Page 106 of The Catalyst

He hesitates, but Nigel slowly leans down and sets me on my feet. I fall to my hands and knees as Oliver moves to me, shoving his gun back in its spot. He lifts me up in his arms and carries me over to the couch. Oisin moves out of the way and drags Charlie with him as Oliver puts me down on the cushion. Reaching into his pocket, he pulls out a pocket knife and uses it to cut through the duct tape on my wrists and ankles. I hurry to pry the duct tape off my mouth, gasping from my panic. I cry from the pain of tiny hairs and a layer of skin coming off with the tape.

“Are you okay?” Oliver asks and I slowly nod. “Where’s Martin?” he presses.

“Jesus fucking Christ. I didn’t hurt him. He wasn’t even there,” Nigel spouts off and I scowl at him. Like that makes this any better.

“He was called away by his father. That’s the only reason I was alone. I woke up in the trunk.” My voice breaks as I rub my arms. Now that the adrenaline is gone, I feel so fucking cold.

Oliver’s entire expression darkens as he jumps to his feet. “You put her…in the fucking trunk?!” Oliver charges at Nigel and slams his body into a wall, the impact making a loud thud, as he hits Nigel over and over again. “Do you have any idea how many people suffocate inside the trunk!”

“She’s fine. Chillax.”

“Ollie, stop!” Ronan yells as he pulls back Oliver’s arm, gaining a modicum of his attention. “We will deal with him later. Right now, we have to make sure she’s okay.”

My arms shake as I look down at them, noticing the rash created by the duct tape. I peel it back, hissing as I do, trying like hell not to cause more damage than was already done. Like, what self-respecting kidnapper uses duct tape? Go for ropes next time, asshole.

“Don’t pull it off,” Ronan mutters as he walks off. “You’re going to hurt yourself. We have some Goo-Gone in the kitchen. Come on.”

I nod as Ronan escorts me to the kitchen and I go willingly.

* * *

Ronan getsme set up in the spare room after all the duct tape has been dealt with and I just sit on the bed, my knees pulled up to my chest, waiting for something–anything really.

I don't know what they are going to do about what Nigel did. Technically, he didn’t break the rules. He did what he did in Hempstead, not Grove Hill, and even then, nothing he did was against the rules. He didn’t hurt me. I’m still breathing, too. So, what can they really do?

Not even the Bastards can help me.

Tears run down my face as my bottom lip trembles. I was fine. I was doing great back in Hempstead.

I.

Was.

Happy.

Nothing good ever lasts in my life. Not Shawn, my friends, my freedom, or even the tranquility I found with Martin.

There’s a soft knock on the door as I look down at the marks on my wrists. There’s still an irritation from the tape, but it’s not as bad as it would’ve been if Ronan hadn’t helped me get it off. My face is worse.

“What is it?” I ask, my voice cracking.

The door opens and Oliver steps inside, scratching the back of his neck. “I called my cousin. I didn’t tell him what happened, but I told him that you’re here and for him to pick you up when he’s done,” he explains while holding up his phone. “What you want to tell him is up to you.”

I slowly nod. “How did Nigel find me? I covered my tracks. Hell, how the fuck didyoufind me?”

He smirks, but there’s no positivity in his expression. Actually, he looks rather glum. “The video you sent. I recognized the room from the pictures in your house in Grove Hill. As far as what he’s willing to give, you had a tail back from the warehouse. He followed you straight to your house and just waited.”

My chest aches from the realization. “He was just waiting for Martin to leave,” I assess, feeling even more hopeless.

“Yeah. He was staking out your house all weekend. We figured he just needed time and was processing. We had no idea what he was doing.”

Fresh tears fall down my face as I nod. “Did he treat Casey like this or am I justspecial?”

The silence rings through the room and for a moment, I thought he might’ve left, but then he speaks, “He’s never been like this toward anyone except you. There’s toxic, then there’s you and Nigel together. It’s ugly and I fear it’s only going to get worse. You’ve woken something up in him that I had no idea existed until you ran outside that night.”

“Do you think I asked for this?” I roll my eyes. “He pursued me, not the other way around. Ineverwanted to be with him outside of sex and that was just onefuckingtime.”

“I’m not saying that at all. What I’m saying is that you need to stay as far away from him as you can.”

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