Page 121 of Don't Call Me Daddy
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
Ivy
“We have to climb that?” Luka says, looking up at the ten-foot-tall barbed-wire fence spanning the perimeter of the mine.
I wipe my hands on the front of my overalls. “Yes. Have you never been here before? I thought this was some kind of teenage initiation.”
I begin climbing the fence with a practiced technique, and I hear Luka grunt as he jumps up to follow me.
“What part of this being illegal is so hard for you to understand? Some of us don’t need to prove anything. Some of us are content with riding motorcycles and playing video games; we don’t need to break the law and provoke monsters too.”
I get to the top and pause. Last time, Leo brought a sweatshirt to cover the barbed wire, but naturally, I didn’t think of that. I hike my leg over, carefully balancing my weight to keep from slicing my leg open.
“What are you doing? Are you fucking serious right now? You want me to climb over that?—”
“At least you’re wearing pants. Stop whining, and let’s go.”
I carefully pull my other leg over, but my bottom foot slips on the fence, and my top leg crashes down on the barbed wire, snagging my thigh. It’s the only reason I didn’t fall.
“Shit. Ow. Fuck.” I wince, finding my footing and pushing myself up enough to pull the sharp wire from my thigh. A stream of blood drips down all at once, like turning on a water hose, covering my overalls and socks.
I hear Luka’s audible gag behind me as he heaves several times.
“You okay?” I ask when he gets to the top, but he just gives me a silent thumbs-up, probably too afraid he’ll puke if he opens his mouth.
I land on the ground with a thud and call up to him, “Just go slow over the top and watch your footing.”
He carefully swings his long legs over, clearing it with ease. Must be nice to be tall. I guess Leo didn’t even need the sweatshirt, which means he remembered to bring it because he was thinking of me.
The realization feels like salt in my wound. Leo’s always thinking of me. Even when he seemed to hate me. It’s in the little things he does, like bringing an extra sweatshirt because he knew my legs weren’t long enough to clear the barbed wire, or checking to see if my coffee was the right color and temperature before bringing it to me, or packing my backpack before the festival with all the things he knew I’d need without me having to ask…
Meanwhile, all I’ve done is taunt him and try to get under his skin. He shouldn’t have come back here by himself. He shouldn’t have to face his literal worst fears because of me …
“I don’t know if I would’ve offered so willingly if I had known I’d be climbing barbed-wire fences and—oh my God, that’s disgusting.” Luka climbs down and covers his mouth when he sees the stream of blood pouring down my leg.
I probably look like something straight out of a horror movie, but there’s nothing I can do about it right now. “Come on. Let’s find Leo.”
“Listen, I don’t know what kind of freaky shit you and my brother are into, but I’d appreciate you never bringing me in the middle of it ever again?—”
I shove him forward as we move inside, stepping over piles of rubble, planks of wood, and ashes as far as the eye can see.
“Where do you think he went?” Luka asks, eyes growing wide as he scans the large front room.
“I’m not sure, just keep your eyes out for any signs of him …” I duck under a fallen sheet of roofing, scanning the hallway. “Leo! Leo, are you here?” I call, my voice echoing off the empty walls so clearly that it sounds like someone else entirely.
“Leo!” Luka yells somewhere behind me.
“Leo! Leo, can you hear me? It’s Ivy!” I call, the threat of tears beginning to burn behind my eyes as I really start to worry.
I really thought he’d be here. I don’t know what I was expecting exactly. That I’d walk in, and he’d be sitting there, waiting for me, ready to hear my apology and welcome me back into his life with open arms?
“Leo! Dude, don’t play with me right now,” Luka says, and I can hear the fear in his voice too.
I look at him as a fresh wave of worry falls over me, and my heart races in my chest.
“What if he’s not here? I really thought he’d be here.” My overactive imagination offers me an assortment of other terrifying scenarios to consider.
“Is this everything? Have we searched all the rooms?” Luka asks, breaking me out of my anxiety spiral.
