Page 109 of The Catalyst

Martin’s eyes narrow and I know deep down, this is killing him as much as it is me. “Are you sure about this?”

“No,” I admit. “But, the alternative is far worse. I wish it wasn’t though. I wish I could just go back to the house …with you.” His oceanic eyes flash back to mine, listening closely. “I’ve never been as happy as I have been this past week with you, Martin. You made me feel free, feel truly seen for the first time in my life. I’ll always be grateful for that. I got a glimpse into how my life could’ve been if I hadn’t left Hempstead and remembered that night with you. It wasn’t something grandiose or ostentatious, but it was beautiful all the same.”

He presses his forehead to mine, letting out a long breath. “You can’t say shit like that when you’re dumping me, little rabbit.”

I snicker from his words. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be. You’re fucking perfection, a goddess in your own right. If you’re staying here with that piece of flaming human trash, give him hell like only you can. Be the petty queen I know you are.” He presses a soft kiss to my forehead and I feel so much love and understanding it’s drowning me.

“I will. I swear.”

CHAPTER 41

BETH

Two Months Later

Ifigured if Nigel was going to fall off the wagon when it comes to how he treats me, he would’ve done it by now. So, I’ve relaxed and fallen into a decent routine. He has loosened the reins and given me more freedom than he had before.

Now, I can come and go as I please…for the most part, anyway.

Nigel still won’t let me go back to the house, even just to prepare for my mother’s return home. We’ve still got another month to go, but he wants there to be a separation between me and the woman who birthed me. He even didn’t want me to go see my mother at the rehab, but I did it anyway with Oliver as a chaperone, but he stayed in the car.

I’ve never seen my mom so sick in my life, not even when she was pregnant with my brother who she miscarried when my dad passed away. The stress was too much for her body to withstand. She can deny it, but I know that has something to do with how far she has fallen.

* * *

“Beth, we need you downstairs,”Charlie yells through the door as I tug down my shirt. I had to come upstairs to change since some drunkard accidentally spilled his beer on me. Personally, I think it was intentional just to see through my shirt since it was a white tank top. He didn’t account for me wearing a bra, though. Shame on him either way. No one should ever be so drunk that their drink pours on someone else, and everyone in this town knows Nigel claimed me. He hasn't exactly been discrete about it either.

“For what?” I groan. Slipping on my jacket, I pull open the door and am surprised by the worried look on Charlie’s face. “What is it?” I ask, on edge from his expression.

“There’s some girl that just showed up uninvited. She’s looking for Nigel,” he explains, and my back straightens.

It’s common to have uninvited guests at a party. Hell, that’s how Nigel and I met. It’s also common for girls—usually drunk enough not to be worried about the consequences—to sniff around Nigel. What is uncommon is for someone to show up uninvited, asking for him.

“Is he not back yet?” I press. Nigel left right before the beer-dumping incident to get more beer. It was his turn to go on a run.

“Not that I know of. You should probably deal with this. She’s not listening to any of us.”

He knows it won’t be pretty if he pulls me into this.

“Why don’t you ask Oliver?”

Everyone is scared of him. The girl is bound to run off after one of his psychotic smiles. The only ones who aren’t scared of him are me and Martin and, for obvious reasons, Martin isn’t here.

“He tried,” Charlie adds, and I freeze up.

Whoever this girl is, she isn’t scared of Oliver, and that is a red flag in itself. What kind of psychotic woman–except me, of course–isn’t scared of Oliver Doyle? That’s sketchy as fuck.

Without another word from Charlie, I leave Nigel’s room and take one stair at a time, watching the door where the three remaining guys block the view of a woman screaming.

“Get out of the way, or I swear by all that is holy, I will call the cops and have this party shut down.”

An amused smirk lifts across Oliver’s face as he moves in. Oisin and Ronan take a step back, allowing me through. Oliver has her caged against the door, an evil smile across his lips, as the brunette scowls up at him.

“And what’s stopping us from burying you in the backyard, little girl?” he taunts.

Her blue gaze hardens as her lips thin. Then, she drops the anger and gives off a faux sweet demeanor while batting her eyelashes at him. “Oh, you’re not going to hurt me, Ollie. I don’t fit in with your rules.” She presses her fingers against his chest and trails them down his shirt before whispering, “I’m innocent in all the ways that matter and none that don’t.”

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