The Only Way Out [Book 2]

Chapter 14 - Middle Names

***Harry's POV

The doorbell rings one more time before I look through the peephole.

Hold your bloody horses. Oh.

"Who is it, Dadda?" Ferris asks excitedly, swinging her legs around my hip.

I kiss her cheek and open the door.

"Eli, April," I warmly greet. "Come in, uhm, hold on just a second."

I lean back to catch Bea's glance and she nods.

I know we wanted a quiet evening to ourselves but I also know she doesn't want to be rude.

"The wife says it's okay," I step aside, waving them in.

"Nice to see you, Harry," April says before turning her attention to the adorable little girl I'm holding. "Oh, Ferris, you've gotten so big!"

"I know," I look at Ferris and kiss her head, "she's growing up too fast." I gently bounce her in my arm. "Can you say 'hi' to April, Love?"

Ferris sticks her thumb in her mouth and buries her head in my neck.

"Oh, now," I chuckle, rolling my eyes.

There isn't a shy bone in her body.

"She's so cute," April tickles Ferris' neck, causing her to giggle and cling to me. "Now, where's Bea?"

"In the living room with Seb," I flick my head to my right and April walks over making a high-pitched sound. Bea joins her and Eli and I laugh at our crazy girls. "Eli, good to see you, mate."

"You too, Harry," Eli extends his hand and I accept his polite gesture. He smiles and tickles his fingers on Ferris' back. "Hi, cutie."

Ferris doesn't budge.

A part of me is relieved that my daughter still knows that I will protect her.

We're never buying grapes again. No, that's stupid. Ferris loves them. Just slice the damn grapes next time, Harold.

"So, what brings you two over?" I shut the door and we make our way into the living room.

"After I saw you guys out walking today, I told April we needed to come by to meet Sebastian," Eli says as he takes a seat next to April.

"Glad you did," I honestly say as I sit next to Bea on the couch. Ferris gets comfortable on my lap, resting her head on my chest and I kiss her head before looking at my wife. "Oo, what have you got there, Love?"

"Just something that April brought us," Bea holds up a small plastic container and she licks her lips.

I can think of something else you can lick, Baby. Fuck, Harold, no. You have company. That will happen later. Wait. What if she changed her mind after the shitty stunts I pulled today? Well fuck.

I clear my damn throat.

"Are these your famous homemade snickerdoodles, April?" I lift the lid for a peek. "Gasp! They are."

The laughter I receive boosts my ego as I take the container from Bea and set it on the coffee table.

"What's that, Dadda?" Ferris looks up at me with curious eyes.

"It's dessert for after dinner, Love," I kindly tell her and her thumb goes right back in her mouth. With a kiss to her head, I gently remove her thumb from her mouth. "Do you want to say hi to Eli and April now?"

She nods and I turn her around on my lap. Eli waves to her and she giggles, burying her head in my chest.

"Someone has a little crush," I say with a chuckle.