Page 21 of Property of Fox

The receptionist hands over two key cards with a smile, her gaze lingering a little too long on the tattooed arms peeking from the sleeves of my jacket. I flash her a smile, hoping to distract from the absurdity of my current situation as Eden swings around, giddy like a kid in a candy store.

“We’re on the top floor. The receptionist said the elevator is this way.” The three of us follow Eden to the elevators. The expansive doors open with a thud before we all usher inside. Eden scans one of the key cards before punching in our floor on the keypad.

As the elevator doors slide shut, I feel the air thicken with anticipation. Eden’s practically vibrating beside me, her hair bouncing as she chatters excitedly about how the signing is going to be a huge hit. Hallie stands opposite us, leaning against the elevator wall.

“Just think you might leave here with a fan club. Or at least a handful of love letters. Who knows?”

I roll my eyes, crossing my arms defensively. “More like hate mail,” I mutter, shooting a look at Eden, who feigns horror.

“Hate mail? Please! My book is all about the swoon-worthy charm of Ares,” she declares dramatically, emphasizing thename as if it were carved in stone. “You’re practically a hero in those pages.”

“Right, because I aspire to be immortalized as some fictional boyfriend," I say dryly.

The elevator dings softly, and the doors open to reveal the plush hallway filled with the soft hum of chatter echoing from behind closed doors. Eden steps out first, tugging me along like an eager pup.

Eden walks towards two doors at the end of the hallway. “This is you,” Eden says to Hallie, handing her one of the keycards. She and Az disappear into the room, leaving me with Eden.

“And my room is?”

“With me. We talked about this, Foxy. Appearances are everything. How would it look if we stayed in separate rooms?” Eden scans the keycard, and the door clicks. She opens the door, heading inside first. I follow behind her and close the door. It’s not until the door clicks shut that I realize how deep in this bullshit I am.

“It’s beautiful,” she gasps behind me. I turn to see what she’s talking about and damn near go into shock at the space in front of us. The suite is pure luxury, adorned in deep blues and plush golds that practically scream money. A sprawling king-sized bed takes center stage, draped in an ornate comforter that looks more like a throne than a place to sleep. A massive window stretches along one wall, revealing an expansive view of the city skyline lit up against the dusk. Eden spins in place, her rainbow hair catching the light as she dances toward the floor-to-ceiling windows. “Look at this view!

I lean against the wall, arms crossed tightly over my chest, feeling like an unwilling participant in Eden's whirlwind of enthusiasm. “I can’t help but notice there’s only one bed.”

“And? It’s not like we haven’t slept together before, Foxy. It’ll be fine. You stay on your side. I’ll stay on mine. You can even build a pillow fort between us if you’re so modest about two consenting adults sleeping in the same bed.”

I let out a groan, rubbing my temples as if the pressure of the whole situation could be relieved by sheer willpower.

Maybe I should have stayed with the sky police after all.

BREA

“Stop fidgeting,”Keira remarks as I tug down the emerald green.

“I wouldn’t have to keep tugging it down if it didn’t ride up.”

Keira rolls her eyes as she adjusts her own leather jacket over the sleek black mini dress she wears. “You look stunning, even if you’re treating that poor dress like it’s trying to escape.” Me and the dress both. When Keira said it was a welcome party for the book signing tomorrow, I didn’t expect to walk into the hotel bar and have every seat be filled with ladies in prom dresses, tiaras,and cocktails, along with guys wearing skin-tight unbuttoned dress shirts or shirtless cuts to show off their abs. Keira squeals next to me.

“Oh my god. This is amazing!”

It’s something alright. It’s an anxiety attack waiting to happen. Parties were never really my thing, considering my sheltered upbringing, but large crowds and I have never mixed well. Seeing the throng of people in the bar sets my nerves on end. If the welcome party is this busy, how many people will be at the signing tomorrow?

“Look, B! Over there in the rainbow dress. It’s Jaime Russell. Oh! Melissa Filla is next to her. We should go say hi.”

“You go right ahead. I think I’ll stay right here. It’s less people-y.”

“Oh no, we’ve come this far. You aren’t going to chicken out. Besides, the welcome party may be your best chance to get time to talk to Eden Anderson. She’s going to be so busy tomorrow that she may not have time to really talk about her books. You know I have a million questions I want to ask about Ares.”

“I don’t see her,” I declare, scanning the crowd around us. “I doubt she’d come to something like this.”

“Um, hello, she’s the event sponsor. Of course, she’ll be here. Come on, let’s take a lap and see if we can find her.”

Keira grabs my hand and drags me through the crowd, her excitement palpable as she weaves like an expert through clusters of giggling girls and their swaggering dates. I stumble behind her, trying to keep up without getting knocked into someone else’s cocktail or tripping over a purse that looks more like it could be a suitcase. Just as we're approaching what seems like the prime selfie spot—an elaborate backdrop festooned with glittering fairy lights—she suddenly lets go.

“Be right back!” she shouts over the music before disappearing into the throng.

And just like that, I’m alone again in this pulsating sea of humanity. The vibrant chatter swells around me but feels isolating rather than communal. Every laugh rings louder than my own heartbeat thudding in my ears. This isn’t really where I want to be but slipping away would mean letting Keira down and she has already done so much for me.

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