Steel Rose

Chapter 9

Ptolemus Pov

   I raise my fist to knock on her door, the sound carrying down the hallways. The door doesn't open right away, but when it does Belle isn't the first person I see. He has dark hair and green eyes, standing about my height and my age. He narrows his eyes at me, "Something I can help you with?"

   "I'm looking for Isabelle," I answer and his eyes narrow at me. He doesn't say anything for a few heartbeats, but I can tell the gears in his head are turning.

   "Right," he says finally, "she told us about you." He extends his hand, "I'm her eldest brother, Kane."

   Of course you are. I take his hand and we both give an equal firm hand shake and don't break eye contact either. "Ptolemus Samos."

   His smile is anything but pleasant. "Pleasure to meet you, you can come in and wait, my sister will be here any moment,"

   "No need, I'm here," Belle appears in the doorway and smile lighting her face. She nudges her brother out I'm the way. "Sorry I'm late, Christian-,"

   "No need to explain," I interrupt trying not to shift under Kane's glare.

   She turns to her brother, "Thank you for keeping Ptolemus," she glances at me and says my name slowly like were sharing a joke between us. I guess we are, "company Kane. I appreciate it." They stare at each other and have a silent argument.

   "Have fun, and be back by 9." he says and Belle steps out into the hallway as Kane closes the door behind her.

   With us being left alone, I feel suddenly awkward. A feeling I haven't felt since I was a young boy. "You look great," I say to fill the silence.

   Belle blushes and looks down at her dress. A lighter red with thin straps, squeezing her waist before it flows to her knees complete with a gold metal belt. "Thank you." she points over her shoulder with her thumb, "Again, sorry about him. My brothers are overprotective."

   Feeling Eve would say the same thing I offer her a soothing look and my arm, "Don't worry about it. Shall we?"

   She slips her arm into mine her eyes twinkling, "We shall."

Belle Pov

   I'm going to have a heart attack, I'm sure of it. I can feel his muscles through his jacket, and his warmth that I want to lean into. My cheeks still burn with embarrassment at Kane, but Ptolemus doesn't seem to mind. "You never told me where we are going tonight, Samos." I say looking up at him. 

   He looks down at me, "I was thinking a nice dinner and we'll find our way from there."

   I decide to tease him when I say, "I can see you put a lot of time into this date." His eyes widen slightly and he begins to say something when my chuckle stops him, "I was only joking." I nudge him, or attempt to, because he doesn't move at all, "Loosen up, I want to have a good time tonight."

   He smiles hesitantly I can tell joking with someone out of his own family may not be something he does, and I set a goal to see him smile more, "I want that too,"

   "This way," the hostess says a pair of menus in her hand. I follow her, Ptolemus by my side. I notice his eyes fall over everything and everyone. She leads us almost in the center of the restaurant and I begin to pull out my seat when Ptolemus's voice stops me. 

   "Here," he says taking the chair from me, our hands grazing and my heart jumps. He pulls out the the chair with ease.

   "Thank you," I sit in the chair and am surprised that he doesn't struggle to push me in like some men might have. He takes his seat in front of me as the waiter places the menus in front of us.