Their Battle for Love (The American Soldier Collection 15)

She let her hair down and placed her hand over the pendant, looking down before she glanced up at Lucca. “I love it,” she told him.

Lucca pulled her close and kissed her cheek, letting his lips remain against her skin. She gripped his forearms and inhaled his cologne then felt his lips kiss her again. Border pressed her hair away from her shoulder and kissed her bare skin there. She tightened up and closed her eyes as her body erupted with desire.

“So beautiful,” Lucca whispered, kissing her lips, shocking her before he quickly pulled away. She wanted to protest but then he stepped back and Krane took his place. He reached for the pendant. She stood there stiff, aroused, heart pounding inside of her chest. “It looks stunning, just like you tonight.” He leaned forward to kiss her cheek and she went to turn so she could feel what it was like to have Krane’s lips against her own but then Star pressed up against her back, wrapped an arm around her waist, and kissed her neck and her shoulder simultaneously. She was stunned by the electrifying attraction filling the room. They had to have felt it. They were fighting it, denying it, and she wanted to know why.

Then both men stepped back and immediately the atmosphere went back to normal as if nothing sexually stimulating happened between all of them at all. Part of her wanted to scream and demand that they tell her why they didn’t want to kiss her and take from her body and make her their woman. Another part of her was scared out of her mind to give in to something so foreign and powerful it rocked her body, made her pussy clench and her nipples hard. These men were the only ones who did that to her. She trusted them. Hell, she loved them.

She took a deep breath and exhaled.

She walked over to the painting and covered it up. She ran her hand along the top and then turned to look at them. They remained where they were, just watching her.

“I think I should call it a night. You guys are probably exhausted, too,” she said and bent down to grab her purse, causing the high slit in her dress to reveal a full thigh. The men watched. Lucca licked his lips.

They want me. They’re just fighting it and I don’t know why. I don’t care why either. I want them, and I’m going to make them take this chance on me and let me love them. They fill that hole in my heart, and make me feel safe and complete. I don’t want to leave now. I want to feel them close. I want to absorb their kisses and get lost in their embraces. I want to give them the one and only thing I have left to give that isn’t tainted or scarred. My virginity. I’m ready. Now I have to make them want me, too.

Chapter 6

Star looked over Malayna’s schedule for the next several days and evenings. She planned on visiting a few galleries with Nalia and Aspen. What caught his eye immediately was her dinner date with Ellington Cossin and Pierre Lafranchess. He was breathing through his nostrils as his brother Border entered the kitchen in their penthouse.

“What’s going on?” Border asked.

“I got ahold of Malayna’s schedule for the week. Krane just sent it over.”

“And?” Border asked.

“She’s having dinner with Ellington and Pierre tomorrow night.”

Border gripped the counter and stared at Star.

“Star.”

He put his hand up and Border exhaled then slammed his hand down on the table.

“They want her.”

“Stop,” Star interrupted.

“Fuck no, I’m not going to stop. What the fuck are we doing here? Why are we fighting what we feel?”

“Because we can’t give her what she deserves and what she needs. She’ll be in constant danger.”

“She’s not in constant danger now? I can’t even sleep I’m so worried about her. You saw her the other night after her party. She’s not better. She’s scared and she’s dealing with nightmares and memories embedded in her head from what those assholes did to her. We don’t even know the details, but that picture she painted—”

“I know!” Star yelled and then took a deep breath and exhaled. “I know, Border. I’ve been listening to Krane and Lucca since that night. I heard them say they weren’t giving her any time to argue, that they were starting her self-defense training this morning. They’re there now.”

“And have you heard from them? It’s nearly eleven.”

“No, I haven’t.”

“What are you going to do about this dinner date with those two suave assholes that want to get her in their beds?”

“Investigate them and be right there for their little dinner date. You’re going to get Malayna to ask you to join them.”

“Me?” Border asked, pointing at himself.

“Yes, you.”

“What the fuck do I know about art and galleries?”