Page 223 of The Catalyst

If I don’t do what he demands, he’ll do it himself to punish her for upsetting him and to punish me for denying him.

I’m the only one here looking out for her safety and her health.

Fine, but I’ll do this my way. I’ll make it look the way he wants it to, but it won’t be real. He’ll get what he wants and she’ll make it out with the least amount of damage.

“To sweeten the pot, I’ll give you what you want. You want a way to get as far away from me as possible? You’ll get a promotion to CFO and I’ll pay for whatever house you want. I’ll even put it in your name. What do you say?”

It’s insane that he actually thinks I could be bought. I can’t. However, apparently, I can beforcedin order to protect Beth. That’s the only thing he has over my head.

“Fine. Untie me and I’ll sign your damn contract.”

Protecting Beth is the only thing that matters to me.

Not him.

Not Carmen.

Not anything else.

EPILOGUE 2

BETH

I never want this night to end. Everything is perfect. I have zero regrets, and nothing could possibly have brought me more joy and happiness than having one last night with Ollie.

We ate the food Ollie brought home. We had sex again. We took a shower. Another round of mind-blowing sex. We laid down in the living room to watch TV, and guess what happened after that? S.E.X. Lots and lots of sex.

“I hate this,” I whisper as tears prick the back of my eyes.

“The sex not good enough for you?” Ollie teases me as he grips my ass through the sheet.

I can’t help laughing. “No. It’s been perfect. I just hate that it's almost over.” Just a few hours left.

“It’s okay, babe. It doesn’t have to be over.” His fingers run through my hair as he kisses my temple softly.

My lip trembles from the way my heart aches. “Yes, it does.”

Everything falls completely silent, and I wonder if my prayer from a month ago finally came true. Time stands still, even Ollie’s fingers.

“Why?” he whispers.

I turn my head, holding his icy blue gaze I’ve loved staring into since this all started, the better part of a year ago. I’ve had eight months with Ollie, and they’ve all been spectacular. I know I could truly be content spending the rest of my life with him, but our time is up.

“I don’t want you to put your life on hold for me, Oliver Doyle.”

He flips us so I’m under him and stares down at me, the look on his face that scares most of Grove Hill. Not me, though. He looks bordering on feral.

“On hold?”

“I want you to live your life. It will be easier for me if I know you’re not sitting around worrying about me or counting down the days until I can divorce Michael. I’m in this for twelve years, Ollie. Think about it. You’ll be forty when I’m released from this. I don’t want you to waste those years on me.” Reaching up, I run my fingers over his jaw, committing the way it feels to memory. “I love you, Ollie. I know I’ll always love you.” My voice breaks, and I feel the tears coming because this is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. “And I love you enough to let you go.”

He leans down and presses his forehead to mine, conceding even if he hasn’t said it. He hasn’t spoken at all. We’ve had our ups and downs, but we’ve made it through all of them. Not this time. Time is not our friend.

He claims my lips in a passionate kiss and it feels like goodbye, but then, he invades my body. Oliver Doyle makes love to me just past midnight, knowing it's our final chance.

* * *

I stroll to the bay window, looking out onto the front lawn, cradling a cup of coffee between my fingers. I watch the children run up and down the street, carefree and absent of all regrets. It’s the only thing that really makes me feel hopeful for the future, at least after meeting the halfway mark of my sentence with the Gray family.

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