Page 182 of The Catalyst

Before Ollie has fully stood up, there’s a loud bang on the door. It’s not like a knock, but more so like something was either thrown or fell into the door. I nearly jump out of my skin and even Ollie looks surprised.

“What the fuck?”

I climb out of bed and throw on my oversized sleep shirt to cover my body as Ollie pulls out his gun from the back of his pants.

“Who’s there?” I call, but am just met by a groan through the door. Then, what sounds like a cough before a raspy response.

“Little rabbit.”

Martin.

I reach for the doorknob, but Ollie pulls me back.

“I’ll open it,” he insists, but I yank out of his hold, scowling.

“It’s just Martin.” I roll my eyes as I walk over to the door and pull it open. I’m thrown off when Martin, who was leaning back against the door while sitting on the ground, falls back onto the floor.

My entire chest tightens and twists with pain when I see his face. If I hadn’t heard his voice, I wouldn’t have recognized him at all from all the bruises and cuts.

“Martin!” I cry as I drop down to his side, his face twisting with agony. “Who did this to you?”

I already know the answer to that question, though.

Nolan did this. He hurt Martin to punish me for mouthing off at him and he hurt Martin to punish my sweet man for protecting me.

“We need to get him inside,” Ollie mutters before leaning over his cousin. “Can you get up?”

Martin groans and tries to push himself up, but his body falls back down with a loud groan. He shakes his head, his face twisting with agony.

“Okay.” Ollie throws Martin’s arm over his shoulder and pulls him to his feet. Martin screams in a way that makes my entire world feel like it’s crumbling around me, shattering into a million little shards.

Tears fall down my face as Ollie helps his cousin to the bed we haven’t fucked in and lays him down. I close the door and rush over to Martin, crawling onto the bed.

“Oh, my god. This is my fault, isn’t it?” I cry as I lay his head in my lap while Ollie stares at us, his expression blank.

“No,” Martin groans as I push his sweat coated hair out of his face. “Don’t blame…yourself.”

Another sob falls from my lips as I run my fingers through his hair.

“What happened?” Ollie demands as he grabs a washcloth and runs it under the tap before ringing it out. He brings me the rag and I gently rub at the blood on his face. Martin groans and I press a kiss to the top of his head, knowing that’s probably the only safe place to touch without hurting him.

“I’m so sorry,” I whisper before looking at Ollie. He gives me a strange look, his gaze darting between me and Martin over and over. Now, I understand the expression on his face. He wants to know if I feel the same way about Martin as I do about him. I’ve never hidden my feelings for either of them.

I slowly nod, but instead of being angry or territorial, his face relaxes. I send him a tense smile before saying, “You have somewhere to be. I got this.”

Then, his eyes narrow. “Tell me what happened.”

My gaze drops down to Martin’s broken and battered face as more tears fall down my face. “Nolan happened,” I admit while removing as much of the blood from Martin’s face. Ollie’s face fills with rage as I look back up at him. “I mouthed off at him and he got mad. He wanted to hurt me, but…Martin protected me. He got me out of there before Nolan could do anything.”

“Beth,” Martin groans as he grabs my hand, stopping the motions of cleaning the blood off of him.

“I’m sorry, baby.” I lean down and softly kiss his fingers as another sob racks my body. “We should’ve just gone back to Hempstead and never left. At least, then you’d be safe.”

Martin matters more than Nigel and any guilt I would’ve felt and so does Ollie. We could’ve just left, but my goddamn conscience wouldn’t let me.

Nolan wouldn’t have been able to reach him then.

“Martin,” Ollie hisses as he presses his hands into the mattress. Martin groans as he turns his head to look at his cousin, who gives him a grim expression. It takes more strength than it should for Martin to open his eyes. Another sob falls from my lips at the strain it takes him. “All you have to do is confirm everything she has said and I will personally make sure your father is dealt with.”

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