Chapter 170: Chapter 170

I’m just about to get back on my bike when I see something moving out of the corner of my eye in the tall weeds on the side of the road. Removing my sunglasses, I walk over and see that it’s a taped-up cardboard box. And it’s moving.

Something’s inside it. Scratching. Trying to get out.

Oh, fuck.

I glance up and down the road where I’m standing, and there’s absolutely nothing out here. No houses or stores. It’s just a road going up the mountain with nothing but woods on both sides for miles.

Kneeling down, I pull my knife out of my belt clip and carefully slice along the tape, not sure what the hell I’m going to find in this box, bracing myself for the worst.

A tiny paw shoves through the small space I’ve cut open, and I quickly cut the rest of the tape as a small gray furry head pokes out. At first I thought it’s a squirrel, but it’s a goddamn kitten.

“Shit,” I swear under my breath, gently taking the tiny ball of fur out of the box and cradling it in my hand. It looks to be about six weeks old and is all blue-gray with a tiny white spot on its chest. As I stare at it, it begins to mew in my face at the top of its little lungs.

“Shh...I got ya little one,” I say softly, gently rubbing its head. It purrs loudly in response, rubbing its fuzzy head into my palm. I check its body over for any injuries, but it seems fine from what I can see. Other than being taped into a box and thrown onto the side of a desolate road like garbage to die a horrible death. I check the box again, but there’s nothing inside and no markings on the outside. Some asshole just taped a kitten into an empty box and left it to die.

Days like this, I hate the fucking world. I could easily choke the shit out of the person that did this, leave their ass on the side of the road, and feel no remorse whatsoever. In fact, I’d probably enjoy it.

I snap a few pictures of the box and the surrounding area before I carry the kitten back to my bike and pour a tiny bit of water from my thermos into my palm, which the kitten laps up quickly.

“Dude, you have no idea how lucky you are,” I say to it, rubbing its itty-bitty ears that are like tiny velvet triangles. “What are the odds someone like me would find you out here in the middle of friggin’ nowhere?”

My mom has said a hundred times, sometimes God puts the right people in the right place for a reason. I’m not a religious person, but right now, I’m thinking she’s right.

Unfortunately, my options for getting this kitten home safely are limited. My cell has no reception, so I can’t even call one of my brothers to come meet me in a car. I sure as hell can’t zip it up into one of my saddle bags because I’m pretty sure the roar of my pipes so close will give it a heart attack. I can’t stick it back in that box and try to hold it for another two hundred miles.

“Fuck it. You better be cool, kitten,” I say as I tuck it against my chest and zip my leather jacket up. “Don’t go all Freddy Krueger on me and get us killed, deal?”

I kiss the top of its head before I zip my jacket up a few more inches.

This is probably not the best plan I’ve ever had but I have no idea how else I can get this poor thing home. Hopefully it won’t scratch the shit out of me.

I start up the bike and get back on the road slowly, letting the fur ball cuddled up against my chest adjust to the noise and movement and hoping it doesn’t freak the hell out. After a few seconds, I can feel it purring up against me, vibrating against my heart. So far, so good.

We head for home, stopping once at a gas station so I can fill up my tank. I slowly unzip my jacket a few inches to check the kitten, and it pokes its head out and rubs against the stubble on my chin, still purring.

“You think you’re a biker cat now? Don’t get any ideas. This is a one-time ride, kitten.”

I can’t believe it’s not scared out of its skull after enduring the rumble of my engine, but it seems pretty content just hanging out inside my jacket, which I guess is better than being taped up in a box. I tuck him back in and hop back on my bike to get this last stretch of miles over with.

As I cruise down the road, I wish Kyra was with me. She would love this kitten. I can almost see her face if she had been with me when I found it. She would have cried and ground her teeth in anger, and she’d probably have it named by now and would be begging me to talk Aiden into letting her keep it.

I’m not a cat person, but maybe Diogee would like someone to hang out with while I’m at the shop all day. Looks like a biker box kitten is coming home with me to stay.

\---

“Holy shit, you’re turning into Dr. Doolittle,” Tesla says when I pull the kitten out of my jacket and tell her how I found it in a box.

“Well, I couldn’t just leave him there.”

I hand the kitten over to my sister so I can take all my gear off. “Call Mom and ask her if she can come over and check it out for me and bring me whatever I need. I’ve never had a cat before.”

“You’re keeping it?” she asks in surprise.

“Why not? I thought the dog would like the company.”

Sitting on the couch, I take off my jacket, belt, and boots. My entire body is aching.

Tessie lays the kitten on the couch between us as she calls our Mom, and Diogee sniffs the newcomer with interest, gently nudging it with his nose, and the kitten rubs against his face.

“Nice...” I say, petting Diogee’s head. His tail wags as the kitten continues to rub on his nose and rolls over on his back, purring. I think they’re going to be fine together.

“You sure you want a kitten, Toren? This is just a baby,” Tesla says when she gets off the phone. “And this dog is clingy, too. They’re both going to want a lot of attention from you.”

I lay the kitten on my chest and stare into its amber eyes. “Good. I need some distractions in my life.”

“Why? What’s going on? Is that bitch screwing with your head again?”

Tesla isn’t a fan of Sydni and has never even attempted to hide her feelings about it. Today is no exception.