Chapter Three
W ith a silent curse, Kia slipped his phone back into his pocket. All he’d wanted was a chance to talk with Suero, possibly be forgiven, and maybe spend some time together.
This was exactly why he knew there was no hope for a relationship with the wolf. Xavier’s leash was too tight.
The only way he could explore his feelings for Suero was if the guy were a cheetah. Since that wasn’t a possibility, Kia needed to let go and move on because Xavier would never allow Kia to date a wolf.
“I’m guessing your uncle found out you weren’t home,”
Suero said, draining the small pot of pasta while watching him. “I’m also going to assume he has no clue where you are right now.”
“You know he doesn’t.”
Kia glanced at the steam rising from the sink where the colander sat. “He would’ve called Matias to clear my way, which he’d never do. And judging by your alpha’s reaction, I’m not exactly welcome here. Now do you see my point?”
Though he was unsure where things were heading with Suero, it was unfair he wasn’t even given the chance to find out. His uncle’s hatred of wolves and his tight grip on Kia made it impossible, and Matias wasn’t making things any easier either.
“I’m not saying what I did was right,”
he went on. “Shutting you out was cowardly move, and I take full responsibility for what I did—or didn’t do. But… Damn it.”
Tears pricked at his eyes. He hated how easily he cried when he was furious, but this time he didn’t even try to hold them back.
Suero stepped closer then gazed down at him before he gently wiped away a stray tear. “What’re you trying to say, gatito ?”
Kia clenched his fists at his sides, ignoring his growling stomach. His cat purred at the touch as he met Suero’s mocha gaze. “We should at least have the freedom to explore whatever’s happening between us,” he said.
His thumb traced Kia’s cheek with an intimate tenderness. “What exactly is happening between us, carino ?”
he murmured, his voice a husky whisper.
A wave of heat surged through Kia as the ceiling fan pushed around warm air. Suero’s gaze lingered on his lips, making Kia’s heart race.
“I have to go,”
he whispered, the tension between them thick and tangible, but neither looked away. A long, heavy silence settled, brimming with so much longing.
Kia’s heart hammered, a sheen of sweat forming on his skin. He tilted his head back slightly, struggling to stay calm, hiding just how much Suero’s presence unraveled him.
Swallowing, he silently begged for the guy to finally kiss him. Suero searched his eyes, as if seeking permission.
For a moment, he feared Suero wouldn’t. The look in his eyes made Kia nervous.
Then Suero leaned in, knuckles grazing Kia’s cheek. “I want to kiss you,”
he murmured, voice low and rough.
“Then kiss me.”
His breath hitched as Suero’s lips grazed against his, a gentle tease that left Kia yearning for more.
When Suero kissed him again, it was no longer tentative. It was filled with hunger, with whatever had been building between them. His hand traveled up Kia’s neck, fingers entwining in his hair, drawing him deeper into the kiss.
He inched closer, drawn in by the scorching heat Suero was giving off and the warm breath against his lips. Kia was completely swept up in the electrifying moment. Suero’s tongue was a sensual weapon, setting Kia’s heart pounding as it traced a sizzling path down his neck.
Bold as hell, Kia draped his leg over the man’s lip. Suero seized it behind the knee while skillfully unfastening Brett’s pants.
With a swift motion, he wrapped his strong fingers around Kia’s hard cock, drawing a soft moan from him.
Ignoring the voice in his head that questioned his sanity, he surrendered to the moment, his body aching for release as he thrustin rhythm with Suero’s grip.
“ Un gatito tan apasionado ,”
Suero groaned against Kia’s lips. He had no idea what the man said, but it sounded sexy in that deep voice.
Kia forgot about his hunger pangs, about the world outside, and meeting Jared. He was lost in Suero’s touch, fucking that tight fist as he chased his climax.
“Come for me, pretty kitty.”
A soft growl and a nip on Kia’s neck, before the sting was licked away.
“Close,”
he whimpered, arching as Suero curled an arm around his waist. The strokes were more frantic, kisses growing deeper.
The tingle shot up his spine, coiling around his lower body before he exploded, stars dancing behind his eyes. He let out a cry as his cock pulsed, ribbons of cum spurting over Suero’s hand.
Kia panted in quick, shallow breaths. His legs shook as he held on, riding out the aftermath of his climax as the movements turned into soft thrusts. The shallow movements helped bring Kia back down to earth.
“Fucking beautiful,”
Suero murmured.
His lips brushed over Kia’s, whispering Spanish words Kia’s brain was to drained to piece together. He rested his head on the man’s broad chest, wishing he could stay longer.
Finally, he stepped back, his eyes lingering on the noticeable bulge in Suero’s jeans.
“We don’t have time.”
Suero gave a playful wink, heading to the sink where he swiftly prepared the macaroni and cheese. He scooped some into a bowl and passed it to Kia. “Eat this while I take you to the border.”
“You’d walk with me?”
Kia accepted the food, watching as Suero grabbed a fork and handed it to him.
“Since you won’t get on the back of my bike, what choice do I have?”
He washed his hands in the sink then straightened Kia’s pants for him, all the while mocha eyes gazing into his. “Promise you’ll call or text me. No more ghosting.”
Kia took a bite of his food and groaned. “This is the best boxed mac and cheese I’ve ever eaten.”
Suero grinned, but it didn’t reach his mocha eyes.
“I promise.”
Kia glanced away, unable to hold his gaze. “I still don’t see how this will work, though.”
A kiss to his temple. “We’ll figure it out.”
That wasn’t reassuring. He didn’t see how that was possible but let the subject drop. “Actually, my cousin is coming to get me. Didn’t you hear me give him directions?”
Silence. Then a curse. “We need to go before Matias finds out you’re still here and another cheetah just entered our territory.”
Kia kept the bowl. The food really was good. He knew it was just his hunger talking, but Suero had cooked it for him, which somehow made it taste ten times better.
They were in front of the hardware store in minutes. Jared sat in his car, his eyes bouncing everywhere. “About time!”
he said with a loud hiss. “Are you trying to get us both killed? We need to move it.”
His gaze swept over Suero. “Is that the guy you’ve been pining over for weeks?”
He gave his cousin a look that said he had a big mouth.
“What?”
Jared asked with a whine. “It’s true.”
When Kia turned to tell Suero goodbye, the man was wearing a cocky grin. “Don’t let it go to your head. I pine over my cable guy when he doesn’t call to try and upsell me.”
That only made Suero chuckle. The prick.
Boldly, he gave the guy a quick kiss before slipping into the passenger seat. Suero closed his door. “Don’t forget your promise, gatito .”
Kia felt his cheeks flush. “I won’t.”
Jared was reversing before Suero moved out of the way.
“Hey! Are you trying to run him over?”
“I’m trying to save both of us from being skinned.”
Jared turned a few corners too quickly, nearly causing the bowl to slip to the floor. Crap. He’d forgotten to give it back.
“I hope your little tryst was worth it,”
Jared grumbled. “If Xavier ever finds out where you were, we’re both in deep shit.”
Kia ate his mac and cheese, refusing to let anything spoil the good mood he was in.
But as they drove, hopelessness once again crept in. Regardless of Suero’s confidence, there wasn’t a chance in hell this would work. Neither Xavier nor Matias would allow them to be together.
Kia set his bowl aside, no longer hungry.
* * * *
I n stead of heading to the tavern, Suero drove to Macey’s. She was the only person he could talk to who could understand his confusion and frustrations, and he also wanted to check on her.
Ever since Percy’s mom was discharged from the hospital two weeks ago, Suero visited almost daily, spending more time at her place than his own.
He parked in Santiago’s driveway, knowing the brother was at Sin’s with his mate, Percy.
Despite Jacob being dead—Macey’s ex-husband who’d put her in the hospital—Suero still glanced around, making sure the neighborhood was peaceful.
Climbing the steps, he opened the creaky screen door and knocked. “It’s Suero,”
he called out.
The front door used to remain open during the day, but after the attack, Macey kept it securely locked.
As soon as she opened it, Suero was greeted by the delicious aroma of warm chocolate chip cookies. He took a deep breath, his mouth watering at the scent. “You must’ve known I was stopping by,”
he teased as she stepped aside to let him in.
Macey closed and locked the door, brushing her hair away from her face. Since the attack, she no longer held the same vibrant glow. She appeared fragile, a stark contrast to the quiet strength she used to radiate.
“I just felt like doing some baking,”
she replied, heading toward the kitchen with Suero following close behind. “I was planning to give them to Santiago and Percy, but now that you’re here, there might not be any left to send.”
Suero glanced into the plastic cookie container on the counters. “How many batches did you make?”
he asked, snagging a few for himself.
Macey tapped her chin with a pearl-pink, manicured fingernail. “Three, I think. I lost track while cooking dinner.”
Now that she mentioned it, Suero could smell the aroma of tomato sauce and spices. “You made yellow rice?”
“With green olives and ground pork sausage,”
she replied casually, as if she didn’t know it was Suero’s favorite. “I also made short ribs.”
If Suero were into females and just a bit older, she’d totally be his. But she was like the mom he never had, and she treated him like her own kid. It was a bond he really cherished and wouldn’t mess up for anything.
“You’re fully aware you made my favorite meal and cookies.”
He watched her closely as she lifted the lid from the simmering pot on the stove. “Is there a special reason for all this?”
Had Suero forgotten his own birthday? Was it Macey’s birthday? Please don’t let it be hers since I don’t have a gift to give her.
“No reason.”
Macey stirred the rice with her lips pressed tightly together. As Suero continued to watch her, he noticed she still hadn’t looked up to meet his gaze.
Gently plucking the wooden spoon from Macey, he set it aside then took her hands in his. “You’re not allowed to hide your bad days, remember?”
This was something they agreed on while he was there for her in the hospital.
She might have fooled everyone else, even her son, with her fake smiles and forced laughs, but Suero saw right through it.
Santiago saw it too. Brother had a natural talent for reading microexpressions, almost like a walking lie detector.
Which was why Suero wanted to steer clear of him right now. If Santiago asked about Kia, he would know right away if Suero lied to him.
“I’m dealing,”
Macey insisted. “I don’t need to update you every single time...”
She grabbed the spoon off the counter, stirring the rice as if it had somehow wronged her. It was anger with nowhere to go. Trauma surfacing in safe places. Her brows were furrowed, her movements tense and abrupt.
Suero leaned casually against the counter, arms crossed, towering over Macey’s petite frame. “I ran into him today.”
The lid clanked as she placed it back on the pot. “Who are we discussing?”
She finally looked up at him, brows slightly arched. “Kia?”
Though she was Percy’s mom, Macey had no clue about the shifter world. Suero had to tread carefully. He couldn’t tell her that Kia had entered wolf territory without permission.
“He was at Carver’s Hardware.”
Macey wiped her hands on a duck-patterned kitchen towel, eyeing him closely. “Did you talk to him?”
Suero already shared with her about Kia ghosting him, and she’d said it was Kia’s loss. But she knew how much it had affected him. For some reason, Suero confided in her about things he would never share with anyone else.
“Yeah.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “I was supposed to take him home.”
Not a complete lie. Suero had been ordered to take Kia to the territory line, which was in the same general direction as Carver’s.
“But you didn’t.”
She kept studying him.
Suero chewed on his lower lip. “He’s scared of motorcycles.”
He hadn’t asked why. Just recalled Kia mentioning it in one of his texts, and was reminded of it again today.
Macey playfully tapped his arm with the back of her hand. “I can tell you’re dying to talk about what happened. Quit giving me bits and pieces and just tell me everything.”
“You gonna feed me?”
He eyed the pot of rice with a sudden hunger.
“As long as you don’t offer to clean my entire kitchen again,”
she teased, making Suero blush. He still felt awkward around her, but he was gradually learning to relax. Sort of.
When Macey tried to make him a plate, he insisted she sit while he served himself. He placed a small bowl of rice in front of her when she declined the ribs.
After grabbing two bottles of juice from the fridge, Suero sat across from her and began to share what had happened.
“Suero!”
she exclaimed, her face turning red. “Maybe keep some of the details to yourself.”
He averted his eyes, mistakenly thinking he could be completely candid with her. They were both adults but he’d clearly crossed a line.
She reached across the table and gently grasped his wrist. “You didn’t do anything wrong, honey. I’m just not used to anyone being that open with me. Don’t ever feel like you have to censor your words around me. You just caught me by surprise.”
She chuckled, letting go of him. “How do you feel about what happened?”
“Fantastic,”
he replied honestly.
“I meant your conversation with him, not your intimate moment, dear.”
“Oh.”
He bit his lower lip. “Do you think I gave in too easily?”
“Was he being genuine with you?”
Suero shrugged. “I think he was.”
“Then why make him squirm?”
She sighed. “I’m no expert, Suero. Look at my marriage. But if he’s a genuinely good guy who was just scared, I would forgive him. That’s just my take. You need to do what feels right for you.”
Already, he missed Kia. If it had been up to him, Kia would have stayed the night. Suero was going to have to talk to Matias. He wanted more time with his kitty cat, but the only way to make that happen was to get his alpha’s approval.
“Oh my god.”
Suero smacked the table with the palm of his hand as he chewed then swallowed the rice. “This right here?”
He couldn’t even finish his thought. “ Perfecto, carina .”
She blew across her nails, smirking at him. “Tell me something I don’t know.”
He chuckled, shaking his head, inwardly exhaling. “ Habría matado por tener una madre como tú. Eres una bendición en un mundo lleno de violencia. Siempre apreciaré lo que tenemos.”
I would have killed to have a mother like you. You are a blessing in a world filled with violence. I will always cherish what we have.
Her cheeks flushed a rebellious shade of red. “Touché to whatever you just said.”
They burst into laughter, then dug into their food, momentarily ditching their troubles as they enjoyed the meal and each other’s company.