before my eyes, Jasper transformed from helpless submissive to concerned doctor, gripping my good arm and leading me toward the sofa.

  “I want you to sit. Let me get you something to drink and I’ll order food.”

  “You’ll stay,” I stated, ensuring he heard the command in my tone.

  It was not a request.

  Jasper glanced down at me when I was situated on the sofa.

  I narrowed my eyes, all but begging him to defy me.

  “I’ll stay,” he said softly.

  “Thank you.”

  “Ransom, I—”

  I shook my head, cutting him off.

  If I knew anything about Jasper Tate, I knew I had to lay the groundwork, otherwise he would retreat. He responded best to commands and directives, something I’d loved about him. I’d never been with another submissive who was so eager to be controlled, dominated, and equally eager to please me above all else. I figured it was the reason I’d never had another since Jasper—not permanent, anyway—had wondered if I ever would.

  Being the smart man that I was, I realized this was the second chance I couldn’t let pass me by.

  “Order food,” I instructed. “We’ll figure out the rest after.”

  His eyes darted over my face once more before he finally nodded. “Okay.”

  “Okay what?”

  It took him a moment, but he finally said, “Okay, Titan.”

  And yes, his eyes glazed once again when he used the honorific he’d assigned to me all those years ago.

  Just more proof that Jasper had missed me, too.

  FOURTEEN

  TALON

  After catching a few hours of sleep early in the day, I’d had lunch, then worked through the afternoon and into early evening, all the while keeping an eye out for Braelyn should she emerge from her bedroom. She never did.

  I knew this because I had put Sim on duty watching for her, remaining available should she need anything at all. According to the frequent updates he logged into the system, she had never ventured out, never called for food, either.

  As night descended, I began to worry, hence the reason I was standing at the door to her room, rapping my knuckles lightly after excusing Sim to take care of his evening chores.

  I was seconds away from opening the door and invading Braelyn’s privacy when she finally answered, pulling it open a fraction of an inch and peeking out.

  Her hair was wrapped in a fluffy white towel, a thin silk robe the rich color of eggplant belted at her waist and covering all but her mile-long legs.

  “May I come in?”

  I could see the concern in her eyes as she considered my request, but Braelyn finally stepped back, opening the door wider, which I took as an invitation.

  “Is everything okay?” she asked, her hand tugging the towel from her hair. “Is Ransom all right?”

  “Yes and yes.”

  I took a look around, noticed the bedding was rumpled and the sliding doors on the ocean side of the room were open, but nothing else had been disturbed.

  Turning to face her, I maintained a safe distance as I took her in. “Did you manage to get some sleep?”

  “Yes, thank you.” Her voice was soft and, yes, wary.

  “Did you eat?”

  Braelyn shrugged, finger combing her hair. “Wasn’t hungry.”

  She was regarding me carefully, as though I was a wild animal and my reactions could not be gauged well enough to let down her guard.

  “I’ve ordered you dinner,” I informed her when she said nothing more.

  Braelyn nodded, her gaze darting sideways toward the bed as though she had something to hide.

  Angling back toward the bed, I skimmed the area she was looking at and noticed what she was obviously searching for. There, peeking out of the silky sheets, was what appeared to be a vibrator. Turning my attention back to her, I saw she was watching me, her cheeks turning a shade of pink not many hues off from the sex toy. Perhaps I would have to give Tiegan a raise. No doubt that little toy was my assistant’s doing.

  “Did you need something?” she blurted, her tone curt, her embarrassment obvious.

  Although it would’ve been more appropriate for me to give her space now that I knew she was alive and well, I found I couldn’t do it. Or rather, I didn’t want to give her space, didn’t want to leave this room, in fact. I’d thought about her endlessly through the day, a fact that I wasn’t completely comfortable with. What it was about Braelyn Bishop that had captured my attention so completely, I didn’t know, but here I was, and I figured there was no better time than the present to explore it.

  Right on time, there was a knock at the door. I smiled and headed for it. Corvin and Bram stood on the other side, pushing a silver serving cart, which contained not only Braelyn’s meal but mine, as well.

  Stepping back, I motioned toward the balcony. “We’ll dine outside.”

  “We?” Braelyn asked, her eyes following my possessions as they pushed the cart forward. “Are they…?”

  “Twins? Yes. Identical.” I motioned for her to follow them outside.

  Her gaze shot to the bathroom. “I’ll just … uh … get dressed.”

  “No need.” I held out my hand, waited for her to respond to the gesture.

  She studied my outstretched arm like it was a viper preparing to strike, but she finally placed her long, dainty fingers against my palm, allowing me to lead the way out into the warm night. As we passed the bed, Braelyn tossed the towel to cover the pink toy, making me smile.

  Touching her again … it had me wondering how the hell I’d managed to keep my distance from her since we arrived.

  “Leave us,” I instructed Corvin and Bram when they’d finished setting things up on the small dining table. “Wait inside the room until I need you.”

  I pulled out Braelyn’s chair, did my gentlemanly duty of helping her to sit before I took my place at her side. Bram had lit two candles, protecting them from the breeze with hurricane globes, which provided a romantic ambience for our meal. It was an interesting gesture, one I hadn’t requested but wasn’t surprised by. Bram tended to do little things like that. He was the romantic in the group.

  I could see on Braelyn’s face she was confused by the setting, but I figured it would be easy enough to put her mind at ease by picking a topic that had little to do with seduction.

  “I called Dr. Tate,” I informed her, draping the linen napkin in my lap before picking up my wineglass. “Ransom’s doing well. Last I talked to him, your brother was sleeping. He was still in the clinic, but Dr. Tate was going to move him to his villa when he awoke.”

  She let out a soft sigh. Relief, no doubt.

  “The two of you are close,” I mused.

  Braelyn picked up her wineglass, took a small sip. “We are, yes. He’s the one who raised me.”

  “Tell me about your parents,” I prompted.

  Her eyes shot to my face, the amber color sparking from the candle glow. “My parents?”

  “Yes. They’re the reason your brother took you, raised you, are they not?”

  “They are, but—”

  “Tell me about them,” I commanded softly.

  Her eyes remained locked with mine, and for a brief moment, I thought she might argue. But then something shifted in her gaze, softened.

  As
I expected, Braelyn sighed, resigning herself to giving me what I demanded of her.

  “I do my best not to think about them,” she began, “about my childhood. There aren’t any happy thoughts, nothing I look back on and miss.”

  There was an aloofness to her tone, one that said she wanted to believe what she was saying. One thing I suspected about Braelyn, she cared deeply. I could see it in how she worried about her brother. It was the reason I’d insisted on frequent updates from Jasper, providing me with the information on Ransom’s status so I could relay it to Braelyn should she ask. And while she probably didn’t miss her parents, she missed what they should have been for her. I got the feeling she was hurt easily.

  “That must be difficult,” I said, setting my glass down and draping my napkin in my lap when she picked up her fork. “Not having your family.”

  “I’ve got Ransom. He’s the only family I need.” The chill in her tone warmed at the mere mention of her brother. “He’s been more of a parent to me than they ever were.”

  She paused briefly, but I waited her out, allowed her to gather her thoughts while she picked at the food in front of her. In an effort to put her at ease, I, too, picked up my fork, began with the salad that had been prepared.

  “Ransom’s eleven years older than me,” she continued. “He was always the one I turned to when I needed something. Even before we left. I didn’t have much of a choice. My parents were far too caught up in their own lives to worry about a couple of pesky kids.” Braelyn rolled her eyes. “Tax write-offs. I believe that’s what my mother called us. Needless to say, we didn’t have a normal childhood. But normal’s relative, I guess.”

  That it was.

  “At least I didn’t.” Braelyn took a small bite, chewed, her gaze roaming her plate, the table. Directed everywhere but at me. “Ransom was allowed to go to public school, but my parents had me homeschooled. And they were weird about it. Like it was important they kept me sheltered, away from other kids. They never told me why, but I was a perceptive child. I could hear them talking, knew they considered me a bargaining chip. I asked Ransom about it once.” She looked up briefly. “He told me not to worry about it, promised he would never let anything happen to me. I believed him because that was what he did. He watched over me.”