Page 105 of Electric Touch

God, is she that stupid? Now I know this picture isn’t real and if it is, there is an explanation. I understand what she is doing. I’m just not sure why. She is the one who cheated and left him. So what is this? She doesn’t want him to be with someone else? I’m reminded of her showing up at the recording studio and that scene in the nightclub. It isn’t something I would do, so I find it hard to understand her motivation. It’s not rational behaviour.

Nash is finally over what she did to him. At least he is moving on. I’m sure he has moments where it still hurts. Theirs was a long-term love, you don’t just forget that. Yet it’s obvious to everyone around him his focus is elsewhere these days. On me.

Someone Jordan knows appears, and he gets up to talk to him.

“Alessa, I need to tell you something. I don’t want you to get mad or go off and do anything about it. I just want you to confirm something for me.”

“What?”

I show her the text. Her eyes narrow and she takes the phone. “Let me see?” she squints closer.

Her head comes up. She looks pissed.

“This is from when they went to club?” She didn’t wait for me to reply. She can see that timestamp too. “I was not there, but Ciro told me woman had to be removed from VIP area for harassing Nash. He did not see what happen but he will tell if this is same woman.”

“And the number?” I ask.

I’m putting her in a difficult situation for sure. She has known Riley a lot longer than she has known me. Nash said Alessa wasn’t happy with the way Riley behaved the last time I saw her. That did not mean she was going to side with me over her.

“I already see reply. You get name.”

“Oh, yeah,” I forgot about that.

“You think I would not tell you if I knew who it was from?”

“Your loyalty doesn’t lie with me, Alessa.”

“Loyalty lies with what is right. This is not right.”

“Please don’t tell Nash,” I take the phone back.

“I do not understand. He should know.”

“Just let me handle it. I will tell him, but not now.”

Her lips thin. After a moment, she nods once. “But I am getting close to being done with her.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Do not be. This,” she points at my phone. “Is unacceptable and I am disappointed and angry.”

“Why is she doing it?”

Alessa glances at Jordan. He is laughing with the guy. As if he can sense her looking, he turns his head. He does a double take at her expression, then looks back at the friend, shaking his hand. He knows something is wrong.

“Because she know she made mistake,” Alessa says. “This man she is with, he does not care for her. He will drop her like hot yam when he is bored.”

“Potato.”

“What?”

“Hot potato, not yam.”

“Yam is not potato?”

“No, yams are much drier and starchier than potatoes. They’re not related.”

She appraises me for a moment, wondering why the hell we’re discussing root vegetables. I am too, to be honest. She waves it off with a flick of her hand.