Page 81 of Ravaged For You

I’m in the restaurant bathroom, glad that neither Astrid nor Axel have decided to follow me in here to check if I’m okay. I just need a minute – or five – to make sure I’ve recovered from whatever the hell that was that just happened with my mother. That entire episode just then was more than one of her usual rants. That was pure venom spitting from her, spraying everyone in sight.

And I hate how Axel and Astrid had to see it.

They must feel so much pity for me, and that’s what I hate the most about what just occurred. I’m so damn embarrassed that they saw my own mom treating me like that. Saying those words. Insulting me and them.

Mom’s aggressive words should sting, but I actually don’t feel any hurt from her. Mom’s insults today have ridden over me like a slight gust of wind, which has never happened before.

I’m actually happy.

Axel stood up for me. In front of Mom.

Axel called me an angel. Sure, it wasn’t me that stood up to her – I didn’t fulfill my New Year’s resolution – but Axel spoke for the both of us.

Ready to face my fake boyfriend and his mom, I check myself one last time in the mirror. I can’t get rid of all traces of my tears, but at least now I appear stoic.

Strong.

I’m not going to let Mom get me down.

I stroll out of the bathroom with my head held high, and then I nearly run into a man I recognize immediately.

“Winston?”

My boss and I avoid collapsing into each other as he leaves the male bathroom. He instinctively grabs my shoulder to stop us both before it’s too late, and then he looks me up and down. He’s clearly as surprised as I am.

“Maddie?”

“What are you doing here?” I ask. It’s pretty stupid to ask, seeing as we’re in a restaurant, but I just blurt it out awkwardly anyway.

“I’m having a business lunch… how’s Axel? How’s all that going? I saw it on the news.”

I blush. I’m constantly forgetting how weird and unusual it must be for people that know me to suddenly get confronted by a viral photo of me kissing one of the most famous men on the planet.

“Yeah, it’s been a whirlwind couple of days.”

“I bet,” Winston replies. He looks uneasy talking any further about his employee’s love life. “I saw the reports you’ve posted into work. Fantastic stuff, Maddie.”

“Thanks.”

“And now you and Axel are together?”

He doesn’t know it’s fake. Lucas has really tightly kept that under wraps.

“It’s a long story,” I reply sheepishly. “Actually, he’s here somewhere. I’m having lunch with Axel and his mom.”

“I’ll come and say hi.”

“Oh, you don’t have to do that.”

Winston shrugs. “I’m in the good books with the nieces, talking about how I’ve met Ravaged. Maybe I can get a photo with him and then I’ll be the coolest uncle in the world.”

I laugh. “That’s fair enough.”

My boss follows me back to the table. If he's noticed the dried tears on my face, then he doesn’t mention them. I’m thankful.

Astrid and Axel both look up as I approach, concern etched on their faces. It’s kinda cute how much Axel seems to care. He’s let me see a little bit past his cool exterior. He gets up to invite me back to the table. Now, that’s sweet.

But Astrid’s worry changes immediately into shock when she sees Winston following behind me.