Page 47 of If the Shoe Fits (Rainbow Tales #2)

“I said, no.” Leovar pushed Victor away. Again.

“But why? He's gone, Leo,” Victor whined. “Move on.”

“He's not dead. Xander's mother took him to the first realm. And don't call me Leo.”

“She might as well have taken him to the moon.” Victor waved up at the glowing orb.

They were in the garden. Leo had gone there to get away from men like Victor, who'd been hounding his footsteps ever since Xander went away. Victor had been especially relentless.

“I shouldn't have let you kiss me the other night.” Leo stood up from the bench he'd chosen—the same one Victor decided to share with him. “I shouldn't have kissed you back. I'm not interested, Victor. Find another.”

“But I want you!” Victor grabbed Leo's hand.

Leovar jerked his hand away. “I don't want to be cruel, but you are not respecting my wishes. So, let me be as clear as possible. I am in love with Xander. That is not going to change, no matter where he's gone.”

Victor stood up, all of his sweetness disappearing in a heartbeat. Narrowing his eyes, he said, “Xander is gone for good. He's not coming back.”

“His mother entreated my father to look after his property and his people. That means he is coming back!” Leovar shoved Victor in the chest, sending him back onto the bench. Satisfied with the man's flailing, Leo spun around and stormed into the castle.

The Prince didn't stop there. He kept going, heading toward the stairs that would take him to his wing of the castle. But then Helpin stepped into his path.

“Your Highness, I'm sorry to disturb you when you are so clearly distraught, but I need to know what to do with this. The search is done. We've looked everywhere for Cinderella and can't find her.”

“Helpin, I don't care about her!”

“I know, Your Highness. But the shoe.” He held out the glass slipper. “What should I do with it?”

Leovar paused. The shoe gleamed at him. He had the strangest feeling. Without a word, he took it from Helpin and walked away.

There was something about the glass. No, the crystal !

Crystal—Xander had called it crystal. How had he known that?

He said he assumed, and Leo had accepted the answer at the time.

But now it seemed suspicious. Now that Leo knew Xander was part Fey.

Wait, what was it they called themselves? Shining Ones. He was part Shining One.

“Dear God,” Leo whispered as he walked to his suite, his stare focused on the shoe.

“Could it have been him? No. No, that's not possible . . .” The image of Cinderella came to Leo's mind, and he suddenly saw the similarities between her and his lover.

The hair, the eyes, even her features seemed like more delicate versions of his.

“Xander! But how? Those tricky fairies! Why?” He glared at the shoe.

“Why would he deceive . . . oh, I see.” Leo clutched the shoe to his chest and walked the rest of the way in a daze. “I think I understand. Oh, Xander. ”

Mind spinning through reasons and ramifications, Leo went out onto his balcony and sat in his favorite chair. Still holding the shoe, he stared up at the moon. Was it the same moon that shone upon Xander? It must be.

“Xander. I'm so sorry that you felt you had to do this to be with me.

That's why you wanted to wait instead of running away, isn't it?

If only I had convinced you. If only I'd been more of a man and less of a prince.” Leo hung his head, bending it over the shoe.

“Then I'd be with you right now. I'd be holding your hand and staring up at the moon with you.”

A sharp nausea hit Leo, and he gasped. His head spun, but not with thoughts. It was as if he moved without moving. He closed his eyes and groaned through the strange, almost-painful sensation. And then it was gone as suddenly as it came. Leo took a breath and lifted his head.

Standing in front of him was Xander, holding the other crystal shoe.

Leo shot to his feet. “Xander!”

“Leo?” Xander dropped the shoe. It bounced on a thick rug.

Leo didn't notice the incredible room Xander stood in or the beautiful clothes he wore. All he saw was Xander. He ran to him and embraced him, tossing the shoe he held to the floor beside its mate. They were both reunited with their other halves—him and that damn shoe.

“How?” Xander clutched Leo, but then pushed him away to hold him at arm's length. “How did you get here?”

Leo finally looked around. “I don't know where here is.”

“Leo, you're in my home. In the first realm.”

“Your . . . this is your home?” Leo looked around at last, noting the fine things—finer than anything in his castle. “It's really beautiful.”

“Focus! How did you get here? You just appeared before me in that chair.”

Leo glanced at the chair. It wasn't his favorite chair. This one was larger and more ornate. He turned. No balcony. No moon. Oh, wait. There it was, through the window. “Is it the same moon?”

“What?” Xander tugged on his hand. “What just happened?”

“I don't know.” Leo turned back to Xander.

“I was holding that shoe and thinking of you.

I wondered if you were looking at the same moon I was, or if you have a different moon here.

I . . . oh, God, Xander. I've missed you so much!” He reached for Xander, but Xander let go of him and stepped back. “Xander?”

“I saw you with another man.”

Leo's throat constricted so that he barely got out the word, “What?”

“There are ways of seeing into the other realm. My friend helped me. I was missing you. He gave me a glimpse. And there you were—kissing someone else. It was the day after I left!”

“The day after . . . oh, that fucking bastard! Xander, you don't understand.” He reached for him again.

Xander crossed his arms. “Then explain it.”

“ He kissed me !”

“It looked mutual.”

“All right. It was, but I didn't start it, and I only responded for a few seconds. ”

Xander growled.

“I was heartbroken, Xander. And vulnerable. Victor took advantage of that. But if you had kept watching, you would have seen me pull away and then walk away. Nothing more happened between us.”

“I don't believe you.”

“What?” Leo whispered. “Xander, I have never lied to you.”

“What about all the men you fucked before me?”

Leo flinched. “I have never said you were the only man I've ever been with. The day we met, you surmised that I was with another first, and I believe I confirmed that.”

“So there were a lot of men before me?”

“I was a different person before I met you. I didn't want a commitment. I just wanted . . .”

“To fuck,” Xander finished.

“Yes, all right? I wanted to have fun. But then I met you.”

“And you fucked me.”

“Xander, please.”

“Leo, I don't know if I can trust you.”

“We may have started the same as with my other lovers, but I knew after that first time that you were different.

You changed me. You made me want more than sex.

You must know that. For fuck's sake, I kept returning to you.

I have never done that with any man. And I helped you.

Do you think I'd challenge my father for you if I didn't love you?”

Xander's arms fell. “Leo, I . . .”

“Where is my sweet Prince?” Zane came swooping into the room from the bathroom, his hair still damp, dressed only in a robe. “I was waiting for you, but you never joined . . . what the fuck? Who is he?”

“Who the fuck is he?!” Leo roared as he pointed at Zane.

“Oh, fuck me,” Xander muttered.