Page 51 of Hell's Kitten

“So,” I say, picking up our previous conversation in an attempt to calm us all down. “You’re getting your own kitten?”

“I don’t know, maybe?” Leah says as I wiggle my fingers at the tabby.

“Because that witch told you that you were gonna keep it?”

She laughs nervously. “Nim, you don’t understand. She’s insanely hot. It’s like she puts a spell on me whenever I see her. And it’s not just me! There’s this girl Selena who was there too, and she’s, like, besotted with her as well.” She sighs. “She and I are meeting up for coffee in a couple of days to discuss it all.”

I look down over my shoulder and arch an eyebrow. “That sounds like a date.”

“I don’t know, maybe!” Leah says, throwing up her hands. I laugh and go back to my kitten conundrum. “Anyway. Whatever. Enough about my love life. How’s yours?”

I’m glad she can’t see my face or the grin that creeps onto it. “Better than ever,” I confess.

“Aww,” she coos genuinely. “Are you inlurve?”

I bite my lip and just look at the tabby for a second. “Umm…”

“Oh my god, youare!”She gasps. “Nim, this is amazing! I’m so happy for you.”

I give up on my troublemaker for a second, reasoning that he might chill out enough to be scooped up if I do. “It’s still early days,” I say, warning myself as much as her not to get too excited.

“Have you told him you love him?” she asks, putting her hands on her hips.

I decide that maybe turning my attention back to the kitten is a good idea after all. “I don’t want to pressure him.”

Leah makes an exasperated sound. She probably makes an exasperated gesture as well, but I can’t see it now that I’m squinting over the top of the mucky fridge again. The tabby crouches and swishes his tail. I don’t care if he bites me. I’ll pull him out by his teeth if I have to.

“Benjamin!” Leah cries. “Life is too short! If you love him, tell him! You never know what could happen next!”

Truer words were never spoken.

A pounding on the door resonates through the café so much we even hear it out here. I look down at Leah in alarm.

“I’ll go check it out,” Leah says hastily.

It’s more difficult not to panic now. “Come on, little one,” I say in a low rumble. “We have to go. You can do it.”

The tabby lets out a teeny but ferocious meow. I respect his spirit. But there’s unknown fuckery afoot, and I’d really rather get him back in my pocket.

“You can’t go back there!” I hear Leah shout. “Stop!”

The kitchen doors fly open, letting in a couple of panicked cats. “NO!” I bellow. But the person standing before me with her hands clasped doesn’t seem to care.

Mrs. Durham.

“I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to stop what you’re doing immediately, Mr. Decker,” she says in that insufferably prim tone of hers.

“Bite me,” I growl as Leah also comes flying through the doors. “Grab the cats,” I bark at her, my heart in my mouth.

Are the other cats okay?

If this awful woman has come crashing into the café, have any bolted out the front door?

I feel sick just considering it.

“I’m on it, boss!” Leah cries while Mrs. Durham splutters.

“I beg your pardon?” she shrieks at me. “You can’t speak to me like that.”

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