Page 38 of Owned (Office Intrigue Duet 8)
“The man who broke in…” The fear returned to her eyes. “I didn’t recognize him at first, but then he called me doll face. That was…”
“I’m so sorry, Brae,” I whispered as remorse threatened to choke me. It was my fault he’d found her, and I hadn’t even been there to protect her. “Are you sure he didn’t hurt you?”
Her eyes softened. She never did like when I worried.
“No, but I hurt him. You know my tiger?” A small smile pulled at her lips. “The one you got me for my twelfth birthday?”
“I remember.”
“I hit him with it. I think I broke his hand.”
“That’s my girl.” I knew there’d been more to the story than simply she managed a clean getaway.
“You trained me what to do, Ransom,” she tacked on softly. “I’m fine. Really.”
I believed her, though it still pissed me off that I hadn’t been there when she’d needed me.
“What are we supposed to do now?” she asked.
“Right now, we’ll go to Talon’s island. Regroup. Figure out how to proceed from there.”
“We’re never going back, are we?”
While my sister deserved all the answers, I just didn’t have them. Not the ones that would make a difference.
“We’ll discuss it. Figure it out together. But later, okay?” Yes, that was me procrastinating. I was in pain, but it wasn’t affecting my ability to talk. I merely didn’t want to go into it yet. This wasn’t the time or place to tell my sister that, in the very near future, the two of us would cease to exist. Again.
At least on paper.
My sister’s eyes narrowed in that way that said she knew I was evading.
Usually she would persist, so I was surprised when she sighed and said, “Can I get you anything?”
That was just like Braelyn, always worrying, always wanting to take care of me. I think she figured it was her duty since I’d been the one taking care of her for so long.
“Just need to rest.”
Her eyes skimmed my face. “Did they give you something for pain?”
“Not yet.” Hopefully that was next.
She nodded, standing tall. “All right. Well… if you … uh… I’ll check on you in a bit.”
“Thanks, Brae.” As she passed, I reached for her hand, squeezed it. “We’re gonna be okay.”
The smile she offered was one I’d seen before. There was hope there, but Braelyn wasn’t a believer yet.
Relaxing back into the seat again, I exhaled and closed my eyes. Sleep wasn’t coming, wouldn’t until I took something for the pain, but until then…
“Ransom.” The voice was low and familiar, spoken quietly near me.
“Hmm?” That was all I could muster for the moment, my eyes unusually heavy. It took a moment for my brain to come online, to remember where I was, and yes, for the pain to register, more intense than before, my entire body one giant throbbing heartbeat.
Car wreck. Dead guys. Airplane. Braelyn.
“I know you want to rest, but I need to examine you.”
“Mm-hmm,” I mumbled, letting my heavy lids remain closed.
“Ransom? I need you to wake up.”
Was I asleep? When had that happened?
“Who are you?” I asked, my words somewhat slurred from sleep. Evidently, the pain hadn’t won out and I had drifted off.
Of course, now that I was conscious, it was back with a vengeance.
“Dr. Tate,” came the response.
“Mmm.” I found myself smiling. Or at least I thought I was. “I knew a Dr. Tate once. Didn’t obey worth a shit.”
“Yeah? Well, I’m pretty sure he was merely a med student back then. He is a doctor now, though.”
Frowning, I let the words register as I dragged myself the rest of the way awake.
“Jasper?” I whispered, forcing my eyes open.
“The one and only.”
There before me were the same light green eyes, the same chiseled cheekbones, clean-shaven jaw, and perfect lips from my past. His brown hair was shorter, there were a few more lines near his eyes, but the handsome man in front of me was definitely my Jasper.
Jasper Tate.
“Well, hell,” I muttered.
“Good to see you, too.”
Was it? Considering how we’d left things, I wasn’t sure how I would react to ever seeing this man again.
We were both older now. Almost a decade, in fact. I knew this because it had been nearly nine years to the day since I’d last seen the surly submissive who had captured my attention and held it for longer than anyone had before him. Or after, as a matter of fact.
Not that I was keeping track of the passing time.
Definitely not.
It was just that I wasn’t the sort to play with a lot of submissives, and those I had, I remembered clearly. Then again, I loved even fewer of them, and Jasper Tate had been the exception.
“According to Zion, you were in an accident,” the sexy doctor said softly, a hint of concern in his tone.
“Seemed more intentional to me,” I told him, letting my gaze rake over him from head to hips and back up. I couldn’t see his legs because he was standing at my side; otherwise, I would’ve gone all the way down.
