Owned (Office Intrigue Book 8) Nicole Edwards (classic english novels TXT) 📖

Tiegan can walk you and Ransom through the details of the Owners we’re expecting this week. I need everything finalized so I can sign off.”

Zion laughed, the rough rasp drawing everyone’s attention. “Welcome aboard,” he told Ransom. “Probably didn’t even know you got the job.”

Ransom grinned, looking at ease. “Oh, I had some idea it was coming.”

“Good.” Zion downed his juice. “Then it won’t be awkward.”

“Oh, it’ll still be awkward,” Tiegan muttered under her breath.

When Ransom looked my way, I tried to read his mind. Like always, it didn’t work. My brother was a mystery, more so lately.

“Is there any more of your … staff that I’ll meet?” I asked Talon, attempting to make conversation while I enjoyed the heavenly coffee.

“Those you met on the plane. A few more coming on Monday. Zion and Tiegan handle most of the top-level responsibilities.”

“May I ask what position you hold?” I asked Zion directly.

“CFO,” he said with a nod.

I glanced at Tiegan, silently asking the same question.

“Executive assistant to the CEO,” she said with a beaming grin. “For now.”

“Do you both work from here?” I inquired.

“Most of the time, yes, but I prefer the Chicago office,” Tiegan offered. “More convenient for me.”

I glanced at Zion, waiting for his response.

“I trade off between the two. I spend winters here.”

I grinned, couldn’t help it. “Can’t say I blame you there.”

When I stopped tossing questions out, no one else spoke, so I focused on my coffee until Talon cleared his throat and pushed to his feet.

“Once you’re done finalizing, you two can take the day off,” Talon told Zion and Tiegan. “It’ll be a busy week, and we’ve got more to do tomorrow before the Owners get here. Might as well get some downtime while you can.”

“Much appreciated,” Zion said in that rough, gravel voice. “I’ve got some personal things I need to take care of later this afternoon.”

“I think we’ll get the tour underway.” Talon’s gaze swung to me. “Unless there’s something else you prefer to do this morning.”

If ever there was a loaded question…

“Um … no. A tour will be … nice.”

“I’ve got a couple of things to deal with,” Tiegan said to the men as she stood, “then I’ll give you an overview.”

Like me, Tiegan was dressed down today. The outfit she wore—black shorts and a red skintight tank top—left little to the imagination. She’d also gone the heeled route, choosing a pair of needle-thin stilettos that made her legs look killer.

Talon cleared his throat again. “We’ll start with a tour of the offices.”

It sounded so official when he said it like that.

Why that relieved me some, I didn’t know.

*

TALON

I had known going in that not giving Braelyn full disclosure up front was a risk. But I was a man who went with my gut, and it was currently telling me I had to ease Braelyn into this world of sin and seclusion. After all, accepting that someone wanted to own another human being, or that said human being wanted to be owned and controlled by another, wasn’t an easy task. Not for those who didn’t have the same desires, anyway.

To my surprise, she’d seemingly accepted the fact I had seven possessions, but I wasn’t sure she was going to be quite so understanding when she learned I’d amassed a portion of my fortune by acquiring, training, and reallocating other possessions.

Truth was, I’d been looking forward to showing her the business side of things since Tiegan informed me she had agreed to a job interview. Even if I was using the ruse of employment as a means to get to know her better, there was always an opportunity for her here if she was so inclined.

“How many employees are here permanently?”

“Only a few. Most of Owned’s employees are in the States. Tiegan and Zion travel back and forth; we’ve got a few trainers on staff, medical, too. You’ll see more during a weekly Owners’ retreat like the one starting on Monday.”

Her brown eyes remained on me as we walked.

“Except for Tiegan and Zion on occasion, you’ll never see any employees up here on this floor. This is my private residence. Those visiting are resigned to the first two floors only. Or the other buildings.”

“So why am I here? Technically I’m visiting.”

“You’re the exception,” I told her.

To everything, it seemed.

“The entire island is yours?”

“It is.”

I knew what she was thinking. There was too much space for one person. She was right, but it didn’t go unused. In fact, every inch of the estate was allocated for something whether it be recreation, business, or personal. We did not have empty rooms here on the estate.

“My possessions occupy the fourth floor. It’s their private space.”

“Do you go up there?”

“When it’s necessary, sure. This way.” I gestured toward a winding staircase that led to the second floor below.

Braelyn led the way, descending the stairs, her long, elegant fingers curling around the wrought iron banister as she took each step slowly.

“This floor’s dedicated to my main operations,” I explained. “It’s accessible to employees from the exterior.”

Braelyn paused at the bottom of the staircase, glancing around. I didn’t have to urge her forward, because she seemed comfortable with this space. Likely had something to do with the office atmosphere or the fact there were several people down here. Tiegan, who was standing at a desk beside one of the female assistants, was discussing something on a computer screen with Ransom nearby. In another office, Zion was typing away. And in the conference room, there were two others, a man and a woman, both reviewing one of the clients—whose face was projected on the wall screen—who would be arriving on Monday.

“I thought you told them to take the day off,” Braelyn said, grinning up at me.

“They’ll grab a couple of hours this afternoon, I’m sure.”

“So this is the main hub, I take it?”

“For Owned, Incorporated, yes.”

“Where’s your office?” Braelyn asked, her tone laced with curiosity.

“This way.” I led her down a narrow hallway that opened up into a two-story office,