Free EXPOSE (The Billionaire's Rules, Book 6) by Kelly Favor Page A

  He grinned slightly, as he gestured to the pieces of plastic nearby on
the floor.
    “I always knew Mom was right to call me
hard-headed.”   She smiled back at
him, thinking how kind and sensitive he could look one moment, and then how
drastically his expression could shift when he became withdrawn or angry.
    “We’ll get you a new phone,” he said, as
if not wanting her to have anything to be worried about.   Suddenly, his head tilted to the
side.   “Shit,” he said, sniffing the
air.
    “What?”
    “I left the eggs on the burner.   They’re probably burnt.”   He got up.   “You wait here,” he told her, pointing
at her for emphasis.   “Don’t move a
muscle, I’m just going to run to the kitchen.”   Cullen walked quickly from the room and
Ivy sighed, putting a hand to her forehead.
    What
are you doing?   This has gone too
far.   He’s being so good to you and
this is how you repay his kindness?
    She was so confused.   Nothing in life had ever prepared her
for a situation like this, and she had nobody to turn to for help.
    Cullen
could help you if you’d let him.
    But no.  
    If she told him, she would jeopardize
everything, including her freedom.   And he’d probably end up hating her for it anyway.
    Ivy slowly climbed to her feet, and then
she felt a wave of dizziness wash over her again.   She saw spots, and then the world began
to swim before her eyes.
    She stumbled as Cullen came back into the
room and saw her.
    “Ivy!” he called out.   “What are you doing?”
    She tripped and stumbled even worse,
sprawling towards the floor again—this time face-first.
    Luckily, Cullen reacted quickly, jumping
to grab her before she could fall hard.   He caught her in his strong arms and lifted her back to her feet.   “I told you not to get up,” he said.
    “I know, but…” she tried to stand on her
own.
    Cullen held her.   “No buts.   You need to listen better.”   He looked into her eyes as he kept his
arms around her.   “Are you okay?”
    She nodded.   “I just got dizzy again for a
second.   But I’m better now.   I swear.”
    He stroked her hair.   “You need to take care.”   His voice was actually soft.   His eyes were still liquid, not
ice.   His entire demeanor was so
different and it melted her heart to know that he cared so much.
    “I’m sorry.”
    “Less apologizing and more listening,” he
said.   “As usual.”   His lips twitched into another smile.
    “I’ll do better,” she told him, and then
burst into tears.   Her shoulders
shook as he held her tightly.
    “Tell me what’s wrong.”
    She shook her head.   “I don’t want to disappoint you.”
    He stroked her hair and held her,
whispering in her ear.   “You don’t
disappoint me, Ivy.   Far from it.”
    After a bit, he let her go, watching her
with his blue eyes as she stood there, wiping the tears from her cheeks.   
    He sighed.   “The bad news is, breakfast got burned.”
    “I don’t care.   I’m not that hungry.   Besides, I can get something at the office.”
    “The office?” Cullen said, frowning.
    “It’s almost time to leave for work.   I can’t be late again.   Emma will have my head on the chopping
block.”
    “You’re not fit to work today.”   He shook his head and placed his hands
on his hips.  
    “I just had a little spell.”   She waved his concern off.   “I’m going into work.”
    “I don’t think so,” he replied, shaking
his head firmly from side to side.   “I need to keep an eye on you.”
    “You can’t watch over me forever,” she
laughed, rolling her eyes as her cheeks flushed from receiving so much of his
attention.
    “I can watch over you today, and the rest
of the weekend.”
    Her mouth dropped open.   “The weekend?”
    “Pack your bags,” Cullen said.   “You’re coming with me.”

 
    ***

 
    Cullen made a few business calls on the
drive.   Ivy couldn’t make heads or
tails of most of it, and didn’t