The Billionaire's Muse

CHAPTER4

CHAPTER FOUR: UNEXPECTED REVELATIONS

Eleanor

The tension in the room thickened the moment the door slammed open.

I flinched at the sharp sound, my pulse quickening as I turned toward the source of the disruption. A man—tall, broad-shouldered, and dressed in an expensive charcoal-gray suit—stood in the doorway, his dark eyes locked onto Reign with an expression I couldn’t quite read.

His presence was commanding, almost as intense as Reign’s, but in a different way, while Reign carried an air of absolute control—like a king ruling his empire—this man exuded raw aggression, the kind that hinted at barely restrained fury.

“Reign,” the man growled, stepping forward. “We need to talk. Now.”

Reign didn’t even flinch. He leaned back in his chair, his fingers interlocked as he regarded the man with his usual unreadable expression.

“You’re interrupting,” he said coolly.

“I don’t care,” the man shot back. “This is urgent.”

I felt invisible like I had entered a world I wasn’t meant to witness. My gut told me I shouldn’t be here for this conversation.

Reign turned his gaze toward me, and for a second, I thought he was about to dismiss me. Instead, his lips curved slightly.

“Stay,” he said. Stay? Why would I stay? I glanced between them, like an outsider caught in a war zone. I wanted to disappear, but I couldn’t just walk out—not when Reign had given me an order.

The stranger’s eyes flicked toward me for the first time, and something in his gaze shifted.

“This isn’t for her ears,” he said, his voice lowering.

“She works for me now,” Reign replied. “She stays.”

A muscle ticked in the man’s jaw, but he didn’t argue further. Instead, he pulled a chair from the side of the room and sat down, his movements sharp and filled with barely restrained energy.

Reign exhaled slowly as if already growing tired of the conversation.

“Speak.” The man hesitated, then leaned forward, his voice dropping to a near whisper. “It’s happening again.” Silence.

Reign’s expression didn’t change, but something in his body language did. His shoulders stiffened just slightly, his fingers tightening over the armrests of his chair.

I had no idea what they were talking about, but my instincts screamed that it was serious. “How bad?” Reign asked.

“Bad enough that I came straight here,” the man replied. “They’re making moves again. And this time, they aren’t hiding it.”

Reign remained silent for a long moment, his gaze dark and calculating.

Then, without warning, he turned to me. “Eleanor.” I stiffened. “Yes?”

“Leave the room.” “But you just—” “Now.” His tone left no room for argument.

I hesitated for a moment before pushing my chair back and standing up. My legs felt shaky, but I made myself move. Even as I reached the door, I could still feel Reign watching me. I walked out, closing the door behind me, but I didn’t move far. I couldn’t. Not when every instinct told me that whatever they were discussing inside that office was important—dangerous, even. So instead of walking away, I lingered just outside, pressing my back against the wall, my heart hammering in my chest. I shouldn’t be listening. But I couldn’t stop myself.

Reign

The moment Eleanor left the room, I exhaled sharply and fixed my attention back on Darius. He was the only person who had ever dared to barge into my office unannounced, and the only one who got away with it. “Tell me everything,” I ordered. Darius ran a hand through his dark hair, his frustration evident. “We’ve intercepted more messages. They’re expanding their reach, Reign. And they’ve mentioned your name.” “My name?” Darius nodded grimly. “You’re not just a threat to them anymore. You’re a target.” A slow, dangerous smirk curved my lips. “Let them come.” Darius frowned. “This isn’t a joke.” “I didn’t say it was.”

Darius let out a sharp breath. “Look, you and I both know what happened last time. We can’t let history repeat itself.” I leaned forward, my fingers drumming lightly against the desk. “Then we’ll make sure it doesn’t.”

He shook his head. “We need to talk strategy. And we need to do it soon. But there’s something else.” I raised an eyebrow. “Go on.”

Darius hesitated for a beat before speaking. “Are you sure about her?”

I didn’t have to ask who he was referring to. Eleanor.

I leaned back in my chair, my mind flashing to the woman who had just left my office. There was something about her—something that made me want to keep her close. "She's not a threat," I said calmly.

Darius didn’t look convinced. “That’s not what I asked.” I gave him a measured look. “She’s mine.” Darius studied me carefully, then exhaled. “That’s what I was afraid of.”

Eleanor

I had no idea how long I stood outside the office, my breath shallow, my mind racing. I had only caught bits and pieces of their conversation, but what I heard was enough to send chills down my spine. A target, strategy,

Whatever Reign was involved in, it wasn’t just business. It was something deeper. Something dangerous. And somehow, I was now a part of it. I was about to step away from the door when suddenly, it swung open. I barely had time to react before I found myself face-to-face with Reign. He stared at me, his eyes dark, unreadable.

“You were listening,” he said flatly. I swallowed hard. “I—” Before I could even form a proper excuse, he took a step closer. “Eleanor,” he murmured, his voice dangerously low. “You have no idea what you’ve just gotten yourself into.”

And then, without another word, he reached out, gripping my wrist firmly.

“We’re leaving.” I barely had time to process his words before he started pulling me down the hallway, his grip unrelenting. “Leaving?” I repeated, struggling to keep up. “Where are we going?” Reign didn’t answer. Darius followed closely behind us, his expression tense. Something told me that whatever was happening—whatever I had overheard—was the beginning. And for the first time, I realized life might never be the same again. Reign’s grip on my wrist was firm—unrelenting. My pulse pounded in my ears as he led me down the long hallway, past wide-eyed employees who barely dared to look in his direction. "Reign," I hissed, trying to tug my hand free. "Where are we going?" He didn’t slow down, didn’t answer. Darius trailed behind us, his expression unreadable. My stomach twisted in knots. I didn't like this. I didn't like being dragged into something I didn’t understand. "Reign," I tried again, my voice sharper this time. "Stop!"

He did. Abruptly. So abruptly that I nearly stumbled forward. His grip loosened, but he didn’t let go. Slowly, he turned to face me, his dark eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine. "You were eavesdropping." His voice was dangerously low, yet calm in a way that made me even more uneasy.

I swallowed hard. "I—I wasn’t trying to." A lie. He knew it.

His gaze shifted to Darius for a split second before returning to me. "Eleanor, this is not a game." My breath caught in my throat.

There was something in his tone, in the way he looked at me, that made my heart race for reasons I couldn’t explain. "I never said it was," I whispered.

For a moment, he just stared at me, as if deciding what to do with me.

Then, finally, he let out a slow breath and released my wrist. "Get in the elevator," he said. I hesitated. Darius stepped forward. "Reign—"

"She’s coming with me," Reign cut him off.

Darius tensed, then sighed. "Fine. But you know this isn’t smart." Reign said nothing. He just turned and strode into the open elevator. I glanced at Darius, hoping for some sort of explanation. He gave me none.

Instead, he just shook his head and gestured toward the elevator.

"Better not keep him waiting." My fingers curled into fists. This was insane.

I should just walk away. But something told me that walking away from Reign Andrew wasn’t an option anymore. So, with a deep breath, I stepped into the elevator. The doors slid shut. And my fate was sealed.

Reign

She didn’t trust me. I could sense it in how she stood next to me in the elevator—rigid, tense, uncertain. She was smart. But she had no idea how deep she had stepped into my world. I stole a glance at her.

She was beautiful—too beautiful. It was the kind of beauty that caught men off guard, the kind that made them reckless. A weakness.

And I didn’t do weaknesses. She didn’t recognize me. Not yet.

But I recognized her. And that changed everything.

I leaned against the elevator wall, watching as the numbers above the doors ticked down. "You’re afraid," I said suddenly.

Eleanor’s head snapped up, her green eyes sharp with defiance. "I’m not afraid of you." A slow smirk tugged at my lips. "You should be."

She swallowed but didn’t back down. Good. I needed her to be strong—strong enough to survive what was coming. Because whether she liked it or not…

She was mine now. And I never let go of what was mine.

Eleanor

The elevator doors slid open, revealing a sleek, black car waiting outside the building. A man in a dark suit stood beside it, his posture stiff and professional. He opened the back door without a word. Reign stepped out first.

Then, he turned to me. "Get in." I hesitated. Every instinct screamed at me not to.

But I was in too deep now. So, with one final glance back at the towering building behind me, I stepped into the car. And my world shifted forever.