Though it was beautiful, luxury like this wasn’t anything new to me.
I couldn’t wait to leave here.
Leo drove me back to the outdoor strip mall Damien had taken me to before. It wasn’t the same. The thought that I could buy anything I wanted was a nice one, but I found the crowd of people, even on a Wednesday afternoon, to be quite overwhelming, and it didn’t help that I drew attention wherever I went with a giant following closely behind me.
I stopped from one stall to the next, then one shopping place to the next, and to the next, and bought a grand total of ten items that we fitted in six bags.
Leo carried most of it, and I was starting to feel a little bad that he had to do this for me. I sneak a peek back at him. His eyes were focused on his surroundings, and he didn’t seem annoyed that he had to follow me around or that I didn’t talk.
My new life was going to take some time to get used to.
I didn’t know why it felt like there was a heavy weight settling uncomfortably in my chest.
I didn’t miss the life I had with Father. But I missed the staff. I missed Roberto, but I was trying hard not to think about him. I hoped he’d escaped Father’s grasp. I hoped …
I hoped Father didn’t kill him in a rage.
I found an empty park bench nearby and sat down. Leo found another bench just several yards away from me. Of course, there was enough room on the bench, but I was glad he didn’t sit next to me.
I wasn’t a very social person by nature. Add in my mutism, and things would have gotten awkward really quickly.
I sat there for a while, mostly people-watching.
At some point, Leo walked over to me and handed me a cup of some fruity lemonade before walking off.
I stayed there for fifteen more minutes before we drove back to Gabriel’s house.
I didn’t know what the whole point of this outing was or what it accomplished. I was still bored, Damien and Nikolay were still busy taking over the world, and Mikhail was still ignoring me.