“Naked.” Adam grinned, watching Steve try to worm himself out of this one.
Steve glared at him again before laughing nervously. “Okay, I did say naked, but it was just a joke.” Steve snorted again, clearly indicating he was about to shit himself as Slade’s eyes drilled into his; this time he thumbed toward Jill. “I mean who’d want to see Jill naked.”
Adam saw heat flare in Slade’s eyes before it quickly extinguished. Jill was off limits, but Adam decided then and there that he was going to have fun with this, at Jill and Slade’s expense of course. Yeah, he needed something to do to keep his mind off his own sorry-ass love life and pushing these two together was that something. Glancing at Slade, Adam frowned with second thoughts; Slade was one big badass Warrior, but what the hell; you only live once or in his case…forever.
“Hey!” Jill smacked the back of Steve’s head. “There’s plenty who would want to see me naked.”
“Yeah, I know, but…” Steve looked between Jill and Slade, who were glaring at him from different heights. “Well, I don’t know that, but…you know what, I’m just going to shut the hell up.”
Adam’s head fell back as he laughed loudly, the first real laugh since he didn’t know when. Still grinning, he looked at Slade. “I don’t know, my man. I think if Jill offered to fight me naked, I might take her up on it.” Adam winked at Jill, knowing he was pushing it, but didn’t care. “What about you, Doc? Naked ground fighting sound good to you?”
Slade looked away from Steve to Adam, his eyes telling Adam he knew exactly what he was up to. “Sloan wants you three in his office, pronto.” Slade’s deep voice filled the overcrowded room. “I suggest you get going before he comes looking for you himself.” It wasn’t lost on anyone in the room that Slade totally ignored Adam’s question.
“Oh, you mean grumpy ass.” Jill tossed Steve an evil grin. “Isn’t that what you called our fearless leader?”
Steve let his arms flop to his sides, his head down as he walked toward the door. “Where’s Damon?”
“Why?” Adam asked Steve, but watched Slade, who hadn’t taken his eyes off Jill.
“So he can decapitate me before I say more stupid shit.” Steve stopped and looked up at Slade, opened his mouth to say more, but then shut it tight and rushed out.
Adam watched as Jill and Slade stood staring at each after Steve practically ran out of the room. Adam wondered what the hell the two were waiting for; it was obvious they were into each other. Rolling his eyes, he walked between them heading out the door.
“Shut my door when you guys are through staring at each other.” Adam chuckled when he heard Slade growl and Jill call him an asshole.
“What the hell was that remark about?” Jill caught up with him.
“Which one?” Adam grinned, enjoying teasing her. He’d had his head up his ass for so long it felt good to have it free.
“Naked…ground fighting?” she hissed, walking in front of him backwards, stopping. He paused abruptly before he plowed her over. “That wasn’t funny.”
Picking her up, he easily moved her aside and continued. “Yeah,” he laughed, “it was.”
“Payback’s a bitch.” Jill cut in front of him before entering Sloan’s office, but not before she rammed her elbow into his stomach. She turned and smirked at his pained expression. “Now, that was funny.”
Adam pushed her the rest of the way in the room, stopping next to Steve who stood in front of Sloan’s desk.
“Have a seat.” Sloan pointed to the two chairs in front of his desk.
Adam continued to stand as Jill and Steve sat. Slade walked in and closed the door behind him. Adam had a feeling it was about to get real and wondered where the rest of the Warriors were.
“I’m going to get right to the point.” Sloan tossed his pen down before staring at each of them. “Your training, up until now, has been compromised because of everything that’s been going on. We are going to have to step it up to a level that is either going to break you or make you Warrior material.”
Excitement surged through Adam’s body. This is what he wanted, what he needed to keep his head on straight. Steve and Jill both glanced at him and he felt their excitement mix with his.
“Slade is going to be heading up the rest of your training.” Sloan’s eyes left them landing on Slade. “I want them more than ready. I want the rest of the council talking about them well after the initiation.”
“They’ll be ready.” Slade gave one nod as if it was done already.
Sloan looked back at the three. “We will not lose.”
“Lose?” Adam frowned, his competitive nature edged to the surface ready and more than willing to do what it takes not to lose. To Adam, losing was never an option.