“You’re going to chip my ass? Seriously? Like parents do to children so if they get lost someone can scan them and the readers say who they belong to?”

Dark blue eyes blinked a few times, regarding her silently. He didn’t deny that was exactly what he was going to do and it really irritated her. Pet owners, as well as parents, did the same thing with their animals. She guessed it must have really amused him to know she was terrified of being filleted like a fish when instead he just wanted to have an implanted data chip shot in her ass.

“You tricked me.”

He let his hands fall to his sides. “The result would have been the same. I chose you from the Piera.”

Shock tore through her. “You chose me?”

He nodded. “We didn’t take all fourteen women. We could have but we just took the women we chose. Vollus chose your young friend and I chose you.”

“Why me?” She was still shocked.

He hesitated. “You were smaller than I would have liked but your hair drew me.”

Dawn reached up to absently finger a lock of her red hair. “Seriously? Why?”

“You are as rare as I am.” He paused. “Not many humans or cyborgs have our coloring. I thought that if I ever bred you that our children would end up with that coloring.”

Her mouth was hanging open and the second she realized it, she jerked her jaw up to press her lips together. Her mind was going a mile a minute, trying to take it all in. One word hit her like a brick. “Breed? As in have kids?” She pressed back against the door.

That frown again. “What other definition of breeding do you know, to even ask that question? Of course I am discussing reproduction.”

“I’m thirty-six!”

He shrugged. “Your point being?”

“I don’t want kids. My five sisters all had a bunch of them when they were young and I didn’t for a damn reason. I have seventeen nieces and nephews so if I want to play mommy I just babysit some of them for my siblings when I’m on Earth and I’m cured instantly of feeling my biological clock ticking. No damn way will I agree to have kids.” Her gaze flew up and down his big body. “And I sure as hell wouldn’t have them with you.”

All expression left his face. He was motionless but then she noticed his hands fisted at his side. “You don’t think I’m a fit breeding partner because I’m a cyborg?” He growled deep in the back of his throat. “You just stripped me and asked me to touch you yet you think I am not worthy of implanting your eggs?”

“Implanting my eggs?” She gaped at him. “This has nothing to do with you being gray, damn it. Look in a damn mirror. You’re the size of a hover cycle and if we’re talking giving birth, think about it. What were you at birth? Twenty damn pounds?”

He frowned. “I wasn’t birthed. I was grown in a lab.”

Dawn’s heart was pounding. “So you plan on taking my eggs and having children grown like you were in some lab after you knock up my eggs? I refuse! If I have kids, not that I will, but if I did I’d have them the old-fashioned way.”

Iron moved, crowding her space as he went chest to face with her. She stared up at him as he put his hands flat on the door on both sides of her, pinning her where she stood. He looked furious as he glared down into her eyes.

“I didn’t ask you what you wanted. If I decide to breed with you then we will breed the old-fashioned way, as you put it. I’ll activate my sperm and have Doc examine you to fix any problems he finds with you that may hinder my implanting your eggs.”

She had to swallow hard as a lump formed in her throat. “I didn’t agree to that. I said I’d be your slave, not a baby maker.”

Iron’s face lowered until they were almost nose-to-nose. “You’re property, Dawn. The sooner you realize that your life is no longer your own, the sooner you can learn your place.”

Fear and anger flooded her. She went with anger and instantly tried to shove him back. She caught him unaware, actually made him stumble a few feet, and she kicked out at him. Her bare foot hit his hip, knocking him back more. Dawn glared at him.

“I always have a damn say, Iron. You learn that.”

He rubbed his hip, returning her glare. “Do you want me to put you over my knee and spank you to teach you that I am in control?”

“Try it, ass**le. I haven’t been spanked since I was ten years old and hid my dad’s favorite fusion wrench for two damn weeks to get even with him.”

Iron lunged forward. Dawn ducked but she knew he had missed her within inches. She ran and leapt on his bed, turning so her back hit the corner. She glared at the big bastard where he hesitated at the corner of the bed. He looked irritated.

“I can reach you easily there.”

“Try it, Iron. I dare you.”

He grabbed for her. Dawn pushed off and propelled her body at him to jump on him. She hit his chest and screamed as he grunted. He stumbled back, obviously not expecting her to attack him. It happened fast but Dawn knew it was going to hurt the second she realized he’d been off balance and her momentum hit him too hard. He went backward, falling and she went with him.

He jerked her before they hit the floor, yanking her lower on his body so he took the brunt of the impact with Dawn landing on top of him. She heard a cracking sound and scrambled to get off him before he could grab hold of her. His big body had cushioned her fall so she wasn’t hurt in the least as she rolled off him and got to her feet, spinning to face him as she backed up quickly.

Iron lay on the floor not moving, his eyes closed. Dawn backed up almost into the foam cleansing room to put as much space between the two of them as possible. Her gaze fixed on the still cyborg, waiting for him to open his eyes and come after her. He stayed down as the seconds passed, his eyes remained closed, and the only movement was the rise and fall of his chest.

“Damn it, Iron. I’m not stupid. You’re playing possum.”

She stood there, knowing it was a trick. He’d already proved he wasn’t above screwing with her head to get his way. She bit her lip as seconds passed into a good minute. He was patient, she’d give him that. She didn’t take her attention from him but then something on the floor caught her eye. The red substance that discolored the floor had her alarmed in a heartbeat.

“Iron?” She moved then, almost diving for him to collapse on her knees next to him. It was definitely blood she saw next to his ear on the hard floor. Her hands shook as she reached for him. “Computer? Emergency Response. I need a medic!” She gripped his face and waited for the computer to respond but it didn’t.

Frustration welled in her as she stared down at Iron’s face. His skin tone looked a little more on the white side at that moment. Her fingers gently eased into his soft hair and tried to find the wound but with his hair braided it was difficult to do. She wanted to scream for help but she knew how thick the walls were and it would mute out all sounds, which meant no one would hear her.

“Damn it, Iron. Open those beautiful eyes for me, baby. I didn’t mean to hurt you. Of all the lame-ass things to do, you disabled the computer completely, didn’t you? I can’t get you help.”

She finally found the wound. It was small, just a gash at the back of his head. She carefully tried to roll him but she couldn’t since he was too heavy to budge. All she could do was carefully turn his head, hoping she wasn’t hurting him more and her fingers were shaking the entire time as she unbraided his hair. He had long, curly, bright red hair and she would have enjoyed seeing all of it as she freed the last of it but she was too worried about the downed man. She didn’t want him to die.

Very gently, she separated his hair where his scalp was cut to discover it really was small but head wounds bled a lot. She pressed her fingertip to it and held pressure there. Her gaze fixed on his profile with his face turned her way.

“I’m sorry, Iron. I didn’t think I could really hurt you. You’re like a damn house with legs. If you just open your eyes, I promise I won’t tackle you anymore. I might even let you tap my ass with one of your abnormally large hands once or twice. Just wake up for me, open those beautiful blues and glare at me.”

She nearly jumped when he opened his eyes as if he’d heard her. She stared into them and relief flooded her. She smiled. “Don’t move. I’m so damn sorry. You’re bleeding. It’s not bad but you scared me.”

He lay still as he watched her silently and allowed her to keep her finger pressed against his damaged scalp. He didn’t talk so Dawn did.

“I really didn’t think I could hurt you. Are you okay?” She held up three fingers in front of his face with her free hand. “How many do you see?”

Alarm was instant on Dawn’s part when he didn’t answer. “Did you scramble something? Look, repeat what I say, okay? Emergency Response, we need a medic. Can you say that for me, baby? Please say it. The damn computer won’t activate for me and you need help.”

He blinked at her but still said nothing. Alarm turned to fear as she gazed into his eyes, completely worried. “Iron, you have to tell the computer to get help. You disabled the computer from responding to me. Can you activate your transmitter in your head and link to the computer to get help? Try, okay? You hit your head on the floor and you were knocked unconscious. You need a medic. If you can’t—”

She tore her gaze from his, darting her eyes around the room and spotting the fire sensor in the corner of the ceiling. She bit her lip as her mind frantically worked trying to find a solution. It hit her then and she came up with a plan.

“I could start a fire. That would alert the computer to send responders.” She looked down at him. “That’s what I’ll do, okay? I’m going to have to f**k up the door pad to get access to some live wires but I can make some sparks to make fire. I’ll torch one of your shirts. It won’t spread or anything but it will put off enough smoke to trigger the alarm.” She eased her finger from his wound, focused on it and was relieved when it didn’t start actively bleeding again. She nodded at him. “Just hang on, baby. I’m going to get you the help you need.”

She moved to get to her feet but Iron’s hand suddenly shot out and grabbed her, his hand wrapping around the back of her neck. She gasped as he pulled her down close to his face, struggling to not tip forward and fall on him as her hands shot out to brace on the floor next to him. He stopped pulling when they were nearly nose-to-nose.

“Don’t start a fire.”

“Tell the computer to get you a medic.”

He licked his lips as he stared into her eyes, studying them. “You care that I am hurt and you want to bring help to me.”

“Of course I do. Tell the damn computer to get you a medic. Your head is bleeding.”

He closed his eyes for a second and then opened them again. “I’m fine, Dawn. I ran a scan. I have that ability. I’m functioning normally.”

“You whacked your head hard and it knocked you out so you’re not fine.”

He took a deep breath and then his other hand moved, wrapping around her waist. He pulled her on top of his chest. It stunned her as she stared into his eyes a second before he rolled them both, her back ending up against the floor with a big cyborg pinning her flat. He shifted his body, easing down her as he fit his thighs between hers. His long, flowing, bright red hair fell forward over one of his shoulders, pooling on the floor next to her face. She glanced at the beauty of all that glorious, fiery red hair and then she gazed into his eyes. He had her caged under him but his elbows took his weight so he wasn’t crushing her.

“Iron? What are you doing? Order the computer to summon help.”

He just stared into her eyes for long seconds before his mouth lowered. Dawn realized his intent a second before his full lips lightly brushed her shocked, parted ones. She closed her eyes instantly and her hands gripped the leather of his shirt at the curve of his shoulders as firm lips pushed hers wider apart before his warm tongue breached her mouth.