A Siren for the Bear (Sarkozy Brothers Book 1) (7 page)

Rex snorted. "Was a no-brainer, Nyx. You got talent, girl. You'll do fine."

Carson headed to her bedroom, smiling all the way there.

She'd been nervous coming all this way and in the end she'd been welcomed.

And she'd gotten herself a new name in the bargain.

Nyx. Goddess of the night.

Now, she stared out into the night, wondering what tomorrow would bring.

So far so good.

She just hoped tomorrow was just as good.

H
E
STOOD
WITHIN
THE
TREES
, watching her.

She was unaware of him, hidden in the shadows on the rise above the house.
 

And if she did see him, she still wouldn't see him.

Right now, she was staring up at the horizon, a secret smile on her lips. She wrapped her hands around her waist, and he could almost hear her sigh softly.

Then she turned away and was gone, drifting into the room, away from his line of sight.

As he trudged closer to the house, he wondered if their choice would only end up being his own downfall.

With all the upheaval in his life, he could do with some good. They all could. When he'd arrived, he'd warned the boys to behave. Welcoming a human female into their midst was dangerous enough, and he knew he'd have to keep a close eye on Felix. The boy didn't understand boundaries, and he was hoping he didn't have to discipline him.

Right now, Carson's safety was the most important thing.

That, and staying alive long enough to figure out what he was going to do with his obsession with her.

He shook his head as he headed inside the house, using the door that led into their own private hot tub. They'd been fortunate enough to tap into a geyser and had managed to pipe the water into a giant stone tub that he and Dom had chiseled out of a rock they'd removed when they built the house a decade ago.

Many hours of backbreaking work had gone into digging out the rock and creating what looked like a natural depression within the stone. Now, it was a place they came to for peace and relaxation.

He contemplated the pool for a moment, then rolled his shoulders. No. Right now, he needed to be as aware of everything around him as possible. Too relaxed could be dangerous.

He headed upstairs, avoiding the raucous sounds that drifted into the hall from the front living room. He wasn't in the mood for the boys.

He wasn't in the mood to answer questions.

They'd badger and nag him about the shooting. He should be more careful. He should increase his guard. He shouldn't be so reckless with his life.

If they only knew how close he'd come to losing that life, they'd be furious with him.

But it wasn't his life he was worried about right now.

T
HE
KNOCK
CAME
AT
THE
door at seven the next morning. At least it was a little more of a decent hour than six, but it was still too early for her tired bones. She showered and dressed, worried that the person who'd knocked hadn't bothered to say what time the session would begin, or where to go.

The problem was easily solved when she got to the kitchen. The room was filled with people. Or so it felt. The band members seemed to fill the kitchen up with their size and personalities, making her feel tiny despite her own height.

The group was still one short, the mysterious Ajax still absent.

Now, she wished that she'd paid closer attention to the photographs Kat had unearthed of the band members. They'd never done a shoot for a magazine, never been interviewed with images of themselves in the articles. They didn't put images of themselves on their album covers, either.

Reclusive was an understatement.

Coffee was enough for Carson, which she drank to warm up her voice. She sat on the window seat, watching the room, gaining a better sense of their personalities. Despite the banter, there was a tense undercurrent, more marked than last night.

Hazard of being the new girl, right?

Carson shrugged it off and followed the band as they led her upstairs to the first floor and right at the landing. All the way to the other end of the house. They'd built the studio backing into the mountain, but the view there was just as amazing as the one from her bedroom. She could get used to this.

"No wonder you guys practice all the way out here. That view in incredible." Carson stood at the window, a knee on a window seat that seemed to double as equipment storage, as the guys fiddled with instruments, strumming and humming.

A few minutes later, they settled into one of the songs from their latest album that Carson recognized. She listened closely, took her cue, and began to sing along, earning a round of surprised looks.

"You're very familiar with our music?" Rex asked.

"Some." Carson nodded, her cheeks reddening. "To be brutally honest, not too much. I'd heard of you, listened to a song here and there. I've been busy, I guess. Focused."

The door shut behind her and Rex glanced up. "You were right about her," he said, a knowing grin on his face.

Carson turned on her heel, a ready smile on her face, prepared to meet Ajax, the final member of the band.

And slammed into Marek Sarkozy's firm chest.

C
ARSON
TURNED
AND
BUMPED
RIGHT
into him, too briefly pressing that enticing chest of hers against his.

She gasped softly and looked up at him.

"You."

"Yes, me." He smiled at her. "We need to stop meeting like this."

She smiled back, the expression hesitant and wary. Annoyance flashed in her blue eyes, and Marek waited for the backlash.

But it didn't come.

She turned back to face the band, her neck tight. She looked like she wanted to bolt, to move away so her body was no longer in contact with his, but she controlled herself.

He could see the strained muscles of her neck, could sense it from the rapid beat of her heart. She was wearing a pair of black tights with a long collared shirt that came mid-thigh. It had enough transparency to the white cotton fabric to reveal the enticing curve of her hips.

"So where do we start?" she asked, a little breathlessly. Marek stayed where he was, his body touching the length of hers. Until she stepped away and moved toward the central microphone.

Jax handed her a book with the lyrics, which she placed on the stand in front of her. He gave Marek a wary glance before stepping back to his position.

Marek walked to the Black Falcon leaning against the sidewall. He slipped the guitar strap over his shoulder and strummed the opening notes.

And received a strange look from Carson.

Stunned. That's what he would describe it as.

She swung her gaze back to the lyrics just in time, as the band launched into the song. Carson was good, never missing a note. She'd struck Marek as professional the first time he'd heard her sing, but now he was more certain than ever.

She must have familiarized herself with the music before Greg had picked her up, because nobody was that good without practicing. Her voice weaved its threads around him, and he found himself responding as she ended the song on a husky whisper.

"Wow." Felix whistled. "That was amazing, Nyx."

"Nyx?" asked Marek, frowning.

"Yeah, Rex christened her Nyx. For her black-as-night hair."

Marek felt a ripple of irritation run through him, but as much as he was annoyed that Rex had given her a name, he had to admit it suited her to a T.

He contained his annoyance as they broke for lunch, which he spent watching her from across the table. He knew he was being overly reticent, but he didn't want to talk to her in front of the guys.

Especially since he'd have some explaining to do.

D
AMN
AND
BLOODY
HELL
.
 

C
URSING
was not Carson's strong suit, but today she wished she could let out a string of expletives.

Singing with Marek standing two feet behind her had been about the hardest thing she'd ever done in her life.

Singing while infuriated with him was even harder.
 

Not that she had a right to be angry with him.

Or did she?

He'd misled her, making her assume he was the band manager. But maybe he
was
the manager and just hadn't fully informed her of his other role in the band.

She contained her anger through the second session, and when they broke in the late afternoon, she was more relieved than she could express. She'd fairly raced for her room, begging fatigue before hurrying away.

The blonde came by to drop off a plate, which Carson thought was very considerate of her. But when Carson thanked her graciously, she received nothing more than a cool glare in return.

She tugged off her tights and shirt, got comfortable, and dozed for a while, dropping to sleep as she stared out at the sunset.