Battle It Out

by Reese Knightley

  “Keep it. We can live here until we finish our tours and then sell this and retire to Oregon.”

  “We could do that. Are you leaving after this tour?”

  “I am. You?”

  “I planned on staying in as long as you are.”

  Isaac smiled at him, the fierce light in his blue eyes sent warmth through his chest.

  “I’ve got two more years and then I’m leaving and going private sector.”

  “I heard you can make bank doing that,” he replied around a bite.

  “Me too.”

  “Okay, two more years for you. I’ve got two and some change and then we’ll leave.”

  “Sounds perfect.”

  Isaac

  “You two official?” Maddox stared at them over his reading glasses from across the cluttered desk in the officers’ quarters.

  “We are.”

  “About goddamned time,” the captain muttered and tossed down the pen he’d been holding.

  “Thank you?” he said, but it was more of a question.

  Maddox leaned back in the wide leather chair and squinted at them. “The first time you fight, or have even a fucking spat during a mission, one of you is gone.”

  “Yes, Sir.” He smiled.

  “Yes, Sir,” Zane said.

  “Dismissed.”

  “Thanks, Captain! Give River my love,” he said with a laugh.

  “Asshat, get out,” Maddox grumbled with amusement.

  “You’re crazy,” Zane said, fisting his shirt and pulling him down the hallway. Once a safe distance away, his lips were caught and held.

  He moaned into the kiss, fisting Zane’s shoulders to keep him close.

  “I hear you have a problem,” Dillon said from a few feet away.

  Zane stepped back and Isaac turned to glare at Dillon.

  “Great timing.”

  “We are on base,” Dillon pointed out.

  Beyond his brother stood Oliver, Holden, Pia, Blade, and Ethan.

  “I told them about your woman trouble.” Oliver grinned at him, gesturing to Dillon and the others.

  “Ah yes,” he made a face, “Zane and I believe Lacy has been trying to sabotage us.”

  “Oliver said she’s trying to keep you apart,” Pia said flatly.

  “That about sums it up. I want to catch her lying to both of us,” Isaac said.

  “So we need proof,” Zane added.

  “Yeah, we want to find out how far she would go to keep us apart.” Isaac faced the others.

  “I have an idea.” Dillon leaned in and the rest of the unit gathered around.

  The plan was fucking brilliant and he laughed loudly with the others.

  “Who’s playing point guard?” Zane grumbled.

  “I’ll guard his naked ass,” Oliver grinned.

  Zane gave a slight growl. It was cute, really, and endearing.

  “Don’t worry, I’ll behave,” Oliver promised Zane.

  His man seemed somewhat mollified. Isaac found it sexy as hell that Zane appeared jealous. Zane needn’t have worried. As far as he was concerned, there wasn’t a man on earth who held a candle to him.

  Zane reached out a hand and he moved in closer, careful of his injured ribs.

  “When do we start?” Zane asked.

  “I say the sooner the better,” he murmured.

  “Me too.”

  Everyone agreed and a few hours later, he stood in his living room, fiddling with the remote on the television. They’d hidden all but his and Oliver’s vehicles out of sight down the block so it appeared he and Oliver were the only ones in his house.

  “I hate the rain,” Oliver complained.

  “It’ll make it more authentic,” Isaac soothed when Oliver made a face.

  He glanced over at Zane and gave a grimace. “I guess this is it, huh?”

  “I’m sorry, babe. We don’t need to do this,” Zane suddenly said.

  “Are you kidding me?” he scowled. “We most certainly do need to do this.”

  They hustled to their spots when her car pulled up next door.

  “Come on, we’re on,” Oliver said and shoved to his feet.

  Isaac followed Oliver to the edge of the hallway and glanced back at Zane. The big man’s brow furrowed, so he blew him a kiss and winked.

  Zane went out the front door, closing it quietly.

  When Lacy’s key rattled at the backdoor just off the kitchen, Isaac marched to the back room with Oliver.

  He took a deep breath and yanked open the door that led to the patio, acting surprised.

  Lacy smiled at him and Oliver. “Hey, feel like watching a few episodes tonight?”

  “Sure,” he said. “It’s getting cold, though. I thought I’d light a fire tonight.”

  “Oh! Sounds perfect. Hi Oliver.” Lacy scooted past them.

  “Hey, Lacy,” Oliver said and then turned to him. “I’ll help you carry in the wood before I go.”

  “I’ll start the popcorn,” Lacy called out and disappeared into the kitchen.

  Gray storm clouds raced across the sky and big fat drops of rain started as Oliver loaded up his arms.

  “Oh, you can do better than that,” came the only warning before Blade doused him and Oliver with the hose.

  Fuck! He almost shouted at the cold water, but that would bring Lacy running. He glared at Blade.

  “Shhhhhh!” Oliver hissed.

  “Payback’s a bitch,” Isaac warned her.

  Blade cackled low and put the sprinkler over Oliver’s head. Isaac ran for the screened in patio, dripping wet with the now soaked wood. He stumbled to the grate near the closed backdoor and dropped the wood with a loud bang. Blade flipped off the water and disappeared to the side of the house, staying out of view.

  Oliver followed him into the screened in patio laughing his ass off.

  “Fucker!” he growled around a grin. He yanked open the kitchen door and stepped into the warm room.

  “That was fun!”

  “Not really. I’m wet and cold! You’re not tracking that through the house.” He pointed to Oliver’s shoes.

  Lacy immediately came from the living room and into the kitchen. “What happened?”

  “Isaac started it.”

  “Oliver thought it would be fun to shoot water at me. I took the hose from him and returned the favor.” He laughed.

  “In the rain?” Lacy shook her head at them like they were crazy.

  “I have a date tonight, what the hell am I going to do now?” he scowled.

  “We can strip down and Lacy can grab us some clothes,” Oliver said on cue.

  Inside, Isaac was cringing at the thought of Lacy going through his clothes.

  “Sure, I can do that.”

  “Thanks, Lacy. My stuff should fit Oliver.”

  She shook her head and disappeared just as the doorbell rang.

  “Shit,” he yelled.

  “I’ll get it,” she told him.

  “If it’s Zane, don’t let him into the kitchen!” he shouted, putting panic in his voice.

  “I won’t,” she said.

  “I mean it, Lacy!” he hollered.

  “I won’t, I promise,” she called back after a moment.

  He tossed Oliver a towel to dry his hair.

  “Game time,” Oliver said.

  Zane

  “Is Isaac home?”

  He clutched the flowers to his chest and stared at Lacy.

  “He’s busy,” Lacy said with a frosty tone.

  “Is he home?”

  “He is, but he’s found someone else.”

  “He has? Why are you here then?”

  “What?”

  “Hoping for some more live porn?”

  She gasped at him and fell back from the door. “Certainly not!”

  “Oh, come on, you like to watch.”

  She glared at him.

  “Don’t believe me that he’s found someone else. Come look yourself!” She turned and marched toward the kitchen. She stoo
d just out of sight, but pointed to the doorway.

  He stepped past her and into the brightly lit kitchen, finding Isaac and Oliver fully dressed, toweling their hair dry.

  “Stop! I told you not to go in there,” Lacy shouted.

  He tossed a glance at her over his shoulder and then turned back Isaac and Oliver. “Hey guys,” he said.

  “Hey babe, are these for me?” Isaac tugged him farther into the kitchen and gently pushed him back against the sink. When his back was resting comfortably, Isaac stepped in and planted a kiss on his lips and took the flowers.

  Lacy gasped.

  Isaac placed the flowers in the sink and slipped around him. Stalking across the kitchen, he gripped Lacy by her upper arm and marching her out of the kitchen and into the living room. Zane followed with Oliver on his heels.

  Isaac didn’t release Lacy until they were standing in the entryway. Once there, he dropped her arm as if the touch offended him. Snatching her keys from the small table by the door, he removed his from the ring with a twist.

  “What are you doing?” she asked, looking bewildered.

  God, she was a good actress. Zane leaned a shoulder against a nearby wall and watched the cold-hearted performance. Nobody could fault her on her acting.

  “What the fuck are you doing?” Isaac growled.

  “Nothing, and if he says otherwise, he’s wrong.” She pointed at Zane.

  “Oh, I doubt that,” Dillon said, stepping out from the coat closet with his cell phone in his hand.

  “Don’t believe me that he’s found someone else? Come look yourself!”

  Lacy’s own words filled the room when Dillon hit playback.

  “Oh, and this one is enlightening.” Dillon hit another recording.

  “Is he home?”

  “He is, but he’s found someone else.”

  Her face went pale when her own words floated in the room for all to hear.

  “You’ve been sabotaging us from the get go and I want to know why,” Isaac snarled.

  “I also want to know why you would blame Jo like that,” he rasped.

  “You kissed her! I saw you,” Lacy hissed.

  “Isaac knows that. It was a peck on the cheek.”

  “Bullshit!” Lacy shouted. “He’s lying, Isaac.”

  “Now you just sound stupid.” Isaac scowled at Lacy.

  Holden entered through the front door with River and Jo.

  “So, you finally took the lying bitch down,” Jo sneered.

  “You’re the lying bitch!” Lacy pointed at Jo.

  “You’re putting on quite the performance.” Isaac glared at Lacy.

  Lacy sniffled at Isaac. “I’m sorry, Isaac. I love you.”

  “You don’t know what love is,” Isaac sneered.

  “I do, give me a chance,” Lacy begged Isaac.

  “A chance for what?”

  “I’m in love with you. I could be everything you want. It was okay when you dated guys like Royce, but not him.”

  She pointed at him. Zane let his mouth drop open and then he snapped it closed. Okay, he hadn’t been expecting that. Why not him?

  “You’re not making any sense. I’m gay. What in the hell would ever make you think I’d fall for a woman?” Isaac asked incredulously.

  “But we work so well together. Until him.” She stomped her foot, sending a distasteful look at Zane.

  “You mean you were fine until I found a man I want to spend the rest of my life with,” Isaac returned flatly.

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered, her lip trembled.

  “I could almost forgive you if you hadn’t fucked with Zane.”

  “Isaac, please, I said I’m sorry.” She dropped her face into her hands and when she lifted it, tears swam in her eyes.

  “I don’t believe any of your tears for one second.” Isaac appeared beyond disgusted.

  Zane decided that he never wanted to see that cold anger directed at him.

  “You won’t last!” Lacy hissed at them, the tears dried up as if they’d never been.

  “Get out of my house, and don’t ever darken this doorstep again.”

  “Don’t touch me!” Lacy spat when Dillon approached.

  His brother held up his hands, but gestured to the front door. Holden and River stepped up to back Dillon.

  Lacy flipped her hair over her shoulder and marched from the house. The guys followed to make sure she left the property.

  “Good grief,” Jo sounded as shocked as he felt by Lacy’s true colors.

  “I’m so sorry,” Isaac told her.

  Jo offered Isaac a tentative smile. “I may be an airhead sometimes, but I would never mess with either of your happiness.”

  “I have a BFF opening,” Isaac joked and Jo burst into tears.

  Zane curled his arm tightly around her and Isaac moved forward. Zane closed his other arm around Isaac and held them both tightly.

  “I’m sorry. I should have believed you,” Isaac’s voice was muffled.

  “Don’t be sorry,” Jo sniffed and laughed. “I’m just glad you guys caught her.”

  “We are too,” he assured Jo.

  “I’ll take care of Bear,” she said with a sniffle.

  Isaac squeezed her tight.

  “You know, there’s a house up for sale in my neighborhood.”

  Zane chuckled when Isaac swung toward him. It would put much needed distance between them and Lacy.

  “Wanna?” Isaac’s eyes lit up.

  “If you’re okay with that.”

  “Let me think about it.”

  Zane kissed Isaac on the lips. “Done.”

  Jo giggled and bent down to pet Bear, who’d come to investigate the people in the house.

  “Hey guys?” Oliver called.

  “Yeah?” He glanced over.

  “This calls for food!”

  He broke out in laughter, enjoying Isaac’s soft chuckle.

  “I’ll get the plates.” Jo pulled away from them with a smile.

  “I’ll order Chinese,” Dillon said.

  “Works for me,” River agreed.

  “I’ll eat,” Holden offered and everyone laughed.

  Isaac caught his hand and drew him out onto the back patio.

  “You’ll miss this back porch,” he advised. If Isaac decided to move.

  “We’ll build another one,” Isaac said, tipping his head back to gaze at him. “In a place that is both of ours.”

  “I like that plan,” he murmured and kissed Isaac’s offered lips.

  The gang came out the back with beers in hand, talking about their favorite food and getting the patio ready for chow.

  He pulled Isaac close.

  “I love you, Gannon,” Isaac whispered against his ear.

  “I love you too, Thorne.”

  Zane

  Six months later

  “You clean up nicely,” he said, eyeing Greene’s closely cropped beard and expensive slacks and shoes.

  “Whose house is this?” Greene grumbled and pulled at the dress shirt that hugged his massive shoulders.

  “Haven’t you ever been here?” Oliver hissed at Greene.

  “Nope.”

  “It’s mine and Luke’s,” Dillon said, opening the front door and stepping inside.

  “Luke?”

  “Retired general Luke Rhine,” he offered and squeezed Isaac’s hand. PDA was what this was and he didn’t give two shit if that wasn’t acceptable.

  “No shit?” Greene glanced around suspiciously.

  “Yeah, they are together,” he told Greene.

  “Are all you sumbitches queer?” Greene scowled.

  “Most of us.” Dillon stopped so abruptly that he almost plowed into him.

  “Thank fuck,” Greene growled before advancing into the main room where the meeting type luncheon was to be held.

  Zane couldn’t fucking help it, he laughed. Who the fuck would have thought that Sergeant Joshua Greene would make a joke?

  “Did Greene just make a joke?�
� Oliver hissed.

  Dillon gave a bark of laughter. “I think the world tilted on its axis.”

  A small, shaggy, white and brown missile launched itself into Dillon’s arms and the big soldier picked up the wiggling dog to hold it close to his face.

  “How’s my Cricket?” Dillon crooned and the pup’s pink tongue wildly laved over the soldier’s face.

  With a hand to Isaac’s hip, he guided him through the massive entryway and into the main room where several round tables sat, each surrounded by numerous chairs.

  He directed Isaac toward one of the white table cloth covered tabletops adorned with blue and yellow spring flowers.

  “Lincoln!”

  Holden’s deep, growling voice drew both his and Isaac’s attention to the two men standing nearby.

  “Holden?” Link eyed the bigger man warily.

  “I want to know why the hell you didn’t protect Beckett!”

  “Beckett? What the fuck’s wrong with Beckett?” Link scowled and advanced on Holden.

  Beckett, having caught the altercation, hurried across the room.

  “Nothing is wrong with me, for Christ sakes!”

  At Isaac’s gasp, Zane got a good look at Beckett’s face.

  “What happened to your face?” Isaac asked Beckett.

  “What the hell?” he echoed, running his eyes over the black eye and fat lip. It couldn’t be Brewster or Lance; those assholes had been reprimanded and transferred to another base six months ago.

  “All right, everyone, shut up and take a seat,” Maddox bellowed over the crowd before Beckett could respond. The captain had no idea that Link was about to beat down Holden.

  Beckett did, though, and stepped between the two massive men and placed his hand on their chests. He pushed, separating them, and then took Holden’s hand.

  Holden stared as if gobsmacked, but followed along after Beckett to take a seat at the table.

  “Come on.” Eagle gripped Link’s arm in a hard grip. “Dave’s waiting.” The pair disappeared in the direction of the table where the Secretary of Defense sat.

  “What happened to Beckett’s face?” Isaac whispered, taking a seat.

  “I don’t know,” he murmured and followed suit.

  The room grew quiet, and a few throats cleared as they waited.

  Liam stood and walked to the front of the room before facing the gathered crowd.