Page 86 of The Catalyst

“Seriously, where the fuck is she?” Nigel growls as he puts his phone to his ear for the thousandth time, probably trying to call her again.

“If her phone is off, she’s not going to get any of those calls,” I finally speak for the first time since we got into the car.

He shuts down the call and tosses his phone onto the dashboard in anger. “What the hell were you thinking?” he roars with rage, but I don’t say anything. I don’t know what he is on about, but whatever it is is firmly planted under his skin. “I fucking heard the two of you last night. I called her, the phone picked up, and I fucking heard you.”

Well, that’s unfortunate, but still doesn’t really explain his anger towards me.

“And?” I mutter. “You didn’t seem to care when I fucked her before.” And, he has no moral high ground to stand on since we’re all pretty sure he was off dipping his dick into some other bitch’s honey pot.

“I’m not mad that you fucked her,” he denies, his nostrils flared with anger. “I heard what she fucking said. She said she was yours. What the fuck, man!”

Oh.

Well, that explains a lot. No wonders he’s pissed.

“Do you have nothing to say for yourself? I was gone for less than two weeks and you tried to move in on my woman! You’re supposed to be my best friend, Ollie!”

In my defense, that was a title that was thrust upon me. I didn’t choose to be friends with Nigel. He just latched himself onto me, much like how he did with Beth.

“That’s not important right now. In case you forgot, she’s fucking missing. If you want to lecture me, you can do it later.”

I don’t need to be reminded of how my obsession with my princess was a betrayal to him. I’ve had the voices in my head whispering it to me for weeks. I knew it was wrong, but my need for her was too strong to deny it.

Fuck, princess. Where are you? I’m sorry…just please, come back to me.

I hope wherever the fuck she is, she heard that plead.

I pull up to the gate outside the Gray estate and Nigel’s eyes snap to look at the gate, confusion on his face.

“Where the fuck are we?” he asks, his attention removed from the argument.

“The Gray’s,” I admit and I watch his eyes narrow, territorial rage overtaking his face.

We climb out of the car and I walk over to the box with Bernadette, the creepy night watch chick who always flirts with me whenever I have to come to this god-awful place.

“Heyyy, handsome,” she mutters.

“Send Martin out, now,” I demand. I know Nigel is on the do-not-pass list carefully cultivated by my so-called “uncle”. It pretty much consists of all the other Bastards and anyone we have been affiliated with. I don’t think Beth is on that list though.

“Right on it.” She winks at me before she picks up the phone and I turn to Nigel.

“She won’t be here,” he insists.

“Probably not.”

“Then, why are we here?”

“Because…he might know where she is or a way to find her location that we aren’t able to.” My cousin has connections that we don’t. I would go to Nolan, but I’d rather he remain unaware of my princess. I try to stay out of his business and he stays clear of mine. He’s also the reason that although I've been arrested plenty of times, I was never charged with any crimes.

He nods and takes a step back, roughly running his fingers through his hair as he paces back and forth. I know he’s not only pissed at me, but he’s also pissed because he knows Beth and Martin hooked up in the past. I don’t know what Beth told him about what happened when they were alone, but Nigel got the confirmation from my lips that it occurred.

“Well, well, well…” I turn as Martin pushes open the walk-through gate and steps out before crossing his arms. I didn’t even hear his car drive up. “What a pleasant surprise, cousin. I was not expecting visitors anytime soon.”

I walk over to him. “Beth is missing. No one knows where she is. She might be in danger. Do you know where she is?” I doubt he will, but I have to ask anyway.

He tilts his head as he uncrosses his arms, shoving his hands deep in his pockets. “As a matter of fact, I do.”

“You do?” Nigel presses and he must be as surprised by this as I am. I didn’t actually think they would’ve crossed paths.

---