Page 4 of Pretty Little Kitty

How often had Suero wished to see the feline just one more time? Now that he was actually here, Suero couldn’t get past the sting of rejection. He wasn’t sure how to deal with the hurt Kia had inflicted.

Yet, his stubborn heart couldn’t help but ache.

I’m such an idiot.

Right now, though, he needed to get Kia off the street—not because of his pack, but because hyena shifters had been spotted in the area, and Suero didn’t want them making an anonymous call to Xavier about his nephew being in town.

Was Xavier really eager to get rid of his nephew? If so, that was seriously messed up.

Aside from ghosting him, which hurt Suero deeply, the kitten was a sweet guy.

“We need to get moving.” Suero scanned their surroundings to ensure no one was watching them.

“Not on your bike.” Kia shook his head, looking at Suero like he would throw hands if forced.

“Then we’ll take your car.” He didn’t like the idea of leaving his hog in town, but making Kia disappear was paramount.

He dropped your ass like you didn’t matter and you’re accommodating him?

That was precisely why Suero was willing to compromise. If there was any chance of moving on from Kia, he needed an explanation for the abrupt end to their relationship.

There had to be more to it than just concerns over their alphas. Matias had been hostile toward Kia, only because the cheetah had entered their territory without permission.

Besides, Suero could always run back to town in his wolf form once Kia had crossed the border. He wasn’t sure why he’d told the cat to get on his motorcycle in the first place.

“I don’t have it.” Kia quickly averted his gaze.

Suero frowned. “What happened to your car?”

“It’s not really mine,” he admitted, still looking at the sidewalk. “It actually belongs to my cousin.”

Suero clenched his jaw, silently counting to ten. “Is there anything else you haven’t been honest about?”

“I didn’t lie!” Kia’s head snapped up, eyes narrowed. “I never outright said the car was mine.”

And Suero had never questioned it. He’d simply assumed the sedan was Kia’s. “We still need to get moving.”

His scowl faded. “I’m serious, Suero. I’m terrified of motorcycles.” He shook his head and took a step back. “You can ride slowly beside me as I walk back to the border.”

He thought about the abandoned factory near the border. Kia had been damn lucky he hadn’t encountered any hyenas on his way to Blackthorn. After what they did to Diablo—a wolf shifter fully capable of defending himself—he shuddered at the thought of what could have happened to Kia.

The guy couldn’t weigh more than a buck twenty and stood around five foot three. He wouldn’t stand a chance against hyenas.

They’d boxed Diablo in, herding him to a remote location. If they hadn’t tranquilized him, no doubt Diablo would’ve killed all three of the hyenas.

Suero could handle himself, but it would be much harder to fight if he had Kia with him.

Besides, they really needed to talk. “My place is a block over.”

One of Kia’s brows arched. “You were ordered to escort me to the border. I recall vividly what Matias does to those who piss him off.”

Suero stared incredulously at him. “You think my alpha is going to put a bullet between my eyes for disobedience?”

He might kick Suero’s ass, though. Matias was all about transparency and following his orders. But Suero was only delaying those orders. If Kia refused to get on his bike, what was Suero supposed to do, hogtie him on it?

He would have to call Santiago and borrow the guy’s truck. Suero would just “conveniently” forget to call him right away.

Plus, this way, he could take his bike instead of leaving it parked in town, where Deputy Gilmore or another crooked cop might fuck with it.

---