Esztar Is Falling

C H A P T E R 71

"Jakie?" I chuckled, skipping my way to him.

"I'm not taking it off. It's the little princess's gift to me." He said in his gruff voice with that southern accent and hell, it was so fucking adorable.

"My, my!" Alli effused, swapping her eyes between me and Xenia playing with Mason in the garden. "Are you hundred percent sure Xenia isn't your daughter?"

If I ever have a daughter, I'd want her to be like Nia.

"Good thing Xenia doesn't call Harri daddy or else his daughter and his girlfriend wouldn't be calling him by the same name. Eek!" She pushed furthermore.

"Why don't you go and help Oliver change?" I smirked. She frowned and stomped away.

"Gross!" Oliver shot me a disgusted look and went away to his room while I tried to control my laughter.

"You know boss, this house needs a kid." Jake smiled, looking at Xenia. "Do something."

"Why are you telling me this, Jake?" He cast me a dark look.

"Oliver sir is utterly hopeless as we just saw. Mason has now ditched my daughter. So that leaves me with you."

That part about Oliver got me.

"Maybe you should tell Miss Andress." Rafael spat.

"Yeah, same thing." He shrugged.

"What!" Rafael and I screeched together while I struggled to keep my face from turning red.

"What." He imitated us. "I'm still team Rattoria."

"Right." Rafael mumbled under his breath. "But some people just have to fuck things up."

"You have the nerve to blame me, Mr Grayson. I'm not the one marrying someone else just to punish my ex."

"You have a way of making yourself feel important, don't you Miss Andress."

"Oh I've learned from the best."

Jake switched his gaze between us, twisting his face in annoyance. "I was going to become a relationship counsellor after retirement but now I'm starting to rethink my decision."

"This man can't be counselled by anyone." I stomped my foot and went out to join Xenia and Mase.

Better than dealing with this stone of a man.

•••••••

"No." Little Nia shook her head adamantly, not taking her eyes off her ice cream bowl.

"Xenia." Harri warned, starting to lose his patience.

"I said no."

"Don't be stubborn, Xenia."

"Let her stay the night, Harrison. One of us will drop her back in the morning. Sounds great, doesn't it?" Oliver tapped her nose and she nodded rigorously.

Harri looked at her skeptically. His eyes softened. The mere thought about letting her away from him scared him. "She has never stayed away from me. What if she needs me?"

"I'm a big girl, dadda. See, now I even have a boyfriend."

"You see logic right there." Mason remarked.

Harri finally gave in. "Okay. If that's what you want." He held her close to his chest and placed a long kiss on her forehead.

Mason watched them with a contended smile, reliving the moments when he had to say goodbye to me.

"Don't trouble them and don't cry. Okay, sweetheart?"

"I won't. I promise." She kissed his cheek and we bid him goodbye, watching his car roll out of the gates.