into a white mug, I peeked at the collar to read the inscription: Owned. Just like I’d seen on Auberon’s. To the left of the word was a keyhole, evidently how it was unlocked. The silver appeared to be polished and rather expensive. Probably not steel or sterling silver. Titanium, maybe?
“Braelyn, this is Taurus,” Talon explained.
Before I could greet the man who had poured my coffee, he slipped away, back toward the kitchen. Not a word, not a glance. I felt slightly shunned but managed to shrug it off.
“Not much of a talker, huh?” I mumbled.
“They are not permitted to speak,” Talon stated.
Oh. Right. He had mentioned that.
In an effort to break Talon’s gaze, I turned my attention to the coffee, doctoring it to my liking—one sugar and more than a little cream—then taking a sip. It was heaven. Probably flown in from Columbia, not picked up at the local grocery store. Then again, there wasn’t a local store of any kind. We were on an island.
“I thought I would give Braelyn a tour,” Tiegan offered, sitting up straight and tapping her fingernails on the table, her full attention on Talon.
“I’ll handle that,” Talon stated, turning toward Zion. “But 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