Battle It Out

grown men puke their guts out, but he’d been a coward about this.
“It is easier being straight,” Diesel admitted quietly.
He swallowed hard, holding his brother’s eyes before glancing away and taking a sip of his drink and then another.
“What brought it all up after all these years?”
It’s Isaac. I can’t get him out of my head. He’s all I think about morning and night.
“I’m not sure,” he evaded.
“Have you kissed a man since Ryan?”
His eyes swept up and locked on Diesel. “Um, no…”
“You sure?” Diesel’s voice grew teasing.
“I haven’t, but…” He turned his face away.
“But you’ve thought about it,” Diesel guessed.
“Yeah.”
“I think you might be bi.”
“I think you might be right,” he rasped, tossing back the remainder of his drink in one swallow. “If you have to put a label on it.”
Christ, label or not, it felt good to say it out loud, to acknowledge that he had these feelings. He’d finally admitted it to someone.
Thirty-seven years old and he finally admitted his attraction toward men. And one man above all others.
“What do I do now?” He finally faced Diesel, feeling stupid for asking.
Diesel squeezed his hand with a smile. “Acknowledge it to yourself. It’s not a crime. You don’t need to shout it out to the world, you know.”
“No?”
“Listen, Zane. Share it or don’t, that’s your choice, but you’re perfect the way you are.”
“That’s debatable.”
“Here’s a test,” Diesel said. “Ready?”
He nodded
“Think of someone you know who is gay and that you’re attracted to.”
Blond hair, bright blue eyes, and a body to die for came to mind.
“Got that picture in your head?”
“Yes,” he croaked.
“Now, do you think they are flawed or perfect just the way they are?”
Perfection.
“Okay, I get it.” His eyes popped open.
“Good. Now trust me when I say there is nothing wrong with you.”
“Thanks, bro,” he whispered.
Diesel waved to the waiter, who hurried over. “Another round. We’ve got some celebrating to do!”
Zane laughed. He hadn’t felt this much relief in fucking years. One thing kept going around and around in his brain.
How was he going to tell Isaac?

Zane
“You wanted to see us, Sir?”
From behind his wide desk, Liam waved him and Holden into the tidy office. The colonel held out a piece of paper, and Zane glanced at the names listed before passing the paper to Holden.
“I need you two to meet up with Isaac, Pia, and Blade to observe those three men and report your findings back to me.”
“Yes, Sir.” He turned to leave, but Holden’s question stopped him short.
“Why?”
“What did you say?” Liam asked quietly.
Zane turned back around, trying to keep the smile from his face. He clasped his hands behind his back and planted his feet apart on the short blue carpet.
“Why, Sir?” Holden said again, but this time he didn’t appear so sure.
The chair screeched across the wood floor as the colonel stood. Holden’s throat bobbed when the man made his way around his desk.
“What makes you think you deserve to know why?” The colonel stalked closer, peering into Holden’s face as if he were a bug.
Holden stared at the wall over Liam’s shoulder. “I don’t have an answer for that, Sir.”
“That’s right, you don’t. I’ll tell you what I need you to know when I’m goddamned good and ready. You got that, Sergeant?” Liam snarled.
“Yes, Sir.”
Zane thought Holden’s knees shook, but it could have been the lighting.
“Something funny, Master Sergeant Gannon.” Piercing green eyes locked on him.
“No, Sir.”
“Get out.” Liam waved them off and stalked back to his desk.
Zane hurried out into the hallway and closed the door once Holden was safely out. A snort and chuckle came from behind the door, but he couldn’t be sure.
“Holy shit.” Holden let out a loud, shaky breath and slumped against the wall.
“Way to go, newbie,” Zane cackled.
“I’m not a fucking newbie.” Holden scowled and shoved from the wall to follow him outside.
Zane flipped the lock on his jeep and climbed inside. Once Holden was seated, he started the engine.
“Because I like you, I’m going to give you some advice.”
“Yippie me.”
Zane laughed. “Just because the colonel parties with us, don’t ever forget who he is.”
“I won’t do that again.” Holden rubbed at his chest with a rueful smile.
“Now, make yourself useful and get the locations.” He reached in the back seat, snatched up a laptop, and shoved it at Holden.
“Aren’t we supposed to meet up with the others?”
“They’ll probably beat us there.” He put the jeep in drive and took the freeway.
Holden snorted and did as he asked, and the first address was easy to find.
He grimaced when they pulled up to the washed-out white house with a broken front screen door and chipped paint. The neglected structure sat behind an unkempt yard of weeds and dead flowers.
“Sergeant Joshua Greene lives here?” He squinted at the house.
“Yeah, it says he lives here when he’s not at the base.” Holden closed the laptop.
Zane reached over and pulled his personal weapon from the glove compartment.
“Stay behind me in case there’s trouble,” he told Holden.
“No need,” Holden growled and eased open the side of his windbreaker to show a gun nestled in an arm holster.
“You allowed to carry that?” He squinted.
“Are you?” Holden gazed pointedly at the gun in his hand.
“Yup.” He tucked the handgun into the back of his jeans.
Zane grunted and slid from the driver’s seat to meet Holden around the back of the jeep.
“Same. So maybe you should stay behind me.” The guy must have received the colonel’s special permission to carry just like the rest of Infinity.
“I’ve got seniority here,” he growled.
“Rubbing it in?” A deep silky voice sent a tingle down his spine.
Zane closed his eyes for a second before slowly turning around. He steeled himself for his first glimpse of Isaac since he’d acknowledged so much about himself.
Isaac wasn’t alone. Pia stood behind him and Blade was leaning against Isaac’s SUV across the street.
“Are you going to congratulate me, Staff Sergeant?” he said to Isaac, ignoring the smirk Pia gave him.
Isaac’s eyes narrowed and his full