Page 101 of Owned (Office Intrigue Duet 8)
His straight white teeth flashed when he smiled. “I should’ve known.”
“I think you’ve spent enough time here to realize that a possession is not what you’re seeking.”
His eyebrow rose slowly.
“Feel free to tell me I’m wrong, but I’ve watched you. We’ve seen an unusual number of females moving through here recently, yet not one has caught your attention. Including the redhead we took in today.”
Memphis exhaled slowly.
“But I think there is one particular submissive who’s caught your eye.”
And there it was. The guilt I’d expected to see.
“She thinks she’s hiding it from me, but I’m very observant, Memphis.”
He swallowed, still remaining silent.
“And if you’re concerned whether I approve or not … I think Tiegan would be good for you. And vice versa. But if you expect something to come of it, you need to take the reins. She comes across as a very independent and assertive woman, and she is, don’t get me wrong. Tiegan’s very aggressive when it comes to business. But at her core, she’s a submissive, and she needs someone who can override her from time to time.”
I waited to see if he would argue.
When he didn’t, I continued. “In fact, I believe Tiegan’s been vying for the operations position so she can top from the bottom.”
Memphis seemed confused by the statement, so I let it sink in for a minute.
“Holy shit,” he muttered.
“In that role, she’d technically be managing you. At least during your time here.”
He exhaled heavily.
“And that’s very much her MO,” I told him. “Tiegan’s determined to prove she’s the alpha. I think it’s her way of excusing her submissive tendencies.”
When he didn’t add anything, I continued. “I’m going to promote Tiegan to head of Marketing, reporting directly to you, provided you accept the position.”
“She’s going to love that,” he grumbled, proving he knew Tiegan well.
“Although she believes she’s ready for executive level, I don’t believe she is. However, I know she’ll prove herself in the role. And the two of you together … because you’ve both got insight into what goes on here and what it is I expect, you’ll make an unbeatable team. I want Owned to grow, but we both know conventional marketing won’t work for us.”
“But the two of us together…” Memphis’s eyes glittered.
“Exactly.”
“Say I do accept the position, when do you plan to put this in effect?”
“I’m sending you both back to Chicago tomorrow after the Owners arrive.”
“Does Tiegan know yet?”
“She does not.”
“And her current position? Who’ll be taking over?”
“For the time being, I was going to ask Braelyn to pitch in. I know she’s eager for something to do.”
“And if she doesn’t?”
“I’ll figure something out.” I took a swallow of beer. “Right now, I’d just like you to review my offer and let me know your take on it.”
“Is it negotiable?”
“Everything is.” I smiled. “But I doubt there’ll be a need for it.”
“When do you plan to tell Tiegan?”
“She’s my next stop.” I pushed back my chair. “Perhaps she can help you come to a decision.”
He laughed and I saw in his eyes that this was what he’d been waiting for. Not the job, necessarily. But Tiegan. They thought they’d been hiding what was going on, but they weren’t. I even figured Tiegan constantly harassing Zion was one of her ways of trying to throw me off. I knew better. When it came to what went on here on Sapphire Island, nothing was a secret from me.
“I’ll look it over and let you know.” Memphis stood. “And thanks for the heads-up about Tiegan.”
It was my turn to laugh. “Good luck.”
“Yeah, thanks. I’m gonna need it.”
Yes. Yes, he was.
Turned out, I was the one who needed the luck. Not that all the luck in the world would help me now as I went head-to-head with a very upset woman.
“I cannot believe you would do this to me,” Tiegan hissed, pacing the spacious conference room. “I deserve that promotion.”
Because I knew she was merely venting, I didn’t respond. Had I, I seriously doubted Tiegan would’ve appreciated what I had to say. For one, I didn’t think anyone deserved anything. Certainly not from me. I believed I was more than fair in my business dealings, paying my employees far more than they would earn in the same position elsewhere.
On top of that, I provided them amenities they’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere else.
Tiegan came to an abrupt stop, spinning to face me, her hands on her hips. “If I’m not getting the COO position, who is?”
“I’m offering it to Ransom.”
The glare she sent me should’ve singed my hair at the very least.
“And the CMO position?”
“I’ve offered it to Memphis.”
Her teeth snapped shut and I waited for her to explode.
I didn’t have to wait long.
“So that’s what this is? The good ol’ boys’ club? I’ve done every damn thing you’ve ever asked of me, Talon. And what thanks do I get for it? I’m relegated to—”
