Page 130 of The Catalyst

“Yes, I do. I’ve been nothing but a royal bitch to you, and you didn’t turn me or my babies away.” Her face falls.

Yeah, but I get it. From her perspective, I came into town as her and Nigel were fizzling out and stole him. Then did the same thing to her and Martin. That’s not the truth of the matter, but that’s how it appears to her.

“Did you say babies? As in twins?”

A smile rises across her lips. “Yeah. The doctor said they’re fraternal twins. I can already imagine having a boy and a girl,” she gushes as she lovingly touches her stomach.

“That would be a handful. What will you name them?” I ask, my voice low.

“Connor and Kaylee. I’d give Connor his father’s last name, but my mom was the most important person to me growing up, so I’d want my daughter to have her maiden name. Connor Gray and Kaylee Masters.”

“Such nice names.”

Out of nowhere, Casey throws her arms around me and pulls me into a tight embrace, which I return.

“I’ll send you updates.” Then, she pulls back and climbs out of the truck, waving to me as she disappears into the bus station and leaves me alone.

Even though Delaney and Teigan are still in the area, their parents will be waiting for Casey when she arrives, and they’ll help her get settled.

* * *

I feelbad that I haven’t been spending time with Delaney and Teigan, but I really needed to catch up on my sleep, and luckily, Nigel is working on some sort of business plan to open up a body shop with a friend of his named Frank so he doesn’t need to go into the ring so often.

Once I wake up, I text Teigan, lying about having a horrible bout of insomnia last night to explain my absence. Then, I climb out of bed and slip on a pair of Nigel’s boxers under the shirt of his I’m also wearing.

Glancing at the clock, I note the time before I slip out of the room. It’s ten at night, and the entire house is blanketed in dark silence. It’s so…odd. I make my way down the stairs and welcome the creaking floorboard as the melody to my steps until I make it down the hall on the first floor.

I don’t know why I’m walking this way until I reach the last door at the end of the hall, and blue light peeks out from under the door.

My heart shudders. He’s awake.

Before I can fully comprehend the consequences of what I’m doing, I knock on his door. The lack of noise greets me, and I almost leave until I hear the faint footsteps on the other side. He doesn’t call out to see who is here. It’s almost like he knows it's me and is thinking the same things.

The knob turns, and the door opens as those normally dead eyes stare straight into my soul. Oliver leans against the door frame, a pair of sleep pants hanging dangerously low off his waist, revealing the tempting V in his hips, his tattooed chest on full display.

We haven’t spoken since our talk in the car, and I’ve been avoiding even looking at him since, but now there’s an even bigger pull between us.

I don’t say anything, and he doesn’t need me to.

Without even flexing a muscle, Ollie grabs my shirt and pulls me into him, my body flush against his. Tears fill my eyes as my feet pass the threshold and onto the black carpet of his room.

He pulled me into his room. No one ever comes in here, even the guys, and he let me invade his space. Moreover, heinvitedme in. The muscle in my chest somersaults as he presses my back against the closed door, blocking me in.

“Oliver,” I whimper his name, and he softly shushes me, running his fingers down my back.

His breath ghosts across my skin, warming me. My fingers investigate his tattoos, testing out the lines and color patterns against my skin, and god, he feels like heaven and hell on a collision course.

I moan as he tugs down the boxers barely clinging onto my waist. He growls, running kisses down my throat as he works my shirt up my stomach, his calloused fingers scraping at my sensitive skin, prickling with awareness.

“Oliver, I lov–” His finger presses to my lips, stopping me in my tracks, as I work at the tie of his pants. My emotions overwhelm me with every moment inside his space and every touch.

“Don’t say it,” he whispers before pressing his lips to mine for a needy kiss that makes my toes curl. “Don’t tell me that right now. Hold onto that until you’re no longer his. Tell me when you’re completely mine, baby.” He takes another commanding, deep kiss as his pants fall to the floor, and his naked body presses against mine, holding me captive.

I want to say it to him and I’ve never said those three little words to any man. I want to tell him, but I’ll give him that one request. I’ll hold it in even though it twists my insides like no tomorrow.

I cling to him as I reciprocate every kiss, every touch, every breath. I feel like I’m floating, yet Oliver keeps me from flying away.

He lays me on the bed and moves over my body without releasing my mouth, settling himself between my thighs.

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