For Toron's Pride (10 page)

“You know I don’t get you, Stella.” Sienna stood eying the woman who for all intents and purposes was her rival, yet here she was buying yet another dress from Sienna.

“Excuse me?” Stella’s face burned red.

Sienna shook her head. “Okay, so the last time, you really did have an important function—with several naturals, not just Toron. Instead of supporting the local department store or hell even driving to a bigger town to get the latest fashion, you’re giving me your business.”

Stella gritted her teeth. “You’re denying me service?”

“Of course not. Your money spends like anyone else’s. But what you should be saying is ‘bitch, you not keeping my man, even if I have to kick your ass.’”

Several patrons’ heads turned, and Sienna suppressed a laugh. Okay, she was a little too happy lately, and it was getting out of hand. Not that she and Toron were a perfect couple. She had her reservations, and a panic attack hit at least a couple times a week when she wanted to jump into the nearest car and speed out of town with her son. She and Toron had zero privacy during the day, and the knowing looks cast at her after a wild night in bed were getting old.

Everyone knew everybody else’s business, including hers, and that was not cool.

“It’s a little late, don’t you think?” Stella asked, pulling her from her thoughts.

“I guess you’re right.” Sienna tapped a finger to her mouth and considered the woman in front of her. “I’ve come to another conclusion.”

Stella went still, and her gaze dropped away. She wasn’t shy from what Sienna had seen, so it could only mean one thing. “You’re a good woman, Stella, and you want to be my friend.”

“What! I would never…uh…”

“Yup. We’re going to be friends, and we’re going to dinner tonight, just the two of us. Toron can babysit.”

“Shouldn’t you ask him first?”

Sienna grinned. She knew she’d been right. Stella didn’t say “hell no, stuff it up your ass.”

“Oh, you’ll learn a lot about me. I do what I want to. Plus, I need your advice.”

“About?”

Sienna chose a pantsuit well-suited for Stella and hooked her arm through the woman’s to lead her to the dressing room. “About how to deal with being on constant public display in Sutland, so I don’t lose my damn mind.”

A slow smile crept over Stella’s face. “If you really want to support him, I’ll show you how.”

“I do, and thanks.”

* * * *

“I don’t know if I can do this.”

Stella laid a hand on her shoulder, and Sienna grasped the hand like a lifeline. “Yes, you can. You’re strong and talented. You don’t take anything off of anyone. You speak your mind.”

Sienna swallowed and paced back to the mirror to check her makeup. Goodness, it wasn’t as if she’d never been to dinner before or for that matter as if these weren’t people she saw every day. She examined her dress and groaned.

“They’re naturals.”

Stella came up behind her and nodded, shoulders back

and the same haughty expression she displayed the day

Sienna met her. “You’re right. They are, and they should be

the ones to make the laws for all the members of Toron’s

pride.”

“Hold up!” Sienna spun on her heel. “I didn’t say all that. They are no better than the rest of us. We have the same urges, same needs. The naturals are not superior just because they were born shifters, and if any one of them tries to come off at me like that, I’ll let them know! Someone needs to be the voice for us regulars, especially those who didn’t choose this way of life.”

“Exactly.”

Sienna blinked and then waggled a finger at Stella. “You had me going off on a tirade for no reason.”

Stella laughed and shoved her toward the door while Sienna tried digging her heels in. “You are the voice the regulars need, and you just proved it. Besides, Toron wants you there as his mate, and you have a right to be at his side, don’t you?”

Sienna stopped at the door. “I’ve been thinking about it. I haven’t told him I’ll be his mate yet. I know for all intents and purposes, I am, but I don’t know.”

Her new friend just wouldn’t give up. “Well this is one more opportunity you can use to be sure. Go before you’re late.”

Sienna heaved a sigh and headed down the stairs.

Familiar and unfamiliar voices reached her from living room. She knew Toron had invited a few naturals who lived outside of Sutland, and most of them were staying at his house. Talk about having a crowd underfoot. Was she even cut out for this? Toron was no better, wanting to jump her bones at every chance. He didn’t care who heard them.

Still, he continued to train her, honing her ability to differentiate what she heard and smelled. Stella had taught her how to remain calm and not go off on people, especially during her time of the month. No way Toron could deal with that. She’d be forever grateful for the woman’s friendship since she had no girlfriends in New York.

When she rounded the corner into the living room, all gazes locked on her, and Toron stood closest with an outstretched hand. She smiled at him, catching her breath.

The man looked good enough to eat in his dark suit, and she congratulated herself on choosing the strapless ocean blue silk with a fitted bodice and draped skirt to complement him. The way his golden eyes trained on her, she knew she looked great.

“Mm,” he murmured, and she blushed. He needed no other words. Sienna tightened her hand on his arm, and he covered it with his own. He must sense her jitters. “You are everything.”

He spoke as if he’d just said they were nothing, and warmth stole over Sienna’s being. This man loved her. Now more than ever, she knew it to be true, and she loved him too. All this time, she had been holding back because loving him meant giving into him to a certain extent, just as all of his people did. Yet, Toron wasn’t the kind of man to railroad over those he cared about. He listened to what she had to say, and that meant a lot to her.

Dinner began, and Sienna kept quiet among the raised voices around her. She scanned their faces, from youngest to oldest. Every one of the men and women sharing Toron’s table were naturals. Sienna had thought he ruled four thousand people like a king, but that wasn’t the case.

Toron took her hand beneath the table, and she turned her head to face him. “Okay?” he asked, concern in his eyes. Sienna stared at him. Why had she thought he was an arrogant prick in the beginning? Oh yeah, because he was. Toron could still get on his high horse, but it didn’t impress her. She usually said something to snap him out of it.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” She leaned closer to him. “Are they like…”

“My generals,” Toron responded. “They help me with the people.”

“A well-run machine with no flaws,” one of the oldest and loudest of the men answered from across the table. Sienna had forgotten they could hear as wel as she. Everhart Cole kept her attention. “You haven’t shared your opinion,

Sienna. What do you think about the training policy for new recruits?”

Sienna scarcely kept herself from rolling her eyes. She glanced at Toron, and he nodded. “Well, to be honest, the way you all do things here isn’t a well-run machine at all . New recruits? Please, that would fit if you planned to raise an army against the humans or against other shifter clans out there, but look at how I was turned. I didn’t expect it, nor did I choose it. I was left with another newbie to get me past what was the scariest experience in my life. You don’t need to bring people down here. You need factions put together in whatever city you have shifters living, and there, experienced members of the pride can teach the newbies. Plus—”

“Don’t you think you’ve disrespected our alpha enough, young lady?” Everhart snapped. “I’d be quiet if I were you.”

Sienna would have told him about himself if Toron and several other people weren’t on their feet in a heartbeat.

Her eyes widened at two men struggling to keep Toron from ripping into Everhart. The older man’s face displayed blotchy red spots, and he mopped his forehead with a damp handkerchief.

“I forgot myself for a minute there, Toron. I apologize. I just thought—”

“You have two seconds to apologize to her not me.” All of a sudden she felt sorry for the man in the face of Toron’s anger. Her lover didn’t play when it came to her, and she’d already seen it several times before. Predicting his crazy was another matter alltogether.

While Everhart blithered through insincere words, Sienna reached for Toron’s hand and laced her fingers with his. As if he knew she would seconds before she touched him, his claws receded so he wouldn’t cut her skin. Sienna gave his hand a small tug, and he stopped straining against the hold and sat down.

“She is my mate,” Toron announced and kissed her hand. A murmur spread over the room. They had all known it, but for Toron to announce the fact seemed to solidify their relationship.

“Toron, we haven’t talked about that,” she whispered.

A few of the women chuckled with good nature. One waved a hand at her. “Oh, honey, get used to it. Lions don’t ask. They tell . You figure out how to make your way in spite of.”

Sienna raised an eyebrow at Toron. He winked. If she offended him earlier, she hadn’t meant to. The understanding that touched his gaze, lightened her mood.

“Go on, baby. Tell us what else you think?” he encouraged her.

She hesitated. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.” He glared at the silent man on the other side of the table. “Everhart has nothing else to add to this conversation.”

“Whoa, whoa, that’s not what I want, Toron.” She pulled her hand from his. “Everyone should have a voice, and it shouldn’t be snuffed out because we disagree. I get that you all think you’re better somehow because you were born this way, but none of us regulars are any less than you, and our struggles may be harder. Do you have any idea what hell it is to go through the first time of the month as a lion shifter?” Every male face burned, but Sienna was just warming up. “It’s a trip let me tell you. And it’s worse when you don’t know if it will get better or if you’ll kill someone for real after you’ve been threatening it every month just because you’re angry.”

“Baby doll, it’s a bitch on us naturals too!” one of the women called out from the end of the table.

“Amen,” another echoed. “But she’s right. What of the regulars who are turned by men like Sienna was? There should be support for them, and special training.”

Soon everyone spoke at once, most agreeing that changes needed to be made. Sienna hoped she hadn’t caused unrest and division. Everhart still appeared to dislike her, but when she peeked at Toron to gauge his reaction, the pride directed at her almost blew her away.

He pressed his lips to her ear and nibbled briefly before whispering, “And you want to try to convince me you are not my mate? Never!”

Toron ended dinner early, and even though his guests seemed to want to talk the night away, he excused himself and Sienna, and they walked together to Simeon’s room where he stayed when he spent the night at Toron’s house.

They stood over their son’s bed, and Sienna sighed and leaned into Toron’s arm around her waist. She realized this was the first time she’d thought of Simeon as their son and not hers alone. She leaned down and kissed their baby, and Toron brushed his blond hair from his forehead.

“Do you think you wouldn’t mind having more children with me, Sienna? After all , Simi needs playmates.”

She chuckled and rolled her eyes. “Simi, huh? You’ve been calling him Simeon all this time.”

“I can’t call my son by his nickname?”

She smirked. “Whatever. And as for more children, I don’t know. He has your head. He tried to kill me with it.”

Toron’s eyes widened, and she almost burst out laughing. “I do not have a big head.”

Sienna shrugged and turned away. “If you say so, dude.”

Toron chased her, and she tore off down the hall on tiptoe. He caught her with ease and tossed her on the bed in his room. “You’re not getting away from me that easily, woman.”

“Hm, I think I don’t ever want to get away from you.”

All laughter ceased. Toron captured her chin and turned her to face him. “Don’t play with me, Sienna. Are you sure about that?”

“I think…no, I’m sure. Toron, I’m sorry about earlier. I didn’t mean to criticize you about how you trained us and your way of doing things.”

“Shh.” He touched a finger to her lips. “Don’t ever hesitate to speak your mind. I want to know what you’re thinking and how you see things. You’re right, I tend to have a one-track mind, and I can’t pretend to know the challenges of the women unless one or a few of them tell me what they need. Believe it or not, no one has ever said what you did tonight, and I want to thank you for that.”

She took his hand and pulled him until he climbed onto the bed at her side. “I can’t believe them. I would have told you right off, but really it was Stella who helped me get better. I think she’d make a great trainer.”

His eyebrows went up. “Stella?”

“I know, right? Surprised me too that we’ve become so close, but we have, and she’s great. Give her a chance, Toron. For me?”

He kissed her lips. “Whatever you want. Now say it plainly.”

“Say what plainly?”

“Tell me you love me, and that you’ll be my mate forever.”

Sienna curled her lips. “I don’t remember mentioning love.”

He pushed her to her back and trailed a hand down her side. Sparks of desire ignited inside her. “Tell me, or no nookie for you.”

She burst out laughing, a sound that was choked off when he shoved her dress up her thigh, pushed her panties aside, and stuck a finger into the wetness already gathering there. Sienna gasped and moaned. “You couldn’t deny yourself, let alone me.”

“Tell me you love me, Sienna.” His voice rumbled at her cheek where he rested his mouth. He began stroking two fingers in and out of her at an unhurried pace. Sienna’s teeth chattered, and her lashes fluttered downward despite her best efforts to keep her eyes open. “Mm. I-I love you.”

“Toron.”

“Toron,” she echoed.

“Good, girl. Do you like where my hand is?”

Sienna struggled to keep her head on straight. Her legs had parted on their own, and she raised her hips to get Toron to go deeper. Still, the disappointment of not hearing him say the most important words back to her took away a part of her enjoyment.