Page 21 of Donovan Blake: Adrenalin

“I don’t want to bore you, but—”

“You’re not boring me, not at all,” she said hastily. “Tell me more.”

“It involves a bit of history but I’ll try to make it brief. Men attended all boys schools and the cane was common. When they were home they had governesses, and from what I understand, many of those women could be fearsome and did not spare the rod. All this corporal discipline must have made quite an impression. I don’t know when it started, but there were so many British men traveling to France seeking out dominant women it became known as the English vice. Whether this paddle was used by men on women, or the other way around, I have no idea. Possibly both.”

“That’s fascinating,” she murmured, taking it from him. Then shooting him a grin, she said. “Maybe I should try it on you.”

“What did you just say?”

“Don’t pretend you didn’t hear me,” she quipped, waving it in the air, then suddenly began to laugh. “Oh, my gosh, you should see the look on your face.”

“Phoebe, I’m giving you fair warning. You’re treading on very thin ice,” he said, though he was grinning. “I strongly suggest you give that back to me, and I mean, right now.”

“Why? What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Phoebe was feigning her bravado and she wasn’t even sure why, but with lightning speed the paddle was out of her hand, she was bent over and Donovan was swatting her.

“Stop! That really hurts.”

“Sure, I’ll stop if you say please.”

“Please stop!”

Pulling her up, he stared down at her red face.

“Now you know what happens if you test me, but I wouldn’t do it again. Next time I might not stop.”

“But how did you do that?”

“What do you mean—how?”

“It was so fast. One second I was holding the paddle, and the next you had it.”

“Apparently you have a very short memory,” he replied, hanging it back on its hook.

“Huh?”

“I told you, I practice Martial Arts.”

“Oh, that,” she muttered.

“But moving right along…you’ve had a good rest, you’ve been put in your place, and I’m here. What would you like to do?”

“Can I explore the house?”

“With me or without me?” he asked, but before she could answer his phone rang. “Darn thing never stops,” he grunted, lifting it from his pocket and glancing at the screen. “Damn. I need to leave for a minute. See what else peaks your interest,” he said, accepting the call as he hurried up the stairs and out the door. “Hey, Sam, what’s up?”

“Prepare yourself. I’ve checked out that Southampton estate. It’s owned by none other than Manny Trubello.”

“You’ve gotta be kidding me.”

“Do you know how long we’ve been after that bastard?”

“More than a week or two?”

“Donovan, this is no joke. It’s been years. We had no idea he had property in Southampton.”

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