Page 197 of Time Stops With You

“That I shouldn’t.” She laughs and pockets her phone. “I knew he’d grumble about it. Which is why I waited until I got here to text him.”

“Why does your husband not want you to meet with me?” I ask, wondering if Cullen said something to them.

“It’s not that he doesn’t want me to do it. He’s afraid it’ll be a conflict of interest.”

The elevator doors open at that moment and Sunny bounces into the lobby. When she realizes I’m not following her, she slams her hand on the doors so they don’t close.

“Why aren’t you coming out?”

“I don’t think this is a good idea.”

“Why not? Because of Darrel? He’s just being his typical, curmudgeon self. Don’t overthink it.”

“You want to talk about Cullen, don’t you?” I accuse.

Her eyes widen and she steps into the elevator with me. Reaching out a French-tipped nail, she presses a button and the elevator travels up again.

“I’m here to talk about whatever you want to discuss,” Sunny says gently.

“I don’t feel like talking.”

“That’s okay too. We can just eat.”

I frown at her, my heart slamming against my chest. “Did Cullen send you? Is this another pity mission from the grave?”

“As far as I know, Cullen isn’t dead so, technically, nothing he’s done is from the grave,” Sunny points out. “And no. Cullen has nothing to do with this. I’m here because I want to be.”

Sunny’s words sound rational to my mind, but my heart rejects them.

She’s only here because you’re pathetic. Everyone knows it.

My hands tremble and bile rises in my throat, a physical response to the anger inside. It’s a pounding darkness. A fury that’s beenachingfor an opportunity to lash out. I know it’s cruel, but I want to ruin something, to hurt someone, the way I’ve been hurting.

“Are you really that bored?” I spit.

Her eyes widen at my rough tone.

Alarm bells ring in my head, warning me to stop before I do more damage.

But I keep going, speaking harshly, “The billionaire’s fancy wife has nothing better to do than run around rescuing strays and saving women from their stupid decisions?”

Sunny’s jaw drops. “What?”

“Even if Cullen didn’t send youthistime, you only care about me because he made that request.”

“That’s not true.”

“Itistrue. And I’m done being you people’sproject.” I slam my finger on the elevator button, needing to get out.

I can’t breathe and tears are pressing into the back of my eyes, but I don’t want to be sad. I’d rather be angry.

“Nardi…”

I keep slamming on the button. “I don’t need you or Cullen. I don’t need anyone. Nothing is wrong with me and nothing’s wrong with my life. I don’t need a rich savior to ride in and fix me. ”

The door finally opens and I stalk out. I have no idea what floor I’m on or where exactly I am in the building. I just take a left, rush down a hallway and keep going until I find an emergency exit sign.

I follow the neon green lights that are becoming more and more blurry as the tears I’ve been holding back demand release.Stumbling through the door that leads to an empty stairwell, I gasp for air.

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