Page 89 of Ivy's Venom

Each day I spend about half an hour in front of the mirror, I’m trying to see if my stomach has grown and the only change I can see right now are my breasts. They have literally ballooned. My bras don’t fit and I’ve changed to sports bras. But that’s it, my stomach is still flat-probably due to throwing up most of what I eat-and my clothes still fit me. I don’t know how much longer I have, though.

Mom and Dad have been busy every day and rarely get home before six. Mom looks exhausted most of the time and she’s been spending almost every weekend in New York. I feel like maybe something big is happening with her business there. Whatever it is, it takes a lot of her energy.

Carmelo is starting to train now with Uncle Emmett three weekends out of a month and he’s excited to also learn about his birth father. Uncle Emmett knew him the best and the place where they’re training belonged to him at one time. The Compound as they call it is a huge underground structure that houses over twenty people and has a fight ring and massive training facilities. Now, Mom and Uncle Trent own it. I’ve only ever been there a few times.

Saxon has been wandering more and more into my room and we’ve settled into watching a few Netflix series together. I know he can sense something up with me but doesn’t pry me for any information, he doesn’t really feel the need to know it and that’s what I love about him. He says school is a pain in the ass and he wants to convince Mom and Dad to let him be homeschooled. The thing is, Saxon is extremely smart and it’s a bit scary.

Recently, his grades have been dropping and he’s looking more and more disinterested in school. When I pressed him about it, he insisted he just hates his school and the teachers are dumbasses. I thought maybe he was being bullied because Saxon is a bit different but he assures me he is not. To put it in his words, “I wish someone would.”

I think he’s bored and the material being taught to him is too simple. Maybe he needs to be bumped up a grade.

My phone pings on the bed and I reach for it amid a flurry of emotions, Eager, anxious, and worry race through me. I want it to be Neil, I dread it may be Dean, and I’m annoyed it could be Adam.

Annoyance it is.

Officer Asshole: We should meet up. I want to help you in whatever you choose to do.

This is a complete one-eighty and absolutely unbelievable.

Officer Asshole: I know I’ve been harassing you and I just want the chance to make it right. I’ve stopped drinking which has led to many of the mistakes I made, like what I did to you.

He’s blaming alcohol. What a fucking idiot.

Me: Fuck off, Adam.

I put my phone on silent and lay back on the bed beside Saxon, pigging out on chips and soda.

I won’t let any man make choices for me, I only want the one to love me through them.

It’s well into the night when I hear Saxon’s phone alerting us to our surveillance. It’s Friday, only Saxon and I are home, and we’re not expecting anyone.

“What is it?” Saxon asks as I open his phone.

The app is blinking on the camera that is showing movement and I expect to find a raccoon in our garbage, but instead I’m nearly swallowing on my heart when I see a hooded figure standing outside the gate. They’re not moving, just looking in, and by the body build I can see it’s not Neil. They don’t move, just continue to look through the gate, and wait for something to happen.

My phone lights up with a call and I curse the moment I put it on silent.

“Hello?”

“Ivy?” Mom sounds panicked. “Call Uncle Emmett.”

“Okay.” I whisper, keeping her on the line and using Saxon’s to call him. “Who is that?”

“I don’t know. Hurry up, Emmett.” She growls.

“Hello?” Uncle Emmett’s sleepy voice fills the speaker phone.

“There’s someone weird at our gate.” Saxon says into the phone, “get over here fast.” He hangs up and switches back to the camera feed.

Now the guy is looking right up at it, unmoving, and his face shrouded in darkness.

“Mom.” The fear in my voice is evident.

“Don’t worry, he can’t get in.” She tries to reassure us but fails to hide her panic.

Suddenly, the figure looks to the right and then runs off in the opposite direction. A few seconds later, Uncle Emmett’s car pulls up and he gets out with his gun drawn, running in the same direction.

“Do not open the gate.” Mom growls, “not even for your uncle. We are on our way home.”

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