106.

I sat in the car with Leo, still in my nightgown. He keeps doing shit like this and wonder why I hate him much. I probably shouldn't have fucked him last night; probably gave him the impression that I've forgiven everything that he's done to and with me.

When the therapist handling me at my dad's orphanage told the women in charge there that I was crazy beyond her help, they should have believed her.

Leo took us to what looked like a factory. He came down from his car and was about to get the door for me but I didn't let him.

"Thank you, gentleman," I sarcastically told him and got a chuckle from him.

He started towards the entrance of the building so I followed. We got to one of the main entrances there and it had a fingerprint sensor.

Leo put all five of his right fingers over the sensor and it turned green, allowing us access.

"What is this place?" I asked him when we walked in and there was barely any light to see with.

"Where your friend's daughter became my friend." His reply had me winced my eyes at him in confusion.

"Nina's daughter? Please," I laughed."She's an innocent little girl who thinks everyone is her friend."

"Yes. Which is why it was easy for them to take her when she was six."

"How do you know that?" I asked seriously now. He didn't answer immediately this time. He just walked farther into the building so I hurried after him but just then, an elevator door opened.

I couldn't be more surprised. The place had an elevator. No, not an elevator per se. We got in and it started to go downwards.

"Leo," I became scared."Where are you taking me?" I could never predict the man standing next to me.

"You'll see soon," he smiled lightly but not at me. He smiled to himself.

The lift stopped and the door opened automatically. A different view than where we just came down from awaited us. It was like a park, a vast one with lots of playground space.

"Nina's daughter was kidnapped some years ago. I saved her along with the others and brought her here," he walked into the place and I followed.

I wasn't going to believe him till I heard a small boy scream out "Uncle V!" and soon a lot of other kids his age ran out from nowhere to swim around Leo. There were more girls than boys.

I chortled, still not wanting to believe what he just told me about Nina's daughter. And now these kids. For all I knew, he probably had people kidnap these kids here and it wasn't what he just said that was going on.

"Sir Vance," a lady who sounded surprised to see him gasped when she walked in on the kids all trying to embrace him at once."I didn't know you were coming today."

"I didn't know I was either," I heard Leo tell her.

Looking at her, I couldn't stop trying to figure out where I knew her pretty face from and it was hard for a while till it hit me. I knew who she was. She was Bee. She was one of his whores. The one he had asked to... fuck, he was just messing with me that day.

I knew it! A smile crept through my lips as I thought to myself but one of the kid's words took me out of it.

"Who are you? Haven't seen you before?" The kid had lost her two front teeth.

"Uncle V brought a new auntie to stay with us," the boy who announced Leo's presence said like he was so sure and the other child 'oohed' in unison.

"She's not here to stay, she's just visiting," I heard Leo tell them and their faces dropped.

"Why won't you stay with us, Auntie?" The girl with the broken teeth asked. She was about the same age as Nina's daughter.

"..." I wasn't very good with kids so I didn't know what to say. I looked to Leo for help.

"Come here, Kelly," He called her, and she left me and went back to him.

"Auntie here has a lot she's doing out there so she can't be in here," she told the girl while smiling.

"Oh, is she like Auntie Rhea?" Kelly asked about Rhea. If she knew Rhea then Rhea was surely here too. I thought...

"Yes. She'll be outside protecting you, but she'll come visit once in a while when she's free."

"Okay." Kelly nodded at his words."Will you come again, Auntie?" She turned to me.

"Uhm. Yeah." I nodded and saw a big smile wash over her face. She left Leo and ran over to me and hugged my legs.

I stood still, my eyes on Leo. I still couldn't believe above all things, how good he was with children. I've seen the way he kills. And yet, these kids loved him. He must be their friend.

"Alright kids, breakfast's ready!" Another lady came from inside and announced and the kids followed her back inside.

When they were all gone, and where we were became quiet again, I took in a breath and turned to Leo.

"So what is this? A safe house for kids?"

"Yes."

"You kill people for fun, Leo. More than half this city's population dreads you and you brought me here for what?"

"To show you that I'm not the monster you think I am."

"Oh, you're a monster all right." I snapped at him and he smiled.

"I'm a bad man, yes. And I don't regret any of the things I do. But I'm not THE monster you think I am."

"And what the hell do you know, I think you are?"

"A man who trafficks children? And sells them."

"No. Rhea told me before that you didn't do that. But I didn't believe her. I thought she was just trying to paint you good in front of me." I swallowed."I confirmed she didn't lie when I spent those few days with Lade and overhead how you've been disturbing every of his trade."

Leo smiled.

"You don't think I'd let you fuck me if I didn't put the pieces together yet, do you?"

"I mean..." He shrugged proudly. I hissed.

"I still hate you. You kept me captive for months." I thought I should let him know. He let out a loud sigh.

"At least, you now have a reason to hate me. You no longer hate me just because I'm 'Leo Vance of City S'."