Page 105 of The Catalyst

Well, whoever took me is going to get a rude awakening when I throat punch them the second this trunk opens up. It’s not going to be all fun and games then, will it?

The car comes to a full stop, the engine turns off, and I hear the distinct sound of the door open and close. I try to control the sound of my breathing as I get ready.

The second the trunk pops open and a figure comes into view, I pull my legs back and kick them with all the force I have. The kidnapper falls back as I move to crawl out of the trunk to see that my so-called attacker is none other than NigelfuckingO’Reilly.

Is this man never going to get the fucking hint?

Then the color drains from my face.

Nigel. Fucking. Found. Me.

How did he figure out where I was hiding?

I swear, if Oliver told him where I was, I’ll kill that beast myself. I won’t even need a weapon. I’ll claw his eyes out and make him eat them before moving onto his dick and balls.

I manage to get out of the trunk as Nigel sits up on the driveway.

“I guess I deserved that,” he mutters.

You think!is what I would say if I wasn’t fighting the duct tape over my mouth. Instead, I scream the best that I can through the duct tape.

“Calm down, baby. Stop screaming.”

He moves over to me and I swipe my arms at him, ready to deliver a few punches of my own. Was Martin beating his ass two days ago not enough for him? Does he need me to finish the job?

Instead of hitting him, he grabs my bound arms and throws me over his shoulder as I fight and scream, hoping and praying someone hears and helps me.

Martin isn’t here to save me. Nigel grabbed me when Martin was called away by his abusive father. He must’ve waited until he saw an opportunity to strike.

Martin is going to freak out when he sees I’m not there.

The front door opens as I continue to scream.

“What the hell, Nigel!” someone yells.

“Who is that?”

“What are you doing?”

“You can’t just kidnap someone. Are you insane?” That was definitely Ronan. They’re not doing anything though. They aren’t stopping him.

So much for all-powerful vigilantes.

“Calm down. It’s just Beth. She’s fine.”

I scream again into the duct tape as he turns around and I look up. All of them are watching in shock, but in a flash, Oliver jumps up from the couch, pulls the gun out of his pants, and points it at the back of Nigel’s head. He cocks the gun and the breath catches in my throat. Tears run rampant down my face as the gravity of the situation dawns on me.

I’ll never escape him.

I’m stuck being his proverbial punching bag.

At least I was given a reprieve in the form of Martin Gray for a little while. He showed me how a man should treat me, something Nigel never will.

“Put her down, man, or I’ll pull the trigger,” Oliver warns as he looks in my eyes, but I can’t decipher why he is looking at me like that. There’s no emotion there. That or he has it well hidden for a reason.

Nigel freezes and stays completely still.

“You know I’ll do it. Put her down and get the fuck away from her. Now.”

---