All Chapters of CLAIMED BY THE BILLIONAIRE : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Sebastian Pov Reynolds Holdings knew how to impress.Even before I stepped fully inside the gala hall, I could tell the evening had been designed to communicate power rather than celebrate it. The lighting was too precise to be accidental. The arrangement of guests too deliberate. The music soft enough to be ignored, but present enough to remind everyone they were being observed.It was not a party, it was positioning.I adjusted my cufflinks as I moved forward, my reflection briefly catching in the polished glass doors. Everything about me looked the way it should. Controlled. Expensive. Intentional.That was the expectation people had of me. And I rarely disappointed expectations.“Mr Cross,” one of the host executives greeted me immediately. “We are honored you could attend.”I gave a polite nod. “It is a courtesy meeting. Nothing more.”He laughed too quickly. “Of course. Still, your presence elevates the room.”I did not respond to that. Compliments meant nothing unless they c

Ava’s POV As much as I tried to convince myself I didn’t want this kiss, deep down I knew I needed it desperately. The moment Liam’s lips met mine, I tasted him: warm, intoxicating, perfect. It was the best kiss I had ever had.His hands moved over my body with a rough urgency, pulling me closer until it felt like I could melt into him. My thighs clenched on instinct. He parted them easily, his large hands gripping firmly as his fingers pressed against the thin fabric of my soaked panties.“Li—am… please,” I breathed, my voice barely a whisper. “They’ll catch us here.”“No, they won’t,” he murmured against my neck. “Not unless you get louder, Ava.”He grunted softly as he felt the wetness beneath his fingers.“I can feel you,” he rasped. “Tell me, how long have you wanted this?”My lips parted on their own when he shifted my panties aside. His fingertip brushed my clit, slow and deliberate. The jolt that hit me made my whole body tremble. He kept circling until he slid lower, finding

Ava's POVThe next morning, I arrived at Isa's restaurant earlier than usual. The delivery truck had already come and left.Boxes were stacked everywhere. The place looked more like a warehouse than a restaurant.Isa stood behind the counter with a clipboard in one hand and a pen tucked behind her ear.The moment she saw me, she narrowed her eyes. "Oh, look who finally arrived."I rolled my eyes."It is eight in the morning.""And you still look exhausted.""I'm fine.""Mhm."I grabbed a box. Isa watched me. I ignored her. She continued watching and I ignored her harder.Finally she sighed dramatically."Ava.""No.""I haven't even said anything.""You are about to."She grinned. "True."I groaned.Behind us, Damien sat at one of the tables with crayons scattered everywhere.He was drawing dinosaurs. Again.Every single dinosaur somehow had bigger teeth than the previous one."Damien," I called."Yes, Mommy?""Don't draw on the table.""I'm not."Isa glanced over."He already did."D

Ava's POVThe ride home was quiet.Damien sat in the backseat staring out the window while Isa drove. Normally he would be talking nonstop about dinosaurs, cartoons, Diana. Anything that crossed his mind.Tonight he barely said a word. And somehow that scared me more than anything.I looked at him through the mirror."Everything okay, baby?"He looked up and smiled. "Yeah."The smile didn't reach his eyes. My chest tightened. Isa noticed too. I could tell from the way her fingers tightened around the steering wheel.Neither of us said anything because we both knew exactly what was wrong. The questions had started and there was no putting them back.The rest of the drive passed quietly.When we finally reached the apartment, Damien ran ahead to open the door. For a second he looked like his usual self again.For a second. Then I remembered the drawing.My Dad?The image flashed through my mind again.I swallowed hard and followed him inside.Dinner was already prepared. Nothing fancy j

Ava's POVTwo weeks.Two entire weeks had passed since the message, two weeks since Liam had looked at my phone, two weeks since I had watched something dark settle behind his eyes.And he still hadn't asked a single question. Not one and somehow that was worse, because Liam Reynolds was not the type of man who ignored things. He noticed everything. Every detail. Every inconsistency.Yet he had never brought up that message again. Not through texts or through calls, not even through the few brief interactions we'd had at work. Nothing.The silence was driving me insane and tonight wasn't helping.The Cross Industries Annual Summit was one of the biggest corporate events of the year. Every major company in New York seemed represented, including Reynolds Holdings.Which meant Liam was here somewhere.And despite promising myself I wouldn't look for him… I already had.Five times or maybe six."You did it again."I groaned.Elena smirked beside me."I did not.""You literally just scanne