Page 186 of The Catalyst

“What the hell, Michael?” I nearly scream at him, and everyone looks at me like I’ve just shocked the hell out of them. I quickly clamp my lips shut. I’m supposed to be agreeable to avoid issues, but I’m so damn mad at him.

“Don’t act like you actually wanted to marry me,” he nearly wheezes from the pain, but I just scowl at him.

“Oh, you know I didn’t want to marry you, but you were fully aware of the contract. How could you do something like this when you knew all it would put in jeopardy?” I nearly cry as tears fill my eyes.

“Calm down, Miss Mercer. We’ll…figure something out.” Then, his eyes run up and down my body again before he smacks Michael across the face. Michael tumbles off the couch, straight onto his injury with a howl, and I wince. “Get out of my sight until I figure out how to deal with your disobedience. You leave as well, my darling wife,” Nolan turns his sneer on Cora and she flinches before collecting her son and heading for the door.

Nolan turns and heads for his desk.

I can not describe the level of relief I have at being dismissed until I actually turn to follow the others out, and Nolan speaks up.

“Not you, Miss Mercer. You stay.”

I pause and send Cora a pleading look, but I know she can’t help me. I’m petrified, but the presence of fear doesn’t eradicate bravery. I’m a bad bitch, and I can handle whatever Nolan throws at me.

Even if I break down about it later.

“Yes, sir,” I say before walking over to the sofa, and I sit down, waiting patiently. The door closes, and Nolan heads over to his bar and grabs himself a glass, filling it to the brim with amber liquid.

I’m sitting here waiting for him, and he’s taking his goddamn time to get to me. Maybe I’m a bit entitled to my time, but he is the one who has stripped my life as I knew it away from me.

Not to mention I have a man waiting for me who is in a precarious state because of Nolan.

He chugs his drink, not missing a single drop, before slamming the glass on the bar. I swear I hear the crystal crack under the force.

“I know it’s not my fault, but I’m sorry Michael did this,” I say, not waiting around for him any longer.

He just nods before refilling his glass.

“I can’t imagine how angry you must be with him. He should have talked to you instead of going behind your back like this. What he did could’ve been really dangerous. I just…I had no idea he was going to do something of this magnitude.”

“Miss Mercer, you can stop,” Nolan nearly growls before taking a sip from the full glass. “I know you had nothing to do with this. I just need a minute of silence, please.”

I nod and bow my head so, I’m not tempted to say anything.

I silently count my heartbeats until his glass is quietly set on the coffee table in front of me. Nolan stands before me and nods his head toward his desk. Slowly moving to my feet, I follow him without speaking. He stops in front of his desk and quickly spins around. I brace myself, prepared for him to start yelling at me, but instead, he takes my face into his hands and forces me to stare into his dark blue orbs of nothingness.

“I’m not happy with you, Bethany. Do you know why?” he asks, his voice so level and calm that it immobilizes me.

“Yes.”

“Tell me,” he demands.

“Because I argued with you.”

He shakes his head. “Youchallengedme,” he corrects as his thumbs run over my cheeks. “I like your attitude, Miss Mercer. You have spunk, which we need in this family, but I cannot have you challenging me. Do you understand?”

I nod rapidly, hoping that by not mouthing off, he won’t do something horrific.

“I understand. I won’t do it again. I promise.”

“Good girl,” he purrs from me submitting to him, and I nearly cry from how petrified I am. “This can’t go unchecked. If I let you get away with it, it leaves room for Cora, Martin, or Michael to think they can get away with it, too. I can’t have that.”

“I do,” my voice shakes, and I squint my eyes, waiting for him to hit me or something, but he doesn’t.

“You should be thanking my son. He took your punishment for you. He offered to do it. He must really care for you and your safety, but mark my words, he won’t be allowed to shoulder it himself ever again. Next time you cross me, you will take it yourself and I’ll make it way worse than I originally intended this time to be. I was just going to make you be my whore as punishment, but next time, I’ll make you look the way he does. Are we clear?”

He is truly an unfeeling demon.

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