Battle It Out

by Reese Knightley

  “Roger that, Charlie,” Maddox growled.

  “One down, one to go,” Zane murmured.

  “Dispatch, anything ahead?” Isaac asked.

  “One more second,” Sam muttered. “Yes. Heat signature fifty yards heading on foot southeast of your position, Bravo.”

  “There,” Zane pointed.

  It was easy to spot through his night vision goggles. On the banks a few yards from their position sat the abandoned jet ski.

  Leaping off, Isaac waded through the water and past the jet ski and into the swamp beyond. After several yards, the water gave way to a mucky bank and the mud sucked at his jungle boots, but he kept pushing on with Zane on his six.

  “Suspect is on the move due west,” Sam said. Thank fuck for the heat seeking drone.

  As quickly as humanly possible, he pushed through the mud until eventually, they came across sunken foot prints and he pointed them out to Zane just as a bullet hit a nearby tree. He crouched, gazing through the trees, trying to get a bead on the suspect’s location.

  “Suspect’s in sight,” Zane whispered and pointed.

  Eddie had taken up a position beneath a thick bunch of swamp trees; the guy had dug in. This could be a long fight.

  In the distance came the engine of the airboat.

  “Bravo, we are on your ass,” Oliver’s hiss came over the mic.

  “Copy, Charlie,” he responded. “Come in due west, looks like Chambers is dug in.”

  The guy fired at them and Zane sent a round into the mound of branches that blocked what appeared to be a small dugout.

  “I’m going around south, you keep him occupied,” he told Zane.

  The soldier didn’t respond right away, so he glanced over. He couldn’t see Zane’s expression through the infrared goggles and another tick of a second went by before Zane nodded.

  “Watch your six,” Zane said gruffly.

  Isaac grinned and gave a thumbs up and disappeared through the trees.

  It took him several minutes to make his way around and with Zane returning Eddie’s fire, he didn’t have to be super quiet. He came up on a trip wire, found the explosive, and disabled the device.

  “Looks like this might be a planned bunker,” he reported.

  Zane didn’t respond, but Isaac hadn’t expected him to.

  “Copy that, Bravo,” Sam’s calm voice responded.

  When he reached the dugout, he went up and over the top on a belly crawl and dropped a flash grenade into the opening. He dodged back, plugged his ears, and waited.

  With a scramble and shout, the man stumbled out of the opening brandishing his weapon, but the guy was blinded. He jumped down and put the end of his weapon against the guy’s head.

  “Drop it.”

  The suspect dropped the weapon. It was not Eddie Chambers.

  Zane came jogging up.

  “Where the fuck is Eddie?” Zane zip-tied the guy’s hands behind his back.

  “Fuck you,” the guy snapped.

  “No thanks,” he said and pushed the guy back toward Ethan and Oliver, who were pulling up in the boat.

  “Base, Eddie Chambers is still at large.”

  “Roger, Bravo, rendezvous with Charlie team and come on back.” Maddox sounded as tired as he felt.

  Ethan grabbed the guy and pushed him toward the waiting airboat.

  “We’ll follow you on the jet ski,” he called out when Oliver waved them over.

  Call him silly, but he wanted to feel Zane’s big body against his again.

  The airboat fired up and cut through the water back the way they’d come.

  Turning toward the jet ski, Isaac felt Zane’s hand on his arm before he was spun around. Their helmets knocked when Zane crowded close.

  The big muscled man didn’t say one word, but Isaac could feel the tension rolling off of him.

  He gripped Zane’s shoulders and they stayed like that for a long moment listening to the engine of the airboat fade before Zane eased the death grip he had on him.

  “We will get him,” he said and tugged Zane back toward the way they had come, but Zane resisted.

  He glanced back curiously.

  “I’m bi.”

  He blinked.

  And then blinked again.

  “Did you just say you’re bisexual?” he asked just to be absolutely clear.

  “Yeah,” Zane clipped out.

  Before he could respond or even process what was happening, he was urged up on the jet ski with Zane crowded against his back.

  “Let’s get out of the water,” Zane rumbled near the back of his neck.

  He nodded, still grappling with Zane’s admission.

  Zane

  “Want to talk about it?” Isaac asked in a low voice.

  He pulled a change of clean clothes from his locker before turning around. His gaze clung to Isaac’s chest before the soldier pulled on a gray t-shirt over his blond head and down, hiding his chest from view.

  The long flights back to base had been tight with tension. A tension created from Isaac’s hot glances rolling over him ever since he’d said the words.

  I’m bi.

  He dropped down to the bench, watching the way water dripped down Isaac’s face and darkened the neck of the clean t-shirt. His stomach jumped and he squeezed his hands around the jeans in his grip.

  Isaac cracked open a bottle of water and took several swallows before holding it out. He took several guzzles and wiped the back of his hand against his lips.

  Isaac’s fingers brushed his when he took back the bottle and the touch sent a spark of electricity straight to his cock. He groaned under his breath when Isaac ran his tongue over his lip.

  He cleared his throat, shifted on the bench, and turned his head away. He had to turn away for self-preservation. Otherwise, he was going to come in his fucking pants thinking of that mouth.

  “You didn’t answer me.”

  “Talk about what?” he asked like a coward.

  “About the fact that you told me you’re bi. About what we’re going to do about us.”

  “I don’t know what we’re going to do,” he returned gruffly, rubbing at the hard knots rising in his neck and shoulders.

  “Well.” Isaac spread his hands. “What do you want to do?”

  “I don’t know, Isaac, I just said that,” he said tightly, and rubbed at the growing pressure in his chest.

  “Just forget it.” Isaac shot him a venomous look.

  “I’m not going to forget it.”

  “You might as well!”

  “What does that mean?” Zane rasped, throwing up his hands.

  “You won’t talk about anything. You’re getting uptight like I’m going to out you here in the locker room or something.”

  “Look,” he said roughly. “Let’s not talk about it here.”

  “Why the fuck not?” Isaac speared him with another glare.

  He glanced around and then hissed, “Because it’s private.”

  “I want to know how you can go from being straight to bi overnight.”

  “Isaac, I said not here,” he urged.

  Isaac glared. “You know what, Gannon? I don’t believe you are bi. And you know what else? That washed out touch of your mouth against mine wasn’t a fucking kiss.”

  “What?” He stared opened mouthed at Isaac. “What the hell are you talking about?”

  “Here, let me show you the difference!”

  Isaac shoved him hard, his back slammed against the lockers, rattling them loudly. Hands fisted his shirt and he was yanked forward. Isaac’s mouth caught his in a scorching kiss that curled his toes. The press of tongue between his lips sent a low, aching hum through his body.

  He pressed against Isaac’s muscled frame as his world tilted. Isaac’s tongue pushed inside of his mouth and he caressed his own against Isaac’s in a heady marauding tangle. Kissing Isaac was so much better than the fumbling of his childhood and way fucking better than the brief touch of lips in that darkened hallway.
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br />   He groaned harshly when Isaac suddenly pulled back and glared up at him.

  “Now that was a fucking kiss.” The hot as hell soldier’s breath rushed out and his tongue swept along his glistening lips.

  Zane tightened his hands on Isaac to keep him close, but the man was having none of it.

  A struggle ensued and Isaac yanked away. The man missed the backpack sitting on the floor and caught his foot in the strap and tumbled backward.

  Zane lunged forward trying to catch Isaac, but he made it worse by tripping and sending both of them crashing into the lockers. He smashed into Isaac and they slammed hard just as the metal gave way.

  Then the whole fucking row of lockers toppled over. Eight lockers smacked into the next row forcing a domino effect. The crash was loud and long and he and Isaac ended up on top of the lockers in the middle of it all in a tangle of arms and legs.

  “What in the fucking hell is going on in here!” Maddox bellowed, drawing his eyes to the doorway.

  “It’s the Isaac and Zane show, sir,” a young soldier from another unit said on his way hastily out the door.

  Fucking Christ, the Isaac and Zane show? What the fucking hell?

  He crawled from the lockers, blood dripping down his arm where one of the metal doors had gouged his skin. Isaac rolled to his knees and lunged upward. Slapping away his hand when he tried to help him.

  “Cobalt’s office, both of you, now!” Maddox said between his teeth. “The rest of you get this shit picked up!”

  “Fuck! Gannon!” Isaac’s angry gaze sliced over him.

  “This is not my fault,” he responded weakly.

  Isaac gnashed his teeth and stalked out the door.

  “Way to go, guys.” Ethan golf clapped from the doorway.

  Those left in the locker room shook their heads and started to lift up the lockers.

  Zane stalked out the door and down the hall after Isaac.

  They were so fucked.

  Isaac

  “Do you have any idea of the shitstorm you’ve created!” Colonel Liam Cobalt yelled at the top of his lungs.

  Liam slapped the file Maddox had handed him on the desk. Pages went skittering. It didn’t matter, Liam had read every word while he and Zane had stood in front of the colonel.

  Isaac stared straight ahead, his eyes glued on the wall over the colonel’s shoulder. He had no intention of looking at the colonel as that would only serve to further piss him off.

  Fucking Gannon! Pushing him to do crazy fucking things. This was his fault.

  “I have never heard of anything so irresponsible in my whole fucking career.” Liam stalked around the desk, shaking the report in his fist.

  Isaac stiffened his spine, but it wasn’t him that Liam stopped in front of, it was Zane.

  “You could have gotten your whole fucking unit killed!” Liam said, obviously not talking about the locker room fiasco, but instead about the mission where they’d argued to the point they’d fucked up badly.

  “Do you fucking hear me, Master Sergeant! Do you?” Liam was almost frothing at the mouth.

  The big man crowded close to Zane and knocked him in the chest. Zane wobbled, but snapped back to attention.

  “I’m sorry, Sir,” Zane croaked.

  “You’re fucking sorry?” Liam growled, spittle flying from his mouth to land on Zane shirt. “I don’t give a flying fuck about your sorrys! You brought your personal shit up during a mission!”

  Liam turned on him and Isaac’s stomach quaked. He actually shook when the colonel got closer. Of course, it was a very slight shake, but a shake nonetheless. Liam only studied him for a long, tense moment.

  “Gannon, you’re out,” Liam snapped at Zane and stalked back around the desk.

  Isaac’s mouth dropped open, but no words would come out.

  “Sir?” Zane croaked.

  “You heard me, collect your gear and get the fuck off my base. I’ll figure out what to do with you later.” Liam moved to the window, showing them his back.

  Zane took a jerking step toward the door.

  “No,” Isaac growled, and Liam turned on him.

  “You better think very carefully before you say another word, Sergeant,” Liam spoke between his teeth. Those cold, blue eyes pinned him like a bug.

  “It was my fault.”

  Zane sucked in a breath as if to speak, but Isaac turned on the man.

  “Just shut the fuck up for once in your life!” he snapped at Zane and then spun back to the colonel. “So, if you want to punish someone, punish me.”

  Liam’s nostrils flared. Isaac could see the man weighing his options.

  He had been instrumental in rescuing Spencer, the love of Liam’s life, from a foreign country. Plus, if Liam punished him, it would get back to Dillon, who happened to be the fiancé of retired General Luke Rhine. Luke was Liam’s best friend.

  Isaac was gambling that whatever Liam did to him would be far less punishment than kicking Zane out of Infinity.

  Besides, the unit wouldn’t be Infinity without Zane Gannon in it.

  Liam’s eyes narrowed, but Isaac tipped his chin. He had the height and met the man’s stare head on.

  “Gannon, you have enough time accrued, take two weeks and don’t let me see you until it’s over,” the colonel finally growled. “Isaac, you’ll report to Fury in the morning.”

  “Fury?” Surprise soured his gut. He was off the team. Just shut up, it could be worse.

  “Fury, until I say otherwise!” Liam snapped. “Now get out, both of you. Captain Stone, you stay.” Ice dripped from Liam’s tone and Isaac suddenly felt bad for Maddox.

  Isaac turned and sprinted out of the office.

  “What in the hell were you thinking keeping this from me?” Liam bellowed at Maddox.

  Isaac ran down the hall, and Liam’s voice faded.

  “Isaac,” Zane yelled, but he kept going. No way in hell did he want to talk to Zane right then.

  “Isaac, please wait.” Zane’s voice grew closer.

  He’d literally had enough and turned on the guy.

  “Haven’t you fucking done enough?”

  “What…” Zane stumbled back.

  “Are you fucking happy now? You got me kicked off the unit.”

  “I didn’t want that. He was gunning for me.”

  “And rightly so, but can you imagine me going back to the team with you kicked out?”

  “No,” Zane hissed. “I can’t imagine that.”

  “That’s right, you can’t. It’s better this way anyway. We don’t work.”

  “Don’t say that. We kissed,” Zane growled.

  “That was a mistake. Just leave me the fuck alone. I’m done.”

  He made it out of the building and into the blinding sun. Too pissed off to stop, he barreled across the parking lot and jumped into his SUV.

  Racing down the freeway, he drove to Dillon and Luke’s house in Bel Air. Even the two-hour drive didn’t help; it gave him time to turn his anger into sorrow. He’d get to Dillon’s and figure this out.

  His big brother always had the right words when his world was ending.

  The inside of the vehicle was closing in on him and he just managed to zoom through the estate gates and up to the front before he slammed out of his jeep and wobbled to the grass.

  Falling to his knees, he doubled over and puked his guts out on the front lawn. Heaving over and over, he was pretty sure that breakfast came up with lunch.

  “I’ve got you.” When Dillon’s low, soothing voice came next to his head and big, strong hands settled on his back, he caved. Sobs jerked free and a storm unleashed. Dillon didn’t say anything, he just held him.

  Finally, he calmed somewhat, his face felt swollen, snot ran from his nose, and he couldn’t see, but Dillon had a dry wash rag against his face and Isaac clutched it like a lifeline.

  Dillon pulled him close and closed his arms around him and the familiar move made him feel like a little boy again.

  They must have
looked pretty silly sitting on the front lawn, but he didn’t fucking care. He turned his face into Dillon’s chest. God, he couldn’t remember crying this hard. Not since he’d come home from school and found out that Dillon was in the hospital and their dad had put him there. Sure, he’d cried a lot as a kid, but that time, he’d been so terrified that Dillon would die and leave him all alone.

  Leaving Infinity had ripped out his heart, but having Zane thrown out would have killed him.

  “Zane and I got into an altercation on base. I’m off the unit,” he gulped.

  “The fuck you say!” Dillon growled.

  “Let’s wait and see what’s going on without jumping to conclusions,” Luke’s calm voice came from beside Dillon.

  Isaac couldn’t look at either of them yet, so he kept his head tucked down.

  “Come on, let’s get inside.”

  He let Dillon help him up and stepped into the quiet estate. Dillon was only here for a few more months until he finished his tour and then he and Luke would be moving permanently to Luke’s rescue ranch in Arizona. He didn’t know what the hell he’d do when Dillon left.

  Feeling alone already, he sank into one of the kitchen chairs, crossed his arms on the table, and placed his head down on his hands.

  “Here.” He lifted his head to find a mug of hot coffee with cream placed before him.

  “Thanks,” he whispered to Luke. The guy was a fucking catch. Older by fourteen years than Dillon, but it didn’t bother the pair at all. He’d witnessed the love between them and his chest ached when they shared a warm look.

  That was all he wanted from Zane.

  And now I’ve run away.

  “Where have you been?” He blew on and took a slow sip of the coffee.

  “We had to fly to the ranch to settle in some new rescue animals. We’re heading back in a few days. Should be wrapped up soon,” Luke answered and took a seat.

  “Tell me what happened.” Dillon settled into the chair next to him.

  He took in a deep breath and let it out with a loud sigh.

  “You two don’t need to hear my crap.”

  “Yes, we do. Tell us,” Luke urged.

  “You remember what happened on the mission last week?” He smiled at Luke, but asked the question of his brother.

  “You argued with Zane about a kiss,” Dillon said.