Light in Your Eyes

06 | new girl

AN:
Hi guys. I'm sorry for not updating this story for such a long time. New chapters for this story are going to be posted. I'm allocating most of my free time to write as much as I can, so forgive me for not being active on social media as well as my profile and message boards.

Enjoy the story :)

***

L A Y L A

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 massive building before me, the three-story Italian Renaissance-style mansion. 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 it -- 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 as the guy pushes Cole's chest with 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 crafted 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, and 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, making him 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. God, this place is making me crazy even though I haven't even started my job.

When I turn around, Cole is reading a text from 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 was rescheduled. I have to fly there earlier than I thought."

I don't know what to say to him. The circumstances make it difficult to say no, but I also find it impossible to say that I'm going to like this job.

Cole seems to notice my fear and doubt. He places his palm on my shoulder to comfort me. "I know that you may not find this job easy, but please stay close to Kellan. The two of you need each other here. It's what keeps you both safe if something bad happens."

Before I can ask him what that means, Cole strides toward the car, and in a matter of seconds, he's gone. I can only watch with my mouth agape as the car leaves the property through the gate.