Page 19 of Pretty Little Kitty

In response to Suero’s reveal, Miguel and Cesar positioned themselves closer to the cheetah shifters, adopting a protective stance.

“It doesn’t matter what you do to me.” the stranger said with a dismissive shrug, but Suero could see the intense hatred burning in his eyes. “You’ll never be able to stop us. This is beyond anything your small mind can grasp.”

Suero moved toward him, ready to rip him apart, but Matias held up a hand. “Unlike his dead packmates, we’ll keep this one for interrogation.”

“You really think I’ll talk?” The stranger glared defiantly.

Matias’s mouth twitched with a slight smirk as he turned away, calling out, “Miguel, Cesar, take our guest into custody. I’ll meet you guys back at Sin’s.”

Miguel grinned. “Are you going to come quietly, or should I hogtie you?”

The man scowled. “What happened to the side of your face? It looks like someone—”

Suero drove his fist with brutal force into the hyena’s jaw, a sickening crack echoing as a torrent of blood erupted outward from his nose. “You’re a dumb motherfucker for insulting the guy who’s dragging your sorry ass into custody!”

The hyena crumpled to the ground, eyes rolling back in unconscious defeat.

“Fantastic, now I have to lug him to the truck,” Miguel snarled, shooting a glare at him. “I don’t need you defending me, Suero. You think I’m not used to people gawking and spewing crap about my face?”

“I hit the son of a bitch for trying to dart me!” Suero shot back. “For putting my mate and his cousin in danger. So chill with your bullshit!”

Cesar intervened, lifting the stranger off the ground and slinging him over his shoulder. “Problem solved,” he announced, then began to walk away.

“Sorry to interrupt all this emoting, but we have to get home.” Jared gestured toward his car. “Do I need to grab some more tape from my trunk?”

Suero looked at him in disbelief. “That car is going to revoke your existence if you keep driving it. Your engine is a patchwork of insanity that will flatline you.”

“It just needs a lot of TLC,” Jared shot back. “And I don’t appreciate your snatchy tone, mister. I’ve just survived a nightmare, so figure out how to get my car running or I’m going to throw a major snit on this back road!”

Kia quickly stepped between them, placing a hand on Suero’s chest to stop him from going after Jared. “He doesn’t do well under stress,” Kia explained. “Please don’t be mad at him.”

“If he talks to me like that again, his tape won’t be the only thing stuffed in his trunk.” Suero pivoted and walked a few feet away. “Me va a volver loco. ¿Cómo puede alguien tan pequeño tener una boca tan grande? He matado hombres por delitos menores.”

You’re going to drive me crazy. How can someone so small have such a big mouth? I've killed men for lesser offenses.

“While you’re having a meltdown, can you seriously fix his car?” Kia called out.

Suero whipped around, jabbing a finger at the car. “You are not riding in that. Have you seen what the engine looks like?”

“They can ride with me,” Miguel volunteered in an irritated tone, clearly still pissed at Suero. “I can call for a tow.”

Kia’s eyes widened as he stared at Suero, desperation seeping into his voice. “I have to get home, now. My uncle is expecting me for dinner.”

The day had been a relentless rollercoaster of insanity. Suero already knew the wrath that awaited him from Matias. Not only had he waited two hours to escort Kia to the border, but Matias had also discovered him with an extra cheetah like Suero was running a feline adoption agency. “I highly doubt my alpha will call yours to grant me safe passage.”

Kia frowned. “Why would you need safe passage if I’m walking home?”

Swear to god, his mate was going to shave a decade off his life.

“Because hyenas just ambushed us,” Suero replied, as if it should’ve been obvious. “No way in hell I’m letting you walk home.”

Was Kia out of his mind? They might’ve taken down the ones lying in wait for them, but there could be more. They’d had tranquilizer guns on them. Kia and Jared wouldn’t stand a chance.

“If you make that call, Xavier will know I was lying,” Jared protested. “He’ll know we were with wolves and will want to know why.” He turned to Kia. “Xavier is going to put us on lockdown for a damn year without a chance of parole.”

“I need to get our prisoner to the tavern. What’s it going to be, fellas? Do you two need a lift back to Blackthorn or not?” Miguel asked.

“I can’t afford car repairs.” Jared let his head flop back and gazed at the sky. “I can’t even afford a tow.”

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