Page 5 of Catalyst

I rubbed my temple, wondering if he’d forgotten that I had ears. But I also knew Jace probably just wanted to get a rise out of me, so I ignored him. The couch creaked as I stood, shadows swirling at my feet like smoke. Normally, when someone knocked, they were looking for trouble. And while I wasn’t one to start fights, I’d certainly finish them.

The shadows crept up my arm. The sensation was cool and wet, like someone pouring ink down my skin. Slowly, with my unencumbered hand, I unlatched the deadbolt and opened the door just enough to peer out. But the person at the door wasn’t looking to hurt us—it was a sweet, sniveling angel.

I pulled the door open so fast I was shocked it didn’t fly off its hinges.

“Callie?”

She didn’t answer me, not directly. Instead, a soft whimper left her lips as she fought to collect herself. Her golden hair was in a messy bun, parts of it sticking to her tear-stained skin. Her cheeks were blotchy, and her eyes were red and swollen.

I’d never seen this girl without a smile, let alone this torn up. That's why I didn’t hesitate to pull her little ass into the apartment, locking the door behind her.

“Come here.” My voice came out rougher than I meant for it to.

Immediately, she leaned into me, her head resting on my chest. She wrapped her arms around me before sobbing into the worn material of my shirt. My hands rose to meet the small of her back, and that’s when I realized she didn’t quite fit against me the same way she used to. There was more of her now, and while the new undeniable softness of her body was doingthingsto me, that wasn’t what held my attention. Instead, it was the firmness of her stomach.

My heart froze as the shower stopped running. I didn’t want to stop comforting Callie, both for her sake and because of how much I loved having her in my arms, but Ineededto get a good look at her.

I pulled back and called forth a shadow to wipe her tears. She cleared her throat, forcing a few shaky breaths. Before I could force myself to look lower, the bathroom door opened. Amber-scented steam filled the living room, and I swallowed hard.

“Holy fucking shit.” Jace’s voice cut through the growing tension in the room. I could hear his smug grin far before I could see it. “When did you get into the business of smuggling basketballs?”

Callie gave him a tired look as he swaggered into view, his long chestnut hair tied into a low bun. The red towel hanging from his waist was the only thing covering his decency. Still, that did very little to hide his...excitement. I couldn’t blame him, though. Despite how shitty Callie looked emotionally, she lookedgood.

His pistachio colored eyes flickered from her waist to her face, then back to her body. And though his smile didn’t falter, I could tell he was just as shocked as I was.

I finally allowed my gaze to follow his. Her formerly flat stomach was full and round, stretching the already-thin pink material of her shirt. A gentleman would have stopped looking there, but I wasn’t like that. My attention fell lower, savoring the way her hips strained against her leggings. Her thighs looked softer, and instantly, I thought about how they’d feel wrapped around my head.

I took a deep breath to quell the thundering of my heart. A wave of warmth hit me below the belt, and I discreetly adjusted myself to prevent her from knowing what she was doing to me. Now wasn’t the time to bend her over the couch and watch the way Callie’s ass jiggled as I plunged in and out of her. I needed to figure out who hurt her.

Jace’s towel slid lower as he crossed his arms against his still-wet chest.

“So... I see someone’s been eating good.” His eyes lingered on her curves in the shameless way that would’ve earned anyone else a slap.

Callie’s cheeks flushed further, though I couldn’t tell if it was from frustration or embarrassment. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other before placing a hand on her stomach.

“Shut the fuck up, Jace,” she muttered, using her free hand to rub her temple.

She clearly wasn’t happy, but at least she wasn’t crying anymore.

Jace’s smirk deepened as he blatantly gave her a once-over again, now circling her. I didn’t miss how he pulled his lip through his teeth when he looked at her ass. When he filled the space beside me, his cock was at full attention, turning the towel into a makeshift tent.

“Our sweet little angel’s filled out a bit, hasn’t she?” His words took on a mocking tone as his eyes repeatedly flicked between her stomach and her hips. “The way you look in those leggings is about to give me a fucking heart attack.”

Her jaw tensed as she sniffled once more. No tears followed, so I assumed it was just her winding herself down.

“I’m pregnant, asshole.”

“Now, was that so hard? You could have started with that and saved yourself all this embarrassment.” He rested a hand on her stomach, and I envied how he shamelessly touched her. “Don’t get me wrong, though. Those new curves of yours lookdelicious.”

“Are you enjoying yourself?”

Though she sounded fed up, I could see the way her breathing quickened. Whether or not she liked it, part of her was responding to Jace’s attention. He slid his hand lower, hooking one finger into the band of her leggings.

“Oh, I absolutely am.” He assured her. “And I know if Sulien were here, he’d be keeping that fine ass of yours well-fed and as close to the bedroom as possible.”

Just the mention of his name caused Callie’s face to fall. Her bottom lip quivered for a beat, and I prepared to smack Jace. But, after a moment, she cleared her throat and wiped away the tears sticking to her lower lashes.

“Shut up, Jace.” The shake in her voice strangled my heart.

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