Page 52 of Light in Your Eyes

Zoe winces in pain. She takes my hand when I help her up.

"Are you okay?" I ask, worry laced in every word.

She nods. My anger builds as I see the bruise on her forehead.

"Are you crazy?" Marco's brother shouts in Luca's face while his own face suddenly turns white as a paper. "Cole will be pissed if he knows about this."

"Shut up," Luca barks.

I frown in confusion. In the back of my mind, I sense something between Zoe and Cole, but I can't be sure.

"Important mission, you said?" Luca scoffs at me.

I automatically retreat as he steps closer to me and Zoe.

"Do you even have any idea where the men who went on such a mission are now?" He takes another threatening step. "Did they even succeed? That's bullshit. Fenrir told me that he couldn't even contact them anymore. They've been missing for days."

Zoe's face pales, and her eyes are now glistening with tears. The girl who just held her head up high despite being harassed is now close to crying.

"You're worried about Cole?" Luca hisses to Zoe, his voice full of hatred. "You should."

I can't help but think about my phone call with Jaxon, which ended abruptly because of gunshots and explosions. Until today, I haven't heard from him again, not even a reply to my text message.

Indeed, something really bad has happened to Jaxon, Cole, and Levi. But I refuse to believe that they're dead.

"And you." Luca glares at me. "You might be Kellan's slave, but a rule is a rule. The punishment is death if someone steps onto our base without being a part of us. Kellan wouldn't know the truth because he's fucking blind. He can't even see your tattoo."

I tilt my chin up defiantly, but then he grips it harshly until it hurts.

"Don't tell me that you've been manipulating him all this time." His voice is as cold as ice. "Because if that's the case, I'm sure that he won't mind if we use you and kill you afterward."

I'm trying to break free, but his friend holds me back, securing both of my wrists against my back. I glance at Zoe,only to find her being held back by Marco's brother. Her eyes widen in fear. She's afraid of what Luca will do to me.

"Too bad, isn't it?" Luca smirks, staring down at me with a look that makes me nauseous. "Kellan can't see this beauty. I'm sure that he won't mind if we replace you with another slave. There will be no difference to him, right?" He then laughs out loud.

My eyes burn with angry tears. "Let me go."

Luca snatches a knife from the kitchen table. I scream as he grips my shirt collar to the point that it almost chokes me and causes my feet to leave the ground.

He aims the knife at my shirt, the tip touching the soft fabric. "No. Let everyone witness the lies you've been feeding him."

My heart almost stops as I feel the sharp blade against my skin. He's going to rip my shirt off in front of everybody.

"You're just a girl without the tattoo. Filthy little liar. Fucking intruder."

It's too late. I can't prevent it.

My body is shaking with fear when Luca tears my shirt with the knife. The torn fabric falls to the floor, leaving me topless, only in my bra.

Gasps and frantic murmurs fill the air. The guy locking my wrist suddenly releases me, causing me to stumble forward and almost crash into Luca's chest.

Strangely, Luca steps backward. His eyes are not focused on me but on his friend behind me instead. I look over my shoulder and find him looking at my back with pure horror.

"What the fuck is that?" His voice is shakinguncontrollably.

I snap my head around, only to find people staring at me with the same fear in their eyes.

There's a mirror hanging on the wall across me, so I take a peek, praying to God that this won't be the end of me. My heart is thumping widely against my ribcage.