Page 35 of Light in Your Eyes (Romero Brothers #1)

Layla

“I’m going to get our breakfast,” I say to Kellan.

Kellan is reading a braille book on the couch next to the window, but as soon as I say those words, he turns his head in my direction and shakes his head.

“I’m coming with you,” he says. “Let’s go downstairs together.”

I smile, watching as he gets up from the couch. He approaches me, and we exit the room together.

As usual, the kitchen and dining area are packed when we arrive. Kellan takes a seat while I assist him in bringing the food.

I put the food onto the tray. Today, the menu is Italian. I put the risotto for Kellan into the tray. There’s chicken soup on the counter, so I pour it into a bowl and place it on the tray too.

I’m about to return to our table when I remember to grab the drink. I place the tray on the nearest table and take an infused water for Kellan. Then, I place it on the same tray and walk back to the table .

After Kellan starts eating the chicken soup, I go back to bring myself some food. When I return to the table with my lasagna, Kellan has almost finished his soup. I smile at the sight.

People are still staring at us, but the whispers are not as obvious as the first time I ate together with Kellan. Most of the people here now have been used to seeing us together.

I eat my food quietly, watching as Kellan takes a gulp of his drink. “Do you want to eat the risotto?”

Kellan shakes his head. Surprisingly, he says, “Your lasagna seems more tempting. Let me try that.”

He can guess what food it is just by smelling it.

I chuckle, assisting him. I feed him a spoon of my lasagna, and he nods in approval, signaling that the food is good enough. More eyes are on us as I feed him, but I don’t really care about that.

While I feed him another spoon of my food, my arm accidentally knocks over the risotto bowl, and it clatters to the ground. I gasp in surprise, cursing in my heart at my clumsiness.

I watch as a cat comes over and licks the food on the ground. My eyes soften at that sight.

But then, to my horror, the cat starts coughing violently, and a few seconds after that, it lies stiff on the floor with blood smeared from its mouth. I instantly stand up, letting out a small scream.

Everything around us falls silent, and Kellan stands up too, with a worried look, wondering what’s going on.

My hands shoot to my mouth as I stare in horror at the dead cat in front of me. People around me start to talk frantically .

“What the hell is going on?”

“The cat just died after eating Kellan’s food.”

“Is it a poison?”

“Holy shit. Is it Layla? Is she trying to poison Kellan?”

Before I know it, people have already formed a circle around us, and my heart rate kicks up.

No, I didn’t put anything in Kellan’s food.

My legs feel weak, I feel like they’re going to give up on me anytime. If Kellan had eaten the risotto, he would have...

I can’t even finish the sentence in my head.

I shake my head in denial. My whole body is shaking.

“Layla.” Kellan’s voice is firm as he calls my name. “What the fuck is going on?”

Slowly, I turn my head toward Kellan. He must have heard the accusations too.

Yet, the look on Kellan’s face is far from anger. It’s filled with worry and panic. He’s concerned about me.

“What the hell is happening?” A familiar voice echoes.

I snap my head toward the source of the voice and find Stas walking through the crowd. His eyes widen in shock as he studies the sight.

“Layla was trying to poison Kellan,” someone shouts aloud.

“She’s trying to kill him,” another one follows.

“She has to be punished. She endangered our king.”

“She has to die.”

People keep throwing accusations at me, and tears start to form in my eyes.

“It’s not me,” I stutter, my voice sounding weak. I shake my head violently. “Someone tried to harm Kellan, but it wasn’t me.”

Silence falls for a while after they hear my words.

But then, will anyone believe it?

Many people here ate the risotto, but nothing happened to them. It wouldn’t be wise to put the blame on the chef.

I was the only one who brought the food to Kellan. So, logically, it was only me who could put poison into the food.

I startle as realization strikes me.

I did bring Kellan the food, but there was a time when I left it unattended to grab the drink.

“I left it while I was walking away to get Kellan a drink,” I say, my voice still shaking. “It must have been that. Someone must have used that time to put the poison.”

Stas swallows, and I give him a pleading look.

“Please, Stas. Believe me,” I cry. “I didn’t do it.”

I don’t know what I should do if no one believes me. Everything around me feels like crumbling.

“I believe Layla,” Kellan’s voice echoes beside me, causing me to jerk.

More tears pool in my eyes as I stare at Kellan, who nods at me in understanding. People are whispering frantically around us.

“I believe you, Layla,” he says.

I almost choke in tears because of his words.

“Come here,” he whispers, pulling me into a hug.

And I cry in his arms. My trembling hands grip the back of his shirt as I wail.

“For those of you who speak ill about Layla, shut your fucking mouths.” Kellan’s voice is loud as he speaks to his members. “Layla has nothing to do with this. If she wanted to poison me, there had been better times in which she could have done so.”

With that said, he tightens his hold on me.

***

After the incident in the dining area, Zoe and Stas come into Kellan’s room.

Now that Zoe has heard about what happened, she’s concerned about my wellbeing. And here she is, trying to soothe me.

Zoe pats my back gently, as though she’s trying to say that the incident isn’t my fault.

“But I almost caused Kellan to eat his risotto,” I whisper brokenly, hugging my knees as I sit on the bed.

“You didn’t know that it was poisoned,” Stas says.

Kellan is leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. Fury and anger skate on his face, but they aren’t directed at me. He’s pissed because the culprit is not yet found.

“Conduct the investigation as soon as possible,” Kellan says with gritted teeth. “I called Fenrir, and he will run a thorough screening on each member.”

“I understand,” Stas says, obeying him. “We will report to you soon.” A sigh leaves his mouth. “I’ll leave you two now”.

Stas gives Zoe a knowing look, and Zoe nods at him. She leaves my side to that Kellan and I can talk.

After giving me another reassuring look, Zoe excuses herself with Stas and closes the door.

Kellan sighs. He climbs onto the bed, leaning closer to me.

I stare at him with tearful eyes. “I don’t know what I would do if you ate that food.”

Kellan shakes his head. “But I didn’t.”

“But you could have done so,” I cry in frustration, almost shouting.

I grip his chest when he pulls me into him. Another tear drops to my cheek.

“I’m scared. So very scared,” I rasp. “Someone is trying to kill you. And I almost...”

My sob breaks again as I think about what could have happened.

“It’s over.” Kellan tightens his hold on me. “I didn’t eat it, and I’m safe now. Stas and Fenrir will conduct the investigation. Stop fucking blaming yourself.”

I hug him back tightly. I almost lost him, and that thought is undeniably terrifying.

This incident has shoved one undeniable fact right in front of me.

That I can’t bear the thought of losing Kellan Romero.