Page 54 of Light in Your Eyes
A soft smile touches my lips when he tightens his hold on me.
Chapter 20
Layla
Things have changed significantly inside the mansion after Kellan gave me the tattoo.
No one dares to bully me anymore, although I can still feel their gazes on me.
People still whisper about me behind my back, though. I know that they can't believe what's happening, that I—out of all the members of Black Wings—got the tattoo colored in black with gold streaks. Giving me a regular tattoo would be enough to protect me here, so I also wonder why Kellan had me inked with that tattoo.
Today, I’m visiting Zoe and Stas again. When I step into their house in the basement, I see Stas arranging equipment in his tattoo studio.
“Hi, Stas,” I call, popping my head into the studio. “Is Zoe here?”
He glances at me. “Yeah.” Then he turns his head toward Zoe’s room. “Zoe, Layla’s here.”
Zoe steps out of her room, and when she sees me, she beams. She approaches me with a smile on her face andhugs me.
“How’s it going after you got the tattoo?” Stas asks. “Many things change, huh?”
I sigh. “You’re right. I see significant changes, especially in the way Black Wings members see me. I never thought that a tattoo could affect me that much.”
“Because it’s not just a tattoo,” Stas says. “It’s one of a kind. Zoe is really proud that she could be the one crafting that tattoo for you.”
Zoe nods. I can see it from her eyes and her joyous expression that she’s really happy for me.
I smile gently at her. “I still wonder why Kellan gave me this tattoo. I always thought that he hated me. With the way he acted, I always assumed that he wanted me gone from this place.”
Stas sighs. “Kellan is a complicated person. One who just met him would think that he’s cold and unfeeling, but actually, he’s a person who feels so much compared to other people.”
Stas’ words hit the right spot in my heart, like a reminder to me that I shouldn’t give up on Kellan. I do have faith in Kellan. I believe that he’ll warm up to me and that he’ll be able to get out of the shell he built all around him.
“If you only see him for his exterior, you might be completely wrong,” Stas says, giving me a look of assurance. “Behind that harsh exterior, Kellan is actually a caring and protective person. Have you heard about his sister, whom he protected with his life? It caused him his blindness.”
A gasp leaves my mouth. “In that car accident?”
Stas nods. Sadness crosses his expression. “Yes.”
I turn my head to Zoe, and she nods as well. I stare at them in disbelief.
“That tattoo you have…” Stas says. “It means that you should be protected at all costs.”
My eyes start to water as I think about it. Kellan has been hurting so much that he can’t help but being the way he is now —cold, distant, pretending to be unfeeling. But then, behind all of that, the real him still exists. And the real Kellan Romero is filled with everything good.
“I hope that Luca and his friends wouldn’t dare to bother me again after this,” I say.
“They won’t,” Stas says firmly. “All this time, even though you stay with Kellan, they still have doubts because you don’t have any tattoos. But now that you do, it will be alright.”
I just give him a small nod. Zoe squeezes my hand, as though she’s trying to say that she’s there for me too.
“Too bad I couldn’t see their faces when they saw your tattoo for the first time,” Stas says, sounding pissed at the mentioning of Luca and his friends. “I would have laughed in their faces, and it would be very satisfying.”
Stas hates them that much, and I can see where he’s coming from.
“They’re really bad people, Layla,” Stas says. “I don’t have any idea why Fenrir trusts Luca so much. Something is fishy.”
My brows furrow. I have a feeling that Stas knows more about Fenrir, since Stas has been in Black Wings for a long time. I haven’t met Fenrir, so I don’t know what kind of person he is.
