Essential Master (Doms of Napa Valley) Read Online Free PDF Page A

watched the couple flank their guest on either side, then guide
Zebadiah to the water’s edge. “He’s got a long way to go, but he doesn’t stand
a chance between those two. They won’t allow him to retreat behind the fear,
like some Doms might.”
    “I hope so. I’d love to meet the Zebadiah
everyone else remembers.” Fresh back from her stint in New York, Sabella hadn’t
had a chance to meet Zebadiah until shortly after he’d been hurt. In fact, her
first night at the club had been the night he’d been attacked, and more than
anything Ethan hoped she had a chance to experience the same submissive he
remembered. Nicholaus and Steph were the key to releasing Zebadiah from his
self-imposed cage.
    “He’ll come around. They’ll be good for
him.” Ethan straightened and released her when Davis stalked into the room, a
scowl on his face.
    “Now, what’s wrong?” he asked his friend.
Of late Davis had been a pissy mood, and a good chunk of the time it had to do
with Lauren, Sabella’s best friend, and the matchmaker of Napa Valley. “Did
Lauren try to set you up again?” In the past month, she’d made ‘fake’ dates
with him twice, and snuck away during the appetizer course and left him with
some unsuspecting woman. The last time was such a disaster, it had Davis out
for blood.
    “No, the little minx is still avoiding me.
I just was served with this.” He tossed a blue sheaf of stapled court documents
on the coffee table before sinking onto the leather couch.
    Ethan moved to join him, after motioning to
Bella to fetch his partner a drink. From the slump of his shoulders and their
nearly three decades of friendship, he had gotten pretty good at reading Davis.
“So what is it?”
    “It seems Allison’s lawyer is trying to get
the charges dropped by saying Zebadiah is in breach of contract by pressing
assault charges against her.”
    Ethan’s eyes widened. “What?”
    Davis sighed. “Yeah. I have a meeting in
front of Judge Kalicki tomorrow to determine if this contract has any merit.”
    “What contract?” Bella asked as she joined
them.
    “The one Allison claims Zebadiah signed,
giving her immunity from any civil or criminal charges if Zebadiah is hurt
during consensual play.”
    Bella gasped. “Will that stand in court? We
both know he safeworded. There are video tapes of that right?”
    “Just video, no audio.” Davis squeezed the
bridge of his nose. “We installed the audio shortly after his attack because we
realized how worthless the videos were without audio.”
    “Well crap!” Bella propped one hip on the
corner of the couch and handed Davis his drink. “Was there any witnesses to him
safewording? Perhaps one of the dungeon monitors?”
    Davis sighed. “I’m gonna have to call Toby
and find out. He was one of the two DMs assigned to the room that night. He’d
know what Zebadiah did or didn’t do.”
    “What didn’t I do?” Zebadiah stood in the
open door, with Nicholaus flanking one side while Steph stood on his other.
    “Come in, Zeb, we need to talk to you about
your case. Do you want them to leave?” Davis asked, gesturing to Nicholaus and
Steph.
    “I…” The torn look on his face was rather
telling, but Nicholaus was obviously more in tune with Zebadiah than Ethan
realized.
    “No worries, il
mio colibrì. Steph and I have to get going. I have a
book signing downtown in less than ninety minutes.” He brushed his lips over
the crown of Zebadiah’s head. “Can we call later?”
    “Of course.” A hesitant smile crossed Zebadiah’s
face.
    “Good. I look forward to it.” Nicholaus
stepped back, allowing Steph to move in.
    “Behave, Sexy.” Steph gave him a quick hug.
“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t.”
    A chuckle escaped Nicholaus. “Don’t tell
him that, cara mia. There’s not much
you wouldn’t do.”
    “True.” She patted Zebadiah’s bottom before
following her Master out of the room. Once the sound of the door opening and
closing reached his ears,