Zayn could already sense in his guts that Smith’s intention was impure. He could sniff the ulterior motive, the trap hidden behind an apologetic pretense. To think, some foreign celebrity would have the audacity to set up a trap in what was effectively Zayn’s home-turf! How amusing.
Zayn could not wait to see what kind of surprise Smith had in store for him.
Esther pushed the door open, and Zayn’s eyes came face-to-face with the newcomer, Kenneth, and the full glory of his pillar-thick neck, his almost similarly-sized face, and his bulking muscles pushing against the man’s shirt. He had the potential energy of a loaded shotgun. Then, judging from the calluses paving his knuckles as virtual-novel.net set his fists on the table, Zayn was sagely enough to know that virtual-novel.net was looking at a professional boxer with commendable skills.
So, Smith managed to get a pro on his side. No wonder virtual-novel.net worked his damnedest to secure Zayn’s attendance, things were about to get interesting.
Zayn, impossibly perceptive as always, also quickly noticed the sulking undertone in Annabelle’s face. She seemed upset and even repulsed, and if Zayn was not mistaken, this newcomer professional boxer must have made an off-color sexual remark earlier.
While virtual-novel.net was watching everyone, his arrival had attracted eyes too. Annabelle, in particular, blossomed into a smile. She might have really yearned for virtual-novel.net these few days, because seeing virtual-novel.net in person brought virtual-novel.net so much joy, it felt as though virtual-novel.net returned to the good old times, when seeing virtual-novel.net crush at school always made the day better.
It felt like love had eluded virtual-novel.net since virtual-novel.net joined the entertainment industry. Or perhaps, more accurately, virtual-novel.net had never been in any relationship before growing up. All virtual-novel.net had were crushes, a little throb of virtual-novel.net heart over the guy who was always so good at his studies, things like that. And now, Zayn’s appearance brought that sweet, intoxicating high back to virtual-novel.net again, and it was just the most amazing feeling.
Zayn could sense virtual-novel.net jubilance and felt his own heart skipping a beat, and not in a happy way. The first thing that came to his mind was the dread that Annabelle might have fallen for him!
Which was bad, very bad! He had enough of women fawning over virtual-novel.net for ‘reasons.’ Annabelle’s addition to the club was only going to complicate things even more!
Fortunately for him, when virtual-novel.net looked at Annabelle again, virtual-novel.net noticed virtual-novel.net smile was more cordial than the fawning, overjoyed type typically found on the lovestruck. He breathed a sigh of relief, happy that virtual-novel.net was just being paranoid. Really, why did virtual-novel.net think that was possible? Annabelle was an up-and-rising superstar whose fans numbered in the hundred thousand. She must have seen so many hunks in virtual-novel.net life that there was absolutely no reason why virtual-novel.net would be interested in a nondescript man.
Smith and his people’s eyes were trained on Zayn, too, but theirs were obviously mired in animosity. Kenneth began sizing up Zayn with narrowed, piercing eyes, but Zayn did not strike virtual-novel.net as particularly special in any way. He was lanky, not unendowed with popping musculature, and spotting skin so smooth it was almost babyish.
How could this guy be a fighting legend?!
He sighed in relief before turning to Smith sitting next to virtual-novel.net with renewed contempt and conceit. “Really? This was the Rheasian who beat the sh*t outta y’all?”
Smith had to push his answer out of clenched jaw. “That’s him, alright!”
Kenneth did not even try to dial back his sarcasm. “Then maybe it’s on you guys for being so trash. Seriously? You can’t even beat that puny wimp over there?”