Page 7 of Reverb
Well, fuck. “You do realize that I’ve been an opinionated woman on the internet, right?” She’d kept a low profile after joining Twisted Wishes, but before that—well. She’d had some choice words thrown at her. Different name back then, though, so nothing to connect her to Twisted Wishes unless you knew where to look.
His brows furrowed. “It’s not rape threats or someone yellingwhoreorcuntor trying to doxx you.” He took another bite—a small one—and chewed. Stalling technique? Probably.
“So after practice, then. Go out for drinks?”
He shook his head. “Somewhere private.”
Well, there was only one place that would fit the bill. “Hey, David, wanna go home with me?”
He had the decency to blush. Granted, it was faint, a hint of color on his cheeks and under his beard, but a victory nonetheless. “Sure,” he answered. “I’ll even walk you.”
Her very own bodyguard. “Suddenly I feel like I’m in a Whitney Houston musical.”
David’s lips twitched. “I do like karaoke.”
“Oh no,” Dom said. “She’s gonna drag us out again.”
“Not if she has a willing victim.” Zavier leaned back in his chair. “This will be fun to watch.”
“Zav.” Ray had his aghast look on, and Zavier answered with one of his big fucking grins.
David pulled a slice of pastrami out of his sub and addressed her. “You that good or that bad?”
Before Mish could reply, Ray spoke. “That good. She’s...” He huffed a laugh and turned to her. “I really should write you a song.”
“We really should collaborate,” she countered.
Ray nodded and there were murmurs of agreement from the others. Finally. Maybe it was because he’d been such a dork earlier, but Ray was definitely pulling her back into the fold, where she fuckingbelonged.
As for David—She wiped her hands with the napkin and stood. “Well, honey, we’ve got some practicing to do, but after that, you can walk me home from school.”
Once more, he grinned up at her with those sinful lips. “Can’t wait, darling.”
Well, fuck. This one might be more trouble than Zavier had been. The excitement in her belly atthatthought didn’t mean a damn thing.
Chapter Three
A side benefit to David’s new job was finally hearing Twisted Wishes play live. He wasn’t a superfan by any means, but he did have their albums and enjoyed their music. Watching them practice was an absolutetreat. The passion they had for the notes, the words, and each other shined through in the way they moved and played. The love of their music was layered into Ray’s voice and woven into Mish’s hip shimmies and thrums of her bass. It wrapped every roll of Zavier’s drumming, and Domino’s outlandish riffs.
Wasn’t an act—thiswasTwisted Wishes.
David’s heart ticked up as they worked through song after song and he found himself catching his breath whenever Ray interrupted one to go back over a piece of it.
Adrian must have noticed. During one pause he leaned over. “Kinda intense, isn’t it?” His voice was a low murmur.
David nodded. “If this is how they are in private...”
“...just wait.” Adrian’s grin was toothy. It slipped into profound when he gazed at the band. “They own the stage when they’re on it.”
David believed that.
Mish...she was a force of nature. The way she played and danced on those shoes of hers...even with all his training, David wouldn’t want to go toe to toe with someone that agile. Her legs were stellar, too.
He grunted and looked down at the floor.Don’t get interested. Don’t get attached. Stay objective.He’d heard of so many jobs going sideways when emotions got involved. Didn’t want it to ever happen to him.
Wasn’t going to be easy. Helikedthese people already, which was unusual for a loner like him. Found himself warming to Mish...and fuck, was she an amazing woman. Maybe it was fine to enjoy the sights and sounds. Safe to let down his guard a bit here, even with the lax building security. Only one door in and out, and that was in his line of sight.
Everything was fine.
