Page 39 of Kitten Kisses

“It’s my job to protect you,” Slater gritted out, but his anger wasn’t aimed at Alex. It was aimed at himself.

“We can’t move past this if you won’t forgive yourself, Slater.”

His mate had yet to call him hummingbird. Did he think he’d lost that right? Alex looked at him, and there was so much pain, so much guilt in his eyes.

“I want to go back to throwing papers in your face, my deadly knees, coffee, innuendos, the raccoon you blame me for scaring. Cleaning the house, cooking, our playful banter, everything, but not this,” Alex said, his voice catching. “Not this, Slater!”

His mate enveloped Alex in a strong embrace. He cried as he held on to Slater so tightly it hurt. “Don’t let that son of a bitch have any power over us.”

Slater’s shoulders shook as he held Alex. “I’m so sorry,” he choked out.

“I nailed his ass good, though,” he said through tears, rubbing Slater’s back and resting his head on his shoulder. “Did you see that part?”

“Yeah,” His mate replied against Alex’s neck. “I guess you finally found your balance and coordination, hummingbird.”

“I learned from the best.” Alex grinned through his tears, squeezing his mate even tighter.

Chapter Ten

As soon as they stepped into Becky’s house, Alex shouted, “Mom!”

Slater would have preferred to ring the doorbell, but if he got into trouble for just walking in, he was blaming…himself, because he’d just followed right behind his mate.

Which he would always do.

Becky rushed into the living room, her eyes wide. “Thank god you’re here, Slater!”

“What’s wrong, Mom?” Alex asked, trailing behind them as Becky dragged Slater along.

“It’s Mitzy!” she cried. “My poor baby!”

Slater had no idea who Mitzy was or why she needed his help. The first thing that popped into his mind was that she needed him in a deputy capacity.

“There!” Becky gestured at a sofa on her sunporch. It took Slater a second to figure out what she was trying to show him.

“A cat?” It was the chubbiest housecat he’d ever seen. The white fur blended in perfectly with the white sofa, rendering it nearly invisible except for its scent and those piercing green eyes that seemed to materialize in all that whiteness.

“You have a tiger,” she stated firmly.

“That does not qualify as a tiger, Mom!” Alex gestured dramatically to the couch, clearly fighting a smile. “And he only brushes and feeds his tiger. You act like he’s a veterinarian.”

Slater made a mental note to have a talk with his mate about the night he’d been passed out and in his tiger form. He had a feeling something more had gone on at his house than drinking coffee.

Becky shook her finger at her son. “Don’t you dare throw that back at me, kitty boom.”

Alex looked horrified as he stared at his mom.

“Kitty boom?” Slater raised an eyebrow at the strange nickname.

Becky turned to him and explained, “When he was little, we had this cat that—”

“Okay, I’m sorry! I’ll never throw anything at you for the rest of your life.” Alex grabbed her hands pleadingly. “Do you forgive me? That stays between us, right?”

Oh, Slater was definitely finding out.

She drummed her pink, manicured fingernail against her bottom lip, deep in thought. Her son stood beside her looking like he could faint at any moment. “Take me to lunch and we have a deal.”

Alex let out a groan. “I already told you I no longer work at the gas station. I’m broke right now until I find another job.”

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