Battle It Out

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