Pretty Little Kitty (Sin & Steel #3)

Chapter One

Xa vier might actually kill him this time. It was bad enough his uncle discovered Kia had infiltrated the hyena pack. A pathetic excuse for a spy mission, if you could even call it that. He’d come too close to getting shot in that creepy old factory.

But this? Kia was going to claim temporary insanity. No doubt about it. Because how else do you explain standing on a deserted road, barely an inch away from enemy territory.

Kia nibbled on his lip, shifted his weight, then scratched his arm while glancing around. The earthy scent of trees and the faint whiff of exhaust from passing cars drifted through the air as a war waged on inside of him.

“You texted him and went on two dates,”

he muttered in disbelief. “How in the world did you get so hooked?”

But they’d been two unforgettable dates Kia couldn’t get out of his mind, or those deep mocha eyes that seemed to hold the secrets of the universe.

Time and again, Kia had daydreamed about kissing Suero, imagining the soft brush of his goatee against his skin.

By now, he’d reread those texts a million times, regretting every second he avoided the wolf.

Yet, no amount of guilt could change the fact that Suero was a wolf, and Kia was a cheetah trying to talk himself out of a reckless decision.

There wasn’t a snowball’s chance in the desert his uncle would ever approve of Suero. Xavier had a deep-seated disdain for the wolves, often dismissing them with derogatory remarks like “dirty mutts”

whenever they were near the borders.

Yet, how could Kia resist when Suero made him feel so alive, as if he were the center of the universe?

“Don’t even think about it,”

he scolded himself, his heart pounding like an overzealous drummer as he stepped over the invisible line. “You’re an idiot.”

Naturally, there was no one around to contradict him. The silence was thick and heavy, disrupted only by the gentle whisper of leaves.

“You already crossed over, so you might as well keep going.”

Hopefully, Suero didn’t take one look at him and tell him to piss off after Kia had ghosted the guy.

He kept to the woods like a nervous squirrel, terrified one of his coalition members would spot him. But if they did, he could always question their presence on wolf land. Still, he picked up the pace. With an hour-long trek ahead, his mid-morning start seemed perfectly reasonable.

Now all he needed was for his uncle not to bother him, a shifter not to catch a glimpse of him, Suero’s pack to refrain from using Kia as a chew toy once he reached Blackthorn, and everything would turn out… well, not catastrophic, at least.

Kia moved cautiously through the woods, trying his best to avoid detection. He knew this was complete insanity, but the need to see Suero was stronger than his common sense.

As he neared the town of Blackthorn, the air thickened with the unmistakable, musky scent of wolves. His cheetah, already feeling twitchy, took notice.

He paused, ears tuned for any hint of footsteps or growls. When he heard none, he moved on.

After what seemed like an eternity, the trees finally started to space out, revealing the first glimpses of Blackthorn. He was taken aback by the charming shops that dotted the street, each one boasting its own special appeal.

Some had sidewalk signs swaying lazily in the breeze, while oversized potted plants, lush and vibrant, dangled elegantly from every other lamppost.

The pavement in front of the store to Kia’s left shimmered, as if freshly hosed down, the droplets sparkling like tiny gemstones in the sunlight. The crisp, clean scent mingled with the sweet fragrance of blooming flowers and a subtle hint of coffee brewing from a nearby café.

There was no turning back now. He stepped out from the tree line, doing his best to appear nonchalant while he scanned for any sign of Suero.

“Maybe try calling him,”

he said to himself, rolling his eyes as he pulled his phone from his back pocket. He’d obsessed over their text exchanges so often, it should have been his first thought.

Naturally, the call went straight to voicemail. It was as if the universe was telling him he should’ve kept his butt home.

Kia would have turned around and started back, but his empty stomach was growling loudly, making him instinctively press a hand over it.

There had to be a place nearby where he could grab a bite to eat for the walk home. Somewhere other than a cafe that probably only served pastries.

Skipping breakfast had been a terrible idea, second only to this entire plan.

He strode toward the nearest shop, intent on getting directions to a place to eat, when the deafening roar of motorcycles caught his attention.

The noise reminded him of Suero, with his domineering presence on that massive bike, his arms chiseled like granite, and flashing that wicked grin that could melt hearts. His flirtatious glances and the sparkle in his eyes when he laughed came to mind, causing Kia’s heart to ache.

“Stop being so pathetic,”

he muttered to himself. “Just get some food and head home.”

Six motorcycles rumbled past in the opposite direction, and Kia cursed under his breath as he made eye contact with the lead rider.

It was the same man who’d shot those hyenas point-blank in the factory, the very one who would have ended Kia too if the guy hadn’t caught a whiff of cheetah.

Matias. Alpha of the wolves.

In that fleeting moment when their eyes met, Kia felt his soul being sucked right out of his body. It was as if asteroids were hurtling toward Earth, or the moon was crashing into the sun in a fiery apocalypse.

He tensed as he tried to walk away quickly, but the lead motorcycle executed a sharp U-turn, the rest following in formation like predators closing in.

Matias hadn’t bothered to check for traffic or signal with his hand. The cars around him slammed on their brakes as death closed in.

All six bikes came to a stop in the vacant parking spaces, engines rumbling ominously just ten feet away before the sound faded. Kia hesitated, unsure whether to flee or hide in the nearest shop.

Too late.

Matias swung off his bike with practiced ease, his eyes locking on to Kia’s, unyielding and intense. “I don’t recall giving a cheetah permission to roam my territory.”

“I, uh...”

Kia pressed his lips together, cursing his stupidity for not thinking of a plan in case he encountered anyone other than Suero.

Not that he had any idea what to say to Suero either. The whole way there, he hadn’t come up with a decent explanation that didn’t involve his uncle.

“Suero,”

he blurted out. “I came to talk to Suero.”

“He’s not the one who grants passage for cheetahs,”

Matias replied coolly. That calmness terrified Kia. It was the same composed manner Matias had when he’d shot those hyenas. Deadly. Precise.

So much for keeping Xavier in the dark about my little field trip.

Matias pulled out his phone, giving Kia a look that clearly indicated his displeasure. He wouldn’t have been surprised if the guy had drawn a weapon instead of a phone.

“Get your ass to Carver’s.”

Matias’ words were a command, punctuated by the abrupt end of the call.

Don’t panic and spill your life story. Keep your lips sealed.

Kia glanced over his shoulder, noting they had stopped in front of Carver’s Hardware. He was willing to bet Matias had just called Suero.

The alpha perched on his motorcycle, waiting, while his men talked and chuckled. Among them, Kia recognized a familiar face. It was the guy who’d stood next to the lycanthrope that day at the derelict factory.

Their conversation flowed in Spanish, making it impossible for Kia to grasp what they were saying. He understood snippets, but not enough to decipher their words. When he caught their sidelong glances, Kia was positive he was their topic of discussion.

Shifting uneasily, he glanced at the storefronts, finding them suddenly interesting.

The distant growl of an engine drew closer, causing Kia’s heart to race. Turning, he spotted a motorcycle approaching. It was Suero. The sight of him, all lean muscle and fierce demeanor, sent a thrill through Kia.

Yet, he remembered the gentler side of the wolf, the sparkle in Suero’s eyes when he laughed, the tenderness in his voice when he spoke softly to Kia.

Suero maneuvered into a vacant parking spot and killed the engine before dismounting. His expression was casual, curiosity flickering in his dark eyes, until his gaze settled on Kia.

Talk about a visceral reaction. For the briefest moment, his eyes softened, lips parting, then he shut that look down. His gaze slid over Kia, now cold and detached.

Dismissing Kia by turning his back on him, Suero gave Matias his full attention. “Another interrogation?”

Even though Kia couldn’t blame him, the bitterness in Suero’s tone still cut deep. A small part of him had stupidly hoped they could pick up where they’d left off, despite the silence that had destroyed what they’d once shared together.

Matias inclined his head toward Kia. “He says he’s here to see you.”

Suero’s derisive laugh rang out, the sound as sharp and biting as his canines.

Kia’s mouth felt dry, his stomach knotted with regret. He’d done that, wrecking something special that had begun to grow between them.

“Handle this,”

Matias ordered, refusing to look at Kia like he was no longer worth the alpha’s attention. “Then escort him to the border, but don’t cross it.”

His voice dropped to a menacing growl, yet Kia caught every word. “Make it very clear to your cheetah that he is not to step foot on my land without my permission.”

Your cheetah. Suero visibly tensed at Matias’s words.

If Kia excelled at one thing, it was pissing people off. He seemed to have a natural talent for it.

The men revved their engines, the roar of their bikes echoing as they pulled away, leaving Suero to deal with the situation.

This wasn’t going to go well. Kia should’ve thought this through more carefully.

“Why are you here?”

Suero asked without turning around. His hands rested on his hips, shoulders tight with tension. The heat of Suero’s anger was more intense than the sun beating down on Kia. It reminded him of the time Suero had been tasked with interrogating him at that factory.

Back then, Suero had been relentless, his questions sharp and clipped, each one delivered with a scowl. But after an hour of getting the same answers from Kia, the wolf had begun to soften.

There was no chance he’d soften today.

“I wanted to apologize.”

Kia exhaled, trying to steady his nerves. “I should’ve given you a reason why I stopped talking to you.”

He bit his lip, wondering if he was wasting his time.

Judging by how Suero refused to turn around, it was clear the man had moved on.

“I shouldn’t have come. Don’t bother escorting me. I know my way home.”

This mess was Kia’s doing, yet he felt as if he’d been punched in the gut.

“That’s not what I was ordered to do.”

Finally turning around, Suero avoided eye contact. Then his jaw tightened, clearly angry Kia was even there. “My alpha ordered me to escort you, so you’re getting on my bike, and I’m taking you to the border.”

Kia’s gaze flicked toward the gleaming navy-blue motorcycle with its sleek black accents. The chrome sparkled in the late morning sun, polished to perfection.

“You know I’m afraid of motorcycles,”

Kia reminded him, his voice barely audible. He’d rather sprint home in his cheetah form than mount the roaring beast.

Years ago, his cousin had convinced Kia to ride with him. Jared not only sped recklessly but also crashed. Kia’s back still bore the scars from the most painful and terrifying experience of his life.

It was only rivaled by the time in the factory, where he had witnessed Matias coldly execute men at point blank, and fearing he would die too.

“Maybe you should’ve thought about that before coming here,”

Suero retorted sharply.

Kia took a step back, fear tightening his body. Suero wasn’t a novice like Jared had been. In fact, he appeared to be a seasoned rider.

But Kia’s mind didn’t care how skilled the wolf was. All he kept seeing was Jared losing control, the sickening plunge of the motorcycle, his own screams echoing before the world went black. He’d regained consciousness in the dim light of Xavier’s guest room, with his uncle sitting in a chair, keeping watch over him. Xavier had scolded him for his recklessness.

However, Kia had noticed the concern in his uncle’s eyes and the strain in his voice. Despite his tough exterior, Xavier cared deeply for him.

“It’s a twenty-minute ride,”

Suero argued, clearly frustrated.

Kia refused to debate this. Without another word, he turned and walked back toward the woods, determined to hide the tears threatening to spill. He’d come all this way, risking everything to see the wolf, only to confront the cold reality that Suero wanted nothing to do with him.

“I guess walking away is what you do best,”

Suero snapped.

Kia whirled around, not bothering to hide the tears in his eyes as he jabbed a finger in Suero’s direction. “What did you expect would happen between us? Did you really think your alpha would ignore the fact that you were seeing a feline? Or maybe you believed my uncle would be thrilled that his troublesome nephew had finally found someone willing to take me off his hands.”

His bitterness spilled over just as a few customers entered the hardware store, throwing him curious glances. From the start, he’d known a relationship with Suero wouldn’t work out, but he’d been so enamored that he’d chosen to ignore the harsh truth.

That was until he’d foolishly asked his uncle if anyone had ever dated outside the cheetah species. The look Xavier shot him had been nothing short of hostile. The sheer disgust on his face had prompted Kia to end things with Suero before his feelings had gotten too deep between them.

Yet, there Kia stood, devastated and desperate to escape the humiliation he had caused himself.