Harem Startup : The Demon Billionaire is on Vacation

Chapter 40 – Territorial

She pulled a napkin from the table and grabbed a pen. Scrawled a number. Then another one.

She slid it to him.

”One is my main number—well, when I get my phone back from Carson. The other’s my old number. Still active.”

Lux looked at the napkin like it was holy scripture.

”You’re giving me your burner?”

”It’s not a burner,” she smirked. ”It’s my private line. No lawyers. No press. Just me.”

He blinked. ”This feels romantic in a very illegal way.”

”Welcome to dating an heiress.”

Lux exhaled slowly.

Then pouted.

Actually pouted.

Big, wide red eyes, messy hair, and that faint tremble in his bottom lip—way too perfect to be real, but somehow it was. Yeah, he’d definitely practiced that.

’Oh Gods... he is so cute...’ Naomi thought, her heart accelerating.

At that moment, Lux didn’t look like Hell’s CFO at all. She never even thought he could make that face. She blushed, feeling warmth spread through her chest.

Without thinking, Naomi leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.

He turned his face at the last second.

Their lips met.

Her father visibly flinched like he’d been slapped with a flaming stock certificate.

Lux? Glowed. Just a bit.

”Don’t be sad,” Naomi said gently, brushing her hand along his jaw.

Lux tilted his head, sighing dramatically. ”How long?”

”Three days.”

His shoulders dropped. ”Three days is a lifetime.”

She leaned closer. Whispered.

”Maybe a week. I’ll settle the papers. Then I’m moving on with you.”

Lux’s eyes flicked up.

”To Carson’s mansion.” she added.

Now he grinned.

”Is it bad I want to redecorate it with hellfire and sin?”

She grinned back. ”Only if you save the guest rooms.”

”Fine,” he smirked.

She nodded solemnly. ”Deal.”

Then she whispered again, ”Also, Mira and the others still have their eyes on you.”

Lux’s gaze slid over to the fake-casual corner of the room.

Mira. Still sunglasses. Pretending to scroll.

Fiera. Still drinking a smoothie that had turned to soup.

Rava. Trying to look like a couch.

Elyndra. Reading a menu upside down.

”You think I should...?” Lux murmured.

Naomi smirked. ”Have fun with them first.”

He grinned. ”You’re the only one with a seat at the top.”

”You better remember that.”

Lux leaned back in his chair, folding the napkin like it was priceless.

”Fine. I’ll be good. Mostly.”

Lux smirked. ”But you need me, just tell me. Or... I’ll track you down. You know it’ll be bad if I do that.” His voice turned dark, serious, because he knew he could bring both financial disaster and real disaster if he wanted to.

She raised an eyebrow. ”Great.”

Then she turned—graceful, composed, dangerous as ever—and locked eyes with her father.

”I’ll go home. I’ll fix the mess. But first...”

Her gaze was pure ice.

”Can you let us finish breakfast in peace?”

Mr. Delacour bristled. ”Naomi—”

”I said,” she repeated calmly, ”after breakfast. Then I’ll go.”

He looked like he wanted to argue.

Then thought better of it.

He motioned silently to the guards behind him.

They backed off.

No handcuffs. No drama.

Just controlled retreat.

Mr. Delacour gave Lux one last long stare as if trying to memorize the face of the man his daughter would probably marry—or burn the world down for.

Lux?

Just sipped his cold coffee again, totally unfazed.

”Good talk, sir. We should do brunch again sometime. I’ll bring better pants.”

Naomi laughed.

And the girls at the nearby table?

Still watching.

Still plotting.

Lux plopped back down into his chair like the dramatic prince of nowhere-in-particular, dragging his plate of pastries toward him as if he’d just returned from war. Which, technically, he had—rich people family drama edition.

Naomi sat across from him.

She picked up her tea again. ”You really said that to my dad?”

Lux smirked. ”He said I looked screwed up. I just corrected him. Politely.”

Naomi gave him a look. ”That wasn’t polite.”

He winked. ”It was for me.”

She rolled her eyes and reached for her croissant. Lux watched her, quiet for a moment, then casually stabbed his fork into a piece of bacon.

”So,” he said, ”in these three days—”

”Or week,” Naomi added.

He gave her a playful glare. ”—in this unspeakably long separation, are we still allowed to see each other?”

She chewed her croissant, then nodded. ”Of course we are. I just can’t stay the night.”

Lux blinked. ”You’re serious?”

Naomi looked at him like he’d just discovered laundry. ”Lux, I just declared myself alive, unkidnapped, and off Carson’s leash in front of five security guards and my father. Let’s not poke the dragon more than necessary.”

Lux muttered under his breath, ”In the underworld, once a devil claims a female, she stays with him. In his palace. Doing whatever they want. Breaking beds. Sacrificing furniture. You know. Real commitment.”

Naomi tilted her head. ”And here I thought you were progressive.”

”I am,” he said, wounded. ”But also territorial. And also still high off the memory of your moans, so forgive me if I’m a little attached. I’m a Greed.”

Naomi blushed. She tried to sip her tea like she wasn’t flustered, but her ears were definitely pink.

Lux stared at her. His tone softened, just a touch.

”I said it,” he murmured. ”To your father. I said I was your boyfriend. And we... we already did it. I marked you. You kissed me like you meant it. I meant it.”

Naomi set her cup down gently.

”I know,” she said. ”But it’s different here.”

Lux looked down, tapping his finger along the rim of his coffee cup. ”Yeah. Mortal realm’s weird.”

”Just... different,” she said gently. ”My dad doesn’t want me to cut us off. He just wants the paperwork sorted. My name’s on too much. Carson probably still has legal hooks in my estate accounts.”

Lux’s eyes narrowed. ”That slimy little bankrupt puppet is still trying to use your family wealth?”

”Wouldn’t be surprised,” she muttered. ”He’s desperate. And if he plays victim well enough, he might win some pity deals from old allies.”

Lux scoffed. ”Old allies don’t matter. I’ve crushed whole companies for less than what he pulled.”

Naomi winced. ”Okay, fair. That is punishable by fire.”

”Exactly.” He leaned forward, voice low, the corner of his mouth twitching. ”That’s why I’m offering to burn Carson’s life down for free. Call it a demonic loyalty bonus.”

Naomi giggled, covering her mouth. ”You’re horrible.”

”I know. That’s why you like me.”

He sat back, stretching.

Naomi shook her head fondly. ”I’ll handle the legal part. You just... try not to seduce the entire hotel staff while I’m gone.”

Lux pouted. ”No promises.”

Then he leaned across the table and whispered, ”But you say the word... and I’ll come find you.”

Naomi smirked, picking up her napkin and tossing it at him. ”Behave, CFO of Hell.”

He caught the napkin mid-air and smiled.

”Only for you.”

But even as he said it, something tugged inside his chest. Something small. Irrational. Uncomfortable.