Chapter 1488: A Father’s Ransom: The Price of Three Autographs

"Seriously? They can’t even read or even know her." Phei looked back at his wife, hoping she might consider this relevant.

"They will." She rose to kiss him, taking her time until his objection became less urgent. "Please?"

"So this is fatherhood?" He rested his forehead against hers while she laughed and assured him it was only the beginning. "Autographs for people who currently weigh less than some of the meals my little Dragon sister eats."

"Phei!" Her protest made him grin, and he kissed her nose before she could attempt another persuasion he would enjoy far too much to resist.

"Fine. But when those two grow up, I’m telling them their mother started using them to bully me before they even had names."

Melissa rewarded his surrender with another kiss, then released him to collect the signatures.

The crowd around Evy had thinned enough for him to approach, though Clara and Gianna remained nearby discussing photographs. Maddie hovered within an inconvenient distance.

Evy saw him coming, and the easy smile she had worn for her admirers acquired a more personal amusement.

"Well, look who’s finally decided to acknowledge me." She waited for him to reach her, giving him every opportunity to recognise the accusation.

"I’ve acknowledged you." His gaze lingered upon her face before finding her eyes again.

"From a very safe distance." Evy listened to his claim that he had been appreciating her performance without getting near to be called a stalker again, then glanced towards Melissa.

"Of course you were. And how may I help the Young Dragon?"

"I need three autographs." He held up three fingers as her eyebrows rose. "Apparently I’ve become responsible for collecting signatures for people who aren’t even born yet."

"For the twins?" Her teasing eased into a fond smile.

When he added, "And their mother," she laughed:

"That’s adorable."

"It would be more adorable if you signed them before my wife decided I wasn’t trying hard enough." He should have been more suspicious when Evy looked past him towards Melissa, then back at him with renewed interest.

"I’ll do it. But on one condition." She folded her arms, evidently pleased to have found a use for his predicament. "I want you to perform with me. You play the piano, I sing, and we sing together."

Phei stared at her. "How do you know I play the piano?"

"I know things." Her attempt at innocence was ruined by the laughter that followed his demand to know how. "Does it matter?"

Right, she was a stalker who got his private number and hacked his secure phone, what was knowing what he could do?

"Very much." He examined her satisfied expression, and a deeply unwelcome possibility occurred to him. "Wait. I didn’t ask you last time, why did you hacked my phone when you’re the one who branded me a stalker?"

"I was curious," Evy admitted, as comfortably as if that settled the matter.

"It’s a private phone." Several princesses turned at his tone.

Maddie’s attention sharpened with an eagerness that promised him no help whatsoever.

"You make it sound so scandalous." Evy was still smiling, which made his assurance that it was scandalous considerably less effective than he wanted.

It was fucking concerning.

His private phone, for fuck’s sake. He rubbed his forehead, wondering what else she had decided she was curious about. His piano playing was hardly the most troublesome thing she could have discovered, although she apparently knew how well he played.

And that he could sing. Phei lowered his hand and regarded her afresh. "How much did you find?"

"Enough." She offered him nothing more useful before stepping closer. "One performance. You play, and we sing together. Two voices. Afterwards, I’ll sign whatever your lovely wife wants."

He glanced towards Melissa and found her already smiling. Traitor. "What makes you think I want to perform?"

"Because you owe your children three autographs." Evy watched him consider that with bright-eyed satisfaction. Nearby, Clara looked delighted, Gianna appeared ready to summon the rest of the rooftop herself, and Amber covered her laughter with a hand.

Sierra had even taken an unmistakable interest in the proceedings too.

"HE’S GOING TO SING?" Maddie called, accomplishing what Gianna had yet to attempt.

Phei closed his eyes and muttered, "Fuck," while heads turned across the gathering. His family seemed astonished that he had kept his singing and piano playing from them, and far too pleased to let him continue doing so.

Brian and Landon reached him with expressions he distrusted immediately.

David came from the other side, laughing as he urged, "Come on, brother, just one song!"

"David. Don’t." Phei pointed at him, but his friend merely spread an innocent look across his face and waited for the others to do the damage.

"Too late." Landon clapped his shoulder carefully. "You’re performing."

"I haven’t agreed." Phei turned towards Brian, who had apparently decided to make himself even more irritating than usual.

"You have children to think about." Brian said while Landon began steering him towards the grand piano.

Phei’s incredulous, "Oh, fuck off," only encouraged them, and David followed with advice nobody had requested.

He allowed himself the embarrassment of all three in front of his and their women seemed an unkind response to the occasion.

He was trying to be considerate.

They made that decision harder to justify with every step, particularly when the girls began cheering and somebody started a chant that drew in guests who had missed the argument entirely.

Phei could fight World Transcendents and enslave Progenitors yet he apparently couldn’t attend his own family’s celebration without being bullied into a musical performance.

’Absolutely fucking wonderful.’

"Happy?" he asked when they deposited him upon the bench.

"Extremely," Brian answered, while Landon declared that he couldn’t be happier.

David said with a grin. "Play something romantic."

Phei considered throwing them off the roof. Melissa would probably object to the interruption, so he gave them a look they had the good sense to disregard while moving out of reach.

Evy approached to another cheer, and the remaining conversations began to quiet.

Lanterns shone in the piano’s polished black surface, their reflections wavering as people moved around it. Beneath the raised fallboard, the keys lay in immaculate rows. From the bench, he could see the entire gathering spread across the terrace, his friends and women watching with an anticipation even the less enthusiastic guests had begun to share.

He rested a hand near the keys, still without having agreed.

"Well?" Evy prompted, making no attempt to hide her pleasure.

"You’re enjoying this." His accusation earned an immediate "Immensely," and he shook his head before looking towards Melissa.

She met his gaze, laid her hand deliberately upon her belly and rubbed it. Then she raised her eyebrows. Their babies, apparently, still wanted those autographs.

Phei sighed and moved his fingers closer to the keys just as Maya appeared beside him.

With his senses restrained, he had scarcely noticed her approach. Warm light caught in her silver hair as she bent towards him, and her fragrance reached him before her lips neared his ear. He listened to the whisper with his eyes brightening.

By the time a thoroughly shameless grin spread across his face, Maya was already laughing.

Whatever Maya had said achieved what Evy’s bargain, his friends’ encouragement and the princesses’ demands had yet to accomplish. Phei glanced towards Melissa, then turned back to the piano and settled both hands above the keys.

"Fine," he said, making Maya smile more. "I’ll do it."

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A/N: We’ll be going hardcore a bit after this, bit of mystery, the Legacy Princesses awakening and finally, a certain beauty’s time has come to be claimed.