Just when she thought a forced kiss on her mouth was inevitable, a strong male form burst through the crowd, knocking people to the side like bowling pins.
Cullen Sharpe.
Cullen grabbed the drunken man, who’d been attempting to molest her, by his hair. “What the fuck?” the man screamed, his voice turning high pitched, like a young girl.
The furious CEO lifted his leg and kicked the man in his stomach, causing him to fly backwards and fall on the floor. Nearby, two of the guy’s friends converged on Cullen, shouting insults and swinging at him, trying to punch him in retaliation for what he’d done to their buddy.
Cullen ducked in order to avoid the blow, before punching one of them in the ribs. Then he pivoted and threw a straight punch that landed on the other attacker’s nose. The intended victim’s head snapped back and he also fell, looking dazed, his eyes rolling in his head like a cartoon character.
Ivy couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Not only was Cullen a tough character in the boardroom, he was even tougher and scarier in the bar.
Everything was happening so fast, as the drunken crowd gave Cullen Sharpe a wide berth now. He’d proven that he wasn’t averse to putting his fist and feet in direct and painful contact with anyone’s body or face that got in his way.
After eyeing the suspects in the crowd and ensuring they knew not to mess with him, Cullen grabbed Ivy by the arm firmly and whispered in her ear. “It’s not safe here. Come with me.” He began pulling her through the crowd.
Bouncers had finally arrived and were starting to gain control of the melee, but Cullen didn’t care. He was continuing to head toward the exit, his strong hand still firmly gripping Ivy’s bicep as he kept her close and walked fast.
She was still trying to wrap her mind around what had happened. One minute, she’d been drunk, admittedly, but dancing and having an okay time. The next, the place had turned into a battle zone, and Cullen Sharpe had swooped in and rescued her.
She was relieved, excited, and angry all at once.
Mostly, she was drunk. But she didn’t want the CEO to think that she was actually happy to see him and have his hand on her arm.
No. I don’t need him. I don’t care about him.
She started to pull free from his grasp as they got to the door and he let her go. She pushed out of the bar and into the cool night air, stumbling forward.
“Careful,” he said, catching her before she fell onto the sidewalk. His hands were around her arms.
She started wrestling free again, even though part of her wanted him to wrap her even tighter in his arms and hold her, tell her everything was okay.
“Leave me alone!” she shouted, and her words felt slurred and slow.
“Ivy, you’re drunk,” he told her. He was slightly out of breath.
She spun on her heel and faced him, feeling tears in her eyes. She wasn’t quite sure why. “What do you care if I’m drunk? You’re not my Dad.”
He smiled at this. “I’m well aware of that fact.”
“You don’t seem to be. You’re completely insane,” she said, relishing the look of surprise in his eyes as she said this.
“It’s not insane to take things seriously,” he replied. “Insanity is getting drunk with a bunch of horny young men and expecting them to act like gentlemen.”
“You’re just a control freak. No, I take that back,” she continued. “You’re just a plain old freak.”
They stared at one another then, neither of them saying anything.
His cold eyes were glowering, filled with anger and frustration with her—but also, something else.
Ivy was certain that he wanted her. But at the same time, he almost seemed to hate her. She couldn’t tell which—maybe both.
“Why did you do that to me?” she finally said, as two tears spilled down her cheek.
“Those men were throwing you around in there,” he said, nodding at the bar. “I had to get you outside.”
“I don’t mean that,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Why did you do that to me—what you did today in your office?”
Cullen sighed, putting his hands on his hips. “This isn’t the time or the place to discuss it.”
“You don’t have the guts to tell me, do you?” she asked.
He just looked at her, not responding.
“Forget this,” she said, turning, almost losing her footing again, and then starting to run away from him.
She had to get away from Cullen Sharpe and his insanity, his control, his refusal to help her understand what was happening between them.
But before she could get very far, she heard his footsteps. “Ivy, wait,” he commanded.
She stopped, still with her back to him. “Why should I do anything you say?” she whispered.
“Because,” he said, coming up close behind her. “It’s what’s right.”
“No. This entire thing is the opposite of right.” But she liked feeling his presence, knowing that despite being out at night on this poorly lit street, she was safe.
His hand reached out and caressed her cheek and she turned to see his cool eyes watching her with an emotion she didn’t expect.