CLAIMED BY THE COLD BILLIONAIRE

CHAPTER FOUR: BOUNDARIES AND TEMPTATION

Sophie got to Damiens office the morning. She was feeling a little scared and also really curious about what would happen. The elevator ride up was quiet. Sophies mind was busy thinking about what happened the day before with that tough client. She had done a job and stood up for herself but she could not stop thinking about Damien. She thought about the way Damien looked at her. The way he leaned in close to her so close that she could feel the warmth, from his body.

The office door was a bit open just like it was the day before. She went in slowly her heels making a soft noise, on the shiny floor. Damien was standing by the window the office window and the sunlight coming in made his shape look really clear. The sunlight was streaming into the office. Damien was standing right in front of it.

The man said "You are on time." He did not turn around. He said "That is good. Being on time is one of the things that I think are important. I like it when people are, on time."

Sophie took a breath and nodded her head. "I am ready, for the assignment we have to do today " she said quietly.

Damien finally turned around his dark eyes looked at her with a mix of checking her out and something else that she did not know. "Assignment" he said again his voice was low. "Lets call it a challenge for Damien today a personal challenge that Damien has, for her."

Sophie stopped moving. She said "Personal?" Her heart started beating fast.

He took a step closer to me. I could see that he was being very careful about how he moved. He wanted to make a point. "Yes" he said. Professional tests are easy. They just check how good you are, at something.. Personal tests are different. Personal tests check how strong you are inside how well you can control yourself and how brave you are. He said that personal tests are the ones that really matter.

Sophies stomach did a flip. She said "So what is it that I will have to do with the job, at Sophies place?"

Damien tilted his head to the side his eyes were really intense. He said "You will see boundaries are what today is about. You have to keep your boundaries while I see how far you can resist giving in to temptation, with the boundaries that I am talking about the boundaries of Damien."

Her breath caught. She did not know what that meant. She already felt the pull between her and him. A really bad tension that she could not ignore. The pull, between her and him was something she did not understand. It was definitely there.

She said "why me" quietly you could hardly hear her.

Damiens eyes got really dark. He leaned in a little bit. He said "You are different from people. You are not totally scared of me. There is something in you that's like a flame. Damien thought that this flame thing can be news if it is not managed properly. The fire, in you is what Damien is talking about.

Sophie felt her face get really red. She said "What do you mean by controlled?"

"Yes" he. He stepped back. Today you will learn about the consequences. If you resist then you will have to face the consequences. The consequences will follow the resistance of the learning process of today.

Her mind was racing. She had made it through his challenge at work. Now she had to deal with something personal. The personal test was a question mark. She did not know if she was ready for it.. Yet she could not help but feel excited, about it. The thought of it was giving her a thrill. She was feeling this thrill. It was going through her entire body. The personal test and the thrill it was giving her was something she could not ignore.

Damien pointed to the leather chair that was across, from him. Said "Sit down in the leather chair".

Sophie did what she was told. Her hands shook a little.

He walked around the desk slow making sure every step counted. "I am going to ask the questions. You have to answer the questions. You have to stay calm.. You have to keep using your good judgment even if the answers, to the questions make you feel weird or uncomfortable."

Her pulse was racing fast. She said "I understand" in a voice.

"Good." He looked at her with eyes that were sharp and piercing. "Do not forget that I notice everything about you. I see every reaction you have. I see every change, in the way you look. The Internet Company employee said even what you think is not hidden from me when I am talking to you, the Internet Company.

Sophie felt a run down her spine. She tried to calm down and focus on her breathing. Sophie said "I will be careful."

Damiens lips curved into that smile that always seemed to say he was up to something. He said "Being careful is good.. Having strength is better. You need to know when to be careful and when to be strong." Damien thought that learning the difference between being careful and being strong was very important. Damien said "You must learn the difference, between careful and strong if you want to get "

He gave her a glass of water. Said "Drink this water it will help you calm down and feel better just drink the water and calm yourself".

Sophie took it. Her hands were shaking a little as she drank. She kept looking at him the time. Her heart was beating fast. Every part of her body was feeling something because of him. Sophie felt like she was really aware of him being. Her heart was still racing because of the way Sophie felt when she was, around him.

He said, leaning against the desk tell me Sophie what do you want?

She looked at him with confusion. "I want to do a job at work.. I want to do the right thing at work. I really want to succeed at work and do the thing."

He laughed quietly an scary noise. "That is not enough. I want more than talking. I want the truth. I want to know what you really want. I want to know what you are afraid of. I want to know what makes you curious. I want to know what you are passionate about. Can you tell me all of that? I want honesty, from you. I want to know your desire. I want to know your fear. I want to know your curiosity. I want to know your passion.

Sophie felt her face get really hot. She said "I think I do."

He told me that thinking is not enough. I need to show him the work. "Show me" is what he said to me. He wants to see the work for himself.

Sophies heart was beating fast as he walked around her. His eyes were very dark. He would not look away. He said to Sophie "Tell me Sophie, what are you really afraid of?"

She. Her throat felt really dry. "I am failing" she said. "I am losing control. It is, like being powerless."

"Good " he. Then he leaned in really close to me. Fear is something that people can use to their advantage.. I could tell that I was actually feeling it. That is really promising when it comes to the situation with fear itself. Fear is an useful thing, in certain situations.

Sophie felt her knees get a little weak when he looked at her. He was trying to see how she would react. It was more than that. He was really looking at Sophie trying to figure her out. It was making her feel very uncomfortable. It was like he was taking away her ability to protect herself. That was a very slow and painful process, for Sophie.

He said to me ". What do you want?" His voice was really quiet now.

Her cheeks felt really hot. "I want people to trust the woman I'm " she said slowly. "I want the woman I am to be seen for who the woman I am is. I want the woman I am to be understood, to really understand the woman I'm "

Damiens eyes got a little softer enough that her breath caught in her throat. He said "That is interesting. You want people to notice you. You try to hide it by being in control all the time. The need, for control will. Help Damien or it will be the thing that destroys Damien.

He took a step back. Made some space between them again. "That is enough, for today" he said. "You made it through your test the personal test that you had to face."

Sophie opened her eyes wide. "I really did that?"

"Yes " he said. ". Remember these tests are still going on. I watch every thing you do. Every time you look at something every word you say every decision you make I am watching you. The limits you have are being tested too. I am measuring the boundaries that you think are important. These tests are every glance, every word, every choice you make. I am always watching the boundaries you hold.

She nodded, feeling really happy that she made it through. At the same time she was scared. She was scared because she knew survival challenges would be even tougher for her. Survival challenges were what she was afraid of. The thought of more survival challenges was terrifying, for her.

Damien looked at her for a time. "Sophie..."

“Yes?”

“You are… intriguing. Be careful. Curiosity in my world can be dangerous.”

Sophies chest felt really tight. She said "I will be careful."

He finally let a small smile appear on his lips. "Good. That is all I need for now."

As Sophie left the office that day she felt really happy and scared at the time. She was happy because she had gotten through her big test with this person she did not do what he wanted her to do and she stayed calm.. Sophie and this person had a strong connection that was getting stronger. Every time he looked at her every word he said and every move he made was like he was trying to get her attention and make her feel something. He was trying to make her feel excited and nervous. Sophie felt like he was trying to get to her. The way he looked at her the things he said and the way he moved it was, about Sophie and this person.

Back in her apartment she sank onto her couch feeling really tired. She could not stop thinking about Damien. Every part of her was feeling her body her mind, her heart. She knew Damien was a person he was ruthless and he was dangerous but she also knew something else, about Damien.

The man really wanted this woman. He had feelings, for the woman. The woman was the one he wanted.

And somehow, she wanted him too.