A Little Bit Married

Reins of Control

The entire hall went completely silent, and for some reason, I felt my chest tighten with nervousness. I knew Gray was a formidable billionaire, and they had their own chains of companies. But how did that make him able to make Michelle an ex manager?

"I am sorry, Mr. Gavin, but the business here is..."

The static cracked as the phone was finally picked up, and a smooth female voice came over the phone.

"Yes, Mr. Gavin?"

"Would you be kind enough to check for a certain Michelle Spears on our employee list in the position of a manager for one of the subsidiary malls?"

"Immediately, sir."

I turned to Michelle, and her eyes widened, and the slightly smug smile she had before was gone. She turned to me as if for help, but I was just as lost as she was. I bet she wouldn't believe me if I told her I didn't really know the man Inwas married to, and I am completely in awe if this isn't a bluff.

In my heart of hearts, I knew Gray does not bluff.

"There is a Michelle Spears. She is currently heading the subsidiary mall located in..."

"Fire her."

There was a pause. I expected to hear the woman refute, hell, even protest, but her smooth voice came on again.

"I will put in the notice immediately. Do you have a candidate for replacement, Sir?"

"Send one from the headquarters down here. Probably Micheal or Sofia."

"Yes, sir. Is there anything else you want?"

The salon grew even more silent as he slowly turned to where Ava was kneeling. She was watching him, shell shocked, her mouth agape.

"Make sure Michelle takes all of her employees with her."

"Sir," came a sudden, shaky voice, as an attendant immediately rushed to us, and she went, grabbing his thigh. "Please. My mother is in the hospital. Please. I need this job, I beg of you. Please!"

I turned to Gray, but his eyes were stoic and emotionless, and I have seen him this way enough to know the begging would have no effect on him.

"Gray," I said softly, reaching for his hand.

He turned to me, and even though I was at least eighty per cent sure that this would not work, I knew I had to try.

"Please. Even if it's just her. Please."

"Angeline..."

"For me," I said, tightening my fingers around him. "I could kneel too if you..."

"Don't you dare," he said, then held my hand as if to make sure I would not go on my knees. "She can stay. For you."

My eyes widened at the gesture, and I instinctively leaned, then kissed his cheek.

He turned to me, his eyes meeting mine as they darted slowly across both of my eyes. It felt like all of the crying, sobbing, and the doom Gray's arrival in that salon had caused immediately fell away as he held my eyes.

"Sir?" Came the voice from the phone.

He blinked, then turned away. "I need one employee retained, and that's it. Make sure the ones that are let go are never rehired with us."

"Done."

The call quenched, and he turned towards Michelle, who was now staring at her phone, her cheeks a ghostly white.

"That, Michelle, is who I am. I hope you are rehired somewhere else."

She looked up but could barely bring herself to say anything. She turned away, her fists clenched, her chest heaving.

I turned to Ava. She was watching me, pure hatred filling her eyes. The rest of the salon attendants started to file away, most glaring at Ava, while her gossip partner sat on the floor, utterly crushed.

"I bet you are happy," she said as she stood up, her chest heaving. "I bet you feel like you put me in my place. You flexed hard and showed that you bagged yourself a rich man. You stole Kevin from me first. I did everything a friend would do, but you made him fall in love with you and...."

"He is dead," Gray said, coming between us. "f**k off or you will be very close to it too."

She flinched, then turned to me again, before finally storming off.

"Thank you," the last attendant said, reaching my hand. "I and my mum are very grateful for this."

I smiled, holding her hand. "I pray she gets better soon."

She smiled again, her eyes filled with tears.

"Since there are no attendants in this salon, let's..."

"I can do it for you. I have been here for years and took courses in makeup and hair styling. I promise I will do my best."

Gray sought my eyes, and I nodded. He slowly let go of my hand, and I immediately missed the warmth of his hand.

She led me towards the seats, and I sat down as she started to put her items together. My eyes looked up in the mirror, and Gray was watching me, his eyes squinted lightly, his empty hand clenched lightly, like he was holding on to something that used to be there.

I wanted to believe in the fairytale ending that it was my hand he missed so much.

"I will start now," she said, and I reluctantly tore my gaze away from him. I let out a shaky breath, my mind replaying everything in front of me like a movie.

I did feel like the main character in some hallmark movie. The extremely perfect billionaire, a helpless heartbroken woman... fiercely protective, warmly comforting, lethally perfect, beautifully obsessed...

I slowly moved my eyes to the edge of the mirror, and my eyes fell on Gray again. To my surprise, he was looking at me too, his eyes dark as he watched me, his lashes thick as he blinked slowly.

I turned away again, struggling to take control of my emotions once again. Problem was.... the reins already seemed to belong to someone else. Someone who was determined to drive me wild.