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

I managed to extricate myself from his arms, squeezing his hands once more. “Now I’m going to tell the man I love that I’m not leaving. Might I suggest you do the same.”

He smiled, and it actually reached his eyes.

*

TALON

I wanted to follow Braelyn and her brother, but I refrained. Refusing to eavesdrop on the conversation between them. Not because they were due that respect but because I wasn’t sure I could handle the decision they came to.

I had even considered disappearing for a little while, fearing the worst. God knows there were enough rooms on this estate, I could’ve hidden out until I was ready to be found. And if Braelyn made the decision to go back to Chicago, I wasn’t sure I would ever venture out again.

Another first for me. I certainly wasn’t a man prone to drama.

But I didn’t do that, either. Didn’t follow, didn’t hide. Instead, I took a walk.

Now I was waiting, standing on the veranda, overlooking the swimming pools the same as I had been the first day I brought Braelyn to the island. It was hard to believe that was less than two months ago. Felt like longer, but not nearly long enough.

Funny how I owned seven possessions—eight including Jones—and though they would walk through fire for me, I’d never really had something of my own. Everything I’d ever acquired had been purchased in one manner or another. This island, the possessions, my life in general. And now the only thing I wanted couldn’t be bought.

Braelyn.

As I glanced around, I realized I would give it all up for her. I would walk away from everything if she promised to stay with me forever. We could live in a one-bedroom apartment, drive a compact car with a hundred thousand miles on it. The fact of the matter was, none of this would ever mean anything again without her.

Footsteps sounded but I refused to turn around. I didn’t want to talk to anyone right now. I’d even sent Corvin to join the others. I could tell he’d been concerned but he had followed my command, as he’d been taught to do. Zion, Tiegan, Memphis … I would deal with them later. Right now, I wanted to wallow in silence.

It wasn’t until I felt her hands slide up my back that I stood tall, taking a deep breath, preparing myself for the worst.

“Hi,” she whispered, leaning into me, her arms sliding around my waist, her forehead pressing against my back.

I placed my hand over hers, trying to hide the tremor that had overcome me ever since Trent informed us they were free to leave.

“Talon?”

I turned to face her, once again holding my breath.

She was so fucking beautiful. Not only on the outside but on the inside, too. And it was that beauty I’d fallen for. Her generous heart, her keen mind, her sweet smile, those iridescent amber eyes. I loved absolutely everything about this woman.

“I have a question to ask you,” she said softly.

Fuck.

Here it comes.

“Wait,” I bit out, something telling me I could not let her do this. I could not let her leave. Not without playing all my cards first.

Braelyn’s forehead wrinkled, her confusion glittering in her eyes.

“Is something wrong?”

I shook my head, stepped back from her.

While she watched me warily, I lowered myself to one knee, slipping my hand into my pocket to retrieve the contents I’d stashed there a week ago, when it had originally been delivered.

Without hesitation, I pulled it out, held it between my thumb and forefinger.

Braelyn’s eyes widened.

“Marry me,” I rasped, surprised the words sounded at all. My throat was tight, emotion lodged firmly in there, blocking air from getting to my lungs.

“What?”

“Marry me,” I repeated, feeling my chest swell with fear.

“Talon…”

I held up my hand, revealing the titanium ring I’d had designed specifically for her. I’d considered going overboard with the diamond, but had stopped myself at the last minute, thinking hard about what Braelyn would like. She wasn’t the type to think bigger was better.

Her gaze shifted to the ring I held up, the tremor in my hand now evident, but I didn’t care. Couldn’t.

The amber gemstones sparkled around the clear diamond in the center. “They reminded me of your eyes,” I whispered. “That’s why I got them.”

“Oh, Talon…” She clutched her hands to her chest.

My heart lurched. That didn’t sound promising.

Why wasn’t she moving closer?

“Marry me,” I whispered, this time the words trembling as much as my hand.

Braelyn stepped forward, her soft, cool hands cupping my face. I could see tears glistening in her eyes, and my stomach twisted.

“I will marry you,” she said, her words spoken soft and clear. “Today, tomorrow, whenever. But you don’t have to propose for me to stay.” She eased down to her knees, holding my gaze, her hands still on my face. “I’m staying because I love you. Because I don’t see a life without you in it.”

It took a second for her words to register.

She smiled, clearly amused by my lack of composure.

“Marry me,” I said again, this time with more emotion. “Be my wife. Let me spend the rest of my life making you happy.”

I didn’t think it was possible, but the wattage on her smile dialed up a few notches, and I felt the warmth fill my entire being.

“Absolutely, positively yes.”

*

Jasper

When Ransom left with Braelyn, I managed to slip away, heading back to the clinic, my thoughts a jumbled mess.

What had started out as a fairly routine day—a good one considering how I’d woken Ransom up this morning—was turning into my worst fear.

I’d always known there was a chance Ransom would leave Sapphire Island. After all, I was well aware of the reason he was here. He’d given me the details I had wanted, shared with me the horror story of his childhood, the nightmare life he and Braelyn had lived. Ransom had explained how they’d spent most of their lives running, which was how they’d ended up here. This was a safe haven