Page 27 of Fox
I walk over to Lauren and motion for her to follow me to the front room. I sit on the black leather chairs in the waiting room and cross my legs.
“How long have you been coming here?” I ask her after sending a text to Brody.Where the hell is he? I swear to god if he is standing me up for this opening.
“Oh, five years, probably. I got my first tattoo from Fox after finishing my first year in law school.” Her bow-shaped lips form a small smile as she rotates her leg to show the tattoo on her calf. It’s a black and gray portrait of Lady Justice, holding the scales and tears falling from under her blindfold.
“My god, she is stunning,” I whisper as I stare over the piece in awe, as always, by Fox’s work.
“So, Fox wasn’t kidding?” I ask as I glance back up to look out the window.
Whereis Brody?
Lauren laughs lightly. “He calls me their attorney because the guys hate Frank. But no, I just give them advice. But I’m not dumb enough to actually be their attorney. Those men would put me in an early grave trying to handle them all.” She jokes, and I give her a slight chuckle. As if she can sense my distraction, she cocks her head and gives me a sympathetic look. “When is your date supposed to be here?”
Looking down at my phone, I sigh before giving her a small smile. “About thirty minutes ago, he would’ve been consideredfashionably late.” I see her wince, and I shrug, trying to put on mybest face. “Not the first time I’ve been stood up onmy birthday. I’ll give him a few more minutes and then just head home.” I’m so fucking annoyed. And not entirely at Brody, but at myself, too. Why? Because I believed he would show up, and here I am, all dressed up and left to look like an idiot in front of everyone and like a flake to the club owners. I feel my tremors kicking up, and I know I need to get out of here. I don’t want to be looked at with pity, and I know it’s coming. I need to go home, send the club owners their money back, and figure out what I will do.
“What?” Lauren whines out while shaking her head. “No! Absolutely not! You look so pretty! You can’t waste that outfit. If your boyfriend is too dumb to realize what he’s missing, we’ll get the guys to take you out.” My eyes widen as it’s my turn to shake my head, albeit far more frantically.
“Oh no! I mean, that’s sweet, but the guys and I don’t really get along that well and Brody isn’t actually my boy—” I stop talking as I hear Fox yell out a“MOTHER FUCKER”before his large body storms in from the backroom. He looks livid with his darkening eyes and tense jaw. “What’s wrong?” I ask nervously, half preparing to jump on the defense if his anger is directed at me. I watch Atlas and Ash follow him to where Ren and I are sitting.
“Janie,” Ash starts while rubbing his neck nervously. “You’re waiting on that Brody guy, right?” I nod slowly, dread creeping up my body. Has he been in an accident? Ash holds out his phone, but I can’t grab it because my hands are trembling. Instead, I just stare at the live video on his screen, and I instantly begin to deflate. In the video, Brody is getting a lap dance from Royce at the club we are supposed to be at together.Perfect.
I take a deep breath and smile at the group, even though I’m mortified. How can I play it off like I don’t care when dressed like this? “Well,” I force out a laugh that sounds more like a breathy sob. “It looks like he got the party started already.”My voice cracks, and so does any confidence I had with it. How could he humiliate me like this? And on my birthday. Shocker, Brody has become just another person, another man, to embarrass me publicly on my birthday. The entire internet is getting to see that I’m not only losing my touch as an influencer, but I fucked over the club, and my boyfriend has moved on before I even had time to make a fucking statement. Goddamn it!
“I guess I should get going,” I say and begin to walk to the back room when a strong hand grabs my trembling wrist. As I’m about to pull away, I look to see it’s Fox, and god help me; I let him hold me. I shouldn’t, I really, really shouldn’t let him this close, but he’s all I have, and I want him to make me feel better like the other night on the video call.
“We will take you out.” Fox’s definitive tone leaves no room for debate, not that it stops me from trying.
“No, really… I am fine, just going—”
“Oh, come on!” Lauren pleads. “I know I could use a couple of drinks after my week, and since these three are quite the gentleman,” I watch as she gives them all warning glances. “I’m sure they would love to treat us to a night of partying.” I look from the guys to Lauren and back before sighing in defeat and nodding. I really could use a drink.
“Okay, let’s go.”
TWELVE
fox
“One! Two! Three! Drink!” Ren shouts, and I grimace as she, Janie, Atlas, and Ash down another shot. I stopped counting half an hour ago. It’s ridiculous how much alcohol the four of them are consuming, and I know,I fucking know,this night is going to end with all of them at my goddamn house. When we got here, I ordered a beer, but halfway through my bottle, when I watched Janie try to play a game of shots with Ren, it became abundantly clear I would have to be the designated driver. So, here I stand, overheated, overstimulated, and too fucking sober to be in this fucking nightclub. I’m going to beat Derek’s ass tomorrow for getting out of coming here, leaving me as the old man here. I didn’t want to come, god knows I didn’t. But when I saw that look of panic on Janie’s face, how could I leave her? I don’t know what’s going on between her and that stupid waste of oxygen, Brody, but when I see him again, I’m breaking his nose for upsetting her. And possibly a rib for causing me to come to this place. I mean, fuck, why is it so hot and loud?
“Ren!” Janie’s way too drunken voice sings out. “Take a selfie with me!” She squishes her sweaty face against Ren’s as they take several pictures together.
“Are you trying to make Brody jealous?” Ren asks while taking a drink. Janie shrugs as she grips the table for support. The girl is in eight-inch heels, what is she thinking?
“I mean… It would be a nice bonus.” Janie smiles mischievously.
“Wanna make him really jealous?” Ren matches Janie’s grin while grabbing Janie’s phone and handing it to Atlas, who is standing on the other side of the table. Ren curls her finger, motioning for Janie to come closer.
“Are you recording Atlas?” Though thoroughly confused, Atlas nods while staring at the phone screen. Ren grabs either side of Janie’s face, and—oh my fucking christ. They’re kissing.
“Oh my god,” Atlas gasps. “This is the greatest day of my fucking life!” He cheers while high-fiving Ash. I roll my eyes at the childishness happening between all these drunken idiots.
“That’ll get him going!” Ren beams, and I can’t help but scoff as I sip on my water.
“Yeah, make sure you get those precious likes. God forbid you talk to him instead of fighting over the internet.” Janie seems to sober at my words. It doesn’t last long, though, as she shakes her body before grinning at me.Oh, this can’t be good.
“Foxy!” she calls as she stumbles over to me. I catch her, my hand holding firm against her flat stomach. I watch her cheeks go red from the alcohol and heat, I’m guessing, as I guide her to my stool and help her sit down. God, I want to be at home. I have been told by all of them to go home, but how can I when she—theyneed me?
“Foxy, can I have that?” She jabs my bun on the back of my head, and I stare at her in confusion.
