Free Billionaire Romance: Darque Control (A Darque Billionaire Romance Book 2) by Diana Steele Page A

he would feel regardless of a woman’s appearance.
    However, to him, Bella was beautiful.  She was pure.  She had a nostalgic quality about her that he just didn’t see any more in the faces of his peers or the new generation of young adults. 
    “Doing a good job,” he said for once keeping it professional.  “Do you remember what I said?”
    Bella huffed and squinted her eyes, provoked at his arrogance.  “Yes.  And I don’t think that’s professional conversation, is it, Mister Darque?  I don’t wish to be ‘hurt’.  In case you haven’t heard, feminism is alive and well.”
    Darque smiled, unwavering as usual.  “Arabella, that’s good to know.  But I was actually referring to the discourse I gave your office earlier this morning.  About correcting the perception, and not necessarily denying the evidence of what is there.  I was talking about work, you see.”
    Arabella closed her eyes, absorbing the embarrassment once again.
    “I meant that if you focus on correcting the perception, you won’t have to work as hard in burying all these unflattering web pages that explain their flawed perception of the truth. 
    “I’m sorry, sir.  Just…just having a bad day.”
    “Well, Miss Stone, one could never tell.  You conduct yourself very well.  You are very poised.  Very confident.  And as I’ve often said, very beautiful.  My advice is to not bring attention to your mistakes.”
    Bella smiled, as always, amazed at how nice the man could be—if he wanted to.  It certainly wasn’t his only option.
    “And don’t laugh.  It shows weakness.  Unless of course, the boss makes a joke.”
    “Thank you, sir.  I’ll remember that.”
    “You know, since you brought it up, all the women that I ‘hurt’, you realize, it’s like I really ‘hurt’ them.  Most people are unfamiliar with what this…alternative lifestyle involves.  Most people think that hurting involves beating or damaging a person’s appearance.  That’s not true.  That’s not what I do.”
    “What do you do?”
    “I hurt them in a way that is pleasing.  You have to understand a little about human nature.  We don’t appreciate pleasure unless we first experience pain.  Discipline, we understand it perfectly as a child but then we forget everything as an adult.  Discipline guides us to feel something very specific.  And the result is a very arousing feeling of surrendering control.  Surrendering obligation.”
    “So you ‘discipline’ women?”
    “I would say that they want me to discipline them.  Apparently, my reputation precedes me.”
    “You could say that.”
    “I am saying that,” he said, dueling with her sensitive eyes, always enjoying the sensation of exerting his power.  “Most people when they fuck, they don’t even feel anything anymore.  Just in and out, you know?  But when you discipline a woman, you make sure she feels it.  Foreplay becomes a fine art.  She feels a rush of conflicting emotions.  It’s something beyond orgasm.  It’s a powerful emotional experience.”
    Bella blushed.  He kept staring into her eyes, testing her, tempting her, and she could barely respond.  He was right.  She did bring it up.  And as usual, he was finishing it. 
    “I don’t think…” she said, half-way meeting his fiery eyes and then retreating.  “This is appropriate conversation for work.”
    “You don’t?” He said, staring her down until she bowed her head.  “Tell you what, if you want to continue this hypothetical conversation, we can go out to dinner.  We can talk about it freely.”
    Bella hesitated.
    “We won’t actually do anything, mind you.  Because I never take advantage of a woman.  I wait until she asks me to do it.”
    He stared into her eyes again.  Bella’s pupils dilated and her heart started to thump. 
    “I make her beg for it.”
    “Okay then,” Bella said nervously, walking away, quite relieved that she didn’t actually answer him one way or the