Page 201 of The Catalyst

“I’m sorry.” A small gasp leaves my lips as I try to get my panic under control.

Is that seriously what Judy told her? What the actual fuck! Judy is my best friend, but I’m notgivingRian to her to keep. He’smyson. This is something that won’t last forever and is just to keep him safe from Nolan.

“That’s not the plan we had in place with Gunderson,” Ollie says quickly. “It’s temporary.”

I’m glad he can speak through the shock. I sure as fuck can’t.

“I see,” Vera mumbles before her fork clatters with the plate. “Explain to me why you wouldtemporarilygive your child to someone and expect them to give the child back when you see fit.”

I’m still in a state of shock, so Ollie explains what he can since I haven’t told him every last detail, and Vera just listens, sipping her vodka so nonchalantly it’s unnerving.

“You made a deal with the devil, child. Don’t be surprised when you’re impaled by his horns.” Vera is so unaffected, and yet the brutality behind her words makes me flinch. I was never surprised by Nolan’s horns. I just didn’t want them to hurt my baby.

It’s pretty clear that she’s dismissing us with those words. I’m not surprised the only reason she was willing to help us was she thought that I was just going to let Judy adopt my son permanently.

“Thank you for the food, Vera,” I say before I stand. “Let’s go.” I place my hand on Ollie’s shoulder, and he starts to stand, ready to leave with me, but Vera whistles, completely unamused.

“Sit down, child,” she demands vehemently. “You’re not going anywhere.”

The tension in my shoulders relax. Really, where do we have to go? I mean, we could theoretically go to Washington, where Casey, Delaney, and Teigan are, but Nolan might look for me there. If they find me in Washington, they’ll also find Casey, who is a little more pregnant than I am.

I sit back down in my seat, and Ollie holds my hand under the table, offering me whatever he can without being too affectionate.

“You stay until Judy arrives, and we can sort this out. I’m not putting a pregnant woman and her friend out on the street in the midst of such a precarious situation,” Vera explains before turning her gaze to Oliver. “Are you the father, Behemoth?”

He scowls. “Of course I am.”

Out of nowhere, Vera picks up the rolled-up newspaper with a rubberband around it that sat on the table next to her and whacks him upside the head. A part of me is scared that he’s going to murder her for doing something like that, but that portion is small. The rest of me laughs. Vera has some major balls on her.

“Shame on you.” She mutters something that I assume is a line of curses in a foreign language before snapping the newspaper on the table.

Oliver sends her a death glare that he used to look at me with daily before he fell in love with me. However, Vera is not deterred.

“You are the man. This–” she motions to my stomach. “–is your fault, your responsibility. You put her in this position with your mediocre penis.”

My hand slams over my mouth as I struggle not to roar with laughter. Oliver’s penis is anything but mediocre. It is very much a joystick.

Then, Vera whacks him again, and I swear his eye twitches with fury, but he doesn’t move. “And this girl is way too young for a man your age. She’s just a child, you cradle robber.”

That one is not funny, yet Oliver’s rage turns to a puddle on the floor, and he chuckles as he shakes his head.

“I’m not a child,” I deny as I scowl at her.

“The only reason I’m not hitting you with this is because of the bun in your oven.” She threatens me with the newspaper. “Besides, how old are you? Sixteen, maybe?”

My eyes widen. I’ve been told I look older, not younger. That’s why Ollie flipped out when he found out how old I really am. He thought I was in my twenties, not my teens.

“I’m almost nineteen. I’m an adult.”

“You’re still a child until you’re twenty-five, and I can tell he is older than that.” She sneers at Ollie, who just gives me anI told you solook. “And double shame on you, mister. You had no business around a girl her age. You had no right to her virtue.” Then, Vera slaps Ollie with the newspaper one last time for added measure. “Bad dog.”

His eyes narrow before he mutters, “Woof, woof.” I slam my hand on my mouth before how hard his rebuttal made me laugh.

“No dinner for you.” She stands up, pushes Ollie’s plate away from him, and leaves the room, calling out to us. “Breakfast is at eight a.m. Don’t be late this time.”

I barely even register her announcing what time to come over in the morning. I’m too stuck on what she said before all that banter with my crazy man.

“She thinks I gave you my virginity?” I nearly laugh, but the serious expression on Ollie’s face sobers me as he leans into my ear, growling.

---