Meredith.
Draven stopped briefly to buy me cotton candy from one of the vendors in the park.
I took it, but the sugary fluff melted heavily on my tongue. It was the distraction I craved, not the sweetness.
When we returned to the car, one of Draven's men drove us toward the mall while two others followed closely behind.
Then I forced myself to finish the cotton candy because I hated the idea of Draven catching on to my unease.
But he didn't say anything, though. He just sat there beside me steadily as always.
At the mall, we took the elevator to the seventh floor. Inside the toy store, I quickly picked out three teddy bears for Xamira because I couldn't bring myself to choose.
Draven paid for them without a word, and one of his men took the bag.
As we stepped back into the main walkway, I felt human eyes on us, some curious, others wary, while some lingered too long.
Just then, Draven's voice cut through, calm and steady: "Pick whatever catches your fancy."
