Property of Fox (Mayhem Makers: Bastard Boilers MC)

8. Fox

FOX

I step through the glass doors with my bag, the fluorescent lights of the airport fading behind me. My delightful time with the federal air marshal’s office and T.S.A. is now finally over. After three hours of questioning, background checks, bag searches, and even a cavity search, likely thanks to the hulk of an air marshal who plane-jailed me, I am ready to get the fuck out of this place.

Az, Hallie, and Eden stand in a semi-circle waiting for me.

Eden, brightly vibrant with her rainbow hair, bounces on her heels, her perpetual energy seemingly contagious. Hallie stands beside her, a confident smile breaking across her face as she waves enthusiastically. At the same time, Az's tall frame looms protectively at her side, his blue eyes scanning the area.

"There you are! Did they buy you dinner before or after the cavity search?” Eden smiles.

“I don’t kiss and tell about my time with the sky cops," I shoot back.

Hallie shifts beside Az. She leans closer to him, whispering something that makes him chuckle softly, a sound that sends a warmth through my chest.

“So…do you get to stay, or are they going to deport you back to Indiana?” Hallie asks.

“First off, this is still the USA. They can’t deport me back to another state. Secondly, yes, I can stay. Getting home, on the other hand, is going to be a bit of a different story.”

“They put you on the no-fly list for flirting with a flight attendant?” Az chuckles.

“Turns out, he’s the fucking grand poohbah of the federal air marshals for this area. Of all the women to flirt with, it had to be his girl. I swear someone’s cursed me.”

“No one has cursed you,” Hallie reassures me. “You just don’t know when to keep it in your pants.”

If they only knew just how wrong that statement is right now. It’s been months since I fell into bed with one of my regular booty calls. Turns out, the older you get, the more they want commitment and not just a damn good dicking.

Eden’s eyes twinkle as she pokes my arm. “Well, look on the bright side! You could always write

“Hey, at least you’re here now,” Az says, tightening his protective grip around Hallie's waist. “Let’s get you out of this place before they decide to launch a second round of questioning.”

“No argument there,” I reply. “Lead the way.”

Eden retrieves her phone from her pocket. I watch as her fingers fly over the screen. “The car service should be here in a few minutes.”

Just then, a black SUV pulls up in front of us, its tinted windows making it look distinctly like something out of a movie. The driver steps out, greeting us with a respectful nod. Eden jumps into action, leading the way. “You first, my dear prisoner!”

With a chuckle and a mock bow, I slide into the back seat, followed closely by Hallie and Az, who settle next to each other. Eden perches herself in the front passenger seat, smiling wide.

“Because of Fox’s date with the plane police, we’re going to miss the grand entrance, but there’s still the welcome party tonight.”

“Oh, right!” Halle exclaims. “The Prom Night.”

My ears perk up at the word prom. Az looks over to me with the same bewilderment in his eyes. “Prom?”

“Oh yeah,” Hallie chimes in. “Everyone is supposed to dress up. like we’re going to prom. It’ll be fun.”

“The fuck it will. I am not doing that.”

Eden shifts in her seat, glaring at me. “Yes, you are. Remember, you agreed to this weekend, and you’re being compensated for your time. The welcome party isn’t up for negotiation.”

I feel the air in the SUV grow thick with tension. Hallie and Az exchange a glance as if silently weighing the pros and cons of deterring me from my stubbornness.

“C’mon, Fox,” Hallie says sweetly, her emerald eyes shining with encouragement. “You can’t just waltz in looking like you crawled out of a dumpster after your airport adventure. How are we supposed to make you our mascot for this weekend without something a little flashy?”

“A mascot?” I quirk an eyebrow, my amusement creeping back in despite my reluctance. “I didn’t sign up to be your spirit animal.”

“Nope! You agreed to help work my table and pose as my fake boyfriend, and that means embracing everything my publisher and I require of you, including dressing up for a welcome party,” she adds with a mischievous grin, “the girls love a bad boy in a suit.”

“I’m not sure ‘bad boy’ and ‘suit’ should even be uttered in the same sentence,” I retort, crossing my arms defiantly over my chest.

“You can wear your leather jacket over it,” she replies smoothly, completely ignoring my resistance. “Add some killer boots. It’ll be perfect!”

“Lighten up, man. It’s just a party. Plus, it could get you some attention from the ladies.”

“That’s rich coming from you considering you’re here with your girl, and I am here playing the fake boyfriend,” I shoot back.

“Hey, it’s not my fault you’re lacking in the commitment department.” Az laughs, tilting his head toward Hallie. “And besides, everyone knows you love the attention. You just don’t want to admit it.”

“There’s a difference between attention and fucking embarrassment.”

“It’s a fine line, but trust me, my publisher won’t embarrass you too badly,” Eden reassures me. “They’ve already sent over something for you to wear tonight, and they have your outfit ready for tomorrow. The hair and makeup crew will be by first thing in the morning.”

“You know what. I think I’d rather take my chances with the handsy air marshal than anything you just said, Eden.”

She laughs. “Isn’t it fun to see him squirm?”

“No. It’s fucking not,” I mutter under my breath.

“I’m enjoying it,” Az remarks.

“You would, asshole. I’m just glad the rest of the club isn’t here to see me at rock bottom.”

“Oh, you don’t need to worry about that,” Hallie beams over at me. “I promised the guys lots of pictures.”

“Traitor.”

“More like an equal opportunist. You wouldn’t want the guys to miss out on this, would you?”

“I want to miss out on this spectacle.”

“Too bad,” Eden chimes in. “Hope you have your game face ready, Foxy, because we’re here, and it looks like a fair number of readers are outside.”

The SUV pulls to a stop outside the hotel where the event is taking place. The driver opens the door for us, and as I step out, a wave of noise hits me. The lobby entrance is adorned with balloons shaped like motorcycles and posters promoting the weekend’s festivities. I see a few attendees milling about, their eyes flickering toward us.

“Help her out,” Az quietly orders.

I toss him a confused look, but he merely gestures toward Eden, who is practically bouncing with excitement. “Seriously? You’re not really going to make me do that?”

“Consider it part of the gig. You want to win over the fans, right?” He raises an eyebrow, a playful challenge glinting in his dark blue eyes.

With a groan, I relent and stride to the passenger side of the SUV where Eden sits waiting for me. I extend my hand out to her, and she slips from the front seat.

“It’s showtime, Foxy.”

“Oh my god! It’s Eden…and is that Ares?” one voice calls out from behind us. I turn just as a petite woman with glasses and sleek short hair approaches me, practically bouncing in excitement.

The crowd’s attention snaps to us like moths drawn to a flame.

“Ladies and gentlemen! May I present my fiancé Ares,” she announces theatrically, throwing her hands in the air like she’s headlining an awards show.

I wince internally as laughter erupts around us. I catch Az shaking his head, but even he can’t hide the smile cracking through his facade of cool indifference. It takes everything I have to control my face.

“Fiancé?” I ask through my gritted smile.

“Of course, we’re getting married. I’m knocked up. We’re telling a love story,” Eden beams at me. She takes my arm, leading me into the hotel where laughter and clinking glasses fill the air. “This? This is just the beginning!” She winks at me over her shoulder, dragging me further into the crowd.

“Can we take a picture with you?” someone calls out.

“Will he sign the book, too?”

“He’s hot,” another voice rings out above the crowd noise.

As we enter the hotel, I can feel the electrifying energy of the crowd swarming around us like bees to honey. It’s like stepping into a different world where authors are rock stars, and I’m suddenly thrust into this bizarre spotlight that I never asked for.

Eden keeps a tight grip on my arm as she pulls me deeper into the throng. “Just smile and act charming. You know the drill,” she exhorts, her enthusiasm infectious despite my growing dread.

“Right, because charming is my middle name,” I mutter, trying to shake off the impending embarrassment threatening to consume me.

Hallie and Az follow closely behind, exchanging knowing looks that only fuel my fiery sense of reluctance. The pair share an effortless connection—something I’d never admit to being envious of. As Hallie waves at a group of fans, her energy radiates warmth, while Az remains stoically protective at her side, ever the guardian of his queen.

“We should already be checked in, but we need to grab the room keys.” Eden releases her grasp on my arm and heads for the front desk. Every pair of eyes in the lobby are on me. Any other time, I wouldn’t mind the attention, but right now, I want to crawl into a hole and hide until this shit is over.

Eden calls from the front desk, her voice slicing through the noise. I summon every ounce of willpower to pull myself away from my wallowing thoughts and stride toward her.

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 the name 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.