Whirlwind Revolution (16 page)

I
really
wanted to see what was going on.

“Thank you for joining us,” Torr greeted when I entered the room. I nodded and glanced around to all the people there, curious as to what I was walking into. “Samantha will be my witness in this
Discovery
though she has shown an interest in you as well. She has relinquished her right to partake, ruling herself out of the running for your affections.”

“Come again?” My gaze darted to hers, not feeling comforted when she rolled her eyes.

“He didn’t explain what this was, did he?”

“Um, no.” I slowly approached the seat Torr held out for me, realizing I was the guest of honor somehow. It was then I really noticed there were full walls of windows on three sides of the room, letting streams of light in that for some reason gave me hope there was a future for us ahead.

“Torrance,” she hissed. “You can’t just spring this on someone who’s not a feline. He won’t comprehend what this is!”

“He said he would show me how felines make their claim. I wasn’t really open to hearing specifics,” I defended. Torr smiled brightly and kissed me as I sat down. I couldn’t help but gasp. “You just did that in front of a room full of people. They know?”

“The King has been
quite vocal
this morning about exactly what’s been going on between the two of you,” a woman of the court chuckled. I had no idea all their names and couldn’t possibly learn them all in only five days.

“Right, okay then,” I hedged, glancing between Torr and Samantha. Torr moved to stand beside me, putting his hand on my shoulder.

“We’re here at this
Discovery
because I’m considering Hadley to be my mate, or consort, since I’m King,” he explained. Then he glanced at me. “Everyone here also has an interest in you.”

“So you announce it and—wait—
what
?” I didn’t catch that last part at first so call me slow on the uptake.

“We can smell desire and hormone influxes, Hadley,” Samantha chuckled. “Everyone here has smelled of desire around you as Torrance and I have witnessed. That’s why the
Discovery
has an unbiased witness to facilitate the proceedings. Think of it as a second in a duel though that’s not the type of fight that’s going to happen today.”

“It’s not? There’s going to
be
fighting?” I practically squeaked as I stared at her with wide eyes. She nodded, giving me a wink. “For
me
?”

“Yes, because once Torrance makes his officially claim to court you as his mate, no one else can go near you or offer themselves to you sexually without his permission or if he withdraws his claim,” she answered. “So he’s taking all other possible suitors off the table.”

I rubbed my temples as I stared at her. “I’m so lost,” I muttered.

“It’s a feline thing.” She shrugged and gestured to Torr. “How about we just get started and show him. He’s smart and accepting. Hadley will catch on.”

“Good call.” Torr moved away from me, stalking around the room like a predator. I couldn’t help but follow him with my eyes, still wondering what I’d walked into. There were at least forty people in the room. No
way
they all wanted me or were even attracted to me. He stopped by one woman and circled her. “Merry here wants you bad, Hadley.”

“Um, hi?” I greeted, kind of wanting to melt into the floor with embarrassment at the attention.

“Hello, Hadley,” she purred, giving a wave. The edge of Torr’s mouth drew back as if he was trying to hold in a snarl. Instead, he cleared his throat and moved behind her.

“Oh yes, she’s got lots of desire for you, Hadley. Are you interested?”

“What?”
I gasped as my eyes practically popped out of my head.

“Be honest. We can all smell if you’re lying,” Torr practically sang. He moved his hands to her waist. “Look at this tiny waist.” Then up to her breasts. “Such soft, luscious tits. Do you want her, Hadley? I promise she’s got a tight pussy and loves to fuck. She’s enjoyable for sure.”

“Because
you’ve
been with her,” I spat out, not liking this game already. My hands fisted under the table on my thighs. Yeah, I
so
wasn’t going to enjoy this.

“I have but
you’re
who she wants. She’s a screamer and very adept at faking an orgasm. She’s from a well-to-do family, has no professional skills, and wants to land a good match to assure her place in society.”

“Jesus, Torr. Could you be any more of a bitch right now?” I blanched, my heart skipping a beat at how cruel he was being even as a pit formed in my stomach. Would he ever turn on me like that?

“It’s our way, Hadley,” Samantha assured me calmly. “Don’t forget that I immediately recused myself after saying I thought you were hot. Everyone here knows what they’ve gotten themselves into. They could have said they would stay out of the King’s way, and some did.”

I grabbed onto the table as my head swarmed. “There were
more
?” This was like an LSD trip.

“Oh yes, you had seventy people who wanted you, my owl,” Torr purred as he spun Merry around. “Her ass leaves a little to be desired, of course. And
we both know
how much you like a nice ass.”

I met his eyes then and did a double take at what I saw. He
liked this
. He wanted me to knock these people out of the running and pick him.

Now I understood the game.

“She does nothing for me, Torr,” I hedged. “Is that what I need to say?”

“Yes,” he purred, smirking at Merry as he shoved her towards the door. “So sad for you. Get out.”

“Yes, your grace.” She hurried out of the room and I blinked after her. This was too bizarre.

“This is Will,” Torr introduced as he moved to the next person. “He was denied a chance to be in the Royal Guard because he has a drinking problem and takes nothing seriously.”

I held up my hand to stop him and gazed at the man. “Why are you here? I’ve never even spoken with you.”

“I’m gay, you’re hot, and anyone who can tempt away the person the King wants to make a claim on is looked upon—” He licked his lips and glanced at Samantha.

“They’ll move up in court for possible matches,” she filled in. “Among other potential fallout.”

“That’s disgusting,” I sneered. “Get the fuck out and get a life.”

“Bye, Will,” Torr taunted, giving a lavish wave as the man left. Then he moved to another woman. “Georgina here loves fat cock.” He moved his hands over her hips. “Very curvaceous, not the best breasts though and horrible in bed. But a nice ass—”

“No,” I snarled, pointing to the door. She was out in a flash as well. I narrowed my eyes at Torr. “You can spare me all the women
you’ve fucked
. I rarely take a woman to bed and none here I’ve even looked at twice. Is your goal to make me jealous?”

He froze and blinked at me. “Are you?”

“Yes!” I got to my feet and slammed my fists on the table hard enough to make it—and several people in the room—jump with my outburst. “I know you’ve fucked most of the women at court. I’m the only man you’ve been with. Of
course
I’m jealous, thinking, worrying constantly you want to go back to a woman.
Any
woman, because you regret—”

Now it was my turn to bite my tongue.
Damn that hurt
.

“Hadley,” he choked out and moved forward.

“You know the rules, Torrance,” Samantha reminded him. Torr nodded and fisted his hands at his side. “He’s declaring to everyone he wants you and to knock every other person who’s shown interest in you, Hadley. He’s not hopping back over the fence. This is a bigger statement to felines than walking around with a gay pride tat. It’s not about men or women for us. It’s the person. He’s declaring
you’re
his person.”

“Fine, okay,” I sighed, rubbing my temples again and plopping back in my seat. “Why did you keep him from coming by me?”

“Oh, there’s only one way he can touch you in
Discovery
,” Abram chuckled, leaning back in his chair with his hands folded behind his head.

“Really?
You
, Abram?” I inquired, not having noticed him until then.

“Yeah, you’re hot and we’d have fun, but mostly I wanted to see how you handled something so fundamentally feline with my own eyes and I could get in the door only because I want you.” Torr snarled and was over by the man in a flash. “Plus, the King normally takes more than one consort and I always thought he was off the table so I figure this was my way of putting in a bid if you ever wanted to play.”

“Oh, my Hadley loves to play,” Torr mewled as he leaned over Abram, moving his hands over the man’s chest and rubbing against him. “Would you like us to make a Hadley sandwich one day, my owl? Or do you just want the sexy Abram for yourself?” Abram groaned as Torr’s hands reached his abs and moved to his pants.

“Torr, step the
fuck
away
from your guard if you want him to survive the day,” I seethed as ever muscle in my body tensed. Everyone in the room gasped but I could give a fuck. “Torr,
now
!” He instantly removed his hands and took a slow step back. “Do
you
want Abram? Are
you
shopping for consorts today?”

Torr whimpered and looked at Samantha, realizing this was backfiring probably.

“Answer me, Torr. Do
you
want Abram?” I pushed, not caring about the damn rules now that this can of worms had been opened. “So help me, Torr, I will walk out that door. You
promised me
transparency.”

“Only if it’s with you!” he blurted when he realize how upset I was. “I think it would be hot to be under you as Abram fucked you like Emrys did. I only want you though. I was trying to say I’d be willing to let him into our bed for play if that’s what you wanted but I still want you to rule him out. I saw how much you loved being with Emrys. I was—” He was shaking so bad I realized something too.

“You’re scared you can’t please me?” I gasped the words before realizing I had.

“Yes,” Torr admitted with a nod. “You’ve been with so many men and I haven’t. How can I compete?” He glanced at Konrad specifically, and I realized there was a lot more going on here than I’d thought. I followed his gaze and smiled at the man.

Which was the
very
wrong
thing to do. Now was not the time to be polite apparently.

“Yes, Konrad very much wanted to be here,” Torr growled as he stalked over to him. “Tight little ass, young, and fun. You want
him
, don’t you?”

“I suggest you be honest because shit will start if you lie,” Samantha muttered so only I could hear. I watched as Torr rubbed his hands all over Konrad, the young puma reacting beautifully to his attention. “Hadley, you have to answer.”

I swallowed down a disgruntled scream and answered honestly, “Yes, I want him but that’s not—”

Torr leapt
over
the long mother fucking table and was suddenly straddling my lap. He yanked my head to the side and bit me, rubbing himself against me. I moaned and moved my hands to his ass, thrusting my hips up to get better friction.

Apparently I liked to be bitten.

“You wear my bite for all to see until I’m sure he’s out of the running for your affection,” Torr snarled, shaking against me.

I blinked up at him with wide eyes. “He’s out, Torr. You didn’t let me finish.”

“You
want him
!”

“I’m attracted to him. Yes. He’s sexy and my cock wants a taste. But
instead of you
? No way.” I stood, my lynx wrapped around me, and laid him on the table. “I don’t want
anyone
but you. Isn’t that what this is all about? You were breaking my heart, and I couldn’t take any more. I wasn’t looking at any of them. Did you ever smell desire coming off
me
with these people?”

“Yeah, when you were in my room with Konrad,” he argued with a pout, tears glazing his eyes over.

“I woke to sexy little thang licking my chest after major blood loss. Yeah, I’m a man. So sue me. He wanted more and I said
no
because I was trying to get you to be real with me. So no. I don’t want Konrad as a suitor!”

“But you said yes,” he muttered, glancing at Samantha.

“Yeah, okay, I’m a bitch.” I turned to look at her too and she shrugged. “I didn’t clarify what
want
really meant and poked him into answering so you’d go with your gut and fess up. I wanted you two to deal with this for real because I knew you were worried Konrad could steal him away.”

“No, not happening,” I assured Torr as I focused back on him. “Get out, Konrad.”

“Okay,” the kid squeaked, and I heard footsteps leaving the room, not bothering to look.