Battle It Out

by Reese Knightley

  So what if he called Rolls Royce a fucking fancy pants? Okay, it might have been in a room full of people at Dillon and Luke’s engagement party, but wasn’t he entitled to his own opinion?

  Isaac disappeared through an open archway that led to the kitchen.

  Dillon, thank fuck, put on some Jagger before following after Isaac.

  “Hey! I wondered when you were going to show up,” River’s voice from the hallway drew his attention. River had Maddox in tow.

  “Any food left? I’m fucking starving.” He stepped forward and gave River a fist bump.

  “We left you a crumb,” Maddox smirked, sliding his arm around River’s waist.

  “Better have left me some cake.” He eyed the captain.

  “There’s plenty,” River promised.

  “Are you two in the living room?” He grimaced at the young punks gathered around the widescreen television, playing Isaac’s X-box, eating his food, and pretty much being annoying.

  “Hell no, the rest of the unit’s out back,” Maddox said and disappeared, tugging River out the back door.

  Zane gladly followed them through the kitchen and out onto the massive covered patio that ran the whole length of the back of the sprawling one-story house. The living room music faded with the distance between them and the punks in the living room.

  He loved this room. The California sun kept the back patio den-like room warm, so while the structure was screened in to let the breeze blow through, the patio did have a roof for unexpected rain.

  Lounge chairs, a massive black sectional, and a brown, cracked leather sofa filled one side of the room, with a food table set on the other. It was a man’s dream room and he and the rest of the unit had had a hand in its design.

  The leather couch had seen better days. He’d almost lost a finger helping Isaac carry the damn thing to the patio.

  “What do you need this old piece of junk for?” he’d said, hefting the couch sideways to get it through the back gate.

  “I like it.”

  “My ass created a crater in it,” he grunted and placed the couch he’d been on the verge of tossing away down on the concrete floor.

  Isaac pushed it up against the house and plopped down in the crater.

  “I like it,” the man scowled at him.

  He’d laughed. “You’re weird, Thorne.”

  That had been last summer, during better times. A time when he and Isaac had moved in sync. A time when he had known what to say to make things better.

  Dillon ruffled Isaac’s hair on his way toward a sectional that sat across from the old leather couch.

  Zane tried to catch Isaac’s gaze, but the man avoided him. What the hell? You humiliated his boyfriend and you haven’t fucking apologized for it.

  “Zaney?”

  He smirked at the title.

  “Hey Jo, I didn’t know you were going to be here.”

  He bent down so his very ex-girlfriend, Jolene Williams, could kiss his cheek. She reached up and grabbed his face and planted an opened mouth kiss on his lips.

  When she finally let go, he wiped the spit off his mouth with a slight grimace. Ethan and Blade gave him a thumbs up, which he ignored.

  Jo linked her arm through his. “I got invited by Isaac’s new boyfriend.”

  “Where did you meet him?” he squinted.

  “Isaac’s Facebook, silly.” She rolled her eyes as if that had been a no brainer.

  He grunted. He didn’t do Facebook or any of that crap.

  “Why didn’t you invite me yourself? You know I love Izzy.”

  He guided her toward the far end of the room to the party table and booze. Hopefully, she’d forget her question because he didn’t know why he hadn’t invited her. He should have, and even though they weren’t together, he still considered her his friend.

  “When are you going to come over?” She took the doctored punch from him and sent her tongue along the rim of the plastic solo cup. After taking a sip, she licked her lips.

  “I’ve just been busy,” he sighed. They’d broken up over a year ago, but he managed to make it over to her place a few times a month.

  “Busy with another woman? I can fill your needs,” she purred and ran her fingers over his shirt, flicking a nipple through the material. He lifted his arm to ward her off.

  “You promised me you’d stop doing this,” he said beneath his breath.

  “Do what?”

  “Act like a witch when I know you can be cool.”

  “It’s in my nature.” She wrinkled her nose at him, but her eyes held a teasing light.

  Jo really was nice, and when he called her on her shit, she usually tried to make it good. He couldn’t fault her for trying. She wasn’t all that bad, but he didn’t understand why she acted the way she did around his friends.

  “Well, cool it.”

  “You used to like it.” She placed her hands on her trim hips, and the blouse she wore slightly parted at the buttons, offering a small glimpse of a lacy bra.

  At one time, he would have dragged her out right then and there and fucked her stupid in his jeep, but over a year ago, he’d lost his desire. He’d changed. Or she’d changed. Something had fucking changed.

  He wanted something more. What that something was, he didn’t quite know, but he suspected it had to do with settling down and having kids. After all, forty was only three years away.

  Jo would probably jump at the chance of getting hitched, but she’d never settle down and have children. She’d told him having kids would mess up her figure and give her stretch marks.

  That must be why he no longer desired her.

  Isaac

  “Here’s the party,” Eagle said from the doorway.

  Isaac swiveled on the sectional toward the new arrivals, fiercely glad he no longer needed to suffer watching Zane with Jo. Do you blame him after just giving him the cold shoulder? If he were being honest, no.

  There sat his best friend, the guy he’d had the most fun with in his entire life and he was at a loss for words. This was not how he wanted his next meeting with Zane to go. For one, there were too many people around to have a private conversation and for another, he was afraid, afraid to say or do the wrong thing.

  Losing Zane was a powerful motivator to keep his mouth shut about his attraction, but all the teasing and laughter to hide it wasn’t working. And none of that would even matter if he couldn’t get his feelings under control. Zane would leave. He’s straight, you’re gay, he silently reminded himself, and it was something he needed to live with.

  He’d been hiding his feelings for the past year, he could do so again, he had to.

  Eagle stepped down the steps with his hands full and Isaac jumped up to take the heavy plastic-covered bowl of food.

  “What is it?”

  “Potato salad. Happy Birthday,” Link said from over Eagle’s shoulder.

  “Thanks.” Isaac smiled. “My favorite.”

  “I’ll take it, I’m starving.” Blade, who’d followed him up from the couch, reached for the bowl but Isaac hung on.

  “It’s mine.” He clutched it tightly.

  She rolled her eyes at him. “You’re going to need help, birthday boy. That looks like ten pounds of potato salad.”

  He laughed when she managed to wrestle the bowl from him and carry it to the food table.

  “I’m glad you two could make it.” He gave Eagle a fist bump.

  “It’s three.” Link pointed over his shoulder at the lovely brown-haired man standing just behind him. Link was so massive, Isaac had missed Beckett standing behind Link.

  “This is my cousin, Sam Beckett,” Link said.

  “I remember,” he said and returned the fist bump from Beckett.

  “We met at Dillon and Luke’s engagement party,” Beckett informed his puzzled looking cousin.

  “Oh yeah, that’s right.” Link rubbed at the dark stubble on his chin.

  “Getting senile, old man.” Eagle knocked a shoulder into Link on his
way past.

  “I’ll show you old.” Link squinted after a chuckling Eagle.

  Link and Eagle were inseparable. No wonder they were both part of the same elite three-man unit known as Fury. The soldiers of Fury and Infinity all reported to Colonel Liam Cobalt, who answered to the Secretary of Defense. Lately, they’d worked on so many missions together, they’d almost become one big group. Fuck, he missed his team.

  With a flash of pearly white teeth and full lips, Beckett tugged on his arm. “How’ve you been?”

  “Good.” He smiled down at the slightly built, dark-haired man. “How’ve you be -”

  “Beckett!”

  His words cut off when Dillon called out and shoved to his feet. The soldier came forward to yank the younger man into a hug.

  “What brings you here?” Dillon put Beckett at arm’s length with a grin.

  “I was in town visiting Link when I heard there was a party.”

  “You didn’t call me.” Dillon frowned at his best friend.

  “You were next on my list.” Beckett promised, shoved his hands into his pockets, and glanced quickly around through a mess of dark curls.

  “He’s not here,” Dillon said.

  “Who?” Link asked.

  “Holden,” Dillon responded.

  “Holden?” Isaac asked, not sure why Holden came up, but now damned curious.

  “Holden and Beckett met during that trouble with Luke,” Dillon said.

  “I remember.” When General Luke Rhine’s son Eric couldn’t repay his gambling debt, the loan shark he’d borrowed money from had gone after Luke. The stupid fucker thought he could come after a retired United States general and get away with it. Infinity had taken care of that rat bastard. It still didn’t answer why Holden’s name came up, though.

  “I don’t care if he’s here or not.” Beckett shrugged with a darting look around.

  “He should be here, he’s invited,” Isaac said.

  “Who’s invited?” As if on cue, Holden Wreck loomed in the doorway behind Beckett.

  The younger man blanched and then paled. Isaac reached out and grabbed Beckett’s hand and pulled him out of the doorway.

  “Hi, Holden. Glad you could make it.”

  “Thanks, where do you want this stuff?” Holden held up a big bowl of chili, the spices and peppers making his stomach rumble.

  Isaac smiled and waved Holden toward the food table. The muscled soldier slanted a glance at Beckett before walking toward the end of the room.

  “I might not be able to stay long,” Beckett said on a quick breath.

  Isaac shot a look at Dillon, but his brother only shrugged before heading over to sprawl on the couch.

  Isaac grabbed Beckett’s hand and pulled him toward the large black sectional. Pushing Beckett down between Royce and Dillon, he stood over the smaller man.

  “Just stay for a little while.” He poked out his bottom lip.

  Beckett laughed and Isaac grinned before plopping back down on the other side of his current date, Royce Langston.

  Holden stalked closer and sprawled in a heavy-duty lounge chair that sat between the two couches. The swap meet chair had been purchased with large men in mind, and Holden certainly fit the bill.

  Beckett turned sideways toward Royce and away from Holden.

  “So, what is it that you do?” Beckett asked Royce.

  “I’m currently doing my internship at Schroeder and Schroeder until my bar exam,” Royce boasted. “It’s an extremely prestigious law firm where only the best of the best are selected.”

  He barely managed not to grimace at the pretentious tone. Royce was on his way out anyhow, and if the guy took an interest in Beckett, so be it.

  He just wasn’t into Royce any longer and to be honest, he’d only started dating the guy as an escape.

  His eyes cut over to Zane’s muscled frame standing at the food table. Fuck if he didn’t look sexy as hell. Well-worn jeans fitted on trim hips, and combat boots completed the rugged look. But the t-shirt that mapped over every rippling muscle on Zane’s chest drew his eyes like a magnet.

  His own jeans grew uncomfortably tight, but he’d deal. He had to in order to keep Zane in his life. Plus, his comfort was of little importance.

  The most important thing was that Zane was there.

  Zane

  “Let’s ask Isaac.”

  “Ask him what?” He yanked his gaze from the group around Isaac on the sectional, and frowned at Jo.

  “I swear, Zane, you’re in another world,” She smirked at him. “I said let’s ask Isaac if he thinks we should be together.”

  “No!” he said sharply.

  “You who, Izzy!” she called, ignoring him, and Zane caught the grimace that swept over Isaac’s face.

  “I told you not to call me that,” Isaac called back.

  “Oh poo. You’re such a kill joy,” Jo harrumphed.

  “Takes one to know one,” Lacy Blackstrom, Isaac’s BFF replied snidely from behind them.

  “Hey!” Jo whirled around and glared at Lacy, who didn’t seem at all fazed.

  “Move it,” Blade sighed, trying to fill her plate.

  “Hey Blade, Lacy,” Zane murmured, guiding Jo away from the food table and out of Blade’s way.

  When Jo tugged, he bent down and she whispered into his ear, “I’m just messing with you.”

  He snorted and gave her a squinted look. “Not nice.”

  Her smile grew, but she stepped out of the way when Lacy moved in.

  “Hey Zane.” Lacy stood on her tip toes and brushed a kiss against his cheek. She placed a bowl of salsa on the table and then skipped across the patio to stop in front of Isaac.

  “What’s up, buttercup?” Lacy gave Isaac a cheeky smile.

  Isaac smirked and scooted over on the couch, making room for her to squish in on one side.

  Zane snatched a chocolate chip cookie from the food table and wolfed that down while poking a plastic fork in one of the already cut pieces of cake. The cookie was gone in seconds and the creamy lemon-flavored cake was next. He fucking loved lemon cake, it was his favorite in the whole world, especially the kind like this with the mountain of white frosting. He couldn’t believe his luck.

  “Inhale much?” Blade smirked at him.

  He poked the fork into his cake and took another huge bite before shooting her a look.

  “Zane!” Pia called, gaining his attention. She scooted her attractive form over on the leather couch and patted the vacant spot.

  “Are you going to eat that whole thing?” Jo’s eyes widened on his plate and the remaining cake.

  He forked up the last huge bite, opened his mouth wide, and put the whole thing inside.

  “Ugh!” Jo shuddered.

  He lunged at her with his mouth partially opened and she shrieked away from him. Blade cackled and held her arm high on her way past with a plate of food.

  Smacking his lips, he patted his stomach.

  Pia laughed at him. At least most people were happy to see him. Reaching the couch, he sprawled down next to Pia.

  Pia, as well as Blade, were two of the three women in their unit. Historically, no women were allowed in Special Forces, but according to Colonel Cobalt, if a person could do the job, it shouldn’t matter what was in their pants and Zane agreed.

  Once settled, he stretched out his legs and crossed his booted feet at the ankles. Of course, that left nowhere for Jo to sit when she followed him. Zane could have told Jo to save the glare she aimed at Pia; it wouldn’t work on the soldier.

  He uncrossed his boots, but Pia draped her legs over his lap so he couldn’t stand.

  “What?” Pia gave Jo a flat stare and pointed to the patio’s back wall and the folding chairs positioned close enough to the couches so people would still feel included.

  He held back his laughter and kept his eyes on Pia. He fucking loved her.

  “Nothing,” Jo wisely said and flipped her white blonde hair over one shoulder before she marched toward th
e chairs.

  Pia snorted, moved her legs, and handed him a cold bottle of beer from a nearby Styrofoam cooler.

  “Good riddance.”

  “She’s nice,” he defended with a grimace.

  “For a viper,” Pia agreed.

  He twisted off the cap of the beer, his gaze riveted on the huge sectional across from them where Isaac sat squished between Lacy and his flavor of the month.

  “What’s up, Rolls.” He jerked his chin at the stodgy looking man sitting next to Isaac, making sure his voice carried the distance. With his deep baritone, it wasn’t hard to do.

  Pia snorted beneath her breath. The rest of the unit either didn’t hear him or chose to ignore him except Beckett, who covered his mouth to hide a snicker.

  “It’s Royce,” the guy hissed, glaring at him.

  Zane narrowed his eyes to slits and snapped the bottle’s lid toward the trash can in the corner. It landed inside with a small, satisfying clang. He took several swallows of beer, hoping the alcohol might numb his irritation.

  Backhanding the liquid trickling down his chin, he froze when several pairs of eyes stared at him.

  Isaac glared, Lacy gave him a scolding look, and Royce stared wide eyed with his mouth open.

  Zane narrowed his eyes at the punk.

  Isaac caught Royce’s reaction and slugged the boyfriend hard in the arm. Pia winced, and even Lacy jumped. Royce’s face went white and then red hot in seconds. Which suited him just fine. He snorted beneath his breath and turned to Pia.

  “Stirring up trouble and you’ve only been here two seconds?” Pia elbowed him when the people across from them broke out in various conversations.

  “What?” He frowned.

  “With Royce.”

  “I didn’t ask Isaac’s boyfriend to check me out,” he muttered.

  “Of course not.” She rolled her eyes. “You’re oblivious.”

  “I can’t help it if everyone finds me attractive. I just,” he shut up.

  “Just what?” she probed when he stopped.

  “Nothing.” He shifted on the couch. Don’t go there, don’t fucking go there.

  “Hmm.” Her disbelieving expression had his chest tightening.

  “So, when are you coming back, Isaac?” Dillon leaned around Beckett to glance across Royce at Isaac.