My Taboo Harem!

Chapter 964: GrandMommy’s Boy

Phei straightened, deciding apparently that counterattack was the only remaining path of survival.

"Look around you," he said, gesturing with one hand. "I am doing exactly what makes young blood boil."

Maddie’s brows rose. "Oh?"

"Women," Phei said proudly. "Money. And c—"

"Uh-huh," Delilah cut in sharply, lifting a finger before the forbidden word could escape into the car and become everyone’s problem. "Do not say cars."

Phei stared at her. "Why not?"

"Because you do not have one yet."

Silence.

Then the women began laughing again.

Phei pointed downward. "We are literally sitting in my car."

Every woman in the limousine looked at him in silence.

Not angry silence or even confused silence.

The far worse kind:

Rich-woman silence.

Phei held their gazes for a few seconds before sighing. "Fine. It is Grandma’s car, but—"

The laughter exploded before he could finish.

Victoria covered her mouth, though not enough to hide her smile. "Oh, that sounded so funny."

Phei tried again. "It is still my car."

Maddie wiped the corner of her eye. ""Grandma’s car.""

"Yes, Grandma bought it, but it is mine. So are the other cars we have been using."

"Grandmommy’s boy," Valentina said softly.

The words landed.

Everyone turned toward her.

Then, as if some sacred chant had been discovered, the entire car repeated it.

"Grandmommy’s boy."

Phei closed his eyes.

"No."

"Grandmommy’s boy," Maddie sang.

"Do not."

"Grandmommy’s boy," Delilah added, because apparently betrayal had excellent rhythm.

Sierra leaned closer, voice painfully sweet. "Does Grandma know her precious boy is about to lose his car virginity?"

Phei opened his eyes and looked at her in horror. "That sentence should be illegal."

Victoria smiled. "It is very cute."

"I am not cute."

"You are tonight," Patricia said.

The Goddess tilted her head, her eyes soft with affection and amusement. "Very."

Phei stared at them, surrounded on every side by beauty, wealth, perfume, silk, and absolutely no loyalty whatsoever. "This is bullying."

"No," Maddie said brightly. "This is love."

"Love has become abusive."

"Only verbally."

"Still counts."

Delilah leaned forward and poked his chest with one manicured finger. "You cannot say cars when Grandma’s garage is doing the heavy lifting."

Phei caught her finger lightly. "Do not bring Grandma’s garage into this."

Delilah’s smile sharpened. "Why? Is it sensitive?"

"My privacy is sensitive."

"Your privacy is currently being recorded by Elena."

Phei looked toward Elena.

Elena smiled sweetly and lowered the phone by exactly one inch, which helped no one.

He could have stopped there. He did not. Instead he kept hold of Delilah’s captured finger and, watching her cognac-gold eyes the entire time, drew it slowly to his lips and bit the very tip of it, soft and deliberate, a warning and a flirtation folded into one act of war. Delilah’s breath hitched. The sharp little smile she had been wearing slipped clean off her chestnut-framed face, and a warmth crept up her throat she could not command back down.

"Phei," she breathed.

"Yes, Delilah?"

"That is— " She withdrew her finger as though it had betrayed national secrets and pressed it, ridiculously, to her own chest. "That is unfair."

"You poked first," he said serenely. "I merely returned fire. I am a man of principle."

"You are a menace with good lighting."

"Those are not mutually exclusive," Elena offered from behind her phone, which had crept back up the inch it had lowered.

Valentina leaned in then and kissed his cheek, soft and unhurried, right after calling him Grandma’s boy as though affection could launder the crime.

"There," she murmured, settling back with a serene expression. "Compensation for emotional damage."

Phei touched his other cheek now, narrowing his eyes at her. "You cannot insult me and compensate me with a kiss."

"Did it work?"

He paused.

The car went quiet, everyone waiting.

Phei looked away. "That is irrelevant."

The limousine erupted again.

"You liked it," Maddie accused.

"I am emotionally complex."

"You are easy."

"I am not easy."

Sierra still had her chin on his shoulder, her laughter warm against his neck. "You are very easy for us."

Phei looked down at her, then sighed with the solemn exhaustion of a man losing war on all fronts. "That is because you cheat."

"With beauty?" Sierra asked.

"Yes."

"With affection?" Maddie added.

"Yes."

"With kisses?" Valentina asked.

"Especially that."

Then, because turnabout was the only justice available to him, Phei shifted, hooked an arm around Valentina’s waist, and simply pulled. She landed sideways across his lap with a startled little sound that dissolved instantly into laughter, her arms looped around his neck on pure reflex, her weight warm and soft and entirely welcome against him.

Phei looked up at her with grave, theatrical solemnity. "If I am to be bullied," he announced to the car, "I will at least be bullied comfortably."

Valentina, sprawled across him and pink to the ears, made absolutely no attempt to escape. "This is also bullying," she informed him, beaming.

"This is strategy. You are now a hostage and a heater."

"I am very warm," she agreed, snuggling deeper out of sheer spite, which defeated the entire concept of protest and delighted everyone.

"Traitor’s comfortable," Maddie noted.

"Treason is cozy," Valentina said dreamily, and kissed the corner of his jaw.

The Goddess reached over then, her fingers threaded softly through his, and the touch quieted the noise around him for half a breath. It was delicate, intimate, and without any of the teasing sharpness the others had been using to flay him alive.

"Let them tease," she said softly. "You are happy. That is beautiful."

Phei looked at her, and for a moment the laughter inside the limousine became something warmer, something that did not mock but held him. Her eyes were gentle, the faint pink hue in them luminous beneath the interior lights, and her thumb brushed over the back of his hand as though smoothing some old ache he had not noticed rising.

Then, because mercy apparently had limits even in divine women, she added, "Still Grandma’s boy, though."

Phei stared at her.

The car nearly died from laughter.

Even Patricia lowered her face, shoulders shaking with quiet amusement. The Goddess only smiled at him, soft and merciless, a bewitching contradiction that made betrayal look like a love language. Phei wanted to be offended. He truly did. Unfortunately, her hand was still holding his, Valentina was still draped warm across his lap like a smug feline, and the Goddess’s smile was doing unspeakable damage to his ability to remain dignified.

"You too?" he asked.

"Especially me," she said.

"That hurts more."

"I know."

"Cruel woman."

"My Little Dragon," she said warmly, "you have no idea."