Page 61 of Cinderella's Fling with the Off-Limits Billionaire

“Like what, Skye? What do you care? You’ve moved on. You’ve got a new life now. A new guy. You can have another kid.”

Skye’s lips parted. She could hardly speak.

“I could never have another Harper.”

“No, you couldn’t. Because she’s ours, and in order to have her, you’d need me. But you don’t want me anymore, do you, Skye?”

She looked at the detective who was doing a finger winding motion, encouraging her to keep the conversation going. Skye’s face dropped. She nodded though and spoke softly. “But I do, Jay. I do want you.”

“Liar,” he whispered, in a voice that sounded truly deranged.

But Skye was desperate now, and having uttered the lie, she clung to it, as if instinctively understanding that this was the only way she could save her daughter. Of course she would understand—she’d had years with this guy, years of knowing how to defend herself in the face of his cruelty and control.

“No, it’s true, but I was scared that after the whole lawyer thing you wouldn’t want to see me again. I wasn’t sure you’d be able to forgive me for—for cheating on you. For fooling around. I’m so sorry, Jay. You know you’re the only man I’ve ever loved.”

Silence. The detective gave Skye two thumbs up. Skye looked as though she was going to vomit. Leandro kept stroking her shoulders.

“I don’t believe you.” But Jay sounded as though he wanted to believe her. He was softening. Hopeful.

“It’s true,” she rushed. “You know how much I love you. I want you back. I want us to be a family again. You, me and Harper. I want to have another baby with you. I’ll leave here, I’ll come to you. I’ll move anywhere, do anything. Please, just don’t hurt her.”

“This is about her? Not me?”

Skye squeezed her eyes shut. Beside her, the computer made a soft pinging noise. Leandro’s gaze shifted to it. The technician was frowning, staring at the screen, where a map of New York was gradually shifting.

“It’s about all of us,” Skye said, realizing her mistake. “It’s about our future.”

“You didn’t seem to want a future with me a month ago.”

“I was wrong. I’ve been so wrong. You know how I can be, how I make mistakes. You know I’m not smart like you.”

He knew she was just trying to manipulate Jay but hearing her speak like that gave Leandro some idea of what their relationship had been like, and he wanted to punch a hole into the nearest wall.

“I know that, baby. You need me, don’t you? You need me to help you make good choices.”

“I need you,” she responded by rote, but her voice was cold. Dead.

“Can I speak to Harper? She doesn’t have bunny, and I want to let her know I’ll take care of bunny until she’s home.”

“She’s not coming home.” Jay’s voice switched to ruthless and detached again. He sounded like a mad man.

“What do you mean?”

“You’re coming to me. Both of you.”

“Okay. Tell me where and I’ll come to you.”

His laugh was deranged. “Do you think I’m stupid, Skye? Not yet. I’m not ready to forgive you yet. You can wait a few days. Maybe a week or two. See how it feels to be treated like dirt. When I decide it’s time, I’ll text you an address.”

“No, Jay?—,”

But he’d hung up the call. Skye’s fingers were shaking too much to blink her own phone off so Leandro reached down and did it. She tilted her face to the technician’s, her features so drawn it broke Leandro’s heart.

“Well?” She whispered. “Did you find him?”

The technician studied the screen for so long that Leandro wanted to shake him. But then, the young guy turned to the room. “Yeah. I think we’ve got him.” A moment later, an address was texted to the phones of every security agent in the room. They passed it onto the local police.

“Come on,” Leandro said. “Ride with me.” He grabbed Bunny as they walked out the door.

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