Page 69 of Ravaged For You

“That my mother meets yours.”

The demand hits me like whiplash. I instinctively scoff and make a weird face.

“What?”

“You want this fake relationship to seem real, right?” he asks me. “Then our moms should meet. Plus, my mom did kind of pressure me into talking to you about this.”

“My mom lives in Wisconsin,” I reply dismissively. “It’ll be a miracle before she considers coming to LA, even if for just a visit.”

“Call her tomorrow,” Axel suggests.

“She wouldn’t come.”

“At least try,” Axel says. “Then I can tell my mom and get her off my back about all this.”

I roll my eyes. “Fine. If it makes Astrid happy.”

“Thank you, Maddie.”

“So, you’ll stop acting like an idiot and sleep in the bed?”

“Yeah,” Axel replies with a smirk. “I will.”

“Good.”

I head into the bathroom to change, and Axel takes his suit off in the other room. When I emerge, I see that he’s stripped down to just his Calvin Klein’s. I try very hard not to gawp at his lovely muscular body. It’s difficult, to say the least.

That body’s going to be sleeping next to me? Oh, God.

He smiles at me and nods towards the bed. It’s a little bit awkward, and that makes it cute. I never thought he might also find this a bit nerve-wracking too. It’s sweet.

Not being true to our own word, we don’t separate ourselves with a pillow. Axel’s warmth envelops me.

Is this what I want? This man next to me?

It’s too late now.

“Goodnight, Maddie.”

Axel’s turned away from me. He’s so close I swear I can hear his heartbeat.

“Goodnight, Axel.”

I keep myself still. I try to breathe in a regular pattern. I try not to think about the kiss we shared only hours ago. I try not to fantasize about Axel attempting any funny business.

I don’t know what I would do if he did.

I remain calm. I count out the money from this job. The money that can change the lives of both my mother and me.

And then I slowly drift to sleep.

31

MADDIE

After breakfast, when Axel leaves to practice with his band, I get the courage to call my mom. I’ve been dreading the call all morning. I even try to catch up on some publicity work for the band that Lucas has sent through to my email simply so that I have a flimsy excuse not to call her.

After the very public kiss last night, I am barred from leaving the hotel. It’s such a weird thought to know that there are men with cameras on the street just below that know my face and name now, and who are willing to do almost anything to get a photo of me. As Axel tells me, one step out there and I’ll be ambushed. I don’t doubt he’s lying. I’ve seen what those men are like.