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
