Page 22 of The Catalyst

I pretend to contemplate my answer for a moment before I say, "I'd have to say I was thinking with my dick, but I don't think that's the answer you want."

His eyes narrow. "Don't be a smartass. Beth is Nigel's girl."

"No, she's not." She confirmed as much to me and whoever he was on the phone with backed her up.

"It doesn't matter if she believes she is or not. He does. You stabbed Nigel in the back."

"Who did what?" Nigel's voice comes from around the corner of the hall before he does. He stops next to me, looking at Ro with suspicion in his eyes.

Honestly, I had no idea he was here. I figured he was either training for his next match or at work. Clearly, he's not with the little princess or Ro wouldn't have gotten that call.

Ro looks like a deer caught in headlights, his gaze dashing from me to Nigel and back to me over and over. He doesn't know what to say or do. If he tells Nigel, he will be breaking his promise to whoever called him, but he has no way out of it.

"I didn't do anything," Ro says with his hands up as if in defeat.

"Well, who did? What's going on?" Nigel presses and I chuckle.

"Ro seems to think you're going to want to beat my ass when you hear what I did today." If Ro isn't going to say it, I will.

"Ollie," Ro hisses while motioning for me to keep my mouth shut.

"Huh? Why? What did you do?" Nigel tilts his head in confusion.

"Ollie, shut your mouth," Ro warns and I grin.

"I fucked Beth," I admit with no shame at all.

Nigel looks between me and Ro for a moment before he throws his head back laughing like I knew he would. "Is that it?" he asks.

"Yup. She got a little bloody and bruised, but she'll survive."

Ro stares at Nigel sideways, probably thrown off by Nigel's reaction. He shouldn't be. I'm Nigel's best friend and even if he got mad at me, there wouldn't be much he could do about it. Well, he could punish the little princess, but that's not my business and doesn't affect me.

"Good luck with that anyway. She's one crazy girl."

"Crazy? Are you sure we're talking about the same woman?" Nigel asks, his brows nearly hitting his hairline.

"Yup. She nearly strangled herself with my hand to the point of almost blacking out. Like I said, she's fucking batshit." I won't admit it out loud, but I kind of like that she's psychotic in her own way. It's not quite the same as my psychopathy, but it's like she’s a kindred spirit and I like burrowing myself under her skin.

It seems I've found someone I can play cat and mouse with and I can't wait to play with her again.

CHAPTER 11

BETH

Weeks have flown by, and I’m even more unsettled now than when I arrived in Grove Hill. Nigel has made a habit of whisking me away in the middle of the night, and sometimes, Judy is with Ronan along for the journey. Mostly, we go to his house to watch TV, drink, smoke, and just chill out. It’s a nice escape from reality, but I don’t let my walls down.

It's made even more difficult by the presence of Oliver and the way he stares at me. I can't tell if he's trying to scare me or undress me with his eyes. We haven't spoken at all since the day he rearranged my insides and I have to wonder why, but I assume it's that he's a man of few words. It doesn't matter anyway. All we had was sex, pure and simple. He doesn't have any sort of hold on me, unlike his best friend.

Nigel is dangerous to my heart, and I can’t let him in, even if he’s determined to tattoo his name across it with force.

“You look happy,” I say to Judy as we hang out in her room, sharing a pint of Blue Bell ice cream while watching Coyote Ugly.

My eyes continuously go to those scars on her wrists, but I take notice that there are no new ones, which must mean she’s not hurting herself anymore, right? There’s a new light in her eyes, and it makes me smile. I’m happy for her.

“I really am,” she admits before shoving a spoonful in her mouth.

“Ro’s that good in bed, huh?” I tease, and she shoves my shoulder, embarrassed.

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