His Butterfly

Chapter 10: Losing Control

Reese's POV

A surge of anger coursed through my veins upon hearing Emily's question, "Avery, were you moaning because you had a blissful night with someone special?" The audacity of someone daring to touch her ignited a fiery rage within me. I yearned to snap the neck of this despicable individual, whoever the hell they were. But why did it bother me so much? She was just my secretary, after all. Her personal life shouldn't consume me to this extent. Yet, the mere thought of her being with someone else infuriated me to the point where I wanted to interrogate her until she revealed the truth.

"What the hell is happening to me?" I pondered, observing her retreating figure as she made her way towards the kitchen. Each step she took caused her shorts to ride higher up her thighs, testing my self-control. It took every ounce of strength not to chase after her, to resist the temptation of touching her and discovering if her legs were as soft as they appeared. Once again, I found myself questioning if she dressed this way around him, and my anger flared anew.

"What the hell is going on with me?" I screamed internally, my frustration reaching its peak as I tugged at my hair. If I kept this up, I'd end up bald, I thought with a bitter touch of irony.

I stood in her living room, attempting to quell the anger that surged within me. "Why do I even give a damn about who Avery is sleeping with?" I questioned myself, bewildered by the intensity of my emotions.

Once I felt a semblance of calm, I followed the path she had taken, only to find myself infuriated all over again. There she stood, contemplating whether she could work with this person, whom I assumed also worked for me.

"Who the hell are you talking about?" I snapped unintentionally, startling her in the process.

"Nobody," Avery stammered, her response a blatant lie that only fueled my anger. I knew I was terrifying her, but at that moment, I couldn't bring myself to care. My mind couldn't process what was happening; all I wanted were answers about who she had been with the previous night, by any means necessary, and I wanted them now.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Reese?" she yelled, her voice filled with fear as she instinctively backed away.

"Stop fucking lying to me, Avery, and give me an honest answer!" I struggled to keep my voice steady, but the frustration was overpowering. Images of someone else pleasuring her invaded my mind, intensifying my anger.

Avery hesitated as if trying to gather her thoughts, but I could tell she already knew exactly what I was referring to.

"Don't play dumb with me, Avery, and just answer the damn question!" I demanded, my patience wearing thin.

"Wait a damn minute. You can't barge into my house, yelling and demanding answers to questions that you have no right to ask. Either tell me why you're here or leave," she retorted firmly.

My anger surged even higher, unaccustomed to anyone raising their voice at me. Yet, deep down, I knew she was right. I retreated to the living room, attempting to cool down once more, but it seemed futile. I sank onto the couch, burying my face in my hands, feeling utterly overwhelmed.

No woman had ever managed to rile me up like this before, and believe me, there had been many. I lifted my head as Avery entered the living room, her gaze fixed intensely on me. "Can we have a civilized conversation like two adults, or do I need to ask you to leave?" she asked, a forced smile adorning her beautiful face.

Realizing that I wouldn't be getting an answer to my earlier question, I decided to let it go. "Tomorrow, I have a business meeting out of town, and I need you to come along," I stated.

I observed as Avery squirmed in her seat, desperately searching for any excuse to avoid going. It almost seemed as if she was afraid to be alone with me. Who could blame her after my recent outburst? I had acted like a possessive, jealous boyfriend, and it was no wonder she felt uneasy.

"I sincerely apologize for my behavior towards you. I promise to be on my best behavior while we're away," I pleaded, realizing how much I truly needed her presence.

"For how long will we be gone?" She asked nervously.

As she referred to us as "we," a fleeting thought of us as a couple crossed my mind, but I quickly dismissed such foolish notions as I gazed into her captivating eyes. I searched for something within them, though I couldn't quite articulate what exactly I was looking for.

"Reese," she called, waving her hand gently in front of my face. "How long will we be gone?"

"For a week," I replied, my gaze unwavering.

"Well, I suppose I have no choice, considering I'm your secretary," she muttered, her words barely audible. "You do realize you could have informed me of this over the phone," she added, pointing towards the cell phone on the coffee table.

"Yeah, I tried that, but I kept getting your voicemail," I explained.

"Hmm...," she said, picking up her phone and checking it. "It's dead, which is why you couldn't reach me."

"Did you attend the masquerade ball last night?" I asked abruptly, catching her off guard.

"I didn't have a choice now did I?" she sarcastically retorted.

"Just answer the question, smartass!" I muttered under my breath, my fingers gently massaging my throbbing temple.

Her eyes rolled in response to my inquiry, a hint of annoyance evident in her expression. "Yes," she replied curtly.

Leaning forward, I studied her closely, searching for any signs of her true feelings. "Did you have a good time?" I asked, my voice filled with genuine curiosity.

Avery's face lit up with an infectious smile, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I had an absolutely glorious time! It was, without a doubt, the best night of my life!" she exclaimed, unable to contain her joy.

The words hit me like a punch to the gut, a surge of anger and confusion welling up inside me. The overwhelming enthusiasm in her voice became too much to bear. Realizing that pressing her further about the man she had spent the night with would only lead to more frustration, I knew I had to make a swift exit.

"See you at the office tomorrow, 7 a.m. sharp. We'll be leaving at 9 a.m.," I stated abruptly, my tone laced with a mix of anger and resignation. Without waiting for a response, I stormed out of her apartment, leaving her standing at the door, her face frozen in shock.