Page 47 of Fox
As we reach the door,Lilyscoffs, “Then get the hell off of Tinder if you got someone, you pig.”
My body freezes halfway through the door. Fox mutters afuckunder his breath, and wow, don’t I feel like a fucking idiot. My eyes trail up to the man next to me. His look is pleading and full of guilt. His mouth goes to speak to me, but I don’t want to hear whatever shit he has to say.
“Jan—” I slam the door in his face, leaving him outside with Atlas and the Tinder girl.
Most of theafternoon is spent with Fox and I desperately trying to avoid one another at any cost. Thankfully, it isn’t too hard, as he’s been working on an appointment for the last three hours. I sit in my dad’s office, staring at the old folder of my artwork, and sigh as the familiar feeling of loss and embarrassment fills me. God, what he said last night will never leave me. Mainly because I’ve heard something similar before; I remember the disappointment on my dad’s face when my sketches went from the way they were in this folder to what I showed Fox’s client yesterday. Shaking my head, I rest back against the chair and curse as my treacherous brain goes back to Lily and the whole Tinder thing. At the Ren party, Atlas talked about wanting to put Tinder on Fox’s phone, but for whatever reason, I just thought Fox decided against it. Okay, notfor whatever reason. I was hoping he chose not to after the bedroom, and yesterday with me comforting him. But apparently my hopes have gone unanswered. Fox is active on the app, and Lilysaw him and it told her he was close. Then I went out there looking like a goddamn psychotic girlfriend.I’m an idiot.
That’s it, I need to focus my attention on something else…someoneelse. I’ve wasted enough energy on that asshole. There are plenty of others who could use my attention.
Like the one that vandalized my shop.
My eyes narrow as I think back to the shop’s window, and I pull out my phone. I scroll through the hundreds of unanswered texts until I find Brody’s name and quickly tap out a message.
Me: I know what you did. Next time, wear a hat to cover your purple hair.
I’m shocked at the swiftness of his reply.
Brody: No idea what you are talking about, Jai. I’m really worried about you. I know we are having issues, but I still care and want you to get the help you need.
Me: Wow. Are you planning on uploading these texts to make you look more like the victim? You won, okay? You canceled me, enjoy the fame you got by riding me into the ground.
Brody: It was never about the fame, Jai. It was about us. I just cared more about this relationship, I guess. That isn’t your fault.
Me: You know what’s funny? Never would I, nor will I, run you through the mud the way you’ve done me. We both know the internet might hate me, but that’s only because I haven’t fought back. My following is bigger than yours will ever be Brody. Hell, I’ve lost more followers than you’ve ever had, and I still have multiple times your number. All it would take is one photo, and you would be destroyed. Keep that in mind the next time your dumbass decides to vandalize my father’s building.
The dots appearand then disappear, never coming back. Growling in frustration, I put my phone down. What am I going to do? This was supposed to be a middle finger to Fox, to show him I can run Hel’s, and then leave. But now, the thought of not only leaving the shop at the end of the year but also leaving Fox puts an ache in my chest I don’t know how to deal with,especially since he apparently wants nothing but the barest of friendships with me.
TWENTY-TWO
janie
“You know we’re closed next week, right?” Fox asks from his station while I put the mop away. It’s the first time we’ve spoken since the Lily debacle this morning. It’s closing time, and we’re the only two left in the shop, not that it should matter. He and I have been alone together a lot recently, but after this afternoon and us not speaking at all, it feels weird.
Stretching my arms over my head, I let out a small groan. “Yeah, I remember the convention. I’m supposed to go to a meet and greet, but other than that, I’ll probably use the time to order inventory for the shop and get my stuff organized back at my apartment.”
Fox drops a box of gloves. “You’re going back to your place?” The sharp tone in his deep voice does nothing to hide his irritation.Interesting.
“Yeah, I mean you won’t be at your house, and I’m sure you’re ready to have your place back to yourself.” I try to fake a laugh, but it comes out weird and strangled. The truth is, I don’t want to go back to that apartment. It’s lonely and empty, and I probably still have people waiting to harass me.
“Stay as long as you need to. You don’t bother me.” He mutters as he becomes overly focused on lining up the labels on his ink bottles. My heart begins to flip-flop in my chest, and I go to tell him he better not be so nice to me, or I might never leave. Until I hear a familiar notification chime, and my whole body deflates.
“Ah, another Tinder hit.” I try to make it sound like a joke, but it comes out more like a bitter comment.
Fox rubs his forehead as his eyes look away, but it does nothing to hide his blush. He snatches his phone off his workstation and turns it on silent mode while mutteringfucking damn itunder his breath.
“No! Well… Yeah, it is. But look, I didn’t download it. At did.” Is that supposed to make it okay?
But why isn’t it okay? He’s single.The churning in my stomach tells me exactly why it’s not okay. Somehow, the man I hated to my very core has found a way to twist my hatred into something else. Something warm and nice, but also confusing and uncomfortable.
“Well,” I force a small smile his way, even though I want to fucking die inside. Why does this have to bother me as much as it does?
Maybe because a couple of weeks ago, he kissed me in a way that I had never experienced, and then we did it again in his bed. Maybe it’s the debates over dinners, the fighting over who gets the bigger shower first, even though I could obviously use the smaller one. Or perhaps it’s because I wake up in the morning dreading the day, and he always tries to do something to ease my mind.
It could be that intoxicating smell of his that makes me want to steal his clothes so his presence can consume me. Or maybe it’s the way his hazel eyes stare at me and make me feel warm and safe. Maybe it’s all those things. Perhaps it’s none of them.He’s never given me any indication it could be anything else. And it makes me angry, mean, and jealous, and I want to rage and break things because if I don't, I will keep wanting it to be all of those things, and I can’t; it hurts too much.
“Well, what?” Fox says as he crosses his thick, veiny arms over his immaculately sculpted chest.
Damn it Janie! Stop thinking about his body!
