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

“When you refer to a possession being owned…?” I swallowed as I glanced back toward the stairs. “I mean, Micah for example. What exactly does that entail?”

“Zion controls every aspect of Micah’s life. What he eats, when he eats it. What he wears, what he does, what he says. If Zion wishes for silence, Micah will not speak. If Zion wants Micah to jack off…” Talon grinned.

“No questions asked?”

Talon’s head cocked slightly to the left. “No questions allowed.”

Who would want that? To be at the beck and call of another person at all times? And what sort of traumatic life experience had them taking a drastic turn in that direction?

As we stepped out onto the veranda off the enormous living room, I considered my next words carefully. “Fine. Say there are people who enjoy that sort of thing—”

“There are,” Talon confirmed. “This island’s full of them.”

Right.

“There has to be an upside. For the possession? They’re getting something out of it. Money?”

“Personal satisfaction. Would you like something to drink?” Talon offered.

“Yes. Something really strong,” I sputtered before tacking on, “I’m kidding. I’m good. Thank you.” It was way too early to be indulging in alcohol. Later, though.

Turning to face the beautiful pools and the exquisite flora below, my thoughts drifted to Micah once more. Not only had he been completely naked, he’d been pinned to the wall by steel shackles, put on display for anyone who stepped into that office. Not that he seemed to care. Not if the way he had been—

Yeah. I needed to get my mind off that and fast.

“Personal satisfaction,” I echoed his response. “So you’re saying they simply want to be berated and used.”

There was a hint of disapproval when Talon replied with, “A little harsh, don’t you think?”

“Was that not what it was?” I asked, spinning to face Talon. “Micah was strapped to the wall, forced to…” I waved my hand for Talon to fill in blanks. “While Zion pretended he wasn’t there.”

Talon moved closer, peering down, his eyes seeming to stare deep into my soul. “Possessions aren’t like submissives, Braelyn. They have one single goal: to please their Owner. That means a command from the Owner is gospel, something they cherish and revere. There’s trust between the two of them, and the possession knows when he or she is issued a directive, it’s for a reason.”

It sounded so simple, but I knew it couldn’t be. Nothing in this world was simple.

“And that’s what goes on here?” I asked, turning around again to face the grounds below.

“Yes.”

I shifted my attention to the cascading waterfall in the distance. It was a beautiful design. The trickling water flowed over several levels of stone, filling small pools along the way, continuing until the water flowed into the main swimming pools.

“How exactly does someone buy another person?”

“Money does not exchange hands between the Owner and the possession. The Owner pays fees for a service, for the ability to find someone who suits their needs, someone who’s willing and able to fulfill their need to dominate and control. Someone who wants the same thing they do.”

I pivoted to face him, inhaling sharply when one of Talon’s possessions—Ari, I believe—stepped forward, holding up a tray with a crystal flute perched on it. I hadn’t realized he was there, but clearly he’d been waiting for me to turn around.

“Mimosa,” Talon informed me. “Might take the edge off.”

I wasn’t a big champagne drinker, but I accepted it. I was on edge, and right now, I needed to chill, because I got the feeling this was just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

“How does it work?” I asked after I took a long swallow, surprised by how smooth it was. In my experience, the champagne always overpowered the orange juice. Not the case here. “Obtaining a possession?”

“I’m more than happy to share all the details, but I find it’s easier to understand if you see it firsthand. Please remember, it’s not information I divulge to just anyone. As you can imagine, what we do isn’t something that’s public knowledge.”

That I believed. Far too much risk. Especially in the public eye.

I took another drink. “As you can see, I’m not in a position to alert the media.”

His eyes narrowed. Clearly not amused.

“If you want me to work for you, it’s important I know what it entails, right?”

Talon moved forward again, this time close enough I was forced to look up to hold his gaze. I could feel the heat of his body against mine, felt my knees turn to jelly at my body’s insane reaction to him.

His finger glided along my jaw slowly, back and forth. “Working for me’s not the only thing I want from you, Braelyn.”

“What do you want?” My words were so softly spoken I was surprised he heard them. Surprised I spoke them.

Talon leaned in, his lips brushing mine. “Everything.”

My belly went topsy-turvy, my skin heating, my respiratory system kicking into overdrive. No one had ever said something so … seductive to me. I probably should’ve felt like one of his playthings, but oddly, I didn’t. Well, maybe a little. Regardless, I was intoxicated by the rush it gave me.

That rush intensified when his hand covered my throat, his long fingers cupping my jaw and holding me securely so that I couldn’t move. There was no pain, just a clear delineation between our roles. He was in control.

Our eyes remained locked, and I could see the intensity swirling in those molten gray orbs as Talon leaned in. When his lips came over mine, I inhaled before giving myself over to his kiss.

At that moment, my world spun and shifted, every single molecule in my being focused solely on how dominating his tongue was as it took what it wanted, licking, tasting. My breasts were hypersensitive, my pussy throbbing, and I had this overwhelming urge to climb his body, to hold on for dear life and let him take me for a ride that I knew would alter my life