Halo (Fallen Angel, #1)(23)

A hint of a smile quirked Killian’s lips. “Hell no.”

“But…” Had they lost their minds? Did they want a repeat of last week’s show? Maybe that was it. They were masochists. “I don’t understand.”

“You’re not goin’ anywhere, Angel,” Viper said, pinning me with a fierce look.

“That’s right.” Killian sat on the couch beside me. “The problem’s not you, Halo. It’s not us, either. But the combination? With the songs Trent’s known for? It’s not sitting well with the fans. So that means we need a new direction. A new sound, new everything.”

“As long as it’s not some country shit, I’m down,” Slade said, eliciting a groan from Viper.

Killian smirked. “I think we can all agree on that. But we do need to find a new sound that fits all of us, so that’s why I called us here today.”

As the room plunged into silence, I watched as the other guys avoided Killian’s gaze, looking everywhere but in his direction.

I was still wondering how the hell I wasn’t already out the door.

“Anyone? Ideas?” Killian said, as the silence dragged on. After a few minutes, he began to whistle the Jeopardy theme song. “Seriously, nothin’? What’d you guys do the past few days?”

“Nicole,” Jagger said.

“Drank a couple bottles of tequila and Netflixed five seasons of The Great British Baking Show.” When we all jerked our heads in Slade’s direction, he frowned. “What?”

“And I thought I was the gay one,” Killian said, rolling his eyes. “All right, so no one’s given it any thought. Good start, guys. MGA will be so impressed.”

“Fuck those guys,” Viper muttered.

“Those guys pay our bills,” Killian pointed out. “Without a record company, we’re not getting very far, so maybe throw out a few ideas, yeah?”

Viper’s mouth snapped shut, and we all resumed the quiet game.

Half an hour passed. An hour. Two hours later, and we were all still sitting around with nothing to show for it. I sure as hell wasn’t about to throw out an idea first, especially since I still felt like the reason we were in this mess in the first place.

“All right. Let’s take a break, grab a drink, smoke, whatever.” Killian stretched his legs and then got to his feet. He and Slade headed downstairs while Jagger stepped out to make a call, leaving me and Viper alone in the vast space.

“I don’t know about you, but I could do with some food.” Viper made his way into the kitchen and grabbed a couple of bags of potato chips and a package of cookies out of the pantry, then set them on the counter.

“You got barbecue?” I asked.

Viper held up an unopened bag of chips. “Come and get it.”

I rounded the island, and when he handed me the bag, I popped it open. As I tossed a handful of chips into my mouth, Viper said, “You didn’t really think I’d let you leave, did you?”

I went still at the seductive edge in Viper’s voice. Those words didn’t sound at all innocent coming out of that lethal mouth, and as I forced my jaw to keep chewing, I took a good look at him. Those penetrating eyes looked right back. Viper hadn’t shaved in a few days, which others would probably say only added to his appeal, and as he finished off one of the chocolate chip cookies, some of the chocolate got left behind on his thumb. I was about to point it out, when Viper lifted his hand, his thumb disappearing between his lips as he licked it clean.

I swallowed and looked away. “Yeah, well, it’s not like you get the only vote.”

“You know better than that.”

Did I? Yeah, I guess I did. The day I auditioned, I’d thought that my fate was in Viper’s hands. Had he given a thumbs-down, I never would’ve been invited back, even if the others voted in my favor. Why that was the way, I didn’t know, but it also said a lot about how I was still here.

“I saw you,” Viper said, stepping toward me, his head cocked to the side so a few strands of hair fell against his cheek. “In Savannah. Playing in the lounge after hours.”

“You did?” I thought I’d been alone. I certainly would’ve remembered Viper being there, even with as drunk as I’d been.

“I’ve never seen anyone play with as much passion as you do. You’re fucking talented, Angel. Why didn’t you tell us?”

“I’m—” My words got stuck in my throat, and I shook my head. “I was just drunk.”

“If that’s what you sound like under the influence, I’m dying to see what you can do without any interference. You need to show the guys.”

“Show them the song? You liked it?”

“Angel.” Viper’s voice dropped down low. “I couldn’t take my eyes off you.”

There it was again. The provocative tone I never heard him use with the others, the one that slid over my skin like silk.

“You’ve got a few crumbs…” Viper reached for my face, his thumb—the same one he’d sucked the chocolate off a few minutes ago—brushing across the edge of my mouth, and all of a sudden he was inches away from me, close, too close—

I jerked away, turning my back to him so I could get some air. My face burned like I’d stepped too close to the fire and had moved away just in time. For fuck’s sake, Viper had barely touched me, and my chest heaved like I’d run a marathon. Get it together. It’s not like he was trying to kiss you or take your clothes off.