Claimed by Three Billionaires

Chapter 9 — Julian’s POV

I embarked on the task of finding Nathan because I know that until he shows up and explains to Selene that he was the one who sent me, she’ll keep distrusting me. And I’m not about to let that distrust grow. I want to be the one who takes care of her and Theo; I want her to understand that she doesn’t need anyone else anymore. But to erase any shadow of doubt, I need Nathan on my side first.

So my car stopped in front of the building where he lives and, as I got out, I noticed how his staff tensed the moment they saw me. That reaction has always been useful to me; it’s easier to get what I want when fear does part of the work. The girl who approached me looked young, and although she tried to stand firm, her hands were shaking.

“Good morning, Mr. Lockhart. Mr. Ashford…” Her voice cracked halfway through the sentence.

“Spare me the excuses,” I cut her off, not raising my voice. “I already know he’s back in the city. I know it from a source that doesn’t make mistakes. Go tell him I won’t leave until he sees me.”

The message was clear. It wasn’t a request. The young woman nodded quickly and disappeared into the lobby. A few minutes later, Nathan appeared, coming down the stairs with that carefully practiced calm he loved to display, as if everything in his world revolved in his favor.

“You always have such a colorful way of showing up, Julian,” he said with a crooked smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “What brings you here? Let me guess… Selene.”

“I’m glad we can skip the unnecessary part of this conversation,” I replied dryly. “I want you to tell her that you were the one who sent me to find her when you learned she was in a women’s shelter. After that, I’ll handle the rest.”

His expression changed for just a fraction of a second—long enough for me to see that Selene’s name still carried weight for him, no matter how hard he tried to deny it.

“Shelter?” he repeated, concern arriving far too late. “What was Selene doing in a shelter? Was the baby with her?”

I bit back the answer I wanted to throw in his face. Nathan had always been good at faking indifference, but I knew him too well to miss the fact that he did care about his cousin, even if he disguised it. It was his favorite way of avoiding responsibility.

“That’s no longer your concern.” I stared at him without blinking. “I just need you to say what I asked, and you’ll never have to see her again.”

Nathan laughed lightly, and it got under my skin.

“You three. Ethan, Grayson, and you…” He pronounced each name like a curse. “What the hell do you all see in her? Did you take her in group or something? How can you be so obsessed with her? It’s not like she’s made of gold.”

The silence that followed was heavy as a sentence. I felt the blood hammering at my temples—not because of his words, but because of the audacity with which he said them. I took a few seconds before responding, carefully calculating the wound I wanted to leave.

“I’d be careful if I were you, Nathan,” I said in a voice so cold it forced him to look at me. “You talk about her like she’s an object. But Selene is the woman I’m going to marry at the end of this month. Not one of the whores you probably roll around with when no one’s watching.”

Every word fell measured, like a blade that didn’t need to shout to cut. What I saw in his eyes after that wasn’t irritation. It was interest. That particular gleam Nathan always showed when he encountered something he couldn’t fully control.

“Fine,” he finally conceded with a shrug. “I’ll talk to her and tell her what you want. I’ll also help her reclaim the part of the fortune that’s hers. It’s the least—”

“Don’t bother. I’ll take care of that,” I interrupted without hesitation. “I just need you to confirm what I asked. Nothing more.”

“As you wish,” he said, and the gleam returned, sharper now, as if he knew something I didn’t. Nathan Ashford had always been good at keeping secrets. He never had to shout them to make them felt in the air.

“Tomorrow at eight,” I concluded. It wasn’t a question. It was an order disguised as courtesy. Nathan would walk Selene down the aisle. And though he didn’t know it yet, I had already decided it would happen.

“Perfect. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have things to do,” he said with that coldness of his that always skirted mockery.

I didn’t reply. I simply turned and left. I had done my part. The rest, Selene would find out tomorrow.

The drive back was quiet. Halfway home, I decided to make a quick stop. I bought flowers—not because it was a romantic gesture, but because Selene smiled when she received them—and the infinity pendant I’d had custom-made rested in my pocket. I had chosen it with purpose, just like everything I did when it came to her. Every detail mattered. Every step was part of a plan I had no intention of leaving unfinished.

But when I walked through my front door, the feeling that greeted me wasn’t the one I expected.

Grayson.

He was there. Sitting next to Selene, far too comfortable, far too at ease, as if the place beside her and Theo belonged to him by right. That place was mine.

“For God’s sake, don’t make that face,” he said with his usual insolent grin, leaning back slightly when he saw me. “Anyone would think you caught Selene and me having sex.”

I didn’t find it funny. Not in the slightest.

But what really set me off wasn’t him. It was Selene. That flicker in her eyes when she heard his words. It was brief, but I saw it. A dangerous spark somewhere between surprise, nerves, and something else I didn’t want to name. Desire. She tried to hide it, of course, but not fast enough for me to miss it.

Grayson kept talking to her as if it were all a game. As if he weren’t crossing a line I’d drawn in fire.

Sharing wasn’t part of my plan.