Page 136 of Elite Metal: Warriors

It made her want to save them too, but she wasn’t sure yet what she could do.

She had, however, resolved to try.

Cooper groaned, and her attention snapped to his face.

Even banged up as he was, he was gorgeous. The sight of him made her heart swell.

She cupped his cheek with her palm.

“Cooper?”

His eyes fluttered open. “Nat?”

“Yes, my darling. I am here.”

“Am I alive?”

“Very. The doctor said you have been a handful.”

He smiled, perhaps with a hint of pride.

“I was worried though. You shouldn’t have been so foolish as to take a bullet.”

“The bullet found me,” he said. “They do that sometimes.”

“You know what I mean. You should not have risked your life for me.”

He lifted a hand to stroke her hair. He stared at her. His eyes glowed. “I had to. I cannot live without you. I love you, Natalia Petrova.”

Her heart lurched. “You can’t.”

“Can’t I?”

“You don’t know who I am, Cooper. What I am. The things I’ve done.”

“So tell me.”

Heat rose on her nape. “I cannot.”

He eyed her for a moment, perfect teeth nibbling his perfect lip. “You don’t know who I am either. What I’ve done.”

“I know what you are. A good man. An Elite Metal warrior.”

His nostrils flared. “How do you know that?”

She tried to look innocent. Batting her lashes and everything.

“Natalia?” A growl.

“Gregor did some…research.”

“No one knows about the Elite Metal.”

“Gregor…knows people. But we couldn’t find your code name.”

“Thank God for small favors.”

Her lips quirked into an impish smile. “What is it?”