Temptation: a billionaire erotic romance (2 page)

“You’re close then?”

“Of course, closer than brothers.”  He downed his drink.  “But this isn’t about me, Ms. Nicoletti, is it?  Strange you haven’t met him.  Do you have any idea what you’re in for?”

“No,” she breathed.

He grinned.  “Don’t worry.  Val is a good Dom, or so I’ve heard.  I’ve never met a sub of his who didn’t love him.”

“So there have been a lot?”

“Oh, not too many,” he said thoughtfully.  “Fifteen, sixteen maybe.  Seventeen if you count Olivia.  Though I don’t.”  He paused, then gave her an mischievous grin.  “Have you ever played with a master?  I’m sure Val will love to break you in.”

“I don’t … I don’t know….”

He shrugged.  “It’s your choice.  Being a sub is all about total submission, not force.  If you don’t want to be here, don’t be here.  Val doesn’t want someone who doesn’t want to do this.  But when you do want to do this, he’ll be all over you.”

Her heart beat fast and hard against her chest.  Was she really ready for this?  Was she really going to go through with it?  Did she really want it?

Something dark and sinful inside her ran a finger down her back and whispered into her hear: Yes.

“So, say,” he said, setting down his glass with a loud thump.  “Let’s get you two lovebirds together, alright?  I’ll go find Val and tell him his new paramour is here.  Damn workaholic needs a break anyway.  And I don’t want to be rude and waste your time, especially someone so pretty as you.”

Serena ignored that last bit and nodded.  “Thank you, that would be very helpful....”

“Jacques,” he said smoothly.  “Jacques Lepin.  Now sit tight, I’ll be back with your new boy toy in a few moments.”

Serena mulled over the strangeness of the whole day so far as Jacques walked down the hallway, his footsteps muffled by the thick carpet. 
Val will love to break you in
.  It should have scared her, so why did the idea of that thrill her instead?

Only a few moments later, Jacques returned, his grin even more mischievous.  It made Serena both uneasy and excited.

“He’ll be here in a few.  He’s quite happy you’re here.”

“Oh good,” she breathed, immediately mortified when she realized she had said that out loud.  Jacques just chuckled and gave her a gentlemanly bow.

“I look forward to seeing you again, Ms. Nicoletti,” Jacques said, his gaze even and dark as it settled on her.  “But I think it’s time I let you and Val get to know each other.”

He winked at her.  “Good luck, Screamer.”

Jacques left, and she heard him call to someone something that sounded like ‘She’s here.’  She steeled herself and sat up straight as the footsteps approached, marching down the hall as loud and powerful as thunder. 
Please let him like me
, Serena willed to no one in particular.

Her new master entered the room, sweeping in with an aura of power that nearly knocked Serena over.  He was even taller than Jacques, built as strong and imposing as the office, with dark looks to contrast Jacques’ boyish blond ones.  His thin lips were pursed, and his green eyes gazed ahead like an emperor surveying his conquered city.  He turned to her when she stood up from her seat, his dark hair framing the sharp contours of his face.  The ghost of a smirk haunted his smile.

“Good morning, Ms. Nicoletti.  I’m Val Marquette.”

*****

“Good morning, Ms. Nicoletti,” Val said, his voice as dark and rich as chocolate.  Serena’s mouth would have watered at it if she hadn’t been petrified again.  Inside, she screamed at herself.  Why was she so apprehensive?  He liked her, Jacques had said it himself!  She had made it through the interviews, hadn’t she?  She had made it straight to his office.  She deserved this, so why was her heart beating so fast?

“You’ll excuse me for my tardiness,” he said with a genuinely apologetic tone.  “Running this business can make me a bit obsessive.  I’m a perfectionist when it comes to everything I do.  As I’m sure Mr. Lepin mentioned.”

“He said something about it,” she murmured.

“And when I say everything, I do mean everything,” Val continued.  “Including my private life.”

Serena bit her lip.

“Which is why you’re here,” Val finished, leaning against the desk much like Jacques had.  Serena supposed they really were close—they even leaned like each other.  “So tell me, Ms. Nicoletti.  Why did you answer my advertisement?”

Serena took a deep breath.

“Like I said in my interview, Mr. Marquette, I meet all the qualifications.  I don’t have any big attachments, I’m free for the next free months, I’m willing to do whatever is asked of me.  And I’m … inexperienced,” she ended, unable to say it.  Virgin.  It was one of her great shames, to be a twenty-something virgin.  At least now she could cash in on it.

His eyes lit up.

“Good.”

“Good?”

He leaned forward, so close to her that their noses almost touched.  She had the mad desire to lean forward and kiss him but pinched her hand viciously to snap her back to reality. 

“Yes, good.  I like to teach,” he breathed.

“Teach,” she echoed.  The air in the room had suddenly gotten very hot and very hard to breath in. 

He reached out one hand and traced her jawline with it.  Serena relished how long and slender it was.  She began wondering what else he could do with it.  “Yes, teach.  I love opening minds to the darkness within them.  Do you understand what I mean, Ms. Nicoletti?”

“Yes,” she breathed, unable to stop herself.  It was as if he was drawing her breath out by sheer force of will.

Suddenly, he pulled back, all business again.  Serena caught her breath as he walked back around to his desk and pulled out a sleek black binder.  Out of it, he pulled the contract she had signed last week.  “I see we have our papers in order, then,” he said, flipping through them.  “You understand what is expected of you and what is expected of me in return?”

“Yes.”

“And you understand that you will not receive your payment until the end of the three months?  You’re fine with that?”

“Yes,” she said.  She felt ridiculous and simpleminded, only able to say small words like yes and no.  She had the sudden, crazy urge to add,
I trust you
, but shut her mouth.  That was stupid.  She barely knew him.

“Let’s go through our terms again, then,” he said, turning on his heel and marching back to her.  Her gaze wandered back to his chest, where the perfectly tailored shirt strained a bit against his muscled chest. Those buttons were holding on for dear life.  She darted her gaze away before he could notice.

“First,” he said, reading off the page, pacing around the room, “this is an agreement between the Dominant, Valentine Marquette, and the submissive, Serena Nicoletti.  Both parties consent of their own free will to the terms of this agreement.  After the signing of this contract, the submissive agrees to give herself over totally into sexual slavery and submission to the Dominant, with the promise of care and good stewardship by the Dominant.  This arrangement shall last three months.”

He walked around the desk, leaning forward on it, and Serena’s eyes locked on the muscles of his arm.

“Does that sound right, Serena?”

She lowered her gaze, keeping it on the clasped hands in her lap.  “Yes.”

“Second,” he continued, just as formally, “there are our limits, of course, I’m glad to see we agreed about them.”  Serena shuddered.  She had never heard of most of the things on those limits lists, but she was very glad she was able to opt out of things like ‘tit torture’ and ‘needle play.’  And she was especially glad that he wasn’t interested in them either. 

“And then, third, the practicalities.  I’ll be feeding and housing you, of course.  As long as you are my slave, you’ll be kept in my home.  I believe you’ll find your living quarters quite comfortable, but we’ll get to that later when you arrive.

“And then we get to the fun parts,” he said, something in his eyes lighting up.  “Rule one: the slave is to address her Master as Master at all times.  Do you understand, Serena?”

“Yes.”  Something about that had made her heart flutter a little.  It was strange, the idea of calling him master.  It was something she would have never have thought of before, but it did dark, strange things to her, things she’d never admit.

Val got a dark smile.  “What was that?”

“Yes?”  She bit her lip.  Shit.  She knew she’d mess up.

“I’m sorry, Serena,” he said, his voice as smooth as butter.  He walked behind her seat on the couch, and she suddenly felt extremely vulnerable, afraid to turn her head to see him.  He ran a fingertip down her shoulders, and she quivered underneath his warm hands.  “But I don’t think you understand our contract.  I believe you mean, ‘Yes, master.’  Don’t you?” 

“Yes, master.”

“Good, Serena.  But you’ll have to be punished for that, I’m afraid.  As the next rule says: the slave may be punished at any time for infractions of the rules or at the will of the master.”  He looked down at her, brushing hair away from her neck so that he could inspect it.  “Do you agree, Serena?”

She tried to answer, but was so afraid of messing up again she choked on her words.  She bit her lip harder.  Her fear was catching up with her again—fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of embarrassing the hell out of herself.

Suddenly, his hands disappeared, leaving her disappointed and aching for his touch.  She knew it.  She had blown it.

But instead of ordering her out, he appeared by her side.  Val sat down by her, the aura of dominance totally gone.  Instead, she saw a softness in his eyes, and he placed a hand on top of her clasped ones.  She marveled at how large his hands were over her delicate, childlike ones.

“Serena,” he said, his voice soft, “this is meant to be good for both of us.  Do you understand?  If you do not want this, nothing bad will happen to you.  I don’t want to do anything that you don’t also want.  Please tell me you understand that?”

She began to repeat the word ‘yes’ again, but couldn’t.  She struggled with herself for a moment, but then looked up at him.

“But if I’m your slave, why do you care if I want this?  Isn’t this supposed to be about me giving into what you want?”

He smiled warmly.  “Yes, but that’s the fun of it.  It’s about the fun of submission.  You’re doing what I want, but only because submitting is what you want.  Do you see?” 

“I don’t know,” she admitted.

“Hm, that’s true.”  A mischievous grin grew on his face, almost exactly like the one she had seen on his friend earlier.  He leaned forward, placing his face deliciously close to hers again.  He smiled, and once again she got the crazy desire to reach out and bite his lower lip.  “Then tell me this: do you want me?”

“Yes,” she said, unable to stop herself.

The smile grew.  “Yes what?”

“Yes, master.”

“Good, good.”  He reached out and brushed her hair out of her face, his gaze drinking in all the soft curves of it.  “Then let me promise you this: if you want me, then try me out.  All of me, including the kink.  And if you don’t like it, you can leave at any time.  And if you do like it,” he said, leaning forward and placing his lips on her ear, “which you will, I’ll turn you into the filthiest whore that ever fucked in my bedroom.”

He bit her earlobe and she thought she’d die.  But she wasn’t sure if it was from embarrassment or excitement.

“So, what do you say?” he asked, pulling back and searching her eyes.  “Do you want to play with me?”

She stared at him, blinded, like he was the sun.

“Yes,” she breathed.

He smirked.

“Yes what, Serena.”

“Yes, master.”

“Good.  So let’s count,” he said, getting up again, suddenly back into his Dom personality.  Serena’s breath became shaky again, overpowered by his animalistic aura.  “That’s three times that you have failed to address me as ‘Sir’ or ‘Master.’  Isn’t it, Serena?”

“Yes,” she said, miserable at her failure.  Already, she realized, she wanted to please him and was furious at herself for failing to adhere to the rules.  It wasn’t about the money anymore, it was about herself.  Was that what he meant?  Doing what he wanted was what she wanted?  True submission?

“And that’s four.  That’s not very good, is it?  Failing to give due respect to your Master?  You’re my slave now, Serena—I own you.  I own everything about you.  Your body, your speech, everything you do and say.  And when you fail to please me, I have to discipline you.”

He leaned against his desk now, his gaze settling on her darkly and seductively.  Serena’s hands trembled.

“Stand up, Serena, let me see you.”

She obeyed, standing up and keeping her hands clasped.  She was wearing the dress and jewelry that he had sent to her in that impeccably wrapped gift box.  She wondered what he had in mind, but when he made a come hither motion at her, she could no longer think, just give in and obey.

“Over the desk,” he ordered.  She bit her lip.  “Bend over the desk and put your hands down on it, flat.  I need to see you if I’m going to figure out how we’re going to punish you.”

She obeyed him, walking to the desk and bending over.  The desk was cold and glossy wood, smelling richly of polish as she placed her cheek down on it.  Val walked to the back of her and paused, appraising her from behind.  She closed her eyes, overwhelmed by the sensation of it all.