Talon greeted.
The man nodded, then kneeled down at my feet.
I frowned, feeling slightly shunned that he wasn’t speaking to me although those were my feet he was looking at.
“I used the first-aid kit,” Talon explained.
Lifting one at a time, his gaze skimmed over each foot briefly. When he was finished, he stood tall, glanced at Talon. “You did a fine job.” He finally looked at me. “Do you intend to be up walking around?”
“She will,” Talon confirmed. “For a bit.”
The doctor had the decency to respond to me. “When you’ve settled in and don’t plan to be on them for a little while, I’ll tend to them more thoroughly.”
Not sure what to say to that, I offered a polite, “Thank you.”
Dr. Tate wasted no time, grabbing his bag and exiting as quickly as he’d come in.
Well, that felt … abrupt.
“As promised, I’ll take you to see your brother,” Talon said as he got to his feet.
After fumbling to release my seat belt, I finally got it unlatched, then managed to stand, gripping the robe, keeping it closed at my chest, feeling incredibly vulnerable because I was naked beneath.
Talon gestured toward the doorway, and I stepped in front of him, leading the way. It was slow going, what with me taking awkward steps to keep from agitating my injured feet, but I managed. When his hand pressed against my lower back, I inhaled, praying it wasn’t as loud as it sounded.
We stepped out of Talon’s office and back into the bedroom. That was where I saw Talon’s two submissives—Auberon and Rolphe, I believe he’d called them—kneeling on the floor, heads lowered, hands resting on their thighs.
They were both shirtless, tanned skin glowing in the low lights. It took effort to look away, but I forced myself, continuing toward the door with Talon still at my back.
Clutching the robe, I let him steer me toward the back of the plane, the hallway narrowing somewhat.
“Right here,” Talon said, motioning toward the left.
I stopped at the closed door.
“When you’re finished, you can rejoin me in my office, or you can return to the living room we were in earlier.”
I wasn’t sure why I’d expected him to come with me, but I nodded, grateful to have a few minutes alone with my brother. The fear I’d felt earlier had returned with a vengeance, and I felt the cold seeping into my bones once more.
Talon must’ve sensed it, because he leaned in, cupping my face and meeting my gaze.
“You’re safe, Braelyn,” he stated, his voice low and sensual. “I won’t let anything happen to you or your brother. I promise you that.”
Again, I believed him.
To my shock, Talon leaned forward and pressed his lips lightly to mine. It was a quick movement that left me no time to prepare, but even as he was strolling away, my lips tingled and that warmth returned, effectively chasing away the chill.
The first thing I thought as I watched him stroll back the way we’d come: this man was too good to be true.
It wouldn’t be long before I learned just how true that statement really was.
NINE
RANSOM
Admittedly, I was no stranger to people who had money. Many of those I associated with were wealthy. I, personally, was not.
I didn’t live paycheck to paycheck, no, but I wasn’t rolling in dough. I’d managed to squirrel away a little in savings, but nothing to write home about. What I did have wouldn’t go far, certainly not far enough to ensure my sister was taken care of in the event something happened to me, but that was what I worked toward. I didn’t want for much; therefore, I saved every penny I could for her.
Except for wanting to ensure Braelyn was provided for, I’d never really worried about money, either. It wasn’t something I fretted over. As long as I had a roof over my head and could provide one for Braelyn should she ever need my help, I considered myself lucky.
At least I had. Right up until I hobbled onto this enormous jet that screamed wealth and privilege. This thing … this was some serious shit, and having just seen a small portion, I got the feeling Talon was wealthier than pretty much everyone I knew combined. Based on his company offices, his attire, this plane, and the staff who were at his beck and call, I’d say the man was well into ten digits in the net worth department.
I wasn’t envious. Like I said, money had never meant all that much