Page 31 of Light in Your Eyes (Romero Brothers #1)

Layla

I walk toward the kitchen to refill the jug of water for Kellan. My mind goes back to what happened with him in the past few days.

The intensity I felt when we danced keeps coming back into my mind.

I might have tried to hide it with my cheerful attitude, but my heart was actually beating really fast every time I was close to him.

Behind that cold exterior, I can see the person he really is.

The man with such protective traits for the people dear to him.

The man who was willing to sacrifice himself to protect his little sister, so much so that his sight was taken away from him when he was trying to save her.

The man who is consistently angry because he can't do anything to help his brother.

After I fill the jug with water in the kitchen, I turn around the corner and bump into a man’s chest .

I almost scream as the person covers my mouth in his hand. The jug of water falls from my hands, the glass shattering into pieces on the ground. He drags me towards another hallway — a deserted one — and corners me against the wall.

My eyes widen as I see Marco staring down at me. He signals with his finger over his mouth to keep me quiet. I don't know what he's going to do, but the only thing I can do is nod so that he can release me.

His eyes soften, and slowly, he lets go of his hand.

"What are you doing?" I ask.

Nobody would do something like that to me again after knowing my tattoo, but on the other hand, I know that Marco is a nice guy. I don't think that he's going to hurt me.

"I’m about to leave for weeks because they gave me a very lame job, but I can’t get my mind off you. I heard rumors. Everyone is talking about you and Kellan," he says, sounding pissed. "Is that true?"

"Do you know about my tattoo?" I ask him back.

He nods. "I know now. That's ridiculous."

I frown. That's not the reaction I expected.

"Did he think he could just claim you with a tattoo? With that kind of bullshit?" he raises his voice, his anger becoming more visible in his expression.

"I don't think he did," I say. "He was only trying to protect me."

Disbelief skates across Marco's face. His eyes widen in shock. "What has he done to you? Did you even hear yourself? Don't you remember what kind of person he is? He's a horrible person."

I'm surprised at how offended I am after hearing that statement from Marco.

"I've been living with him, and I think I've gotten to know him better," I say. "He's been through a lot. We can't judge his feelings unless we have gone through a similar experience. I'm trying to help him heal."

"What the fuck does that mean?" Marcos snaps, and I'm surprised to hear him speaking in such anger. He literally looks like he's about to explode.

"Look, Layla." He grabs my shoulders, startling me. "I know you. I see myself when I see you. You're not supposed to be here, Layla. And we're not supposed to turn ourselves into those kinds of people. We're better than them."

I remember Marco's story that he was only trying to find his brother, which made him stuck in this world. I still respect him because he didn't let his brother and Luca bully me.

"Kellan is a king here." It's impossible to not recognize his hatred when he speaks of Kellan. "But his heart is rotten. In fact, he has none."

"You don't know his heart," I say firmly.

"No one here is trying to understand him because of the walls he built around him.

He's blind. He has no sight. How do you expect him to know everything and control everything around here?

And his brother might be dying on a mission. Give him a break, Marco."

The shock on his face is even more palpable now. "I can't believe I just heard that. The way you spoke of him, it was as if..." He's at a loss for words. "You can't be too close to him. He'll corrupt you."

My lips form a thin line. I don't like the way Marco speaks of Kellan. Why does he hate Kellan so much?

"I thought we were the same," Marco hisses in frustration. "I thought neither of us wanted to be a part of Black Wings, but then as soon as you got that tattoo — "

"It's not about my tattoo," I finally snap at him.

He grips my shoulders harder, it hurts.

"Marco," I hiss in pain.

"So, the rumor is true," Marco speaks through gritted teeth. "Are you really with him? You can't be with a guy like him. He can't see you, Layla. He can't even see your beauty. He won't appreciate you. He won't be able to make you happy."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I ask, hurt by his words.

He quickly swallows, realizing his mistake. "I didn't mean it like that. Please, Layla, listen to me."

I'm already struggling to get free from his hold when I notice movement from the corner of my eye. I snap my head and find Zoe staring at us with wide eyes. Panic and worry immediately cross her expression.

Marco glances at her and curses. "Shit." He returns his gaze to me and says firmly, "We're not done. We'll talk again later." With that said, he finally releases me and strides toward the end of the hallway.

I place my palm over my heart, trying to calm my racing heartbeat.

Marco is the only Black Wings member that I think I can be friends with — other than Zoe and her father.

But after this incident, I don't know if I can see him indifferently.

There's a huge disappointment in my heart because I might have just lost a friend.

Zoe rushes to me, checking my condition. There's only concern on her face.

"I'm okay," I say weakly.

I sigh as Zoe gives me a comforting hug.