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

could’ve held two of my apartments within its four taupe-colored walls.

Inside, Bram was tending to towels and sheets. The moment Talon stepped into the room, he stopped what he was doing and gave him his full attention.

“Find Taurus. Have Auberon bring him to the main level.”

With a clipped nod, he was out the door.

“What’s on the main level?” I asked, curious.

“It’s an entertainment space.” He motioned for me to exit the laundry room. “Pool table, bowling alley, theater.”

Wow. And to think I’d spent my time reading in my room when I could’ve been bowling. The thought made me smile. I’d never bowled a day in my life. Wasn’t even sure what the objective was.

“And a dungeon.”

I stumbled only slightly as I processed that information, but managed to keep up with Talon as we went down a long hallway.

He stopped at a set of shiny gold doors. “Elevator, down.”

Elevator. Because why not.

Nothing should surprise me, I figured. He’d already admitted he didn’t hesitate when it came to luxury.

The doors opened; Talon urged me forward.

“What happens in the dungeon?” The words came out hesitantly as we entered the elevator, the doors closing silently behind us.

“Elevator, lower level,” Talon commanded. “Punishment.”

Oh, boy.

Why was I coming along again? Maybe getting to know him wasn’t such a brilliant idea. Not when he was in a mood, anyway.

“Who’s getting punished?” Please don’t say me.

“Taurus.” He sighed. “Of all my possessions, he’s the one who ends up receiving the most punishment at my hand. He’s got a tendency for jealousy.”

“He’s jealous? Of what?”

“If I had to guess, you.”

I took a step back, real concern filling me. “I’m sorry, Talon. I had no idea.”

“This is not on you,” he stated firmly. “My possessions shouldn’t be experiencing such emotions.” Another sigh from him. “But as is the way of human nature…”

For a man who claimed he didn’t have feelings for his possessions, I was pretty sure that was disappointment I saw on his face. And in order to feel that, you had to feel something.

The elevator door opened to a lavishly decorated space. I wasn’t good at estimating square footage, but I’d say there was more than enough to hold a hundred or so people easily. And that was just the main area, which resembled a banquet hall with chandeliers mounted above. Along both the left and right wall were a handful of doors. Talon pointed them out along the way. Bowling alley, theater, racquetball court, boxing gym.

We neared the end of the room, where a pool table stood proudly. “What? No separate room for this?”

Talon peered down at me and a smile slowly formed.

I breathed a sigh. At least he’d lightened up a little.

He placed his hand on a palm scanner, and the locks on the double doors disengaged then slowly opened on their own.

When he’d said dungeon, I guess I automatically thought of something dark and dingy, maybe flames coming out of wall sconces. Medieval stuff.

For the record, that was not this.

Holy. Crap.

“You use this much space for punishment?” I asked as we continued to walk.

“These days, yes. I’ve designed a playroom in the main house that I utilize for … sessions. Originally, I’d had this built for a variety of activities, but it doesn’t see much action these days.”

It was incredible in its detail. The walls were unlike anything I’d ever seen before. Reaching out, I swiped my finger along them. It was a matte aluminum that ran floor to ceiling, along all four sides of the space, and across the ceiling. There were no windows, the lighting artificial, provided by a large circle of pendant lights dangling from above, these matte black.

Talon went to the wall, pressed a few buttons on another electronic panel. A digital countdown appeared on the wall, coming from … well, I didn’t know where the red numbers were being projected from, but it had started at two minutes.

“What’s the timer for?”

“Once I’ve entered the space, my possessions have two minutes to arrive. Should they be late, the punishment is adjusted accordingly.”

“I take it this isn’t the funishment I’ve heard it referred to, huh?”

Talon smirked. “It is not. I don’t indulge in that. Never have.”

I watched as he walked over to a wall, began keying information into a computer system mounted on an adjustable arm.

“Some Dominants use their own sexual gratification as punishment,” he explained as he worked. “I do not. It would be too easy for a possession to lean on transgressions to get what they want. Since pleasing me is their sole responsibility, the only way to punish them is to ensure they don’t have access to me.”

I’d never really thought about it before, but it made sense. I’d heard of submissives who liked to be bratty because it got them the attention they sought.

Talon walked over to a locked metal cage in the corner, placed his palm on another scanner then opened the door and stepped inside.

My attention shifted to the timer projected on the metal wall. It was at forty-five seconds and counting down quickly. I felt my own anxiety level ratcheting up, although I wasn’t sure why that was.

Talon stepped out of the cage holding several items, which he placed on a rolling metal cart. “I do have a penchant for sexual torment as a form of punishment because it offers a lasting memory for the possession. One I hope will deter the behavior in the future.”

Footsteps sounded behind me, and I turned to see Auberon walking in with Taurus. He was the only possession I hadn’t seen but once, and that was the morning he had poured my coffee then fled like I was the enemy. Seemed as though I was. At least in his eyes.

Neither Auberon nor Taurus looked at me as they moved into the room, Taurus continuing until he was standing in the center of the circle formed by the pendant lights overhead. The clock on the wall suddenly stopped, the readout showing three seconds remaining.

“There’s a trigger in the floor,” Talon