Fallen Actress' Comeback: Torn Between the Director and the Mafia Lord-Chapter 19: His Little Princess

Chapter 19

~Xena’s POV~

Xavier walked us toward the door, holding it open again. "Where are you heading now? I can drop you off."

For a brief second, I hesitated before replying with a simple, "Nah, it’s all good."

"No. It’s not."

"Really," I said, holding Skai’s hand a little tight. "I’m going home first to keep Skai’s cake."

"Appo pie, momma. Cake is for Nanny."

I smiled at the little troublemaker and nodded. "Her Apple pie, then I have to take this other one to the hospital. For Nancy."

"I don’t mind," he pushed immediately. Not a second of hesitation. "Anywhere you need to go. I’ll drive you there."

A sharp ’ahem’ broke the tension, and Xavier, still not paying attention to the man behind him, corrected himself. "We’ll drive you there."

I saw the young man roll his eyes, which was cute, but I was guessing he never meant for Xavier to see.

My chest tightened, just a little, stupidly. "Xavier, it’s not necessary..."

"It is." His tone softened. "Anything for my little Skai."

Something prickled beneath my skin. And I was wishing he had said to me. Was that jealousy?

I shook my head.

Ridiculous, I know. But still... it was there.

Skai, of course, nearly burst out of her shoes. "Mummy! I want to go in Mr Zavyah’s car! Pleeease!" 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Xavier grinned proudly, like he’d just won an award.

I sighed, shifting the box in my hand. "Skai... we don’t want to disturb him."

"You’re not," Xavier said, shaking his head. "I insist. Let me help."

I looked at him, really looked. His white suit, his unwavering gaze, the warmth he had for my daughter, and the way every word from him felt too easy, natural, and dangerous.

"Okay," I said slowly. "But just to drop the cakes. Nothing else."

"Nothing else," he echoed with a slight smirk that suggested he was lying.

Skai jumped, clapping her hands. "We go now?"

Xavier nodded at her. "We go now, princess."

Princess? Oh God. This man was going to be trouble.

Xavier took the cake box from my hand first, turning toward his stunned friend—the same man who had looked at him earlier like Xavier had just performed witchcraft.

"Ren," Xavier said, handing him the box of cake with me, in addition to the Apple pie already in his hand. I already felt bad. Xavier was making him do so much work. "Keep this for a moment."

Ren blinked sharply. "Oh, so now you remember I exist?"

"Shut it," Xavier replied flatly in that cold voice that made my skin tremble, leaving goosebumps just like how I had felt with that mysterious cold gaze of his that made Ren gulp.

Then, as if flipping a switch, he turned to me and gave a soft smile that made my stomach dip ridiculously.

I pretended not to notice.

With a smooth motion, Xavier bent down and scooped Skai into his arms like she was a doll. She squealed in excitement, gripping his shoulder like she’d known him forever without a single fear in the world.

"Whoa," Skai breathed out, her eyes going wide as Xavier approached a car in the parking space, which I suppose was his—sleek, black, ridiculously expensive... not exactly the vehicle you expect from a man who sells pastries.

I schooled my thoughts immediately. I wasn’t one to judge or poke my nose into people’s affairs. So why was I getting all involved now?

"Mummy... this car is shiny."

"It’s called polished," Ren muttered as he opened the back door for Xavier.

Skai gasped again. "It’s like a big toy!"

Xavier chuckled. He was clearly pleased. "Only the best for my princess."

Princess again? I rolled my eyes. This man was really testing me.

Xavier opened the passenger back door for me next.

"After you," he said, his voice dipping in a way that made something warm coil in my stomach.

"Thank you." I stepped in gracefully, careful not to wrinkle Skai’s dress, then I helped Ren with one of the boxes, bent down and placed the pie box gently on the floor by my feet.

When I looked up again, Xavier was already settling into the front seat, placing the other box on the passenger floor.

The faint scent of Xavier’s cologne drifted through the car in a distracting way. Ren climbed into the driver’s seat, fastening his belt. "Alright. Directions?"

Before I could answer, Xavier shifted slightly, resting his elbow on the seat and sliding his hand back toward mine.

It was subtle, slow enough that it almost felt accidental—until it wasn’t.

His fingers brushed mine. Then he let them linger there.

My pulse fluttered.

I pulled my hand away on instinct. "What are you doing?"

Xavier didn’t look back—just smirked at the windshield like he knew exactly what he was doing. "Nothing."

Liar.

Ren glanced at us through the rearview mirror, his brows raised high.

Xavier cleared his throat. "Your address, Ms. Xena. Ren would like to know where he’s driving."

"Oh, sorry." I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "I live at B-Route Estate. House seventy-two."

Ren nodded, turning on the engine. "Got it."

As we pulled out of the parking lot, Skai leaned forward from her car seat, tapping my arm. "Mummy... can Mr Zavyah drive us every day?"

Xavier didn’t even pretend not to hear it. He shot me a look over his shoulder—a soft, warm, overly satisfied look—as if Skai had just handed him a victory on a silver platter.

I glared at him, but he only smirked harder. I was beginning to wonder why I had never known many things about him since I started visiting his shop.

For one, he seemed talkative, but that was probably just to Skai and me, given how he interacted with Ren.

And I never knew he was such a sweetie to kids. One would think it was probably because they were customers or because he was flirting with me, but the way he held her, like she was really his... warmed my heart.

"No, Skai. Mr. Xavier has his business to run. If he drives you daily, who will bake cakes and pies for you?"

I glanced at my daughter, wondering what the silence was for, when I noticed her placing her finger on her chin and tapping slowly as if in deep thought.

Then her bright eyes lit up. "I know, Mr. Ren can."

The car jolted a bit as Ren hit the brakes in the middle of the road. Soon, horns from several cars broke out around us, before he apologised and continued driving.

All the while, Xavier seemed to be having the fun of a lifetime with that wide grin on his face.

"Do not worry, little princess. For you, I’ll do anything," Xavier promised, and my daughter happily clapped for him.

Then Xavier’s gaze darted to me. "Looks like you’ll be seeing more of me."

"Keep dreaming, Xavier."

Skai kept kicking her little feet against the leather in excitement, her shoes making soft tapping sounds.

Xavier didn’t say anything, but his smile never faded. I sighed, patting my daughter’s head as I looked anywhere but at him.

This was going to be a very long ride.