Owned (Office Intrigue Book 8) by Nicole Edwards (year 2 reading books TXT) 📗

for him and Braelyn, a place for them to lie low for a little while. Once the issue with his family was resolved, he would have no reason to be here. He could return to the life he’d had, back to his friends, his job.

Although I thought we were building something together, there’d always been that niggling insecurity just below the surface. As though this was a waiting game. Just the other day, I’d overheard Ransom following up with someone, leaving voicemails to get an update on how things were in Chicago. He never mentioned it to me, had even shrugged it off the one time I’d bothered to ask.

So I had left it alone, waiting.

Looked as though the wait was over.

I had to wonder if he would’ve even told me if I hadn’t happened upon them when I had.

“My decision’s final,” I heard Ransom say from somewhere in the hallway. “I need to find Talon to let him know.”

I stepped back, hiding behind one of the metal shelves in the clinic, hoping he didn’t see me.

He was going to find Talon but not me? Ransom felt it was more important to let his boss know his plans?

I hated that my chest ached with that knowledge. My heart actually hurt and the doctor in me said I should have that checked out, but I shrugged it off. I wasn’t having a damn heart attack. No, my heart was breaking all over again, but it was only metaphorical. An affliction only healed by time.

When I heard the exterior door open and close, I ventured out of my hiding spot, doing my best to compose myself. I had to get on with my day. There were things to do, possessions to check, medications to dispense. This was my life, this was where—

“You were hiding.”

I spun around to find Ransom standing in the doorway, shoulder propped on the jamb.

“What? No.” I shook my head, tried to mask my expression. “I’m busy. Did you need something?”

“As a matter of fact…” He stood tall, strolled toward me.

I sidestepped him, keeping to the outer wall. “I don’t have time right now, Ransom. Like I said, I’m— Oomph.”

“Make time,” Ransom growled, slamming me into the wall.

My eyes widened, my surprise evident.

His hand curled over my neck, pinning me in place. So forceful, so commanding.

God, I was going to miss him.

“You can’t hide from me any more, Jasper. You should know that by now. I won’t let you.”

“Not hid—” His hand tightened, effectively cutting of my words.

“I’ll punish you for that lie later. Right now, I have something to say.”

Please no. Please don’t tell me you’re leaving. Not here. Not yet.

“You’ve got a lunch break coming,” he said softly, eyes narrowed on mine. “I expect you to go home, pack your clothes.”

I shook my head. “I’m not leaving, Ransom. This is my—”

“And move them to my place. You live there now. With me.”

Wait. What?

My heart thumped hard in my chest. Was he saying…?

“As a matter of fact,” Ransom continued, “you’re going to do one better.”

I frowned. Better than move in with him? What was he talking about?

“You’re going to marry me.”

Marr—wha—?

“Today.”

It was a damn good thing he had his hand banded around my throat. Otherwise I would’ve been on the floor.

Two hours later, Ransom and I made it official—although I wasn’t sure how official it really was. Not that I cared whether or not a piece of paper legally bound us together, because it wasn’t the paper that mattered.

It was the heart.

FORTY-SIX

Two months later…

Braelyn

“Seriously?” I grumbled when I strolled through the house, still not finding Talon anywhere.

He’d left a message for me to come find him when I finished my phone call. It was one of many hopeful Owners who were attempting to bribe me into letting them come to the resort. Evidently, next month was the anniversary of the day they acquired their possession, and he was hopeful he’d have a chance to celebrate at the place where it all began.

I’d promised I would do everything in my power to help him out, but as of this moment, we were booked solid until August.

Turned out, my idea of opening the resort to new and old alike had made a significant impact on the resort. And since tomorrow was the official grand opening of the Sapphire, the exclusive Owned, Incorporated BDSM resort, we’d all been shuffling to get everything in order.

Because Talon had been working me to the bone, I hardly had time to take a breath. Did I mention, Talon wanted a huge wedding, and he insisted that his assistant make all the arrangements? Yeah. And did I mention how much time it took to plan a wedding of this magnitude? The only positive was that he had agreed to have the wedding in June, which allowed for roughly four months to plan. Still not nearly enough time, but I was managing.

Only I wasn’t, because here I was, searching the estate to find him.

Just as I made a U-turn, figuring he was possibly down on the main floor, which he’d been renovating for additional offices, I saw Rolphe standing near the door leading out to the veranda.

“Do you know where Talon is?” I asked.

“I do, Mistress,” he said in a very deep, very sexy voice that I’d come to enjoy immensely.

“Could you please show me?”

He nodded once, then opened the door, gesturing for me to step outside onto the veranda.

“What’s he doing out here?”

Rolphe closed the door then held out his arm, a gesture they’d all taken to doing. Whenever I was walking around the estate, as long as I wasn’t with Talon, one of them was with me, and most of the time, they were keeping me close. It made me feel special, and I think my acceptance made them feel the same.

Grinning, I slid my arm in his, allowed him to walk me down the stairs to the pools.

Night had already descended, and most of the possessions were inside the resort, taking care