Legally Bound by Rynne Raines Page A

one shoulder into a set of double doors and
entered inside the toyshop. The fragrance of rosehips and lavender drifted
through the elegantly styled store from a few small sticks of incense burning
in a jar on top of the glass service counter. Behind it, a woman sat perched on
a tall leather stool. At least he assumed it was a woman from the freshly
manicured nails tapping against the tabloid magazine she held in front of her
face. She didn’t greet him or offer her assistance, but he didn’t need her to.
He knew exactly what he was looking for and headed straight for it.
    If Eve was to accept her true nature and call him
Master by the end of the gala, there was no room for error. He needed to
discover her trigger, the root of all that fueled the submissive in her.
Although he had an inkling of what that might be, if he was wrong it could
drive her back inside her defensive shell. Maybe forever, he thought making his
way around the store, collecting the items he needed and stacking them in his
arms.
    Apparently engrossed in the lifestyle of the rich
and famous, the woman behind the counter didn’t hear his approach. Irritated
and on a time limit, Donavan set his items on the counter and loudly cleared
his throat. The woman jumped and the magazine flew out of her hands, landing
smack dab on top of his merchandise with a thud.
    The instant Donavan saw her face, he narrowed his
eyes.
    “I should’ve known it was you when I saw that
slime magazine. You’re the only woman I know who’s still enthralled with the
plights of Brangelina and their collection of children.” He braced his palms on
the glass counter and pinned his best friend’s wife with a pointed stare.
Seemingly flustered, Caitlyn fumbled to pick up her magazine and sat up
straighter on her stool.
    “Uh…Donavan, what a nice surprise,” she said, and
then cleared her throat. “I didn’t think Evan or I would be seeing you this
weekend.”
    As Eve’s best friend, Donavan knew Caitlyn would
be aware of his and Eve’s childish bet. She would also know Eve cheated to win
and didn’t tell him.
    “You mean, you didn’t think you’d be seeing me
without a collar around my throat?” He arched an eyebrow and Caitlyn’s cheeks
flushed as she began fidgeting with her pale blonde hair.
    “I—I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
    “You’re about as poor a liar as Eve. I already
know the truth. Eve confessed everything. Not without a little persuasion of
course, but she eventually broke.” He shook his head, annoyed she didn’t warn
him about the bet being fixed even when it would land him on his knees. “Christ,
I gave the toast at your wedding, Cait.”
    “I know. I know. Look, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t
have lied but I was only doing it to protect Eve.”
    Protect Eve? From a stupid bet?
    “Protect her from…me?”
    “Yes, of course from you.”
    Donavan was silent a moment. He didn’t think of
himself as the type of man a woman needed protecting from, let alone a woman he
cared for and respected as much as Eve.
    “Well, not only from you.” Caitlyn winced. “When
we made up the little lie, Eve didn’t want to risk her professional reputation
on any Dom especially ones notorious for loving em’ and leaving em’. It just
made sense to let everyone believe she was a Mistress.”
    Finally. The truth.
    “Oh Caitlyn,” Donavan smiled, “I could kiss you
right now but because your husband is freakishly large and has a horrible
temper, I’ll restrain myself.”
    “What? Wait—Oh my God, you didn’t know.” Caitlyn
gasped. “You were talking about Eve confessing about the bet—shit, she is going
to kill me.”
    “Calm down.” He set his hand on the two of hers
twisting and wrenching her magazine into a tattered mess. “It’s not as if I
didn’t already know Eve wasn’t a real Mistress. I just didn’t know why she
was lying about it.”
    “Please. Please don’t tell her I told you,” she
pleaded.
    “Relax,” he soothed.