Page 48 of Electric Touch

Her face is so open and her laughter genuine as she chats with them all. Alessa still looks wary, but that could just be her normal face. Then she laughs at something Adrestia tells her. Jenna shrieks and claps her hands. I want to know what they’re saying and walk over.

I lean on the arm of the sofa next to where she’s sitting. Adrestia tilts her head to look up at me, smiling softly. “Hey, are you ready to get out of here?”

“Oh, yeah, if you are,” she turns back to the others and wishes them all a goodnight.

“Wait,” Jenna pulls out her phone and a round of number swapping starts.

My eyebrows lift as Dylan grins. Jordan sees us to the door. Adrestia was talking to him for a while in the kitchen earlier and she seems to have won him over.

“Next time Archer comes to play, you gotta be here. And you gotta use those skills I know you were hiding tonight,” he tells her. “And if you’re interested in the drums, hit me up. I know a guy.”

“Thanks, but let me master the guitar first,” she smiles.

“Which will be in about two weeks’ time,” I interject. “She’s a natural.”

“Nothing sexier than seeing a woman wield an instrument.”

“Fuck,” I laugh as Adrestia’s cheeks blush again.

Jordan widens his eyes comically. “I didn’t mean it like that, you filthy minded pair. I meant seeing my woman play music makes my heart flutter.”

“Yeah, right,” Ciro says as he walks past us. He says goodnight to Adrestia, no one else, and leaves.

“Is he always like that?” Adrestia asks.

“Yep. We’re used to it. Give him time, he’ll start ignoring you too.”

I slap hands with Jordan, shout goodbye again, and then steer Adrestia out into the hallway. Ciro is gone, so it means we have to wait for an age for the elevator to come back up. She makes small talk about how much fun she had, and how nice everyone was. I hold her door open for her when we get to Ciro’s car. She thanks me, a soft smile on her lips as she takes her seat.

Once I’m in and started up the car, I ask her to direct me. I don’t know how to get to her place from here. “You have the right idea with the subway,” I point out. “Although not at night.” I add, looking over at her, ready to tell her off if she says she does that.

“I don’t use it after eight unless I’m with someone. Relax.” She sees right through me.

“Good.”

“You look like your brother,” she says, after directing me to take a left at the traffic lights.

“That can’t be right. He’s ugly.”

“No, he’s not. He’s a really good looking man.”

I side-eye her and she grins. “Hilarious.”

“I like to think so.”

“Alessa didn’t give you any shit, did she?”

“Nothing I couldn’t handle, but it’s clear she is looking out for you. She threatened me.”

“What?” I almost hit the brakes.

“I told you, it was fine.” She lays a hand on my forearm. “Plus, it’s a sign she cares about you. She’s a good friend.”

I bark out a laugh. She’s right. I care about everyone in my band. Mostly, but I won’t go there right now. Still, I don’t like the thought of Alessa threatening her.

“Thank you for inviting me. I had a lot of fun.”

“No problem.” She directs me a few more blocks before I speak again. “Did you hold back?” I eye her, trying to read her as she looks back at me.

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