I’d fucked up.
But so had he.
And not just this time. The last time, too. All those memories had come flooding back. The times we’d shared, the way things had ended. The pain I’d felt because my heart had shattered when I’d lost him. For the longest time, I’d thought I would never get over him. And then he was right back in my life, filling my world with light and warmth when I’d been convinced it was no longer an option for me.
Jasper didn’t even realize he held all the power here. Always had.
Without thinking, I tightened my arms around him, grateful he was there, warm and solid and in my arms where he belonged.
“Morning,” he said in that gruff early-morning voice.
“Please tell me you don’t have to be at the clinic,” I answered, kissing the back of his neck, his shoulder.
He lifted his head, presumably to look at the clock.
“Not for another hour.”
“Good.”
“Ransom … we need to talk.”
I nodded, my chin brushing his shoulder. “We do.”
Despite that agreement, neither of us said a word. Minutes ticked by, and I continued to hold him, trying to get closer, scared to let him go because I feared it would be the last time I had this opportunity. I’d already been through losing him once; I wasn’t sure I’d survive it again.
“I didn’t pursue other avenues,” Jasper finally said.
It took a second for the words to compute. When they did, I went stone still.
“That Dominatrix you thought I was with … I wasn’t. Her name was Rebecca Dunn.”
I listened, not saying a word. Hell, I wasn’t sure I was even breathing.
“She was actually a doctor at the hospital I was doing my internship at. I’d seen her at the club and she’d evidently seen me, because she approached me during one of my shifts, struck up a conversation. Nothing salacious, but I could tell she was flirting.”
He paused for a moment, but I didn’t interrupt. Couldn’t.
“The flirting increased while we were at the hospital. It seemed I was always running into her, and she would take advantage of it, asking me to have dinner, inviting me out for happy hour. I always said no, but I was polite about it. I couldn’t risk her getting angry. Like I said, I was just an intern.”
Which meant he was the lowest rung on the ladder.
“She had actually asked me to go to the club that night, but I told her I couldn’t. Then when I went to your place, you decided we were going. She thought I was there for her, that I’d changed my mind. When you saw us … she was praising me for something, getting a little touchy-feely.”
I remembered. I’d found the two of them talking, both smiling. Her hands had been on his chest, and I’d felt a surge of anger so powerful it had actually scared me at the time.
“She made me uncomfortable,” Jasper continued. “I tried to tell her I was with you, but she steamrolled right over me. I think she believed we were role-playing.”
“Why didn’t you say something?”
Jasper’s muscles tightened. “Because you didn’t give me a chance. You … you just assumed I was interested.”
There was no way to deny it. I had believed he was interested, and I’d accused him of wanting her, refusing to listen to reason.
His voice was softer when he said, “You hurt me that night, Ransom. More than anyone in my life ever had.”
I swallowed the hot ball of emotion that formed in my throat, but before I could say anything, he continued.
“I’d already been battling my emotions because I couldn’t understand why you wouldn’t introduce me to your sister. Why I had to be your dirty little secret. It never made sense, it—”
Stopping him cold, I said, “She was the secret, Jasper. Not you.” I propped up on my elbow, rolled Jasper to his back so I could look in his eyes. “I wanted nothing more than to introduce you to Braelyn, but … I couldn’t take that risk. Not with my parents looking for us.”
“You could’ve told me,” he said, his eyes boring into me. “I would’ve understood.”
“You weren’t even supposed to know I had a sister,” I bit out. “No one was. Until Talon, no one with the exception of Zeke knew. The only reason he did is because we were friends in high school. He knew before.”
For fuck’s sake. Had this all been a ridiculous misunderstanding?
“I loved you,” Jasper whispered. “More than anything. I was so young, so naive. I didn’t understand why you wouldn’t let me into your life.”
I had wanted to. More than anything, but I couldn’t. Not at the time.
“It broke me when you accused me of wanting someone else,” he stated. “I used that, though. The excuse. I let you think that, because deep down, I was angry that you kept me at arm’s length.”
“Why’d you leave the hospital?” I asked, remembering how I’d gone there in an attempt to salvage what we had. They’d told me he no longer worked there.
“Dr. Dunn,” he said, swallowing hard. “She stalked me after that. When I refused her, it got ugly. I told her I would report her if she didn’t stop. Before I could, she went to the chief of staff, told her I’d been stealing meds.” His eyes went hard. “I was a fucking intern. When I tried to argue my case, no one believed me. The only saving grace was the fact no meds were missing. She hadn’t thought it all the way through, I guess. The chief gave me a choice to go to another hospital. So I did.”
“You didn’t leave because of me?”
His eyes held firm to mine. “Not initially, no. You were the reason I opted to leave Chicago. It took years for me to get over you.”
I brushed my knuckles over his cheek. “You did better than me, then. Because I never got over you.”
The tears that sprang to his eyes shocked me. I’d never seen Jasper cry, and it brought out my protective instinct.
“Don’t,” I commanded, wiping one stray tear with my thumb. “It’s the past, Jasper.”
He nodded, held my gaze.
“I love you,” I said. “Always have. Always will. Regardless of…” I motioned around the room, not sure what I was encompassing.
“I don’t want to be part of a triad,” he said softly. “It was fun for about a minute, but it’s not what I want.”
“I know.”
He frowned.
“I’ve been waiting for you to tell me.” I gripped his jaw with a firm hand. “You owe me that much, Jasper. We owe that to each other. If we can’t communicate…”
We both knew how that sentence ended, so I didn’t bother finishing it.
“Why do you think I clued Gideon in on what Cody wants?”
His forehead furrowed. “You did that?”
I nodded. “Figured I had to get him out of the way, or we had no chance of figuring this out. I wasn’t sure you were going to be straight with me.”
He didn’t say anything.
“Would you have?” I prompted, shifting so that I was lying on top of him, urging his legs apart with my knees. When he did what I wanted, I sat up, retrieved the lubricant that was still sitting on the nightstand after last night’s encounter.
“Yes,” he rasped, his gaze following my movements as I squirted lube in my hand, stroked my already hard cock.
“I’m not sure I believe you.”
With my cock in hand, I leaned over him, propped myself up with the other. Jasper helped by raising his knees, opening himself up to me.
Pressing my cock against his anus, I held myself there, staring down into the most beautiful green eyes I’d ever seen. They were so familiar but so different at the same time.
“You’re no longer that same man,” I told him. “I can see it in your eyes. But you’re still the same man I fell in love with.”
He didn’t look away, his eyes glittering with emotion.
“I want to know the man you are now,” I whispered. “But I’m not willing to go slow. Not after all the time we’ve wasted.”
&n
bsp; Jasper nodded, as I pushed my hips forward, breaching the entrance to his body. He grunted softly, his ankles hooking behind my back.
“I love you,” I repeated. “I won’t stop loving you.”
He moaned softly when I rolled my hips, sinking deeper into his blessed heat.
“If you think you can one day love me back…”
“I love you still.” His eyes closed, mouth opening as I made love to him, slow, gentle, easy. “Never stopped, Titan.”
I’d never fully understood why some Doms preferred honorifics. I’d never used one again after Jasper. I guess because he was the one who’d come up with it. But when he referred to me that way, it filled me with something no one else could ever give me. A love only the two of us shared.
Shifting forward, I slid my arms beneath his shoulders, let him bear my weight as I moved inside him. I didn’t rush, content to be right here in the one place I’d always wanted to be.
“Love me, Jasper. It’s the only thing I’ve ever needed.”
His arms came around me, his mouth finding mine. And right there, with our bodies connected in the most intimate of ways, I fell in love with this man all over again.
THIRTY-EIGHT
TALON
By the following Wednesday, things had gotten back to normal. As normal as could be expected with all the changes that were underway, anyway.
Between Memphis and Tiegan getting settled into their new roles, Ransom taking over the resort and all that it encompassed, Zion and Braelyn putting their heads together to implement what I was learning were some rather impressive improvements, I found I had a little free time. The slower pace left me with time to come up with creative ideas of my own, most of which I’d used as a means of getting Braelyn naked.
Today was no exception.
Since she’d spent a majority of her day in meetings with Zion and Ransom, going over budgets for implementing automations to the resort, I had put my possessions to work rearranging the main balcony overlooking the ocean. While I spent a good amount of time on the balcony outside my bedroom, I rarely used this one, although I wasn’t sure why that was.
After a couple of hours of redesign and bringing in some furniture that had been moved to one of the many storage rooms, it was now a comfortable outdoor living space, complete with dining table, couch, and a double-wide tantric chair that I hoped would see quite a bit of action in the coming days and months.
Tonight I decided to put all the possessions on duty to tend to us, starting with having Auberon go down to the offices to retrieve Braelyn. While he did that, Ari and Rolphe set the table—wine, roses, candles, and linens. Bram and Corvin were on kitchen duty, preparing the meal. And Sim and Taurus were standing by to serve and cater to Braelyn’s every whim.
Because tonight was all about her.
Perhaps I was going out of my way to romance and seduce her, but I had my reasons. With Trent strategizing how to get Braelyn and Ransom’s parents out of the way, freeing them to move back to Chicago if they chose, I decided I would put forth my best efforts to show Braelyn this was where she belonged. Here with me.
With us, technically.
And while Ransom had made the suggestion that I get rid of my possessions in an effort to make Braelyn happy, it wasn’t something I could do. Nor did I believe Braelyn would expect that of me. From the brief time we’d been together, I figured it was safe to say Braelyn knew me better than possibly anyone else. Even Tiegan and Zion, who had been closer to me than anyone before them. But just because they were close didn’t mean they knew me.
“Wow, this is … beautiful,” Braelyn said as she stepped outside, her arm twined in Auberon’s.
I couldn’t help but smile, pleased that she would think so.
I nodded to Taurus, who immediately retrieved the wine from the ice bucket, pouring it into two glasses, then delivering one to Braelyn before passing me one.
“What’s the occasion?” Braelyn asked, smiling at Auberon when he stepped back so she could move toward me.
“Do I need a reason to treat you to a nice dinner?”
“No, I don’t guess you do.” Her smile brightened when Ari and Rolphe began lighting the torches mounted into the corners of the railing.
As they worked, soft music began playing.
I held out my hand to her. “Dinner will be ready shortly. Care to sit?”
Her smile was sweet when she placed her hand in mine, allowed me to lead her to the wide-cushioned couch.
“How’d things go today?” I asked, making polite conversation.
“Better than I expected.”
In the past few days, I’d noticed a glimmer in Braelyn’s eyes whenever she spoke of work. It had surprised me, to be honest. While I was one who thoroughly enjoyed what I did, would go so far as to say I lived for my companies, I rarely encountered others who shared the same enthusiasm.
“I really think you’re going to like the improvements we’re suggesting. But I won’t spoil the surprise. We’ll wait for the presentation.”
“Presentation?”
“Of course. You didn’t think we’d move forward unless we have your approval, did you?”
I liked that about her, too. Although I’d detected some frustration on Ransom’s part when it came to getting my blessing for changes, Braelyn seemed delighted to keep me in the loop.
Braelyn was quiet for a moment, her attention on the ocean.
“Have I mentioned how much I love it here?” she whispered.
Her eyes jerked to my face, almost as though she hadn’t meant to say the words aloud.
“I’m glad.” I took a sip of wine. “Have I mentioned how much I love having you here?”
In the light flickering from the torches, I saw her blush.
When Sim and Taurus slipped inside the house, I knew they were going to get our dinner. Getting to my feet, I held out my hand, assisted Braelyn to hers, then led her to the table.
I fully expected Braelyn to continue with the conversation about work, so I was surprised when she shifted topics.
“Were you aware Ransom and Jasper knew each other? Many years ago?” she prompted after politely thanking Sim for the salad he set in front of her.
“I was.” I picked up my fork. “I’ve done a thorough background check on all my employees.”
“Did you know they’d been a couple?”
“I knew they’d had a relationship. I didn’t know the particulars. Still don’t.”
“Neither do I.” She took a bite, chewed thoughtfully. “I think it’s serious.”
As did I, but I didn’t say as much. While I didn’t hesitate to deep-dive into someone’s past to ensure there weren’t problems that might interfere with my businesses, I didn’t make a habit of getting in the middle of personal matters. Sure, I was perceptive, knew everything that was going on here on the island. Plus, I wouldn’t hesitate to intervene when I felt it might help—Tiegan and Memphis, for example—but I tried to keep my distance. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t.
However, Braelyn’s feelings on the matter were of importance to me.
“Does that worry you? That they might be serious?”
She shook her head, finished chewing. “I’m actually hopeful. I never met Jasper before, but I remember Ransom talking about him. They weren’t together for that long. Maybe two years. But their breakup was hard on Ransom. I don’t think he’s loved anyone since.” She looked at me. “Do you think there’s only one person for everyone?”
“I’ve never really thought about it. I do believe that not every person can give us what we need. So, yeah, I could see how there might be one special person out there for each of us.”
“Doesn’t mean we’ll ever find that person,” she noted.
“Those of us who’re lucky do.” I held her gaze, willing her to see my sincerity when I added, “I do believe you’re that one person for me, Braelyn.”
A shimmer glossed her eyes as she smiled. “I believe that, too.”
When Braelyn pushed her salad plate away, Sim came over to take it. When he reached down, Braelyn touched his arm. “Hold off on bringing out the rest.”
He hadn’t made it two steps away when Braelyn was out of her chair and stepping over to me. Curious as to her intentions, I remained where I was, waited until she held out her hand.
Smiling at the shift in dynamic, I let her lead me from the table and over to the middle of the balcony. She kicked off her shoes, then moved in close to me.
“Do you dance, Talon?”
“As a matter of fact…” I pulled her in close, swayed to the soft music. “If you want to dance, we’ll dance.”
Her smile was blinding.
“Tonight’s all about you, Braelyn. Your wish is our command.”
I saw the twinkle in her eyes. “All of you?”
I nodded, watched her expression, still looking for that hint that she wasn’t content with what I was suggesting.
It wasn’t there. In fact, I was sure I saw approval in her eyes.
“I’ve enjoyed their company these past few days,” she said as we continued to sway together, moving in a tight circle.
“Have you?”
She nodded, holding my gaze. “Thank you for allowing them to speak to me.”
I hadn’t been surprised when she had made the request a few days ago. I knew her relationship with the possessions would be different than the one I’d established with them. She needed different things from them, so it made sense that she wanted to talk to them.
“It’s your choice how you deal with them,” I told her.
“I’ve informed them they’re not to speak to me when you’re present. Your will outweighs mine. I think they appreciate that.”
I couldn’t help it. I stopped moving, cupping her face and leaning in to press my lips to hers. It was sometimes hard to believe she was real. No one had ever understood me so completely, and it made me love her all the more.
When I pulled back, her eyes were sparkling.
“You said tonight’s about me, right?”
Owned (Office Intrigue Book 8) Page 44