Page 92 of Wounded King
I screech.
Marcello curses.
Felix pounces.
The mice take off.
"What in the fuck, Alejandro?" Marcello barks.
"Miss Violet said to get him mice."
I break out in loud laughter, so hard that I have to cling to Marcello's arm not to lose my balance as I bend over. Unable to form a word, my body shakes, and tears roll down my face.
"Little…plush… mice…" I manage.
Marcello stiffens next to me, before he too breaks out into loud laughter. Nonplussed, Felix chases after two of the mice who have been unlucky enough not to find a hiding spot yet.
"I'm sorry," Alejandro's face turns red in embarrassment. The two guards snicker. "I don't have pets." Alejandro tries to apologize, but the way he pronouncespetssounds like he's talking about rabid beasts.
I'm still hanging on to Marcello, and to my utter humiliation, I snort, because… real-life mice! It's just too funny. I can't wait to tell Pippa. She'll have a ball.
"Did you just snort?" Marcello asks, amused.
"I.." I do it again, and all four men break out into laughter.
The squeak of a mouse stops me. "Oh no, Felix. No." I rush from Marcello's side to save the white furry animal that Felix has cornered and is moving around with his paws.
"Ten bucks the mouse is dead in a minute," a guard says.
"He looks wily. He'll get away, you're on," Marcello chips in.
I grab Felix and pick him up.
"Hey, not fair," the man betting ten dollars says.
"I'm not going to watch a cat and mouse fight," I shake my head.
"That was entertaining." Marcello grins. "Next time, bring more mice."
"Let's not," I use my sternest nurse voice.
"Alright, party is over. Everybody out. Alejandro, find some mouse traps or call an exterminator or whatever." Marcello orders.
"Yes, boss."
"Humane traps," I throw out. All four men look at me as if I'd spoken Chinese.
"What the fuck are humane traps?" The betting guard asks.
Marcello hits him over the head. "Be respectful."
"Ouch, sorry, boss."
"Traps that don't kill the mice," I explain.
"Humane traps," Marcello shakes his head, chuckling. "For mice."
The men leave, and it takes Marcello and me a good hour to set up Felix's things. His scratching post, three cat beds, two cat litters, several cans of cat food, and an ungodly number of toys are all completely ignored by Felix as he stalks the penthouse like a predator, until he decides to make himself at home in one of the boxes.
