Claimed By the billionaire

Chapter 2

Rachel’s vision blurred as the stranger leaned over her. Up close, his sharp, aristocratic features were unmistakable.

This wasn't just any wealthy man—this was Athan Gray. If Dominic’s family empire sat comfortably in the top three, Athan was the undisputed king at number one. He was the most prestigious, ruthless billionaire in the country, a man whose name alone made titans tremble.

And they had met before, briefly, at a high-profile gala where Dominic had practically forced her to stand in the corner while he doted on Natalie.

"Help me..." Rachel gasped, her voice trembling as the heat in her veins flared.

"Please... don't let them take me."

Athan’s piercing eyes swept over her. When he noticed her torn white dress, the dirt caked on her skin, and the raw bruises forming on her wrists, his gaze darkened to a dangerous, pitch-black midnight. Without a word, he slipped his arms beneath her, lifting her effortlessly. His hold was surprisingly careful, cradling her against his chest as he walked to the sports car and gently settled her into the leather passenger seat.

"Stay here," he murmured, his deep voice carrying a terrifyingly calm authority.

Rachel watched through the tinted window as Athan stepped back onto the dirt road. The two remaining kidnappers were sprinting toward the car, but they froze the moment they recognized who they were facing.

Athan didn't look panicked. With slow, predatory deliberation, he slid his heavy luxury watch off his wrist and tossed it onto the hood of his car. He unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt, rolling up his sleeves.

"Did you drug her?" Julian asked, his voice deadpan, deadly.

The kidnappers didn't even have time to answer.

Rachel slumped against the headrest, the heat inside her turning into a blinding fog. She couldn't see the details of what happened next, but she heard the brutal, sickening thuds and the desperate screams of the men echoing through the desolate air. It didn't take long.

When the car door opened again, Athan slid into the driver's seat. Rachel's eyes fluttered open, noticing several dark splatters of fresh blood staining the front of his crisp shirt. With a grunt of annoyance, Athan ripped the shirt off entirely, exposing his sculpted, heavily muscled chest, and threw the ruined garment straight out the window into the dirt.

He fired up the engine, threw the car into gear, and immediately dialed a number on his Bluetooth headset.

"Get to my private estate. You have thirty minutes," Athan commanded as the car tore down the road.

"Are you insane?" a panicked, familiar voice echoed through the car's speakers. It was his close friend, Dr. Evan Montgomery.

"Even if I catch a flight right this second, I can't reach your estate in thirty minutes! I'm literally in another country for a medical conference!"

"That is what my private jet is for," Athan replied flatly. "It’s already cleared for takeoff at the nearest runway. Move."

On the other end, Evan let out a breathless laugh of disbelief. "A private jet just to cross the border for a house call? Who on earth is so important that you're summoning me this hurriedly?"

"Just get there," Athan snapped, cutting the call.

Evan stared at his disconnected phone in the terminal, shaking his head. 'Must be nice to be a billionaire,' he thought, adjusting his coat as he rushed toward the tarmac where Athan’s crew was already waiting.

By the time the sports car roared through the heavy iron gates of Athan’s secluded, ultra-luxury villa, the drug had completely taken over Rachel’s system. Her body was burning hot, a fine sheen of sweat coating her skin.

The agonizing betrayal from Dominic mixed with the overwhelming aphrodisiac, driving her completely frantic.

As Athan an put the car in park, Rachel couldn't restrain herself any longer. She reached out, her trembling fingers tracing down the hard, chiseled planes of his bare chest.

Athan froze, his muscles locking under her touch. He raised an eyebrow."Rachel..."

Driven by a desperate need to feel alive. Rachel unbuckled her seatbelt and crawled across the console. She climbed directly onto his lap, straddling him in the tight space of the driver's seat.

Athan’s breath hitched. His large, warm hands automatically moved to the small of her back, his palms gripping her waist to steady her, his fingers gently caressing her bare skin through the tears in her dress.

He leaned back against the seat, his Adam’s apple bobbing heavily as he swallowed hard, trying to maintain his legendary control. "Do you even know who I am, Rachel?" he rasped, his voice thick with sudden, dark desire. "Look at me. If we do this... will you regret it tomorrow?"

"No," Rachel whimpered, her eyes glassy, staring at his perfectly sculpted lips. "No regrets."

"What do you want from me?" he demanded, his grip tightening on her waist.

"Take me," she begged, leaning down until her breath brushed his lips. "Please, just take me. I want to make them regret it. I want to make Dominic regret it.I want him to realize what he threw away."

The mention of another man instantly changed the air in the car. Athan’s gaze turned icy, and he abruptly pulled his hands away from her back.

"Oh... Another man is on your mind," Athan said, his tone dripping with sudden, dangerous jealousy. "You're using me to get revenge on Dominic."

"No!" Rachel gasped immediately, the rejection stinging her already broken heart. She clutched his shoulders, shaking her head frantically. "No! No guy is on my mind! Athan... please."

Athan stared up at her, the sheer desperation and raw vulnerability in her eyes finally shattering the last of his iron restraint. A dark, possessive smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

"Then beg for it," he whispered darkly, his hands sliding back up her thighs. "Beg me, Rachel."

"Please, Athan... make me yours. Please," she cried out, completely undone.

Athan let out a low, husky chuckle. "So sweet..."

He leaned up and crashed his lips against hers, burying his hands in her hair. That kiss was the final straw. The sports car rocked violently on its suspension in the dark, quiet driveway of the private estate, completely hidden from the rest of the world as the storm inside the vehicle finally broke.

An hour later, the quiet of the estate returned.

Inside the dimmed interior of the car, Rachel lay exhausted, the drug finally cleared from her system, leaving her completely spent. Athan gently draped his heavy, tailored suit coat over her, wrapping her up securely so she was completely covered.

He opened the passenger door, scooped her up into his arms, and carried her inside the silent villa. Walking up the grand staircase, he laid her down on the plush mattress of the master bedroom, carefully tucking the heavy duvet around her shoulders. She was already fast asleep.

Athan walked into the adjacent bathroom, turning on the shower to wash away the sweat and tension of the night. After drying off, he pulled on a fresh black button-down shirt and dark trousers, leaving the top two buttons casually unbuttoned.

As he descended the grand staircase, he found Evan already sitting on the leather sofa in the living room, casually flipping through a morning newspaper.

Evan looked up, his eyes immediately tracking the sharp, unmistakable dark bruises and scratch marks lining the side of Athan’s neck. A slow, mocking grin spread across the doctor's face.

"Well, well," Evan chuckled, tossing the newspaper onto the coffee table. "You're lucky this is a strictly private estate, Athan. Because if anyone else had been standing in the driveway, they would have seen your car rocking so hard they'd think a localized earthquake hit the property."

Athan didn't even blink, walking past him toward the bar. "Are you here to practice seismology, or are you going to do your job?"