Page 38 of Kitten Kisses

Goddamn. His heart wouldn’t slow at the sight of Kijani leaning against the counter. The guy hadn’t made a single peep. “For someone as big as you are, how in the hell do you have the ability to blend into the background like that?”

“A talent I’ve been working on. I guess I’ve finally nailed it.” His smile was soft, his brown eyes warm. “How’re you feeling?”

“Although I really do appreciate the concern, I’ve been asked that question so many times in the past few days that I’m starting to feel that there’s something actually wrong with me.”

His smile widened a little.

Alex pointed at Kijani and circled his finger. “You should wear that expression more often. It’s a lot friendlier than the look you give that says you’re searching someone’s soul.”

“It’s my resting detective face.”

“From someone who’s been a target of that expression, you have it down pat. I felt like my soul was being sucked out when you looked at me like that.” Alex glanced toward the door. “How long has he been out there?”

“About an hour.”

“Is there anything I need to know before I go out there?” When Slater had brought Alex here to heal, he hadn’t looked that lost. Did something happened while Alex slept? He didn’t think he could take any more catastrophes.

“Slater bragged about how observant you are,” Kijani said.

“He bragged about me?” Alex couldn’t believe it. His mate was talking about him to others?

Kijani chuckled. Alex liked that sound even better than his “resting detective face.”

“You’re his mate. Of course he does.” Kijani waved his fingers playfully in front of his own face. “He gets this shiny, goofy look in his eyes.”

Aw. “Do I need to know anything?” Alex was already heading for the door. He wanted that shiny, goofy look back in Slater’s eyes, although he had never noticed it before. He wanted to notice it now.

“Slater saw the footage of the attack.”

Alex stopped dead in his tracks. God no! He didn’t want anyone to see what Mike had done to him, especially Slater. No wonder he looked so torn up. He’d watched Mike unleash his insanity on Alex.

He couldn’t bear the thought of his mate seeing him in such a vulnerable and humiliating state.

“Why?” Alex spun to face him. “Why would he watch that? I was already humiliated enough!”

Kijani had his resting face on, studying him, but Alex didn’t give a shit.

The back door slammed open. Slater looked between them.

“He knows you watched it,” Kijani said calmly.

“You!” Alex pointed an accusing finger at Kijani, his voice cracking with emotion. “Why are you even here? You attacked Slater! You shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near this house!”

The weight of everything crashed down on him, and suddenly, Alex couldn’t breathe. He pressed a hand over the tightness in his chest, uncaring that they were staring at him.

“I’m sorry,” Slater said quietly. “I only watched it because—”

“You wanted to know what happened to me,” Alex whispered, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes.

“You don’t deserve that pain. Mike had no right to blame you for that night,” Slater said, swallowing roughly. “We’re mates. If you have to live with those memories, then so do I.”

Kijani tried to slip by quietly by, but Alex rested a hand on his arm and looked up at him. “I’m sorry.”

“Never an issue in the first place.” He gave Alex a warm smile before he slipped from the room, and a moment later, Alex heard the front door close.

He stared at the floor. Slater was his mate. He only wanted to care for and protect him. Seeing that footage had nothing to do with Alex’s embarrassment. It had become Slater’s own personal hell.

He couldn’t understand why Slater was taking responsibility for something that wasn’t his fault. “It wasn’t my fault... So why do I feel so humiliated? You couldn’t have known Mike was going to show up. You had to work. Why are you shouldering the blame?”

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