Harem Startup : The Demon Billionaire is on Vacation

Chapter 384 – Greed with Good Branding

”Am I?” His lips quirked, humorless. ”Because every time I build something, someone calls it profit. Every time I destroy something, they call it balance. That’s all I’ve been, Naomi. Greed with good branding.”

She shook her head, water splashing around them. ”No. You’re more. To me, you’re more.”

For a moment, silence held them. The only sound was water dripping from the sponge, the faint hum of runes around the bath.

Lux smiled weakly then. Not his smirk. Not his weapon. Just a soft, crooked curve. ”You’ll ruin me if you keep talking like that.”

Naomi laughed softly, though it wobbled. ”Bold of you to assume I haven’t already.”

His eyes softened further. He leaned in, kissing her forehead. Not hungry. Not greedy. Just—thanking her again without words.

And Naomi realized something.

For all his dom smirks, his greedy thrusts, his shameless innocence mask—Lux Vaelthorn was still a man afraid of being used. Afraid of being seen as only valuable when he produced. Afraid of love that didn’t come with profit margins.

Naomi saw it in his eyes. That raw flicker behind the gold, buried under all his control. And for once, she didn’t want him to have the last word.

She caught his wrist mid-motion, the one still holding the sponge. Her grip wasn’t hard, but it was steady. ”Stop,” she said softly.

Lux raised an eyebrow, smirk flickering like he was about to make some snide remark. But then he caught her expression—the set of her jaw, the way her eyes didn’t waver. And the smirk faded.

”Naomi—”

”No,” she cut in. She tugged, surprising him, pulling him closer until their knees brushed under the water. ”You’ve done enough. My turn.”

His head tilted, amused but cautious. ”Your turn?”

She nodded, taking the sponge from his hand. ”Yeah. I’ll wash you.”

Lux huffed a laugh, but it sounded strained, like he didn’t know what to do with the offer. ”You? Washing me? Naomi, sweetheart, I’m supposed to be the one in control here.”

”Exactly.” She dipped the sponge, squeezing warm suds over his chest. The bubbles slid down the ridges of his abs, catching the lamplight. ”You don’t always have to be.”

His body went still under her touch. He didn’t stop her, though. His eyes tracked her hand, his lips pressed in a line that wasn’t quite a smile.

”You think I can just switch it off?” he asked quietly.

”I think you need to,” she said, dragging the sponge slowly across his collarbone, down his shoulder, over his arm. ”At least here. With us. With me.”

Lux’s jaw clenched. He looked away, eyes catching the mirror’s reflection instead. ”I can’t. Not yet.”

Naomi paused, studying him. His voice wasn’t hard—it was tired.

”Too many wolves,” he murmured. ”Waiting for me to slip. I can’t let them ruin what I’ve built.”

Her chest ached at the weight in his tone. She dipped the sponge again, slower this time, rinsing his skin with gentle passes. ”Then don’t slip out there. Fine. Be the CFO. Be the Prince of Greed. Be the dom who smirks and controls everything.”

She leaned closer, pressing her hand to his chest, feeling the steady thrum of his heart. ”But in front of us—your women—you don’t need to. You can let go.”

His eyes flicked back to hers, sharp, searching. She held her ground.

For a long moment, silence stretched between them, broken only by the soft sound of water lapping against their skin.

Then Lux’s shoulders lowered, just slightly. He let out a breath he’d been holding far too long. ”You want me to be weak,” he said. Not accusing. Just stating.

”I want you to be real,” Naomi corrected. Her hand slid up, cupping his jaw. ”With us. With me. That’s all.”

Lux studied her like she was a ledger he couldn’t balance. Then—finally—he smiled. Small. Fragile. Not his usual smirk, not his weapon. Just... human.

”I’ll try,” he said softly.

Naomi’s throat tightened. That was enough. More than enough. She leaned forward, kissed him—not greedy, not hungry, just gentle. And for once, he kissed her back the same way.

When she pulled away, she kept lathering the sponge, dragging it down his chest, his stomach, his arms. Lux let her. No jokes, no interruptions, no protests. Just silence, and the quiet trust that maybe, just maybe, he didn’t have to control everything here.

And Naomi thought, ’Yeah. This is what love feels like.’

They stayed in the bath longer than either planned—her hands working carefully, methodically, until his body gleamed with soap and steam. Lux didn’t say a word. Not even when she rinsed him, water sluicing down the ridges of his muscles. He simply watched her, eyes softer than she’d ever seen.

Finally, she set the sponge aside, sinking back into the water. ”Done,” she murmured.

Lux moved instantly. He lifted her out of the bath with ease, ignoring her squeak of protest, and wrapped her in one of the thick black towels waiting on the rack. The warmth of it sank into her damp skin, but it was his arms around her that kept her steady.

She blinked up at him, cheeks still flushed. ”I could’ve walked.”

”I didn’t want you to,” he said simply, carrying her through the threshold.

He barked a low command, and within seconds, one of his uniformed servants appeared—bowing deeply.

”Bring her clothes from her room,” Lux ordered.

The servant bowed again. ”At once, sir.”

Naomi buried her face against his chest, half from embarrassment, half to hide her smile. ”You could’ve asked me,” she muttered.

”I don’t ask,” Lux said, striding forward. ”I delegate.”

She huffed. ”Control freak.”

He chuckled, the sound vibrating through her cheek where it pressed to him. ”Maybe. But you love it.”

She rolled her eyes but didn’t argue. Because he was right.

He set her down gently on the edge of the massive bed, the black-and-gold sheets already turned down by another servant. Naomi clutched the towel tighter around herself, watching as Lux moved toward his wardrobe.