Thorn Between Brothers

I’m Interested

TWO DAYS EARLIER…

Tristan Zachary couldn't understand this feeling. It felt uncanny. He felt drunk even though he had only had two drinks. His eyes were drunk in the sight, but he knew. He knew just by looking at her, not even understanding his body's reaction, he wanted her, and it was very unusual. This was dangerous as Tristan Zachary had never wanted someone in his thirty years of living before.

From the moment Tristan sighted a young woman roughly in her twenties picking up glasses and plates from the tables in the ballroom of the Republic Hotel where Ruse Entertainment Industry was holding a grand opening for the celebration of the recent movie hitting a million views in a week, he hadn't been himself.

He sipped at the glass of wine he picked off a server and listened politely to the group of females he was conversing with. Or rather that he was mingling with, since he rarely engaged in anything more than polite pleasantries as he made his rounds through the crowd.

He had moved from one end of the hall to the other to ease his tension, but his eyes still found their way back to her again. It was the second time his eyes had settled on her that night, though she hadn’t been out much, just twice tonight to do cleanup.

She wasn’t one of the servers. At least she didn't dress like them unless she didn't get the memo. The servers were in royal blue attire to blend with the decorations and, unless she didn't get the memo, hadn’t seen her circling with trays of hors d’oeuvres or champagne. She was dressed in black pants, a white shirt, and an apron. He studied her for a long moment before realizing what it was that had interested him.

She looked completely out of place. And he wasn’t entirely certain what gave him that impression. The longer he stared at her, the more he thought she looked like she should be an attendee at the party. Not cleaning up after the participants.

Yet, despite her trial to be presentable and looking the part for tonight, there was something that drew Tristan’s attention, something that made his eyes narrow and his heart quicken. Perhaps her hair.

Her hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail, her eyes cast downwards as she tried to go unnoticed by the crowd that filled the hall tonight, and the result was a sexy mass of mussed hair that begged a man’s hand to tug at it and set it free.

Midnight black, curls that didn't look styled but natural instead, some of which had escaped the clip and tumbled down her neck. She was petite, not as curvy as he usually likes his women. Narrow hips and small-breasted but enough curves straining at the white button-up shirt to be tempting. The rest of her was small. Dainty. Almost fragile.

Tristan watched as Estella’s gaze swept the room, her shoulders slumped in tiredness as if she had worked all night. When she turned, presenting him with a view of her face, he sucked in his breath. Her bone structure was small, just like her body. It was like the creator spent his time creating her.

High, prominent cheekbones, almost as if she were underweight, and a small chin. But her eyes. Jesus, her eyes. They were enormous in her otherwise small face. A brilliant shade of blue. Shock blue, like looking at ice. They were startling against the jet black of her hair. It was mesmerizing. She was mesmerizing.

Then she hurried away, her arms straining at the weight of the tray that held all the dishes she’d cleared from the tables. His gaze followed her across the room until she disappeared through the door for the kitchen staff.

“Not your usual fare,” Trevor murmured beside him. Tristan's eyes broke away from where he had been watching and turned to see that Trevor had already returned from chatting with one of the female leads in the movie.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Tristan asked, with an edge to his voice.

“Come on, don't bullshit me. The lady bussing the tables. I saw you checking her out. Hell, you were practically undressing her with your eyes.” Tristan frowned, bothered that he was caught, yet remained silent.

Trevor shrugged his shoulders. “I’m interested. She’s hot.”

“No.” The denial came out as more of an empathic cry than Tristan would have liked. He wasn’t even sure where the emphasis came from or why he was suddenly tense.

Trevor laughed. “Come on brother, loosen up a little." It’s been a while. I’ll go work my charm.”

“Do not approach her, Trevor,” Tristan growled.

“Okay, but this is only because Miranda is here,” Trevor said, pointing to the female lead he was talking to earlier. “He is interested in what we have to offer, and you know, I don't take no for an answer”, Trevor finished, before turning to showing his perfect set of white teeth and a smile to Miranda, a smile that seemed to charm every lady who came across him.

Tristan turned to see who Trevor was talking about. He didn't need to, as they had long desired to have Miranda. He turned anyway. His eyes locked onto Miranda, who greeted him with a smile, her lips curving in a sultry manner.

Tristan couldn’t help but take in her appearance. He couldn't deny it, she looked undeniably sexy in the sleek, red dress she had on. The gown perfectly hugged her curves and she had curves in all the right proportions, just like how he liked his women. He could see her ample bosom, which threatened to spill out of the gown. Standing with one hip curved in a seductive pose, hand on her waist, it seemed almost deliberately provocative, as if she were modeling for a photo shoot.

Miranda's eyes sparkled as she returned Trevor's charming smile, but Tristan's gaze drifted past them, his eyes scanning the room until they landed on the server. She was standing by the bar, her eyes cast downward as she continued to pick up the plates. There was something about her that drew Tristan in, something that made his chest tighten with a mix of fascination and concern. He felt a sudden urge to cross the room, to reach out and touch her, to see if the spark he felt was real. But Trevor's voice cut through his thoughts, reminding him of the business at hand.