Home / Romance / Owned by Billionaire / Chapter 2: The Devil’s Game

Share

Chapter 2: The Devil’s Game

Author: Inpeaceplace
last update Last Updated: 2025-03-17 20:33:06

Elena Romano had spent years preparing for this moment—to return, to reclaim her power, to destroy the man who had once destroyed her.

Yet, one encounter with Killian Graves, and already, her past was trying to claw its way back into her bones.

She refused to let it.

Pacing her penthouse, she clenched her fists, forcing herself to focus.

Killian wasn’t just a man.

He was a calculated predator, a king in a world of wolves, a man who had turned his enemies into dust beneath his polished Italian leather shoes.

And now, he was coming for her.

Her phone vibrated again.

This time, a message.

Killian: Don’t run. You won’t get far.

A rush of rage mixed with something far more dangerous coursed through her veins.

How dare he?

Elena’s grip tightened around her phone before she forced herself to calm down.

Killian wanted her to react. He wanted to see her shaken.

She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.

Instead, she walked over to the marble bar and poured herself a glass of whiskey. Neat. No ice.

She took a sip, letting the heat burn its way down her throat, steadying herself.

Two could play this game.

If Killian wanted to remind her who was in control, then it was time for her to show him that he wasn’t.

Elsewhere in New York…

Killian Graves leaned back in his leather chair, swirling a glass of bourbon in his hand.

The city skyline stretched before him through the floor-to-ceiling windows of his private office, but his mind was elsewhere.

On her.

Elena.

She had been his.

Once.

A lifetime ago, when he was still capable of feeling something real.

And now?

She had walked back into his world with a fire in her eyes and revenge dripping from her lips.

He should have expected it.

But what she didn’t understand was that he had been waiting for this moment, too.

For six years, he had searched for her.

For six years, he had wanted to know if she was still alive, still breathing, still his.

And now that she was back?

Killian had no intention of letting her go.

“Boss,” a voice interrupted his thoughts.

He turned to see Axel Carter, his second-in-command, stepping into the office.

“What is it?” Killian asked, swirling his drink.

Axel hesitated. “There’s been movement. A new player in the city. Someone with serious money and influence.”

Killian smirked. “Let me guess. Raven Black?”

Axel exhaled sharply. “Yeah. She’s been making moves, aligning with your enemies.”

Killian chuckled, taking a slow sip of his drink.

“She wants to destroy me,” he murmured. “How cute.”

Axel’s jaw tightened. “This isn’t a joke, Killian. She’s not the girl you knew before.”

Killian leaned forward, his expression turning sharp.

“I don’t need her to be.”

Axel hesitated. “And if she actually becomes a threat?”

Killian smirked, his dark eyes flashing with something wicked.

“She won’t.”

Because Elena might think she was in control, but what she didn’t realize was—

This was still his game.

And he never lost.

***

The Next Night – The Auction House

Elena walked into the private auction dressed to kill.

A long black gown clung to her curves, the slit riding high up her thigh. A statement. A warning. A weapon.

Eyes turned as she walked in, curious and hungry, but she ignored them.

Tonight, she wasn’t here for them.

She was here for one man.

She spotted Killian the moment she entered.

Seated at the VIP section, a glass of whiskey in his hand, his dark eyes already locked onto her like a predator stalking his prey.

Elena smirked to herself. Let the games begin.

The auctioneer stepped onto the stage.

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome. Tonight, we begin with a rare acquisition—an exclusive property worth over two hundred million dollars in the heart of Manhattan.”

Elena barely listened.

Because across the room, Killian lifted his glass toward her.

A silent challenge.

Her fingers curled around her bidding paddle.

She raised it.

The auctioneer’s voice boomed.

“Bid placed at two hundred and ten million!”

Killian smirked.

Then, he lifted his paddle.

“Two hundred and twenty million.”

Elena’s heart pounded.

This wasn’t about real estate.

This was about control.

She lifted her paddle again.

“Two hundred and thirty million.”

Killian’s smirk deepened.

“Two hundred and fifty.”

Gasps rippled through the crowd.

But Elena didn’t hesitate.

“Two hundred and seventy-five.”

Killian’s eyes darkened with something dangerous.

Then—

“Three hundred million.”

Silence.

The room held its breath.

Elena’s pulse raced, but she knew when to strike—and when to retreat.

She lowered her paddle.

The auctioneer’s gavel slammed down.

“Sold to Mr. Killian Graves!”

A round of applause filled the room, but Killian wasn’t paying attention to anyone else.

His gaze remained locked on her.

You win this round, she thought.

But she wasn’t done yet.

Not even close.

She turned and walked away, knowing he was watching her every step.

Let him watch.

Because soon?

She would make him beg.

***

Later That Night – Killian’s Penthouse

Killian stood by the glass window, his mind replaying the auction.

Elena thought she was in control.

She thought she was playing him.

But she didn’t understand something crucial.

She was still his.

And soon, she would realize it.

His phone buzzed.

A message.

Elena: Enjoy your win, Killian. It’ll be your last.

Killian smirked.

Oh, sweetheart.

The real game hadn’t even started yet.

To Be Continued…

Continue to read this book for free
Scan code to download App

Related chapters

  • Owned by Billionaire   Chapter 3: Bound by Fire and Ice

    Elena Romano knew how to play the game.Seduction. Manipulation. Revenge.For years, she had studied the art of destruction, learned how to strike where it hurt the most. She had built her empire in the shadows, away from the ghosts of her past.But now, she was walking straight into the lion’s den.Killian’s world.And tonight?She was ready to burn it down.The night air was thick with the scent of power, money, and sin.The Graves Estate stood like a fortress, a mansion of glass and steel, looming over the city like a kingdom of shadows. Inside, the annual masquerade ball was in full swing—New York’s most powerful figures dressed in black and gold, their faces hidden behind delicate masks.Elena stepped into the grand hall, her gown a deep shade of crimson, a color that spoke of war and temptation.She wasn’t here to blend in.She was here to be seen.The room was alive with whispers. Who was she?Who was the woman who walked in like she owned the place?And then, she felt it.The

    Last Updated : 2025-03-17
  • Owned by Billionaire   Chapter 4: The Trap is Set

    Elena sat on the edge of her penthouse balcony, a glass of whiskey in her hand, staring out at the Manhattan skyline. The city lights flickered like embers in the dark, but her mind wasn’t on their beauty.It was on him.Killian Graves.Every interaction with him felt like dancing on the edge of a blade—dangerous, sharp, intoxicating.But she wasn’t here to get lost in the past.She was here to end him.Her phone buzzed beside her.A message.Victor DeLuca: "We need to talk. Tonight. The club."Elena smirked. Right on time.Victor was powerful—one of Killian’s biggest enemies in the underworld. If she was going to bring Killian down, she needed someone just as ruthless to back her.She downed the rest of her drink and stood.It was time to set the next phase of her plan into motion.Across the city, Killian leaned against the massive glass windows of his office, his whiskey untouched on the desk behind him.His mind was still reeling from his encounter with Elena at the masquerade bal

    Last Updated : 2025-03-17
  • Owned by Billionaire   Chapter 5: A Dangerous Game

    Elena sat in the dim glow of her penthouse, perched on the edge of her leather couch, staring out at the sprawling skyline.The whiskey in her glass remained untouched, the ice cubes slowly melting.Her body was still wound tight from the events of the night before.Killian had played her like a master. He had humiliated her, destroyed her leverage, and made her look like a fool.But worst of all?He had done it on purpose—not just to win, but to toy with her.Her fingers curled into a fist.She should have anticipated it.Killian Graves never fights fair.The memory of his voice from earlier echoed in her mind.“You underestimated me. That was your first mistake.”Her jaw clenched.If he thought this was over, he was wrong.Her phone vibrated beside her. She picked it up, expecting Victor—expecting threats or a demand for an explanation.But instead, the screen flashed with an unknown number.She hesitated before answering.“Elena Romano.”The voice on the other end was smooth, calcu

    Last Updated : 2025-03-17
  • Owned by Billionaire   Chapter 6: A Trap Set in Blood

    Elena stood on the balcony of her penthouse, the wind teasing the silk of her robe as she clutched the note Killian had left on her bed.Her home—the one place that was supposed to be untouchable—had been breached.Not by assassins. Not by rivals.But by Killian Graves.Her pulse pounded in her ears as she reread the words scrawled in his unmistakable, arrogant handwriting:"Nice try, sweetheart. But you’re walking straight into my trap."A trap.Her grip on the paper tightened.She hated how he did this—how he always made the first move, always got under her skin. But what she hated more was the fact that a part of her… liked it.Liked the danger.Liked him.Her phone vibrated, and she grabbed it from the table. Another message from an unknown number.Are you scared yet?She let out a slow breath, willing her heartbeat to steady. She wouldn’t give him that satisfaction.Instead of replying, she deleted the message and tossed the phone back onto the table.If Killian thought she was g

    Last Updated : 2025-03-17
  • Owned by Billionaire   Chapter 7: The Aftermath of Desire

    Elena stormed into her penthouse, her breath coming in short, ragged bursts. Her fingers tingled from where they had gripped Killian’s suit, from where they had pulled him closer instead of pushing him away. She yanked open the minibar and poured herself a glass of whiskey, barely registering the burn as she downed it in one go. What the hell had she done? She had kissed him. Killian Graves. Her enemy. Not just kissed him—she had let herself feel something. And that was dangerous. Because men like Killian? They destroyed women like her. The soft chime of her security system alerted her that someone was outside. A second later, her phone buzzed. Unknown Number. Open the door, sweetheart. She let out a bitter laugh. Of course. Because Killian Graves never let anything go. She walked to the door, took a deep breath, and swung it open. Killian leaned against the doorframe, looking infuriatingly calm. His shirt was slightly rumpled from the fight, but his eyes were sharp,

    Last Updated : 2025-03-20
  • Owned by Billionaire   Chapter 8: A Deal with the Devil

    Elena yanked her wrist free from Killian’s grip, her chest rising and falling with barely contained fury. The cold night air did nothing to soothe the fire raging inside her. "You don’t get to decide where I go, Graves," she snapped, stepping back to put distance between them. Killian’s jaw tensed, his dark eyes locked onto hers with an intensity that made her insides coil. "And you don’t get to play reckless when Victor DeLuca wants your head on a silver platter." She hated that he was right. Hated that she could still feel his touch, his grip lingering on her skin like a brand. And worst of all? She hated that beneath all the fury and tension, there was something else. Something dangerous. Because Killian Graves wasn’t just another powerful man. He was a storm. And Elena was standing in the middle of it, daring the lightning to strike. But she wasn’t a woman who backed down. She straightened, crossing her arms. "You don’t scare me, Killian." His lips curled, slow and de

    Last Updated : 2025-03-20
  • Owned by Billionaire   Chapter 9: A Dangerous Game

    Elena had lived in danger before. She had been hunted, betrayed, and forced to survive in a world where trust was a weakness. But living under Killian Graves' protection? That was something else entirely. Because he wasn’t just her shield against Victor DeLuca. He was the fire threatening to consume her. And that fire was getting closer. When Elena woke, the room was bathed in the golden hues of sunrise. The scent of leather and expensive cologne lingered in the air, a subtle reminder of who owned this space. And now—who owned her. She sat up, brushing the sleep from her eyes. The penthouse was silent, the kind of eerie stillness that made her feel watched. She hated that feeling. She wasn’t a prisoner. Not really. But she wasn’t free, either. With a sigh, she climbed out of bed, slipping into the silk robe she found on the chaise lounge. It fit perfectly—too perfectly. Killian had planned for this. For her. Her stomach tightened as she padded barefoo

    Last Updated : 2025-03-21
  • Owned by Billionaire   Chapter 10: A Night of Blood and Fire

    A War That Had Just Begun The scent of gunpowder and blood thickened the air, mingling with the rich aroma of leather and expensive cologne. Elena pressed her back against the heavy wooden desk, her heart hammering in her chest as she tried to make sense of the chaos unraveling before her. Killian disappeared into the storm of bullets like a shadow of death, his every move precise, effortless, and devastating. This wasn’t just an attack. This was a declaration of war. And Killian was answering with blood. The gunshots echoed through the penthouse, shaking the very foundations of the luxurious fortress she had thought was impenetrable. But nothing was untouchable—not even Killian Graves. Not even her. ________________________________________ No Mercy She forced herself to move, crouching behind the desk. Her breath was ragged, her hands trembling as the reality of the situation set in. These men weren’t here to rob them. They weren’t here to negotiate. T

    Last Updated : 2025-03-21

Latest chapter

  • Owned by Billionaire   Chapter 62 – The Calm Before the Storm

    The enmity between them had boiled over, but their final encounter had solidified into strained peace. Elena had never been sundered so completely. Dangling over an abyss, she had teetered between past and future, love and obligation, the man who had ruined her and the one who could restore her—or destroy her completely.She paced the hotel suite in agitated circles, unable not to tear apart each sentence, each touch they shared. On the streets, the city churned gray beneath the streetlights, its body still intact and oblivious to the storm brewing just below her skin.Sophia's, Dante's, all colliding into one another made her ill. How was she ever going to pull it off? How was she ever going to be able to trust another human being in her life?Her coffee table phone called, breaking up her dizzily spinning thoughts. She didn't stir, lost a beat. She answered, not that she cared what the caller was. It showed private number on the screen.She breathed, her chest expanding."Hello?" Sh

  • Owned by Billionaire   Chapter 61 – The Storm Beneath the Surface

    The door hinge creaked as loudly as a rifle in the stillness. Elena sat inside, knotted with tension that forbade her from breathing. Her fingers trembled weakly as she loosened her jacket, draping it over a chair. She was still conscious of Killian's warmth on her wrist, the way his eyes had darkened in ferocity as she'd moved away from him.But she had to go. Didn't she?Elena by the window, city lights casting a sickly glow on her face. Down below, Manhattan thudding to its beat, a town never pausing to consider what people hid. And her own was more substantial than the skyline.The last forty-eight hours had reduced her to a whirlpool she wasn't ready for. Dante's ominous reappearance, Killian's jealousy tantrums in front of the boardroom building—it was all coming unraveled.Her control over all.She tensed at a knock on the door.Her heart ceased to beat. She had wished him not to be him, for one solitary beat.He was."Open up, Elena," deep, gravelly, quietly lethal Killian's v

  • Owned by Billionaire   Chapter 60 – Tangled in Truth

    Elena gazed at the pictures on her phone, shaking her hand in frustration as she scrolled through them one by one. Each picture an open wound afresh—Killian and her father together at that charity event so many years ago, a second one where Killian would show up at the Romano compound days before the attack which had altered everything. And the final picture. Her brother Dante is very much alive. With Victor DeLuca.It didn't add up. Any of it.The penthouse air felt thick, thick upon her chest like a weight she couldn't put down. She paced the living room, Killian's words ringing in her ears from that evening: "You don't know everything, Elena." No. She hadn't. And yet now, slowly, she was discovering.And the truth cut through like a knife cutting through well-made resolve.A door slammed behind her. She turned, already tense. Killian came in, his black top unbuttoned at the collar, showing the soft welts on his collarbone from the last battle. His dark eyes absorbed the charged atm

  • Owned by Billionaire   Chapter 59: Tangled in Fire

    The hurricane outside mirrored the storm that had tempested Elena's heart. Rain lashed against Killian's penthouse windows, and she didn't notice it. Her back bowed into chilled marble, spine held captive by Killian's, his breathing a soft trickle down her temple."Say it again," he threatened, his warning flavored with danger.Elena's throat constricted as she swallowed hard, dry throat and, pounding heart as she said, "I don't belong to you."His mouth curled into a black smile. "You can fool yourself, Elena. But your body never forgets."He scooted forward and pecked at the curve of her neck, his warmth on the beat of her pulse. She should push him away. Should scream and tell him that he didn't have any right—but her hands remained where they were on the material of his suit jacket, her knees shaking, folding up under his touch."You hate me," Killian growled, pulling his head up far enough to lock gazes. "But you want me to. That's what frightens you."She spat at him, rage mixin

  • Owned by Billionaire    Chapter 58 – The Art of Ruin

    Elena hadn't meant to pass into Killian's private sanctum, but the golden radiance that curled about the threshold and the disturbing stillness beyond the doorway drew her in irresistibly, a moth to a flame. She'd told herself she was just keeping up with him—that she was ahead. But when the creaking, protesting door slid open, something quite different was waiting for her.Stacks of paper, yellowed news clippings, photographs… pinned neatly to a pinboard against one wall. And in the center, her last name: is Romano—red, capital letters.Her breathing froze. Her heart thudded.This was not her seduction anymore. This was an obsession.Her palm rested upon a photograph wedged between the front. It was of her father, years ago, at a fund-raising dinner. Below that one, barely discernible, was another—Elena herself as a child, innocent, smiling up at her mother.She hadn't seen these photographs in years."Where are you in here?"His words cut into the stillness like a knife.Elena spun,

  • Owned by Billionaire    Chapter 57 – A Fracture in the Dark

    The penthouse was too quiet.Elena took her position in the darkness of the living room, her breathing controlled, her hands still trembling with the fight at Graves Enterprises. The tension lingered with her, weighted with the recollection of Killian's stern gaze and the ring to his voice when he told her to get out.She had struggled to come back to him, broken her own heart to do so close to the truth—and now it was all falling apart all over again. The man she once assumed ruined her now worked as her protector. And just when she started to assume he could rescue her too. he pushed her away more brutally than ever before.Her phone rang, but she couldn't force herself to look at it. Nathan or Rachel, most likely. Most likely questions, pressure, and further reminders the game she was playing was getting way, way out of her control.The door behind her burst open, and for a moment her heart refused the truth and wished it could be him.It wasn't."Raven," Rachel's voice was soft bu

  • Owned by Billionaire    Chapter 56 – A Taste of Her Own Power

    Elena stood in front of Killian's mirror wall inside his gym, her face broken by beams of light passing through windows that reached from floor to ceiling. Her heart thumped in her ears—not from the light morning practice she'd attempted, but from the tension that had never ceased since the battle with Killian last night.He had not gone back to bed.Not that she would have forced him to. Their argument had disturbed something in her—a reality she did not wish to acknowledge but could no longer avoid. Her desire to control, her inability to be helpless, had always been entwined around him. And now, as she was getting close to the unspoken reality of what happened six years ago, that fear was becoming something else—telepathy.She tied her hair back into a loose ponytail and grabbed the towel from the bench, wiping her face. The door creaked open behind her."You should learn to lock doors, Raven." Killian’s voice was deep, rough with sleep… and something else. Anger? Frustration?She

  • Owned by Billionaire   Chapter 55 – A Storm of Secrets

    The storm raging outside was mirrored in the turmoil within Elena. Lightning rent the skies asunder and rain pounded against the high windows of the penthouse apartment. She stood still in the middle of his bed-chamber, her arms crossed over her chest as if attempting to preserve whole the fragments of shattered pieces of her will.Killian hunched over the room, his jaw set, his face stern. They stood in suspense between them as foul and heavy as a miasmic fog neither wished to shatter."I want the truth," Elena breathed, her voice little more than the patter of the rain. "No more lies, no more half-truths."He took one step forward. Then another, each deliberate. "I didn't mean to lie to you. But protecting you was about protecting you from things. From you too." Her gaze jerked to his. "Protect me? You brought me into your realm, remained blind, and used me as chattel. You don't get to spin it around on my head and deem it protection."His eyes blazed with anger and outrage. "You l

  • Owned by Billionaire   Chapter 54: The Calm After the Storm

    The sun was rising when Elena finally emerged from the compound gates at last.Squelching boots on gravel, morning dew hanging to the earth like a wet memory. The compound behind her, prison-like all those years, now in quiet pieces behind her. The demons that had haunted her all these years were concealed in dust and blood within.Freedom tasted bitter as it shouldn't have.It wasn't a triumph. It wasn't a shriek. It was locked away. Under control. As if her soul remained behind her body.Killian walked with her, his face granite, his stride off-kilter from combat. He'd said little since the air had purified. So had she. There were too many negative feelings vying for pole position in her heart, and none of them yet did.Ronan is a step, or two, ahead of the rescue team, sterilizing it. Shredded shirt, blood following along his temple, but his calm professionalism still very much present.They'd made it. Victor dead. His kingdom was destroyed. The dangers that had loomed so toweringl

Explore and read good novels for free
Free access to a vast number of good novels on GoodNovel app. Download the books you like and read anywhere & anytime.
Read books for free on the app
SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP
DMCA.com Protection Status