Page 36 of Ravaged For You

“Why is all your stuff out on the street, Maddie?”

I stare at the rockstar. “You have no idea of what normal life is, don’t you?” I ask him. “You have no idea what it’s like to have no money, no power, no hope.”

“Well, educate me,” he smirks.

“I didn’t put my stuff out here on purpose,” I reply, my voice low. “If you must know, my landlord has locked me out of my place and threw my shit out.”

“For what?”

“You wouldn’t understand. What do you think, Axel? I’m unable to pay my rent. Of course you would not comprehend a problem like that, would you, being so rich and sexy beyond comprehension?”

“You’re calling me sexy?”

I groan. “I would rather you just leave me alone. Can’t you see I’m kinda having a problem right now? I would like you to go. Immediately.”

Axel, again, doesn’t say a word to my request. He simply steps forward and then, in a surprise move, sits down beside me in the dirt.

We’re quiet for a long time. Neither of us speaks nor even looks at each other. I gaze upon my things just lying there. I feel a tear drip past my chin and fall to the ground. I wipe my face for a second time.

I hate how vulnerable I am next to this Greek god.

“It’s pretty obvious you need cash,” Axel eventually says softly.

“What does that mean?”

He waves a hand towards my scattered things. “There. Pretty obvious.”

“Get lost,” I retort.

“I can help clean this all up,” he tells me. “All I have to do is call Lucas and all your things will be off the street and into a storage unit within the hour.”

I snort. “I don’t need your help.”

“What about the money for the job Lucas offered you?”

“I won’t do it, Axel.”

“I didn’t want to come here and ask you today,” he says. “It’s fucking demeaning for me, and I still haven’t forgiven you for the crap presentation you gave today.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“But even I can see how good Lucas’ plan might be. It would work. For both of us. I mean, you do need the money.”

“I’m not doing it.”

“Look, it’s gonna be easy. A few months pretending to be my girlfriend, that’s it. Think about it as spending time with someone you just called sexy beyond comprehension. Your words.”

I bow my head. I’m not in the exact right headspace to talk to Axel about this insane job. He seems to understand that. Instead of pressuring me even more, he hands me a card.

“Call me.” I glance down at the card he’s giving me. It has his phone number written on it. “I don’t know why I’m doing it, but as a favor to you I’ll get Lucas to move this stuff for you, free of charge.”

“No conditions?”

“None.”

“Well, thank you.”

“You’re one lucky girl,” Axel says.