Page 116 of Elite Metal: Warriors

Ah. But there it was again. That ominous prick—this time in his bicep. He glanced down to see her extracting a needle.

“Whaaaat—?” His head went woozy and his tongue numb.

Her smile was wicked. “You need to sleep, my darling.”

“But…” Fuck.

His lids closed of their own accord and his muscles went slack and, yeah, sleep he did.

Whether he wanted to or not.

* * *

While Vasili was tending to Cooper, Natalia wandered into the kitchen and sat with Gregor, who was nursing a glass of vodka. It was a nice, quiet moment that allowed her to reflect and sort her tangled feelings.

For one thing, that rush of panic when she’d seen Cooper lying helpless before Bruno. She’d never had such emotions before. Certainly not for a man.

So why him?

Granted, he had been a phenomenal lay, but that was hardly enough to justify these feelings. It had to be something else. Something deeper. When he smiled, she felt happy. When he stared at her with lust in his eyes, she became excited. When he was in pain, she wept as well.

There was a connection between them. As though some ephemeral ties linked them, when such a thing should not be possible.

She’d always been cold and detached. No one ever made her feel. No one ever made her soft. What was it about him?

A little voice in the back of her head whispered that this was what love might be, but she ignored it. It was a ridiculous thought. They didn’t even know each other. They had nothing in common and certainly no future together.

If she were wise, she would take Gregor’s advice, leave this place and forget about Cooper forever.

But for some reason, it hurt to entertain the thought.

If this was love, or something like it, she didn’t care for it in the least. It was unpleasant and confusing and caused this sense of being…beholden to someone else, which always made her twitchy.

A person couldn’t live the life she lived and care about people.

She’d learned that lesson long ago.

“Stop it,” Gregor muttered.

“Stop what?”

“Stop thinking about him.”

She frowned. “I am not thinking about him.”

“Then why are you making those noises?”

“Was I making noises?” Sometimes it was annoying that Gregor knew her so well.

“Little grunty noises, as though you are arguing with yourself.” He waggled a finger. “It is never a good idea to argue with yourself.”

“Especially when you are here for that pleasure.”

“Precisely.” He stared into his drink for a moment and then said, “I see the way you look at him.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I look at all men that way.”

“No, you don’t.”