Page 58 of Ravaged For You

“Good boy, at least I’ve raised him well in that respect.”

I sigh and sit down next to Drake, who’s still intently observing my mother and Maddie’s interaction.

“Let’s talk about something else,” I offer the table. “How was your flight over, Mom?”

Everyone ignores me.

“I grew up in Wisconsin,” Maddie tells my mother.

“Good. A strong independent midwestern girl to toughen Axel up, just what he needs.”

“I’m not exactly that…”

“Sure, you are. I can see it already. You’re exactly what Axel needs to get his head out of his own ass. Pardon my French. I would love to meet your mother. Is she in LA or back home in Wisconsin?”

“Back home.”

“Well, hopefully, we meet soon. I would very much like to get to know you more, Miss Leaver. If Axel allows us to and stops his huffing and puffing.”

“I’m not huffing and puffing.”

“I’m glad I’ve come here today,” Mom announces. “Axel would never have told me about you, Maddie, so I’m glad I’ve come out properly instead of having to hear about you from Lucas. It’s very interesting for Axel to have an actual girlfriend, you see. You must really have something to catch his eye.”

She glances between us two.

For like the fiftieth time in the last ten minutes, I groan.

26

MADDIE

“I’m sorry you met my mother,” Axel says to me as we leave the nightclub. He’s holding my hand again as we head for the back exit through the kitchen, making me go all gooey inside despite my head’s resistance.

“Why would you be sorry?” I ask him. “That was a lot of fun. The best trip I’ve had to a nightclub.”

He shakes his head and gingerly lowers his eyes. “She’s embarrassing.”

It’s cute witnessing him squirm like this, and it was genuinely fun meeting Astrid Stoll. She’s the life and soul of the party. I can see where Axel got his good looks and his charm from. She certainly is not who I expected at all. I didn’t even know who to expect from a mother of a playboy rockstar. I really like the way Axel – and even the other boys of Ravaged – were respectful and deferential towards her. She has a matriarchal power over them that was amazing to see, and their love for her was evidential.

What’s the saying about how the key to a boy’s heart is through his mother?

I mean, I don’t know much about boys, but what I do know is that how they treat their mother is a big indicator of who their character really is.

And Axel treats his mother like a saintly angel. Even if he does get visibly embarrassed by her.

It warms my heart as I saunter out of the nightclub kitchens with the rockstar holding my hand.

“I’m glad you like her, though,” Axel says quietly. Right now, in this moment, he’s no longer the cool playboy. He’s now just a boy happy that his new girlfriend likes his mom.

Even if I am a fake girlfriend.

“She’s easy to get on with,” I say. “I enjoyed talking to her.”

“Mom loves to tease me, especially in public, but I could tell she really enjoyed talking to you. Both of you having a laugh at my expense…”

“Now, that was fun. You need to be lowered down a peg or two, Axel. Stop all this music and fame stuff getting to your head.”

“Very funny.”