Page 101 of Ravaged For You

“That’s because I am, baby,” he sneers jokily. But then his face turns serious, and he nods towards Ravaged’s private jet. “I wouldn’t mind you coming along, though. You’ve grown on me these last few days, Maddie.”

“Yeah? I’m not too geeky for you?”

“Maybe a little, but I can look past it. What do you say, wanna come with me?”

I nod.

“I would very much like that.”

“Good,” Axel replies.

“Good,” I reply.

We both look over at the private jet in unison.

“Shall we go and see the world?” he asks.

He takes my hand again.

“Yes, please.”

We head up the steps together.

Lucas and the rest of the band are waiting for us on the plane.

“Last night’s photo was the perfect touch,” Lucas says as his way of greeting.

“Good morning to you too, Lucas,” Axel replies.

“Well done, you two.” Lucas does look elated. “That photo drastically helped bump pre-orders for the album; you can see it in the data.”

“Oh nice,” I reply, nodding. At least I’m doing a good job faking that I’m in love with this man currently holding my hand.

The other members of Ravaged thank me in turn.

“You’re a natural,” Drake tells me.

“People love you,” Bishop adds. “And you seem to actually like Axel, though we don’t know why.”

“Shut up,” Axel replies.

“Don’t worry about sales or numbers,” Caspian grunts at me. “Your wellbeing, Maddie, is more important than anything.”

“Thanks, Caspian.”

Axel’s phone rings and he drops my hand to answer it.

“It’s Astrid,” he says. He listens to his mother for a moment before turning back around and handing the phone to me with a quizzical expression on his face. “She’s asking for you.”

Me?

I apprehensively take the phone from him and lift it to my ear.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Maddie. Can you do me a favor and stand away from my son for a moment?”

I mouth sorry to Axel and head towards the plane’s bathroom. I speak to Astrid again the moment I lock the door.