Owned (Office Intrigue Book 8) by Nicole Edwards (bill gates book recommendations txt) 📕

a short, flirty skirt. It complimented Talon’s suit nicely, more so because he’d ditched the jacket and rolled up his sleeves before leaving the office.

“Not sure what’s different about this, except it seems almost too traditional,” Tiegan said, walking into the living room and turning to encompass the space.

“That’s the point,” I explained, keying in a few things on the electronic panel.

A second later, a variety of transitions occurred.

The bright, elegant space remained mostly the same, save for some kinky additions. Still a nice room to relax in, but now it was multi-functional.

Talon had taken all our suggestions in stride and, surprisingly, had approved more than I’d expected him to. And yes, I’d spent more time presenting ideas in the past month than I ever had before. Turned out I was good at that, too.

The hidden compartment with the toys still remained, backlit with blue lights, which glinted off the etched glass shelves. On one wall, where an eclectic but rather ordinary design had been, a St. Andrews cross shifted out from the wall, including the necessary hooks for restraints.

“Holy shit,” Tiegan muttered, walking over to inspect it.

Although the large X remained relatively flat to the wall, it was completely functional for its purpose.

In the ceiling, several restraints slid down, the panels closing back, meant to be aesthetically pleasing but giving the guests options for playtime. The credenza, which had waterfall edges originally, had converted into a cage big enough to hold a full-grown man, complete with bars and lock.

Additionally, we were adding a tantric chair in every hotel room, complete with cushioned inserts to allow for a variety of positions to be utilized.

Once Tiegan finished perusing, I led the way to the bedroom.

“This is where we’ve made the most updates,” I informed her.

“I’ll say.”

Without hesitation, she headed for the bed, admiring the four posts, the sheer netting, and plush fabrics. What she seemed most fascinated by was the stockade at the foot of the bed.

“We considered having it rise up during the transformation but worried a malfunction might cause serious injuries. Instead, there’s a padded leather cover that slides beneath the bed to be hidden. The same with the under-bed cage, there’s a leather cover that slides down over the bars to keep them discreet.”

“And this?” she asked, admiring a wooden table on the far side of the room.

“A place to hold personal items,” I said, deadpan.

Her head swung around.

I smiled. “Or it can be converted into a spanking bench.” I nodded toward it. “Complete with a padded cover for comfort.”

“You’ve thought of everything.”

“I got the idea from Talon’s dungeon, actually,” I admitted. “As for the toys and furniture, that was all Ransom.”

She laughed, casting a sideways glance his way. “Into punishment, are you?”

He didn’t respond, but he smirked.

“We wanted to allow options, but not all Owners are interested in BDSM,” I admitted. “This allows them to ignore the extras if they choose, but they’re still there, just in case.”

“Are all the rooms the same?”

“The third and fourth floors are, yes. Different design elements,” Ransom told her, “but basically the same. These’ll be assigned to returning guests or the more reserved new Owners.”

“And those with … kinkier tastes?” Memphis inquired.

“We’re working to convert the current rooms the possessions are in for those. We don’t have one ready yet.”

“What about rooms for new Owners? Ones like Mr. A? Or Laura Dunbar?” Tiegan prompted.

“Right this way,” Ransom said, leading the way.

When Talon took my hand, following the others out of the room, I felt a sense of pride in what we’d designed. It had been a group effort, one that had required varying perspectives.

“This is my favorite part,” I told Talon when we stepped out of the elevator onto the fifth floor.

He simply chuckled, putting his arm around my shoulder and pulling me close while he brushed his lips against my head. “You’re a very dirty girl, baby.”

I was. There was no denying it.

This time when Tiegan said, “Holy shit,” I understood her shock.

There was no facade built in here, nothing to hide the fact that this was a room meant to be used for those with dark, dirty desires.

“What. Is. This?” she asked, pausing at a small room right off the main foyer.

“The receiving room,” Ransom told her. “Step inside.”

She narrowed her eyes at him but then took a hesitant step forward.

Overhead lights brightened the clinically-white space, and an electronic screen inset in the wall came on.

“Welcome, Tiegan,” a computer-generated voice greeted.

“It’s completely automated,” Ransom explained. “The Owner information is input at check-in. You can either respond using voice controls or the panel on the wall.”

“We’re happy to see you’ve selected possession four-seven-one for your visit,” the voice said. “Would you like to review him now?”

“Yes,” Tiegan answered, her amused gaze cutting to Memphis this time.

“Very well,” the voice replied. “First, please review the information on the screen to ensure this is the possession you are interested in.”

On the screen was the same information that previous Owners had seen when Talon had pulled it up. A picture of the possession’s face, along with details including eye color, hair color, height, weight, and a variety of other measurements.

“Is this the possession you’d like to inspect during your visit, Tiegan?”

“Yes,” she answered, now smiling.

I couldn’t say I blamed her, since the possession she was currently getting an intimate look at was mine. I’d selected Jones because I knew he had a penchant for voyeurism, something I’d learned in recent weeks.

A panel on the wall that ran parallel with the main hallway pulled back. Inside the three-by-three space was Jones, wearing a white robe.

“Possession four-seven-one, please discard your robe.”

Jones’s gaze met mine, and I nodded, giving him permission. He then removed the robe, placing it on a single hook in the corner.

“We will begin by providing updated measurements,” the automated voice said. “This will only take a moment.”

I smiled because this was what fascinated me most. Ransom had actually come up with the idea. A series of laser beams began moving inside the