Page 26 of Ravaged For You

“She was not just some fawning fangirl,” Lucas says in an authoritative tone. “She was a plant from a tabloid website. Presumably, she was paid a handsome sum for that footage.”

“Fuck, fuck, fuck.”

What will the band think? What will my fans think? What will my mom say? Chloe?

Sure, it’s the modern era and people aren’t so squeamish about sex, but I just know people will hate to see something like this on their screens. I’m not that much of an idiot to comprehend the consequences of this. I’m really living up to my stupid nickname, that’s for sure.

“Fuck, indeed,” Lucas remarks, turning off the TV to spare me some dignity. “I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that this isn’t going to play well. At all.”

I shake my head and swear a few more times. “Yep. Fuck.”

“I’ve gone into damage control mode. I’m trying to limit it. Call in favors from the press. But even I can’t work miracles, Axel. This is bad.”

“What do the boys think?”

Lucas sighs and rubs his forehead. I’ve rarely seen him so rattled.

“You’ll have to talk to them yourself. I’m not going to be some messenger.”

“Fuck.”

“You’re going to have to sort this,” my manager says. “Somehow.”

“Fuck.”

“Come on,” my manager says. “Less swearing and more action. Time to get up and dressed. We’ve still got that meeting at the publicity office today. Let’s see what they make of this.”

12

MADDIE

Of course I see the news. I may be a geek and sometimes completely clueless about modern pop culture trends, but even the footage of Axel Stoll fucking some emo girl with a very high-pitched annoying voice is hard for me to avoid. Especially so when every single person at work badly wants to thrust that same footage in my face everywhere I go because they know I’m supposed to have a meeting with said guy in a matter of hours.

Let’s just say that the footage has thrown a real spanner in the works when it comes to the report I’m supposed to present to the band today. I’ve been working on a marketing strategy for Ravaged’s latest album all night, sleeping on and off, trying so desperately to save my ass at work, that when I eventually see the footage in the morning, my heart immediately drops.

“Oh, crap.”

That was my initial reaction to seeing Axel’s bare ass as he fucks the girl. The footage is pretty damn raw, but at least the tabloid has the decency to blur his cock. But not his ass.

And what a damn fine ass it is.

No, don’t think about Axel’s perfectly tight ass, instead let’s think about the fact you’re about to lose your job, Maddie.

I try to avoid watching the video till the very end, which is hard when people constantly try to show me it all day. I get the gist. There’s no need to watch five minutes of two people grunting to-and-fro to understand that this whole thing really ruins the report I had ready.

It’s perfect timing. Just as they’re about to start the promotional tour for Staying At Her Place.

To be honest, I didn’t expect Ravaged to even turn up to the meeting today. I would’ve thought they view the whole thing as a lost cause.

But they do.

They come to the office. Again. Still looking like they really don’t belong in such a banal and humdrum setting as this.

I rise from my desk as they enter the office. Everyone’s head turns, and I know they’re looking at Axel especially. So do I.

He’s actually got a pretty ashen-faced expression. That’s a surprise. Knowing his usual arrogant attitude, I would’ve guessed he wouldn’t give a fuck about the whole situation. I guess he only cares about things once they affect his band. It seems like the most vain and pompous guy on the planet actually gives a damn about something, even if it is about his ass in the thralls of sex plastered all over the internet.

Well, serves the cocky asshole right, I guess.