Mending Hearts (The American Soldier Collection 11)

“No. I don’t care. She’s not my girlfriend.”

“So you won’t mind if the four of us make a move and make her ours then?” Geno asked, and Gabe shot a look from him to Jaxon. Jaxon didn’t look surprised. He looked intense.

“You want to share my girlfriend?” Gabe said the words, and he was shocked at the mix of jealousy, anger, and arousal he felt. These were his brothers in arms, his team, and he would give his life for them. What were they up to?

“She’s not your girlfriend. You gave up that right when you pretended to be dead,” Jeb snapped at him.

“You don’t understand. You don’t get it,” Gabe told him.

“I don’t understand? No. I think it’s you who doesn’t understand. She still loves you,” Jeb said.

“But she’s attracted to the four of us as well, and we’re attracted to her,” Gator told him next.

“What are you trying to tell me? You want to fight over her? She’ll pick any of you over me. You’re all whole, and I’m way past fucked up.”

“Maybe in your head because you’re so busy feeling sorry for yourself and assuming that the people who love you would turn their backs on you and pity you,” Jeb said.

“They would. I don’t need their pity. I don’t need to stick a beautiful woman like Alana with a man who can’t even walk without a cane.”

“I don’t think Alana gives a shit about any of that,” Jaxon told him.

“You don’t know,” Gabe said, feeling his anger building again. His own team wanted to sleep with Alana. His woman and they wanted her. But she wasn’t his woman. He’d given that right up when he decided not to return home. He looked at his team, his brothers, and could see all they had to offer Alana. Their protection, their commitment, their perfection. They were all big men, and Alana was feminine and petite. She had grown her brown hair longer, and her green eyes had never looked so green. They had shined that day at the estate sale. Glistened with tears. Tears and pain he caused her. His team would make her happy. His team was a group of perfect men.

“Don’t look at us like that,” Jaxon exclaimed.

“Like what?”

“Like you think we’re better than you because we don’t have the depth of scars you have,” Jeb told him.

“We all have scars, physical, mental. But we push through and don’t allow them to rule our thoughts,” Gator said.

“Well then, I guess you’re better than I am.”

“Come on, Gabe. Get your head out of your ass and think about this, will ya?” Jaxon said.

“I want nothing to do with this. With Alana. It’s over. Do whatever you want.” He stood up and grabbed the cane tight.

“You’re telling us to pursue our attraction to her and that you don’t want to be part of this?” Geno asked him.

He swallowed hard. His saliva felt like poison going down his throat. He so badly wanted to be a part of it. He needed them beside him to get through being close to Alana. But how could he admit such weakness to men who obviously were way stronger in every aspect than he was?

“Do whatever you want with her. I don’t care. Just leave me out of it.” He walked off the porch and into the house. He heard their curses and the heated tones of their voices as they cursed his attitude and his lack of a heart. But that was just it. He didn’t have a heart. His heart was hollow inside. He never should have made it out of Iraq alive.

* * * *

“So you’re telling me that she feels the same attraction, but she hasn’t kissed or been with any other man than Gabe?” Jaxon asked them, and Geno, Gator, and Jeb filled him in on everything that happened last night. Jaxon was shocked. He was also annoyed that Haslow and his friends had been hitting on Alana. They would need to nip that in the bud pretty damn fast.

“So you’re serious? You want to pursue Alana? You want us to share her if she’s willing?” Jaxon asked, feeling his heart beat faster and tightness fill his chest.

“We weren’t too sure until last night,” Geno replied.

“He kissed her,” Jeb told Jaxon, and Jaxon’s eyes widened.

“She kissed me back, but then she pulled away. She thought of Gabe. I just know it. She still loves him,” Geno told Jaxon.

“Then how could you guys consider this type of relationship?”

“Because the attraction is there. This could work. This could bring Gabe and the rest of us together the way we were before. He needs her, and he needs us. I think this type of relationship can serve all of us, including Alana,” Gator told him.