Page 40 of Ravaged For You

“Great. Lucas will talk to your work and organize you to work exclusively as a publicist for the band and, in return, the band will become your work’s clients. That’ll make your boss happy enough not to fire you, right?”

“It sure will. And I’m technically not a publicist. I’m still just an assistant.”

I groan. Fuck.

“Wow. I’m dating an assistant? For heaven’s sake.”

“Hey, I am a real human person.”

I think about how fucking embarrassing this all is. “An assistant…”

I curse Lucas under my breath for putting me in this damn position.

Maddie glowers at me. Hm. She doesn’t like me treating her as just a lowly assistant. Note taken.

“You won’t lose your job, then?” I ask her.

“No, that’ll be more than enough.”

“Okay, then.” I lie back in my chair and drink the rest of the whisky. “That’s my cards all out there on the table. Tell me your conditions, Maddie.”

“Right.”

She reaches into a backpack she’s kept by her feet and pulls out a notebook.

“You’ve prepared notes?” I ask her, gobsmacked and amused in equal measure.

“Yeah, is that a problem?”

“You are hilarious.”

“Why?”

“Such a straight-A student,” I remark. “All prepared and shit. Little perfectionist.”

“What’s wrong with having a notebook?” she asks me.

“Nothing. Just that it means you’re a nerd.”

“Very funny. What are we in, high school?”

“If this were high school, we wouldn’t even be talking, Maddie. You’d be stuck in the library and I’ll be the popular jock surrounded by the horny cheerleading squad.”

“You can drop your bad boy façade, Axel. It’s just us two. You don’t need to impress me. I saw your show the other night.”

That bite returns. Yes. “And what did you think of us?” I ask her.

“Yeah. Good.” She’s nervous as hell.

“Only just good. Maybe I should try and impress you, then.”

“Axel…”

“Okay. Fine. Go ahead and list out your conditions.”

I would never tell her, but I find it adorable she’s brought notes along to this. She’s a good choice for this fake relationship. When Lucas revealed this whole idea to me, I thought I would have to get him sectioned. I did not want this. I did not want to spend months pretending to be all hunky-dory with some chick who insulted me and who very clearly hates my guts. But Maddie does tick all the right boxes for the perfect candidate. Smart, honest, down-to-earth, and – above all - pretty. It’s better to get a geek than some supermodel.

As if reading my mind, Maddie perks up.