Page 28 of Cinderella's Fling with the Off-Limits Billionaire

She hugged Harper closer, her dear little body so warm and comforting. Inside the house, she closed the door and double locked it, then fixed Harper some lunch and put on a cartoon before making herself a sugary tea.

She knew one thing for sure: she couldn’t see Leandro again.

She was pretty sure she could calm Jay down, but if he found out about Leandro, she had no doubt he’d be true to his word and take Harper away. She couldn’t risk that.

With shaking fingers, she retrieved his business card from her bedside table and dialed his number. She wasn’t prepared for the sound of his voice when he answered though, and waves of familiarity, affection and awareness washed over her.

“Leandro, it’s Skye,” she said.

There was silence for a moment and then, “What’s the matter?”

Damn it. She squeezed her eyes shut but the tears still leaked from the corners. “Nothing,” she lied. “I just—I can’t see you again.”

Silence. Staticky, reactive silence.

“You know I have a lot of fun with you, but it’s become too complicated. I can’t do it. I’m sorry.”

“Skye—,”

But she couldn’t bear the thought of him trying to talk her out of this. She shook her head. “Goodbye, Leandro.” She hung up the phone and sobbed silently, miserable to discover that she was still very much under the control of her ex after all.

“Leandro!” She stared at him, standing outside her home, his expression unreadable. “What are you doing here?”

“I don’t appreciate being hung up on,” he said, reminding her again of his natural, easy authority. But then he softened. “I was worried about you.”

It was a tipping point, like someone asking if you were okay when you fell down. She would have been fine if he hadn’t said he was worried, but concern was her undoing. She dipped her head to hide the crumpling of her features.

He wouldn’t let her hide, though. He pressed a finger to her chin, tilting her face towards his. “Skye, what’s happened?”

She shook her head. “This isn’t what we are,” she groaned. “You don’t have to be here, saying this, acting like you care.”

“If you are being bullied, I do care.”

“Why?” She asked, eyes wide.

“Because you deserve better.”

She swallowed past a lump in her throat and then blurted out everything that had happened with Jay. “I’m so scared, Leandro,” she whispered. “I don’t know what to do. I can’t fight him for custody and win. If he takes her away from me, I won’t cope. But he’ll do it. He’ll do it to punish me. Oh, God. I should never have gotten involved with you,” she groaned, even as she dropped her head forward and pressed it to his chest.

He wrapped his arms around her, stroking her back. “That’s not the answer,” he said, simply. “This bastard doesn’t get to dictate how you live your life.”

“But he does. If it weren’t for Harper, I’d be free of him, but I’ll never be free. He’s in my life, it’s just how it has to be.”

“No,” Leandro said, and with such confidence that Skye almost believed him. Except…

“You don’t know what he’s like,” she said. “He won’t give up.”

“You don’t know what I’m like, so I will tell you, Skye. I do not like bullies. I do not like men who think they can treat women like garbage. And right now, unfortunately for your ex, I happen to be in the mood for a fight.”

She stared at him, not understanding.

“How long will it take you to pack a bag?”

“Pack a bag?” She was back in parrot mode.

“You’re coming to stay with me.”

Her jaw dropped. “No way. I can’t.”

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