Page 14 of Light in Your Eyes
The darkness, just like the one surrounding us now, is the only thing he sees every time he opens his eyes. He doesn't even have any single light to guide him like what we have now to help us through this road.
I look up at the sky through the car window, and even though a sense of comfort washes over me when I find the moon shining through the darkness of the night for all kinds of creatures, my heart breaks because he doesn't even have it, not even just as dimmed as the moon when it's hidden by the clouds.
I know the pain of losing both parents. Even though the wound might heal, we're never going to stop missing them.
Kellan had it worse because it happened so suddenly. They were taken in a blink of an eye.
I know how devastated Nana was when she lost her sight. It was so hard for me and Archer to remind her that it wasn't the end when her world crumbled. Those times were the hardest for our family.
And Kellan also went through all of that. What happened to him was worse.
My heart is telling me to stay. Maybe Kellan and I can indeed be friends. I would be glad to help him have at least one thing—a friend. Just like his brother wants me to be for him.
The car slows down, making a turn. When I look out the window again, my breath catches in my throat.
There before my eyes is a gate so tall. It reminds me ofthe gate attached to a fortress to block enemies during war.
The car stops, and Cole rolls down the window beside him. He doesn't even have to turn his head to face the guard outside. One second is all that is needed for the guard to bark commands urgently and open the gate. Behind it stands a building that sucks the air in my lungs.
It's definitely not a house.
All I can see is a mansion—the biggest one I've ever seen.
Lights, so many of them, dimmed through the windows.
And cars parked around the driveway. A dozen of them.
Chapter 5
Layla
The car stops in the driveway. Cole steps out and opens the door for me while the driver gets my suitcase from the trunk.
I'm sure that Cole can see how nervous I am—I can't even move my legs to step out of this car. He just nods, giving me a look of assurance.
After taking a deep breath, I brace myself to get out. There's no way that I'm going to back down from this job now.
I look up at the three-story Italian Renaissance-style mansion before me. It looks even more intimidating now that I'm seeing it up close.
I follow Cole, walking up behind him. A guy stands between us and the huge double doors, preventing us from entering. He looks like a security guard but doesn't dress like one—more like a cruel gangster I'd rather see in a movie than face in reality. My legs automatically stop as I see the shotgun he's holding. A small scream almost escapes from my throat when the guy pushes Cole's chestwith the tip of the shotgun.
"Identity," the guy speaks with authority, studying Cole from head to toe. Even though we passed the security at the gate, this guy wouldn't just let us in.
Cole chuckles lightly, but the voice that comes out of his mouth is so cold, it makes the hair on the back of my neck stand. "You must be new, huh?"
The guy frowns at Cole's question. Cole raises his hands, and the guy's eyes widen in shock as soon as he sees the tattoo inked on Cole's right wrist. He doesn't just lower his gun—he literally drops it, causing it to clatter on the ground.
What startles me even more is that the guy drops to his knees and quickly apologizes. When he does that, I notice a small tattoo of black wings on the back of his neck. It's the same tattoo as Cole's, but while Cole has red streaks on the feathers, this guy has none. It's just a pair of black wings.
Another guard rushes to carry my suitcase. I can only watch helplessly when he inspects my belongings in front of the door. He rummages through my garments like I would have brought an actual bomb with me.
"She's a recruit," Cole tells the guy inspecting my suitcase, causing him to nod.
I turn my back to them and wrap my arms around my waist. Strangely, the air feels too cold for a summer night, sending chills through my body. This place is making me crazy even though I haven't even started my job.
When I turn around, Cole is reading a text on his phone. A frown touches his lips before he shoves his phone back into his pants pocket.
"I gotta go," he says to me. "My flight to Italy wasrescheduled. I have to fly there earlier than I thought."
