A Heart's War (The Broken Men Chronicles Book 5) Read Free

pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger as if trying to rid himself of a sudden headache. “I need a drink after this bombshell.  Want one?” That classic Lowell grin spread onto his face before he took his wife’s hand and led her toward the bar.  “It’s the least I can do for that busted lip.  When did your face get so hard?”
    I chuckled, falling into step beside them.  Same old P.   I was glad he hadn’t changed.  “Training.” I patted him on the back.  “By the way, your left hook could use some work, it’s weak.”
    “Two Jack’s and a raspberry martini for my wife, Derek.” Alissa curled into Paxton’s side as he eyed my face, that sure-of-himself grin still present.  “Let me know if I still need practice when that jaw barely opens tomorrow and you can’t see out of your right eye.”

Chapter 2
    Only when Paxton headed toward the men’s room with his wife did I swivel my barstool and look around.  I felt like a fly on the wall, content to observe the festivities without partaking in them, recognizing a few faces, most of them from high-school, while others were new.
    Earlier, my brother brought up a few points that had me thinking.  I needed to see my parents.  I needed a job.  And my younger sibling also saw it fit to tell me that I needed a woman.
    Well, I couldn’t agree more with the first two, but the last one was debatable.
    To be honest, I don’t want a night of hot fun where I sink my cock in some willing stranger.  To have that would be like never having evolved from my old ways.  And I wasn’t the old Theo Lowell.  Far from it, in fact.  I wanted a simple life with a partner – much like my brother and his friends seem to have acquired, if tonight was anything to go by.  What I wanted was a woman to call my own.
    No one will have you once they know everything.
    That pesky internal voice was always there, reminding me of the things I have done, or better yet, the things I failed to do during my deployments, things that no woman would overlook for the kind of long haul commitment I yearned for.
    “Just as well,” I said to myself as I tilted the remainder of my beer back.
     
    Cat calls and hollers sounded from the area where the gents and ladies’ rooms were located.  I turned to see what the women were going on about to find none other than my brother blushing while the women high-fived his wife.
    Derek waved another bottle of Bud Light at me and I nodded.  Catching wind of what had gone on had me smirking as I took a large gulp of my fresh brew.  I guess my brother had finally found himself someone to keep up with his wilder side after that frigid bitch of an ex he’d been married to had left him.
    Alissa settled herself on the stool next to mine having left Paxton to deal with the guys razing him.
    “So, Theo,” she eyed me, “where are you spending the night?”
    “I was thinking of the Sunset Inn on Western Boulevard.”
    I was met with a disapproving look.  “I’m not going to let you hole yourself up in a hotel when we have a perfectly well-made-up room at the house.”
    I harrumphed.  “That tiny townhouse only has two rooms.”
    Paxton nudged my shoulder with his as he leaned against the bar on my other side.  “We’re living in Mom and Dad’s old place now.”
    “The ranch?”  Alissa nodded.  Something inside me ached to see the old place again.  “You’re sure?”  I knew that it would be fine with my brother, so I aimed my gaze at his better half, who nodded once more.  “Okay.  Thank you.”
    The look of approval in my brother’s eyes told me that accepting his wife’s invitation had been the right move.

Chapter 3
    The next morning, I woke to two wide piercing blue eyes staring back at me.
    “Wow,” the kid said, “you’re big!”
    Chuckling, I ruffled his hair as I sat up.  “You’ve gotten bigger too, buddy.”
    His eyes lost a bit of their glimmer as they took on a hesitant look.  “Are