Page 28 of Light in Your Eyes (Romero Brothers #1)

Kellan

I’m in the middle of practicing martial arts inside the boxing ring when Layla calls me.

“Hey.”

Instantly, I stop my movement and turn toward the source of the voice. I’m panting because how hard I was training. My chest heaves up and down as I frown in her direction.

“Are you still thinking about Jaxon?” Layla asks. “You looked restless while you were practicing.”

My lips form a thin line. The more time I spend with Layla Hayes, the easier it is for her to read me.

I know that she’s right, but I don’t give her any answer. I grab my drink from the ground and take a large gulp of it instead.

I can feel that Layla is still standing there, watching me.

“How did you learn martial arts?” she asks.

“Jaxon taught me,” I answer shortly.

“You’re really good at that,” she says.

Something about the way she said that makes my pride soar. I always know that I’m good enough to be a trainer, but those words coming from Layla really boost my ego.

“It’s like, you were born to do it,” Layla continues. “When I watched you just now, it looked like it was so easy for you to do all of those movements, like you were just breathing.”

I sigh. “It wasn’t always easy for me.”

Silence falls between us for a moment.

“I’m listening,” Layla says.

I realize that she wants to be here for me, to listen to me, and to help me get through difficult times. She knows that I’m still deep in thought about Jaxon.

Even though I hate it, her softness is my weakness.

It makes me want to share things with her.

And so I tell her about my memories with Jaxon.

***

Age 10

“You want to fight? You have to.” Jaxon’s voice echoed through the wall of the basement. “You’re a fighter.”

We were in the boxing ring, standing across each other.

“Yeah, and I’m blind,” I reminded him. “It would be so easy to knock me out. Why are you doing this?”

I didn’t understand why Jaxon had brought me to this ring. If he wanted me to fight, it would be useless.

“Why did you say it like that?” Jaxon’s voice was laced with anger. “I don’t like it. Don’t you ever say that kind of sentence again. You understand me?”

“But it’s the truth,” I snapped, balling my fists at my sides. “How can I defeat my opponent if I’m blind?”

Suddenly, I felt him storming in my direction. He was about to land a kick on my chest, but I slid down and blocked his leg with my upper arm.

I panted, realizing what I’d done.

“Did you see that?” Jaxon asked, helping me stand up. “You’re not hopeless. You have a defense mechanism. Everyone does. It’s an instinct to survive.”

I pushed his chest as soon as we stood. “You were about to punch me.”

“I did, and you blocked it because your reflexes were so good,” Jaxon said proudly.

“It’s because I can’t see a damn thing and I’m very sensitive to any movement,” I said.

“That’s it.” Jaxon snapped his fingers. “That’s your strength, Kellan.”

“My strength?” I echoed.

“Yes,” Jaxon said. “You can feel and hear more than any other people. And that’s what will make you win.”

His words made me taken aback. But slight hope started to fill me. “Will that really make me win?”

“Why did you say it like you don’t believe me?” Jaxon asked, and I could imagine the frown on his face.

“Because I don’t,” I said truthfully.

It was hard for me to believe that I could defeat my opponent without my sight. My opponent would surely have an upper hand.

“Come on, Kellan.” Jaxon sighed. “I came all the way here from Italy to teach you martial arts, and that’s how you’re going to act?”

As soon as he talked about Italy, it fueled my anger. “ Why do you have to go to Italy for such a long time?” I protested. “What’s there to do?”

Jaxon was silent for a while, but then he said, “It turns out that I can learn many things there. Fenrir is teaching me some cool stuff.”

My jaw ticked in irritation. “I hate Fenrir when he did that. You two are going to leave me alone again.”

“Come on, don’t say that.”

“But it’s all you’ve been doing,” I said defiantly. “Leaving me for Italy. For fun.”

“Going there isn’t something that we can consider fun,” Jaxon hissed. “I’m being serious here, Kellan.”

A scoff left my mouth. “Then why do you like to go there so much?”

Jaxon sighed. “There are important things I have to learn and do over there.”

My brow furrowed in confusion. “Okay, then, why don’t you just bring me there with you?”

“I can’t,” Jaxon said, his tone filled with regret. “I’m sorry. But I can’t do that. It’s too dangerous.”

I felt rejected, and that made me want to break something. “Too dangerous? Even if I mastered martial arts?”

Jaxon was quiet for a moment. After a while, he said, “If that makes you want to learn martial arts, I may ask Fenrir to reconsider it.”

My heart thud. “Really?”

“Yeah,” Jaxon said quietly, and I could sense that he was preparing to teach me to fight. “Now, we begin.”

** *

Age 17

“Why the fuck can’t I go there with you?” My voice boomed as soon as I heard from Jaxon that I couldn’t go to Italy with him.

We were arguing again in the boxing ring.

Jaxon sighed. “We’ve talked about this so many times,” he said, and I could hear guilt in his voice. “I can’t do that. Please don’t do this to me.”

“But I’m now qualified as a trainer,” I demanded. “I can train our Italian members.”

“Yes, you can,” Jaxon said. “But I can’t let you do that.” His last sentence was said firmly.

“Why?” I bit off. “Because I’m fucking blind?”

“Because it’s too dangerous there, and I don’t want to lose you,” Jaxon raised his tone, losing his temper too. “I’ve nearly lost everything. Do you think that I will allow you to take such risk and train our members in Italy?”

“I almost lost everything too,” I snapped. “It’s not all fucking about you. This is a chance for me to prove myself, and now you want to take that away from me too?” My voice was laced with disbelief.

I heard Jaxon taking a deep breath. “Kellan,” he hissed. “I fucking told you to not do this. My decision is firm.”

“I will promise you one thing,” I kept going. “I will solely train at the base-camp, and I will not go anywhere else. Reconsider that.”

“No. I’m sorry, Kellan.”

“What the fuck, Jax?”

“I trained you martial arts so that you can protect yourself, but not there,” Jaxon said. “You can still train our members here, in our house.”

“You’re kidding me.” I scoffed in disbelief. “And you will go there again and again? Knowing that you could have died yourself?”

I didn’t want to lose Jaxon. I wanted to be there too.

“It’s my responsibility as the leader there,” Jaxon said firmly.

“I’m also a king,” I hissed. “You fucking know that.”

“Here,” he said. “Not there.”

I grit my teeth, clenching my fists on my sides. “Don’t fucking do this to me. You won’t lose me. I promise.”

“I almost lost you,” he finally shouted, angrily. “And it was my fucking fault.”

“What?” My voice was barely a whisper. “You think the accident was your fault?” I asked in disbelief as I heard his footsteps.

He was walking away.

“Jaxon!”

And just like that, he left.