Light in Your Eyes

16 | claimed

L A Y L A

Zoe and I make our way to the kitchen. She only gives me silence and an apologetic look when I ask her about the tattoo again along the way.

"Please, I need to know what will happen to me." I halt as we almost reach the kitchen.

She shakes her head, and my heart sinks with disappointment again. She places her palm over my heart and gives me a reassuring smile, as if she's trying to tell me that everything will be okay. But it's not enough for me.

Someone bumps into me, and when I look at the person, I see Nina, the girl whom I met when I first stepped into this mansion.

"If it isn't the girl without the tattoo."  She sneers and then tosses Zoe a degrading look. "You've got yourself a friend, Layla. A stupid mute."

My heart burns with anger after hearing how she spoke about Zoe.

"Just leave us alone," I bite out.

"Layla," someone booms, and the entire room's attention is immediately on me.

Shivers run down my spine as I spot Luca walking toward me with his two friends. One of them indeed resembles Marco, and I snap my head around to find the other brother, hoping that he will show up and knock some sense into them again.

"I think it's about time that Kellan trashes you." Luca stops in front of me while everyone else goes silent. "He hasn't said any warning again after the first one, and as far as I can see, you're the one who's always on his tail."

"Do you not have anything else to do other than bullying someone?" I speak through gritted teeth. "An important mission, perhaps?"

Luca clenches his jaw, and I know that I just hit the right spot. His ego is bruised.

"Watch your tongue," he snaps, advancing toward me.

Zoe steps in front of me, shielding me from him.

Luca chuckles, eyeing her with pity. "Step away, you fucking mute. Don't interfere with my business with her. It's about time that she knows who's in charge here."

Zoe shakes her head firmly. When Luca takes one more step forward, she daringly pushes his chest, earning gasps from the people around us. It's not every day that we see an innocent, mute girl picking a fight with one of the Knights' right-hand man.

Rage takes over Luca, and before I know it, he pushes her with such force that she hits a table around the corner. My eyes widen in horror as I watch her fall onto the floor.

"What the hell did you just do to her?" I shout angrily at Luca before rushing to help her.

Zoe winces in pain. She takes my hand when I help her up.

"Are you okay?" I ask, worry laced in every word.

She nods. My anger builds up as I see the bruise on her forehead.

"Are you crazy?" Marco's brother shouts in Luca's face while his own face suddenly turns white as a paper. "Cole will be pissed if he knows about this."

"Shut up," Luca barks.

I frown in confusion. In the back of my mind, I sense something between Zoe and Cole, but I can't be sure.

"Important mission, you said?" Luca scoffs at me.

I automatically retreat as he steps closer to me and Zoe.

"Do you even have any idea where the men who went on such a mission are now?" He takes another threatening step. "Did they even succeed? That's bullshit. Fenrir told me that he couldn't even contact them anymore. They've been missing for days."