no worse for wear considering what he’d gone through earlier today. He was standing nearby, once again wearing his collar, his gaze on Talon, as though waiting for him to give him something to do but not at all bothered by doing nothing at all.
“How many of the Owners do you think will leave with their possession at the end of the week?” I asked simply to make conversation.
“From what I’ve seen today … three, maybe four.”
I peered from one Owner to the next, trying to figure out which he thought would back out. They were an eclectic mix, I’d give them that. Leah and Brad Townsend were definitely the tamest of them all. Mr. A, the most flamboyant. Then there was Laura Dunbar, a pretty, middle-aged woman who was actually deciding between two different possessions. I wasn’t sure what to make of her yet.
“Why doesn’t Laura just take both of them?” I asked as Laura tugged on the leashes she’d attached to the possessions trailing behind her.
“Not within the regulations,” he said easily. “An Owner can come back for another, but they can’t take more than one at a time. And there’s a time restriction in their contract.”
“What’s to stop them from going somewhere else and finding one? I mean, I’m sure there’s somewhere people go to find this sort of … relationship. You know, if they can’t come here.”
“There’s nothing to stop them. However, it’s a violation of their contract. If they go against the rules, I terminate our agreement, and they’re not welcome to do business with me again. We have no desire to work with people who are merely interested in hoarding people.”
Wow. He was really serious about this.
“So you don’t consider having seven hoarding?” I asked, curious.
“It took me six years to acquire them.”
“That doesn’t change the fact you have seven.”
“No, it doesn’t. But I assure you, it’s not about quantity. It’s quality that matters.”
“Do you keep tabs on the possessions once they leave here?”
“Yes. To a degree. We have a team designated to following up, keeping Tiegan apprised of any who need or request direct contact. The Owners agree to remain active on the app, to provide updates when we ask for them. Once we’re satisfied there’s no ill will, we part ways if that’s what they want. Otherwise, the Owners continue to pay their yearly dues and peruse the app for another.”
“Is that normal? For an Owner to want more than one possession?”
“I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s the norm, no. The majority are satisfied with one, sometimes two. Rarely more than that.”
“Yet you have seven?” I teased.
Talon smiled, his eyes scanning the room. “I have seven.”
“So not much repeat business? It’s a revenue stream that’s untapped?”
“For the most part, yes.”
I nodded, a few ideas coming to mind. But since he hadn’t asked me for my thoughts, I went in a different direction.
Feeling bold as well as inquisitive, I decided to ask the question I couldn’t get out of my head. “Do you have sex with all of your possessions?”
“I do.” There was no shame in his response.
“Do they sleep in your bed?”
“Rarely.”
I noticed that didn’t exactly answer my question, but I let it go. “You said the fourth floor is theirs. Do they have bedrooms?”
He peered down at me once more. “Yes. They’re well taken care of.”
“Yet you consider them possessions.”
“I do. As do they.”
I decided to let it go, not wanting to risk a replay of last night’s argument, once again scanning the room. I noticed Ransom had arrived, as well as Jasper and Cody. All three of them were dressed similarly to Talon, dark suits, white shirts, looking rather handsome in the formal attire.
“Is there another Owner who’s been here more than once?”
“Hershel Broome. The blond man speaking to Zion. This is his second visit to the island.”
“And he hasn’t selected a possession?”
“He’s here to make a decision between two he’s spent time with previously. It’s rare that the possession they originally considered will still be here, but these happen to be.”
“He’s married, isn’t he?”
“He is. His wife’s his submissive and he treats her like a princess. He likes to see her with his potential possessions.”
Interesting.
“Do you ever take bets on which one they’ll pick?”
Talon laughed. “No. No bets. Doesn’t mean I don’t have an idea of my own.”
“Are you usually right?”
“Always.”
I could see that. Especially since he seemed so involved. “It’s safe to say you get to know the Owners as well as the possessions?”
“I make