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

you lived here?” Braelyn asked, her attention focused on the courtyard below.

Grateful for the shift in subject, I answered easily. “Sixteen years. I acquired the island before Owned, Incorporated was even a seed in my mind. The resort wasn’t built until roughly four years ago, right after I acquired my fourth possession.” I looked up, nodded. “Ari, as a matter of fact. I determined I needed a secluded place for Owners and possessions to meet, figured this would work nicely.”

“Who was your first?”

“Auberon, six years ago. Taurus and Rolphe came next, then Ari. I acquired Sim three years ago, figured he would be the last, but then I came across Corvin and Bram. They’ve been with me two years now.”

She peered up at me. “Where did you live before here?”

“All over the US and South America. I was born in Cuba, lived there until I was seven.”

“And your parents?”

“There’s no record of my birth, so it’s all hearsay.”

“What does that mean? How is there no record?”

I shrugged a shoulder. “I’ve always figured my mother was unwed. From what I’ve gathered, I was left at a church, taken in briefly, then sort of passed around from there. I was adopted when I was seven by a wealthy American businesswoman, although there’s no record of the adoption. Technically, it wasn’t legal because there’s no documentation of my birth. She took me in, raised me.” I took a sip of my drink. “We moved around a lot. She spent her last years in Chicago, said she was born there.”

“Last years? Did she die?”

“Brain cancer.”

“How old were you?”

“When she died? Seventeen.”

“Were you close?”

I glanced at Braelyn. “As close as we could be, I figure. She’d always wanted a child but had no interest in relationships. She worried about me, worried I would get into trouble, and I think that was difficult for her. I took care of her when she was sick, looked after her. She left her massive fortune to me—old family money—along with a handful of lawyers paid to hammer out the details. After she died, I wandered for a little while, ended up keeping the house she had in Chicago. Bought this island when I turned twenty, right after I made my first million.”

“From…?” Braelyn gestured toward the Owners’ Retreat.

I laughed. “No. This came much later. My main source of income is from perfume and cologne.”

Braelyn’s eyes widened. “Seriously? Something I know?”

“Zafiro was the first perfume I launched, and also the name of the company I started.”

Now her mouth opened, eyes popping. “That’s yours?”

I smiled. Evidently she’d heard of it. “It is. Zafiro means sapphire in Spanish. I named it after the woman who raised me.”

“Oh, my God.” She giggled. “I remember begging my brother to buy me that perfume when I was fourteen. That was when I learned it sold for like a hundred dollars an ounce, which he said was a little out of his price range.”

“It’s gone up a bit since then.”

“I can’t… Wow. That explains why all of you smell so good.”

I remembered how she’d said as much at TJ’s.

“So … this…” She gestured toward the other building again. “This is just a side business, then?”

“It’s equally important,” I assured her. “I’ve got a good team running Zafiro, so I spend most of my time focused on this. Would you care to continue the tour?”

“Actually, yes. I would.”

Her smile was bright, and once again, it went right through me.

NINETEEN

Braelyn

After taking a moment to freshen up, I returned to the veranda to find Talon standing near the railing, staring out at the grounds below. I took a moment to admire him, because hey, why not?

Talon was by far the most appealing man I’d ever met. Everything about him was phenomenal. His body, his face, his mind. And yes, his dominance. I had to wonder if I felt that way because he was as close to perfect as I’d ever encountered, or merely because that was what happened when you met someone you were completely compatible with. Physically, I mean.

Not that I was thinking he was my soul mate or anything. I wasn’t that naive. A few good orgasms did not a relationship make.

He must’ve felt me staring, because he turned, his gaze raking over me before landing on my face. He held out his hand. “Ready?”

I managed a nod, put my hand in his, then walked alongside him as we made our way down the various staircases that wound down and around to the swimming pools.

“We’ve got Owners coming in on Monday,” Talon informed me. “They’ll be here for a week.”

“What do they do when they’re here?”

“It’s their opportunity to get to know the possession they’re looking to acquire. We do our best to stay out of their way, although we do have a few events catered for them. A variety of settings so they can see how their potential possession interacts with them. I’ll start by showing you the Owners’ Retreat, how we refer to the main resort building. That way you’re familiar with the property.”

I fell into step, curling my hand in his, relishing the security I found in his touch.

“So, I was curious…” I followed as he weaved along the walkway outlining the swimming pool area and outdoor dining. “You have seven … possessions,” I said, still having a hard time getting the word out. “And Zion has one?”

Talon nodded once.

“Does Tiegan have any?”

“No. Despite her dominance on the business end, Tiegan’s personality leans toward submission.”

Really? Holy crap. I never would’ve guessed that.

“The Owners’ Retreat is where the possessions reside,” he explained.

“Until someone picks them as their own?”

“Correct. From the time I acquire them until they’re placed with an Owner permanently and leave the island.”

We made our way across the grounds, past the swimming pools, the waterfall. This building fit with the island feel as far as the architecture, very similar to Talon’s residence across the way.

“How does that work? How do these … possessions come to live here?”

“Technically, they don’t live here. They’re