Page 37 of The Catalyst

Everyone’s heads snap up in shock, including Arely, who scowls at me. “Then, I’m coming, too!”

“No, you’re not.” I pin her with a look that says she better not try to challenge me.

I may not be the oldest of our group—that title belongs to Ollie—but I run everything, and what I say goes. If I say Beth is coming along, they know not to fight me on it.

The only one who seems the slightest bit irked by the ruling is my best friend, who is eyeing us suspiciously.

“That’s not fair, Ni! If I have to stay behind, shouldn’t Beth also? I’ve been around for years, and you barely even know her. How do you know she won’t just turn on you?”

I’m about to reprimand her when Beth beats me to it.

“How fucking dare you,” she growls at Arely. “Just because you’re all butt hurt doesn’t mean you can drag my name through the fucking mud.” My woman’s eyes blaze with rage at the insinuation that she would ever betray me. With that, I know she’s never going to. She’ll always stand by me. Either that or she’s pissed at being called a snitch.

“Fuck off, Arely. This doesn’t concern you. You could just as easily go home.” I back up my woman and throw an arm around her shoulder, pulling her in and away from Arely, guiding her out of the house. “Get in the truck.”

Beth doesn’t fight it or question me. She follows instructions, closing the door behind her.

“Are you sure about this, man?” Ollie asks as he walks up behind me. Unlike the others, I know this is a concern, not a challenge. I can’t be mad about that.

“Yes.”

“Why?” He’s suspicious, and I can’t blame him.

“Because I need her to know what she’s getting into and…her mother is a problem,” I explain, barely containing the rage I have directed at the preacher.

“Her mom?” Ollie’s expression remains stoic even as I notice his eyes shift with surprise and confusion.

“She won’t admit it, but I know her mom is beating on her. She constantly has bruises that she tries to explain away. Even today, she had to crawl out the window because her mother broke her bedroom door down trying to get to her. Her cheek was swollen and she tried to say she walked into a cabinet door. She’s used that excuse three times before. The only thing she hasn’t lied about concerning her mother is that her mom hasn’t been the same since her dad died. I need her to trust me to keep her safe.”

“How can she trust you to keep her safe when you’re hurting her, too?”

Well, that was a kick to the balls.

I wasn’t trying to fucking hurt her. He has to know that, right?

His eyes darken as he looks at Beth through the window of the passenger side door. “This could very easily backfire on you. How would you navigate that? You need to think this through." His gaze lingers on her a little too long for comfort.

I'm not blind. I've noticed him watching her as if he's dissecting her layer by layer. I don't know what is going through his head when he's looking at her and a part of me doesn't want to know. Sometimes, ignorance is bliss.

"She’ll be fine. See you at the warehouse,” I say before walking around my truck. I climb inside and turn it on before throwing on my seat belt.

“Where are we going?” Beth asks, giving me a cautious once-over before meeting my eyes. She’s uncertain but not running, which is a plus.

“You want to know what happens to someone who breaks the rules, butterfly? You’re about to see it unless you want to hang back with Arely.” I’m not going to force this on her. If her eyes become open to everything I do, it will be her choice, not mine.

Her lips twist up in concentration, thinking over her options. She takes a moment and looks out the window where Ollie is climbing into his car. The silence seems to last forever before she puts on her seat belt. “Let’s go.”

I couldn’t possibly be as proud of her as I am right now.

CHAPTER 18

OLIVER

“Man, come on. Let’s just get to the warehouse already,” Charlie complains from the back seat as Ronan gives me the directions I requested.

“Shut your insufferable mouth!” I snap, which is something they rarely see. I’m usually the one to keep my cool, but that was before Nigel dropped a bombshell on me. “Don’t make me hit you,” I warn before Ronan points at the house.

“That’s Beth’s mom’s house,” he directs and I slam on my brakes, stopping at the curb. I look up at the basic house with the car I remember the princess driving to the shop.

---