Page 40 of Pretty Little Kitty

Coalition members.

Enforcers.

The one knocking, Theo, had always looked down his nose at Kia, like the favor Xavier showed him was somehow his fault. But Kia had seen it, clear as day. The way Theo’s eyes lingered on Xavier a little too long.

The tightness in his jaw when Xavier mentioned his nephews. Jealousy wrapped in barely veiled professionalism.

And now they were here.

As badly as he wanted to give Macey her meds, Kia knew the second he stepped outside, he’d be hauled home like a fugitive.

“I see them,” Macey whispered. “Just stay inside, hon. You also might want to call Suero.”

Kia backed away slowly, shaking. He set the water and pill bottle down on the coffee table, then fumbled for his phone.

If Xavier’s enforcers were already in town, calling his uncle would be useless. The alpha had already escalated the situation by sending cheetah into wolf territory to do a quiet sweep.

Xavier Fortelli was in predator mode now, and no amount of talking would pull him back.

Kia fired off a quick text to Jared.

Hide. Now.

Then he dialed Suero, hand trembling as he put the phone to his ear.

“Almost done, gatito. I’ll be heading back in—”

“They’re here,” Kia whispered. His swallow echoed in the silence like a loaded gun.

“Who’s there?”

The background noise on Suero’s end of the phone cut off so fast it was like someone had hit a kill switch.

“His enforcers,” Kia whispered. “They’re on Santiago’s porch.”

“Hide, Kia.” Then came the noise—loud and immediate. The scrape of chairs. Boots pounding the floor. Motorcycles roaring to life.

The wolves were moving. For him. A cheetah they didn’t even know, but were willing to protect.

“I’m not there.” Kia backed farther into the living room as Theo’s gaze slid toward Macey’s porch. He couldn’t let her get dragged into this. Whatever she’d been through, it had left her in pain, and the last thing Kia wanted was his chaos bleeding into her life.

But he couldn’t leave. Those weren’t just enforcers on the porch. They were trackers, and their precision was downright terrifying.

Even if Kia used the back door to escape, they’d be on him in seconds.

His only hope was to stay hidden. Stay quiet. And pray they didn’t come knocking.

“Where are you?” Suero demanded. “You promised to stay put, elegido.”

“Macey’s.”

Silence.

Kia checked the screen, panicked he’d lost the call. Then came the sound. A heavy breath followed by a sharp curse.

“We’re on our way,” Suero snapped. “Lock it down, Kia. Keep yourself and Macey safe.”

His heart hammered so hard it hurt. Kia heard it, that shift in Suero’s voice when he said “Macey.” He cared deeply about her. And now Kia had to say the one thing that might break him.

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