Page 86 of Ravaged For You

I study Axel’s sharp features as he closes his eyes. His strong jawline. His tousled hair. Those dimples. He’s incredibly gorgeous. And cute. But he’s also a rockstar and an infamous playboy. There have been hundreds of girls who’ve fallen in love, up close, with this man’s perfect face. There’s not a chance in a million years a man like this would fall for an ordinary girl like me. That’s what I’ve got to remember about this whole little thing we’ve got going on. This is all fake. A simple contract. It will all end, and soon.

“Come on, let’s get to bed,” I announce, standing up and gesturing Axel to follow me to the bedroom. “I need my beauty sleep before the flight tomorrow.”

The rockstar drowsily gets up from the couch and follows me to bed. He strips down to just his underpants and slides in while I get ready in the bathroom. He’s still awake when I return.

We lie in bed for a long time in silence. I can sense, right next to me, that he’s still awake. I wonder what he’s thinking. Does he know I’m not asleep yet? Is he waiting for me to say something?

For the last few days, I’ve had the constant overwhelming urge to pinch myself. I surprise myself all the time thinking about this crazy-ass situation I’ve somehow fallen into. I’m now a rockstar’s girlfriend. My face is out there on the news and social media right now. There are thousands of girls trying to figure out who I am. Probably thousands of journalists as well, come to think of it. I’m some nobody who’s been photographed kissing one of the sexiest men on the planet. What a ride it’s been, and it’s only going to get crazier.

And that same man is lying next to me.

Yep, I really want to pinch myself.

“Are you awake?”

I hear Axel’s whisper in the dark.

“Yes.”

With my answer, Axel slowly turns over so that he’s facing me. I can’t see him in the pitch blackness of the room, but I can feel his warmth. His hot breath on my neck.

I feel his arm move towards me under the covers until he reaches my thigh. He rests his hand there. My heart rate quickens. I let out an involuntary gasp.

And then the rest of his body moves towards me until he’s so close.

And then he’s kissing me.

Oh, God.

I don’t want to give in to him. I don’t want to be another one of his girls. His one-night flings.

And so, against my own body’s desire, I pull back.

“I can’t do this,” I breathlessly stutter. “I can’t.”

“Okay,” Axel replies. I still can’t see him properly, but I know his eyes are burning into me. “I’m sorry. This is the longest time I’ve gone without touching someone.”

“What, a few days?”

“Yep. I couldn’t control myself.”

I like that. I like how even the mere presence of me in his bed unlocks his desires. His burning need for me. This rockstar who’s willing to break a contract just to have me.

“Let’s just forget about it,” I whisper back.

Forgetting about it is the very last thing I want to do. In another life, I would’ve fallen into that kiss. Fallen into whatever Axel’s next move was going to be. But I can’t trust him. Mom’s words echo in my head from when I was a girl.

You can’t trust men.

Especially the playboy kind, for sure. I know how this all goes. He’s after one thing and when this tour and this deal is over then he’ll discard me like he’s done to countless women.

He can’t control himself? Yeah, that’s what he probably says to all the girls.

We don’t say another word to each other. I turn over and fall asleep with my mother’s voice from my childhood still ringing loud and clear, warning me off men.

Men just like Axel.

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