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

“Just need to rest.”

Her eyes skimmed my face. “Did they give you something for pain?”

“Not yet.” Hopefully that was next.

She nodded, standing tall. “All right. Well… if you … uh… I’ll check on you in a bit.”

“Thanks, Brae.” As she passed, I reached for her hand, squeezed it. “We’re gonna be okay.”

The smile she offered was one I’d seen before. There was hope there, but Braelyn wasn’t a believer yet.

Relaxing back into the seat again, I exhaled and closed my eyes. Sleep wasn’t coming, wouldn’t until I took something for the pain, but until then…

“Ransom.” The voice was low and familiar, spoken quietly near me.

“Hmm?” That was all I could muster for the moment, my eyes unusually heavy. It took a moment for my brain to come online, to remember where I was, and yes, for the pain to register, more intense than before, my entire body one giant throbbing heartbeat.

Car wreck. Dead guys. Airplane. Braelyn.

“I know you want to rest, but I need to examine you.”

“Mm-hmm,” I mumbled, letting my heavy lids remain closed.

“Ransom? I need you to wake up.”

Was I asleep? When had that happened?

“Who are you?” I asked, my words somewhat slurred from sleep. Evidently, the pain hadn’t won out and I had drifted off.

Of course, now that I was conscious, it was back with a vengeance.

“Dr. Tate,” came the response.

“Mmm.” I found myself smiling. Or at least I thought I was. “I knew a Dr. Tate once. Didn’t obey worth a shit.”

“Yeah? Well, I’m pretty sure he was merely a med student back then. He is a doctor now, though.”

Frowning, I let the words register as I dragged myself the rest of the way awake.

“Jasper?” I whispered, forcing my eyes open.

“The one and only.”

There before me were the same light green eyes, the same chiseled cheekbones, clean-shaven jaw, and perfect lips from my past. His brown hair was shorter, there were a few more lines near his eyes, but the handsome man in front of me was definitely my Jasper.

Jasper Tate.

“Well, hell,” I muttered.

“Good to see you, too.”

Was it? Considering how we’d left things, I wasn’t sure how I would react to ever seeing this man again.

We were both older now. Almost a decade, in fact. I knew this because it had been nearly nine years to the day since I’d last seen the surly submissive who had captured my attention and held it for longer than anyone had before him. Or after, as a matter of fact.

Not that I was keeping track of the passing time.

Definitely not.

It was just that I wasn’t the sort to play with a lot of submissives, and those I had, I remembered clearly. Then again, I loved even fewer of them, and Jasper Tate had been the exception.

“According to Zion, you were in an accident,” the sexy doctor said softly, a hint of concern in his tone.

“Seemed more intentional to me,” I told him, letting my gaze rake over him from head to hips and back up. I couldn’t see his legs because he was standing at my side; otherwise, I would’ve gone all the way down.

He looked good. Still just as wickedly handsome as I remembered, still lean and muscled. He’d probably look damn fine naked.

Not that I wanted to see him naked. Nope.

“You don’t look like a doctor,” I groused.

“Would you like to see my license?”

Yep, still ornery. “Maybe.”

“Perhaps another time. Right now, I’d like to recline the chair so I can take a look at you.”

“A little forward for a submissive, no?” I countered, opening my eyes fully and meeting his.

We were locked in that moment for long seconds, neither of us moving, no one saying a word. I tried to force back the memories of a time better forgotten, but it was nearly impossible. Of all the people I’d ever expected to see again, Jasper Tate was not one of them.

“If I recall correctly, I’m no longer your submissive,” he stated firmly, his tone reflecting the hurt and anger I remembered from so long ago.

True. He wasn’t. However, it hadn’t been by my choice.

I attempted to sit up straight, the move making me grunt.

“Just give me something for the pain,” I told him, closing my eyes once more and relaxing into the buttery-soft leather.

“Not until I check you out.”

Only because it hurt to breathe did I relent. “Fine.”

I was aware of Jasper lifting the armrest, then my chair beginning to recline fully until I was completely flat.

Huh. Would you look at that? This chair made into a bed. Would’ve been nice if someone had clued me in earlier.

“You were run off the road?”

“Something like that. It’s all a bit fuzzy.”

Gentle fingers brushed my forehead and my eyes shot open. I stared up at Jasper and suddenly the pain dissipated almost instantly. Emotions swamped me. Memories of that long ago time, the hours I’d spent with this man, all the ways he’d submitted to me for the few years we were together. The defiance, the punishment, the amazing sex.

His hand shifted to my head, pressing lightly as though feeling for…

“I’m not concussed,” I stated, trying to turn my head away.

Jasper was having none of it, his other hand pressing against my jaw and holding my head still. “Headache?”

I met his gaze once more, and my inner Dominant sat up straight, rejecting the firm hand keeping me in place.

“Yes,” I bit out, reaching for his hand, curling my fingers around his wrist, intending to pull it away, but he stopped me, his grip loosening.

“I’ll be gentle, Ransom.”

He stood there, staring down at me as though he was waiting for my approval. I gave it to him in the form of a quick nod before I closed my eyes again.

If he expected me to get through this examination, no way could I watch him while he did it.

*

Jasper Tate

From here on out, I was going to insist Talon give me more information about the people he wanted me to check out. Had