Legally Bound by Rynne Raines Page A

My father on
the other hand, that’s a different story.” The note of resentment in his tone
had Eve pausing mid-chew. His eyes were different now, solemn. She’d never seen
him quite so serious. Although consideration for his privacy told her to bite
her tongue, the need to know more about him urged her on.
    “If your father is a Dom then that would make
your mother his—”
    “Poorly treated submissive,” Donavan finished and
flexed his jaw. “By my definition she’s nothing more than a slave.”
    “I hadn’t realized there was a difference.”
    “There’s a difference.” He locked eyes with her. “A
Dom values his submissive’s opinions and ideals as much as he values his own,
even though he is the one in control. He respects and cherishes her, and in
everything he does, he keeps her best interest in mind. A true slave is viewed
as nothing more than a fuck-toy on a leash, a human shell made for pleasure and
whatever else their Master sees fit. Although some Doms refer to their
submissive as slave that’s all it is, a term their using to clarify the role
between Master and sub.”
    “Have you ever had a real slave?”
    “Never,” he snapped, seemingly appalled she would
ask such a question.
    “I—I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you.”
    He lifted a hand to stop her apology then plucked
another grape off its stem and held it up like a peace offering. This time when
he reached over to drop the fruit in her mouth, she clasped his hand in hers
and squeezed. Instantly his eyes softened, shadowed by the hint of a painful
smile. In that moment, Eve wanted to drag him down on top of her and encase him
in a comforting embrace but the intimacy that came with it stopped her from
doing so. That type of intimacy would only bring them closer, putting her
secret in further jeopardy.
    “I’ve spent a lot of years worrying that I might
have unknowingly inherited some asshole genetic from my father that I just
haven’t tapped into yet. One that could turn me into what he is.” Donavan was
looking at her but at the same time somehow looking past her. “I’ve also spent
a lot of years trying to convince my mother to leave the bastard. Unfortunately,
she’s a very loyal woman.”
    “On the upside, that quality must make her a very
good submissive,” Eve said, trying to shed light on a grim situation.
    “I suppose it does, but it’s also the reason she
makes very stupid decisions.”
    Although his words were harsh, Eve understood
where the passion came from. She knew first hand it wasn’t easy watching
someone you loved make bad choice after bad choice.
    “Well, at least your mother’s loyalty lies with
an actual human being. My mother’s only loyalty is at the bottom of a bottle. I
can’t tell you how much time I spent as a little girl wishing she took half as
much interest in me as she did in any cheap bottle of whiskey she could get her
hands on.” The words were out of Eve’s mouth before she could stop herself.
That was the most information about her past she’d confided in anyone other
than Caitlyn.
    “She must have done something right.” He smoothed
her hair back from her forehead and then ever so lightly brushed his knuckles
down her cheek. “You’re quite the woman.”
    The conviction in his tone and the sincerity in
his eyes somehow transformed her into a puddle of complete mush. Things between
them were teetering dangerously towards total honesty and although the moment
would have been perfect to confess her secret, fear wouldn’t allow her to tell
him the truth.
    “Yeah, I suppose she did something right,” Eve
started as she edged away from his touch. “She gave me a guideline to remind me
of the type of person I never wanted to be.” With that said, she swung her legs
over the edge of the bed and sat up. Emotion choked her as she searched the
room for her clothes. She needed to leave before things between them became
anymore intimate.
    “What are you doing?” he asked when