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
