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  It should have been him, not his wife, not Tams. Anger surged inside of him. He kept rowing. Breathe in. Breathe out.

  Out of the corner of his eye, he caught movement. Stupefied, he let the rowboat slow to a stop. It looked like a woman was standing on the deck of the massive lake house. Good thing he’d cleaned up his little camp before he’d put the canoe in the lake this morning. Having someone here was not good. He began rowing again, unable to stop himself from looking at the woman. Her body was lithe and lean, and she was in Warrior I pose with her eyes closed. His breath hitched. The woman was beautiful. She had red hair, and her tight black yoga clothes contrasted sharply against her soft, pale skin. She looked perfectly serene. Truly, this could be a commercial for the house. She radiated a peace that he would buy in a heartbeat.

  Who was she? Searching the rest of the house, he didn’t see anyone else. He’d never seen anyone else here in the past year since he’d been coming to row and then coming to camp. He liked being able to come and use this lake and camp here whenever he wanted. Unfortunately, she might put a kink in those plans.

  She put her leg high into the air and moved into another pose. Finding himself admiring her form, he stared. She was flexible. And beautiful. A twinge of attraction pricked the center of his chest.

  Lately, with all the relationships his brothers were having, he thought about how he wasn’t having one. Which was fine. He didn’t do relationships anymore.

  Still staring, irritation wove through him that someone was here. On his lake. At least, that’s how he felt about it. He snorted. She was probably a billionaire trust fund baby, by the looks of the mansion.

  Man, he wanted this house.

  He figured, since he was here, he might as well still enjoy the lake. What would be the worst thing? She’d kick him off? It was a good idea to stretch, so he decided he would do some, too. He loved keeping his balance on the rowboat while he stretched. Good core work. As he tugged his shirt off, he thought about the stupid bachelor auction tonight, which he did not want to go to. It made no sense for him to go to an event where they were raising funds for vets. Annoyance rippled through him. More speculation of the details of his classified dismissal had recently hit the news. It was a complete crap show. He leaned into a pose, stretching his arms wide and lunging to the side. Why did people care so much about a story that, frankly, was none of their business?

  Breathe in. Breathe out. He had to get out of Dallas for a couple of weeks, unwind. He thought of the stupid auction, again, and wondered if Sheena Turner would be there to get access to the newest quarterback for the Titans, Riker Dylan.

  Poor guy.

  Kade Kincaid had announced his retirement a few months ago. He said he wanted to focus on his growing family and his lovely wife. Walker had seen the press coverage of his pregnant, pretty wife. He was happy for the guy.

  Kade’s brother, Anthony, had decided to go back to the Sentinels as starting quarterback. Walker grinned. At least he’d get the chance to see both of them at the bachelor auction tonight.

  Of course, James Knight had wanted all the newbies to come—Riker Dylan, Cole Carmichael, London Wilder, and Knox Sherman. All of them were single, so all of them were roped in. Even though this would be Walker’s second year, he wasn’t in a relationship, so he had to come as well.

  Letting those thoughts go, he moved into another pose. He focused on how much he liked being here right now. There was solace here, peace. Everything he wished for in every morning. Today he had it, even though the apparent owner of the house was already irritating him by just showing up.

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  The Broken Warrior: Zane Kent

  Sarah walked out of the library of the CSU campus in Colorado, hoping she’d passed the test. Her junior year in college hadn’t been easy, but she was on a business scholarship, juggling a minor in marketing, and she needed to get the grades.

  Her thoughts drifted toward Zane. It’d been six months since his mother had come to her house and told her he’d been captured and killed on his first Navy SEAL operation. She thought about how he’d wanted to get married right out of high school, but she’d insisted they wait. Now, she regretted it with every fiber of her being. A wave of grief hit her. She stopped and put a hand to her chest, willing the sharp pain away. After the feeling dulled, she made her way to a bench and sat. It was still so unbelievable.

  Involuntarily, her mind flitted to what she’d done with Zane’s best friend, Jeff, after a night at the bar a month ago. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. She had felt numb until yesterday, when the pregnancy test confirmed her mistake. No. No. No.

  Alcohol had definitely impaired her judgment that night. Both of them had been grieving and talking about memories of Zane. How had this happened?

  Tears filled her eyes. She didn’t want to be a mother. She didn’t want to marry Jeff. What was she going to do? This child needed a father. She had been adopted by amazing parents, but she had always vowed she would never give a child away. She stood and walked to the lookout over the CSU campus, holding on to the little stone wall.

  Last night, when she’d told Jeff she was pregnant, he had proposed on the spot. Surprising both of them, she’d refused. She didn’t love Jeff. It wouldn’t make it better to marry him.

  Now she stood there, looking out at all the college kids running across campus to make it to their finals on time. What would she do when the baby was born? How would she care for the baby and make something of her life? A million questions she didn’t have answers to ran through her mind. She closed her eyes and put her hand on her stomach. Maybe this would have been Zane’s baby if they had married. A stray tear fell down her cheek, and she didn’t brush it away.

  On the breeze, a familiar murmur drifted into her ear. “Sarah.”

  A jolt of electricity zipped down her spine, sending tingles sparkling through her stomach. Unable to believe her ears, she turned.

  Just like the larger-than-life man he’d always been, Zane stood in front of her in cargo pants and a green T-shirt. His blond hair was longer than she’d ever seen it, flowing down to almost touch his shoulders. His six-foot-three frame and just-perfect facial hair made him look like an underwear model.

  “Zane?” She stumbled and grabbed the rail, feeling like she was going to pass out. Surely this was just a reappearance of the ghost who had appeared to her the other night in her dreams.

  Crossing the distance between them, he put both hands on her shoulders. “It’s me, baby. I’m back.” His eyes were earnest and pure and a bit bloodshot.

  She trembled. “They said you were dead.”

  He leaned closer and peered into her eyes. “I know. I know. I was part of an operation to help women and children who were being sold. They had to put out the news that we were dead for the security of the operation.”

  Disbelieving, she reached up and gently touched his face, absently noting his facial hair was prickly.

  Zane leaned into her touch, pulling her closer and pushing his face against hers. “I’m here. I promise I’m real, and I love you.”

  It all felt so surreal. It was like a movie. He was home, and it should be perfect. She cried, unable to stop her body from shaking.

  Holding her tighter, he brushed a hand down her hair. “It’s okay. It’s okay. I got out and I’m fine.” He pulled back, and his eyes looked her up and down. “I’m fine, and I’m here, and I’m not leaving you again.”

  Every part of her celebrated him being here. Alive. Holding her in his arms. Tears poured down her face and she let out a little laugh. “You’re here?” All she could think about was how many times she’d wished for this, longed for this. Even though it was all messed up at the moment, she felt herself getting caught up in his wake.

  He smiled and covered her hand with his, pulling their hands to his chest. “I’m here.” Leaning into her, his lips met hers, sending explosions through her as
he deepened the kiss.

  All that existed in this moment was them. The them from sophomore year in high school, when he’d moved in next door and looked angry and broody and so attractive. The them from the cross-country team with him and Jeff. She remembered how they’d run their guts out. She remembered that one time when she’d tripped during their morning workout. Zane had come back for her, piggybacking her nearly two miles to the school. He had acted like it was nothing.

  The them from prom. It had been the first time he’d kissed her, and she’d known she loved him.

  The them from graduation when he’d proposed.

  The them she had lost six months ago when his mother had given her that flag. She’d cried over his coffin, making a fool of herself.

  She thought of that one night with Jeff, and nausea threatened to surface. It wasn’t just what had happened that made her sick. It was the fact that she had to tell him now. Shattered, she could barely think, barely breathe, barely process that her dream of him coming home had now turned into a nightmare.

  Zane held her close. “I’m here,” he whispered in her ear. “It’s okay.”

  She loved him. She loved him. She loved this man. The reality crashed into her. She’d slept with his best friend. She was pregnant with his best friend’s child. Tears swept down her face.

  He trailed kisses down her jaw and then back to her lips. “I love you. I love you. I love you. It’s okay. It’s okay.”

  She held on to him like he was life itself, and she wished she could make this moment last and the nightmare disappear. She wished she could take it all back and it could just be this. Them.

  He kept talking, keeping her close, stroking a hand down her hair. “I couldn’t get out. I couldn’t leave.” He scrubbed a hand over his face like he was trying to forget. “All I knew was that I had to complete the mission and get home to you. You got me home.”

  Gently, he kissed her. Just like that, she was lost. Unable to do or say anything else, she kissed him back.

  His hands were on her waist, pulling her closer. Her hands reached up to touch his head. She deepened the kiss, wanting to kiss him so much and with enough intensity that she could erase everything else … except them.

  She loved him. She loved him. She loved him. It was all she could think.

  Pulling back, he sniffed, and she saw his tears too. “I know you wanted to wait until after college, but I just want to be with you.” He dipped his head and kissed her again, drinking from her. “Marry me.”

  She kept kissing him, getting lost in him, digging her fingers into his hair and loving the way he held her like she was his.

  Only, she wasn’t.

  She whimpered and stopped kissing him, fighting the urge to gag. No. No. No. How had this all happened? They’d been waiting for intimacy until marriage. She’d messed it all up! Humiliation and shame roiled inside her, making her lose her tenuous control and throw up.

  “Sarah.” He was right beside her, pulling her hair back, holding her. Soothing her. “You must be in shock.” He waited until she was finished before helping her up and giving her his handkerchief. He was the only man she knew who carried a handkerchief anymore.

  She used it to dab at her mouth, hating herself. She couldn’t stop crying any more than she could get rid of the hollow feeling that consumed her from the inside out.

  He cradled her and gently kissed her forehead. “It’s okay. I’m back now. I’m back, and I’m not leaving again. And—”

  “Sarah?”

  Sick with dread, she turned and saw Jeff. He’d clearly been running, and now he stopped and put his hands over his head like he would pass out. He looked pale, and his eyes moved back and forth between her and Zane.

  “Jeff.” Zane grinned at him. “Hey, buddy.” He broke away from her and gave Jeff a hug.

  Jeff hugged him stiffly, looking at her over his shoulder. She saw the hurt and pain in his eyes as he blinked and pulled back. “Your mom just called my mom and told her the news.”

  Zane let out a laugh and put his hand up for a high five. “Yeah, it’s crazy, man. It’s good to see you.”

  Jeff robotically high-fived him. His obvious attempt to act normal made the situation feel even weirder. “Are you okay?” He looked Zane up and down.

  Zane went back to her, putting his arm over her shoulders. “I’m perfect.” He leaned in and brushed his lips against hers. She kissed him back and snuggled into his chest, hating that she was using him as a shield. Using him to protect her, even for just a few moments, from the truth.

  “Great,” Jeff said, but she heard the angst in his voice. Even before she met his eyes, she could feel his possessive gaze.

  “What’s …” Zane must have noticed the awkwardness. There was a hitch in his voice. Suddenly, Zane pulled her back, keeping his hands on her shoulders as he looked between her and Jeff.

  Unable to hide anything from Zane, she met his eyes and felt shame.

  Zane sucked in a quick, sharp breath. His face hardened, changing from “her Zane” to “SEAL Zane.” She’d teased him about this look he’d been using more and more. It seemed less funny now as Zane focused on her, clenching his jaw, and their eyes held.

  “We’re engaged,” Jeff blurted.

  Sarah’s heart welled with fury. “No, we’re not!” She glared at Jeff, who only stuck a defiant chin into the air.

  Zane dropped her shoulders. “What?” He turned to Jeff.

  “Yes, we are.” Jeff reached out for her.

  “No.” She batted his hand away.

  Zane’s face darkened with confusion and anger. “Is this true?” he asked her softly. His tone was so calm that it took her by surprise.

  “Uh, I …” She couldn’t even look at him. “He asked me, but I said no.”

  Jeff sidled closer. “You were dead, Zane. Things changed.”

  “Don’t do this!” Sarah snarled.

  Zane stepped back. “Is this what you want?”

  Tears streamed down her face. “I don’t know. It’s all a mess.”

  Jeff took her hand firmly. “We’re getting married.”

  She yanked away from him. “Stop it!”

  Zane met her eyes. The pained anger in them looked as dangerous as a twister, ready to explode and kill everything in its path.

  Jeff held up his hand to block Zane. “Dude, you’ve got to listen. We thought you were dead—” He reeled back as Zane’s fist slammed into his face, knocking him to the ground.

  “Oh my gosh.” Sarah’s hand flew to her mouth before she dropped down next to Jeff, who squeezed his eyes shut and moaned.

  “Jeff!” She shook his shoulders and saw blood trickling from his nose.

  “I need to go.” Zane took off, leaving her there with Jeff.

  “Zane!” Sarah called out to him. “Come back!”

  It was no use. He was already going into SEAL mode, looking determined and unstoppable.

  Jeff grunted and took her hand to pull himself up. “Just let him go.” His grasp held her in place as firmly as any chain.

  Going after Zane wasn’t an option. It killed her to realize that, because he was what she wanted. All she had to do was go after him and talk to him. Unfortunately, after what she’d done, she didn’t deserve him. One bad decision had cost her everything.

  Her heart was broken, never to be repaired. She burst into sobs.

  Jeff’s arms surrounded her. When she tried to push him away, he held her tighter to his chest. “We have the baby to think of now.”

  She felt herself give in to him. To this mess. To a future she had never wanted.

  * * *

  Zane efficiently packed his bag, his blood burning with betrayal. His hands shook as he folded his Navy-issued pants and shoved them into his duffel bag. He hated this part, the after-orders but not-quite-gone period of time. Luckily, when he’d made the call to let his captain know he needed to go, a team had already been coming together, and they wanted him.

  This hadn’t been
quite the homecoming he’d thought it would be. How did normal life, or what should have been normal life, all of a sudden feel like deployment?

  Oh. Right. When he’d found out two days ago that his fiancée was engaged to his best friend, everything had changed.

  Nothing seemed to matter anymore. Sure, she’d thought he was dead for six months, but it didn’t take her long to move right along. Jeff’s face flitted into his mind, and Zane wished he would have hit him harder.

  Goose bumps rippled down his arms as he felt her presence hovering behind him. He’d always been able to sense her. It had been a special thing between them since high school. He stopped packing and stood still for a minute, then finally faced her.

  Sarah stood in the doorway to his room. Her red hair was striking against the grey walls. Her petite body slumped against the frame, and she was biting her nails, a clear tell that she was nervous. He looked away and picked up another shirt, thinking he should have at least slammed Jeff into a wall, taken out his kidney or something.

  How could he have not seen this coming? Had she been in love with Jeff in high school? Since they graduated, Zane had been leaving for months and coming back for days or weeks at a time. Now that he thought about it, all the signs had been there.

  Good thing there was always another assignment on the horizon. His captain was more than happy to oblige his desire to leave. Picking up a pair of socks, he refolded them and put them carefully in his bag, needing something to distract him.

  “Zane,” she said, her voice a quiet whisper. “We need to talk about this.”

  He let out a puff of air. “Do we? Why don’t you go chat with your fiancé? You obviously got close with him fast. Probably like that in high school, and I just didn’t know it.”