Shackled (The Lord Series) by Amy T

203. Olivia - Shopping II

As we head over to the clothes section more people seem to notice me, making me nervous. I hate when I'm the center of attention. It makes me anxious. My heart starts beating faster. If only I had drugs right now. I want to go home but the thought of mentioning this to Tyson and Rueben makes me even more nervous. Years of living in the Celestial Heaven took a toll on me.

It doesn't take long for me to have the impression that everyone is looking at me, while laughing and gossiping about me. I try to scratch the stitches on my right arm, but the jacket sleeve prevents me from harming myself. Tyson puts his arm around my shoulders while Rueben places a palm on my lower back. The heat emanating from them is comforting. My heartbeats slow down. My arms wrap around me.

It shouldn't feel like this, not after what they did to me, but right now, it almost feels like they are...protecting me. I lean my head against Tyson and I brace myself for him to yell at me, but he takes me by surprise when he asks, “What's wrong?"

He doesn't care. He is just asking so he can use my weaknesses against me. "Too many people," I reply.

"We'll be quick about it," Rueben says next. Then, in a more clipped voice, he adds, "It's not like we have all day for you to find something to wear that won't make you look like a slut.”

I guess the sugar didn't work out as I expected. Reuben is still an ass. He is beyond any help. I need to find more of those free candy baskets. Maybe if he eats enough of them, he will get diabetes and die. Or maybe he will choke on one of them and die.

We finally get to where the clothes are. I stop in front of a rack with skirts and wait.

"What now? Aren't these clothes good enough for you?" Tyson snarls.

I frown. “I thought you would pick out what I'll be wearing.”

his breath. "Come on, Rueben. The bitch

kimchi, Ansel chocolate bars, and Rueben candies. I don't expect to find kimchi or chocolate here, but I'll work with what I can get my hands on. I only need to learn what Jasper and Mose's

return to the skirt rack and having nothing better to do,

like?" Tyson's voice suddenly comes from behind me, making me jump to

I try to put the skirts

his palm on top of my hand, and I still. "Try them on."

say. I pick

out for me, Tyson says, "There's a fitting room at the back. Take the short skirts

wanting Tyson to have a tantrum in the middle of the store, I take some short skirts together with a few long ones and follow him to the fitting room. Rueben is already there, waiting for us. A pile of clothes is on a chair

voice. I don't want the employees to know the three of us are in here." To me, he says,

didn't you hear we are in a hurry!"

breath,

that has food stains. "Try

on, without any complaint, everything that Rueben gives me. Unsurprisingly, each item has stains or holes which can be easily fixed with a needle and thread— but I doubt that I can do something about the

up only dirty clothes, but with what purpose? To get some reaction from me? Well, if

Rueben says when I'm done

in dire need