Chapter 57
CHAPTER 57
BETH
T he guard asks for my driver’s license and then instructs me to sit and wait to be allowed back into the visitation area to see Nigel. I have no clue how they can expect me to do that. My memory of the day of the accident is still a little blurry after leaving the truck. Oliver told me I collapsed shortly after, but I don’t know if Nigel was harmed during the fight, the arrest, or if he’s had an altercation with other inmates.
I know Nigel can take care of himself, but an irrational part of me is scared that something horrible is going to happen to him.
Taking a seat in one of the few hard plastic chairs made available, I press my hand against my lower abdomen. I know it’s crazy to think my unborn child could give me some sort of advice or strength with a single touch, but crazier things have happened, right?
I have no clue how to help him or get him out of this mess. It’s all my fault, but I’m not the one behind bars.
Pulling out the iPod from my pocket, I slip on my headphones but keep one off my ear so I can hear when they call for me. Alicia Keys’ Fallin’ plays, and the song both relaxes and terrifies me.
I can’t believe I’m actually pregnant. There’s a life growing inside my stomach, and I have no clue if his or her father is Oliver, Nigel, or Martin. It’s been a while since Martin and I had sex, but he’s still a contender. Also, Nigel and I actually haven’t had sex very much since he dragged me back to Grove Hill. That was only two months ago and I could be further along than that.
I don’t think a paternity test would be possible this early in the game, but what would I know? I have no clue about those kinds of things. I haven’t had any friends who were pregnant. My parents were married before they had me, and I was never in this situation with Shawn.
Thankfully, the direction my mind went provided a good distraction because the next thing I know, the guard comes out with a clipboard in his hands.
“Visitor for O’Reilly!” the burly man with skin paler than mine yells, and I quickly jump up from my seat, shoving my headphones in my pockets.
“I’m here for Nigel O’Reilly,” I say, but the pissy guard just scowls at me before nodding through the door. I walk through, and he closes the loud, metal door.
“Hand over your phone and any other electronic devices you have on you,” he instructs, and I quickly follow his instructions to a T, handing him my phone and iPod. He nods and places them in a blue plastic tub before sliding it into a slot in the desk next to the door. “Put your hands on the wall and spread your legs.”
My eyes widen, and I glare at him, but he gets a sinister look across his face. “Either do this the easy way, or I can just strip-search you.”
I have the nagging feeling that if he got me naked, I wouldn’t leave in one piece.
Fucking prick.
Biting my tongue to keep from saying some smartass remark, I press my hands against the wall and slightly spread my legs, instantly regretting that I went with a skirt today. The predator with a badge nudges my legs further apart until he is satisfied.
Before I have time to prepare myself, his hands run up my stomach and cup my breasts, squeezing them painfully. I wince and struggle not to snap at him. “These are really nice, Ms. Mercer.”
“If my boyfriend knew you were admiring them, you’d be dead already,” I hiss.
“Are you threatening a public servant?” he growls as his hands move down my legs and under my skirt. Then, his filthy hands cup me through my underwear. My instinct screams to fight, but that would end with me behind bars.
“I don’t know. Is it a threat to explain the relationship between cause and effect?” I suck my lips between my teeth when his fingers move into my underwear, and I nearly break. Is he really going to assault me in a hall where anyone could see or hear me call for help? Of course he would because he thinks he can get away with anything.
“Well, soon, your boyfriend won’t be able to protect you anymore. The Grays want Nigel O’Reilly dead. He won’t make it past the month.”
My heart twists as that knife stabs into me, cutting up my insides.
I try to push the guard away, but he has me pinned in place, and when I fight him, he slams a finger inside me, a stabbing pain radiating from my core at the intrusion.
“And, when that happens, I’m going to tear you apart from the inside out, Bastard Whore. I’ll enjoy breaking you and taking what belongs to him . It will be the perfect icing on an already spectacular cake. O’Reilly will be dust, and I’ll have his bitch as a plaything.”
I’m crying on the inside even as my expression remains impassive.
“Nigel isn’t the only one protecting me. He is the least of your concerns because the town psychopath would do worse.”
When you say the town psychopath in Grove Hill, everyone knows exactly who that is.
He pulls away in less than a breath, like my flesh burned him. Yeah, take that motherfucker.
“Keep in mind,” I mutter as I fix my skirt and turn to him, anger radiating from me. “Nigel may throw punches, but my Ollie erupts volcanoes with his wrath. I’ve seen it, and you bet you’re ugly, misogynistic ass that it’s not pretty when it's targeted at you. Not to mention, he’s sitting right outside waiting for me. I might just tell him what you did and said to me.”
The words are barely out of my mouth before the guard fumbles over his words. “First door on the right.”
This fucker is scared shitless of Oliver, and I can’t say I’m surprised. I was afraid of him, too, until I realized he was no threat to me, just everyone else. I feel bad using Ollie like a weapon, but if he knew what this fucker just did to me, he’d be so pissed his head would explode. He’d be proud of me for using him to get this fucker’s hands off of me though.
Turning on my heels, I head straight for the first door on the right. Through a small window, I see a man in an orange jumpsuit handcuffed to the table.
“Nigel!” I cry his name as I throw open the door and go straight to him. His head snaps around, and a grin spreads across his face as I throw myself into his lap. He groans, but his arms quickly wrap around me, squeezing me against him even as the handcuffs restrain him.
“Butterfly,” he mumbles against my skin as I cry into his shoulder. I was so worried about him. He smells like…nothing. He doesn’t smell clean, dirty, or sterile. Just bland as fuck, and I hate it. I could take it if he smelled like a sewer, but not this.
It’s like Shawn all over again, but Nigel is still here. I can feel his heart and hear him breathing.
“I thought I lost you,” he whispers against my ear.
A sob crashes through my mouth. “I’m fine. I had a concussion and some whiplash, but you were right. Your truck kept me safe, and Ollie got me out before it could go over the bridge.”
My heart aches as his arms tighten around me. “Thank God you’re okay.”
“How could you do this, Nigel?” I mutter as I shove at his shoulders and move out of his lap. “You knew exactly what would happen, and yet you still hit him! How could you do that? Martin would never hurt me. It was an accident. They happen.”
He groans. “I know. He got under my skin. I should’ve gone straight to you, but when I saw it was him who hit you, I just…”
“He didn’t hit me. We hit each other . We were both at fault for the accident.” I’m so beyond frustrated and scared that I can’t see straight.
“There’s nothing I can do about it now, is there?” he snaps before running a hand down his face.
Hopelessness drains the life from me as I lean against the edge of the table, not knowing what I could possibly do at this point. “We need to get you out of here. What do we do? Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do it. I’ll pay your bail. I have money saved up–” Well, I have the money Martin gave me from winning that match against Nigel and from working at the diner before I moved to Grove Hill. It’s not a lot, but it might cover his bail.
“I was denied bail, butterfly,” he mutters as he lifts his head. “I’m stuck in here until we at least get to the trial, which could take months on its own. There’s nothing you can do. It’s just a waiting game at this point.”
It really is that wretched. I can’t get him out of here. There’s no way for me to help him.
“They’re trying to put you away for life ,” I explain as my voice cracks.
He takes my hand in his with a nod. “I know, but it will be okay. If I’m convicted, I’ll be eligible for parole in twelve years, which is really six with good behavior.” I know he’s just trying to make me feel better, which is insane. I’m not the one who’s locked up, and…is that a bruise under his eye?
“What happened here?” I ask as I move back into his lap and notice him wincing again as if he’s in pain, but my ass just grazed his gut.
“It’s nothing.”
“Show me your stomach,” I demand, but before he can try to deny anything, I pull up his shirt and spot the miles of purple and black painting his skin from within. “Nigel,” I nearly cry. “What happened? Who did this to you?”
“Look at me, Beth,” he whispers, taking my face in his hands before angling my head so I’m forced to look at him and his icy blues. “Don’t worry about me, okay? I can take care of myself. I’ll survive.”
“No, you won’t. Nolan Gray wants you dead. One of the guards told me so, and this is proof. Stop trying to shield me from it.”
He groans before pressing his forehead to mine. “I’m so sorry, butterfly. I hate that I’m putting you through this, but I can take care of myself. I need you to trust me. I’m going to make it out of here. We’re going to be fine. We’ll move into our house, get married, and have a family, but it is just going to have to wait. Be patient and strong. I need you to do that for me. Ollie will take care of you until I get out. Just stay in my room, and don’t go back to your mom’s place.”
My bottom lip trembles as I run my fingers down his jaw.
“Nigel, I don’t know if I’m strong enough,” I confess, but he simply kisses my cheek.
“Why is that?”
The door is thrown open, and the dipshit guard from earlier stands there.
“Time’s up, lady. Get your gorgeous ass out of here.”
I scowl at him before turning my attention back to Nigel.
“It’s okay, butterfly. Go. I’ll see you next weekend, okay?”
In defeat, I stand and hurry out of there before I can break down. I don’t even give the guard a bit of my attention before I grab my phone and iPod and hurry outside.
The second I feel the cool morning air, I take in a deep breath before a sob falls from my lips. I barely have a minute to break before strong arms surround me, and my face is buried in Oliver’s chest, sobs racking through my body.
“Beth, what happened?”
He holds me as I break apart. “He’s going to die in there.”