Butterfly's Year

5. Lena hits heads

– Did you love Lena? – I risked the question that came to mind back in the banquet hall.

Her lingering look as she left wouldn't let me rest.

Victor reluctantly tore his gaze from the road he was watching through the windshield of his brand-new Bentley.

– Why do you ask? – he asked after a rather long silence.

– I've never seen any woman throw you off balance like that – I said, based on my observations. – You despise her.

– Because she's a vile snake who'd do anything to grab what she can – he replied, stubbornly staring at the road ahead and gripping the steering wheel so tightly that the leather creaked.

– Now – I agreed. – But before you knew that? Did you love her?

Victor didn't answer immediately. He carefully avoided a few sewer grates to protect his new, fast toy from any damage and then resumed the conversation.

– I thought I did – he said shortly.

– Do you think she was with you just for the money? – I pressed on, because even though I saw how uncomfortable this conversation made him, I wanted to learn more about their relationship. Lena behaved today as if Victor were the last piece of her favorite cake in the bakery.

– I don't understand – Victor gave me a questioning look.

– I don't know how it was before, but today she seemed very... – I paused to find the right word – positively interested in you.

– Positively interested – Victor scoffed, repeating my words sarcastically. – She was mocking me to humiliate me.

He said it with absolute conviction, but I decided to risk it and continue the discussion because I saw something completely different than he did.

– That's not how a woman behaves when she wants to humiliate someone – I said in an expert tone, because if there was one thing I knew well, it was how to humiliate men. – A woman who wants to assert her superiority over a man wouldn't praise him for his success in a place where she had once successfully hindered him, and in public, no less. I think she wanted to show you... respect. Like she was flirting with you or something...

Victor didn't seem interested in my observation at all.

– I don't care what she wanted – he replied in a voice so cold that if his words had the power to cool, we could have safely transported organs for transplants inside the Bentley. – Let's not talk about her anymore. To me, that woman doesn't exist. I have someone much better next to me.

His last sentence was much warmer, and his hand moved from my thigh to my crotch, lazily rubbing over the fabric of my panties.

– Will you take them off? – he asked, tugging gently at the lace.

A wave of warmth surged through my body, but I didn't let myself be easily distracted.

– You know, I don't think you've stopped existing for her – I said hesitantly, observing his reaction out of the corner of my eye. – I think...

A heated look briefly met mine, then returned to watching the road through the windshield.

– It doesn't matter. She doesn't matter – he replied coldly. – I'd rather focus on your overly clothed pussy – he added with a roguish smile.

I couldn't shake the feeling that he intended to distract both my and, most importantly, his attention from Lena so he wouldn't have to think about her. I wanted to try bringing up the topic again, but before I could speak, my attention was stolen by the ping of my phone announcing a message.