Page 64 of Stolen Hearts

“Still passing your chores on to the rest of us. Just like old times.”

“You miss manual labor. Don’t lie.”

Denver led the way to a wood pile stacked near the fence line, an ax propped against the pile. A second splitting ax was already lodged in a stump, ready for someone who needed to blow off some steam. Which might be any of the Malones or veterans.

He pulled a pair of work gloves out of his back pocket and tossed them to Theo. His brother caught them easily in one broad hand.

Denver pulled out a backup pair from his coat pocket. “Thought we’d split some wood for the bonfire tonight.”

“What’s at stake?”

Denver chuckled. “You always were the most competitive of us all.”

“You mean the best.” He sidled up to the stump and pulled the ax from the wood.

They grinned at each other, the unspoken dare igniting them as easily as it did when they were kids racing horses bareback across the ridge.

Denver hefted a stump off the pile and dropped it across from Theo’s. Each of them swung their ax, bringing them down a split-second apart. For long minutes, there was only thethwackof the axes and grunts of effort. The crack of logs breaking clean filled Denver’s soul with an unnamable satisfaction.

Stealing a peek at his brother’s face, he’d say Theo felt the same.

“C’mon, bro. My pile’s bigger than yours.” Theo twitched his head toward the wood.

“I’m pacing myself.”

“You’re swinging like an old man.”

Denver laughed. “Old man, huh?” He doubled his efforts, a challenge to his brother, who responded by doubling down on his own efforts.

They kept at it until the sun dipped lower in the sky, lengthening the shadows of the fence posts across the ground.

“So,” Denver paused to swipe the back of his hand over his forehead, “how’d you end up here? Medical leave?”

Theo’s expression closed a bit. “Something like that.”

Denver frowned. He knew that look on Theo’s face. He’d worn it not too long ago after his own shift from his SEAL team to being sent home to civilian life, back to the land of the living.

Theo lowered his ax and met Denver’s eyes. “They’re short-listing me.”

“For?”

“For Charlie team. To replace you.”

The words slammed into Denver. A leap of his heart followed at the mention of his brothers that nobody was supposed to know about, then transformed to a cold weight in the pit of his gut.

“Shit.” He leaned on the ax, trying to master his emotions. “If you know about Blackout, you know what it all means.”

Theo gave him a stiff nod.

“Who approached you?”

“Commander Barrett.”

The man who recruited Denver all those years ago. He’d been through so much in the name of freedom. Brothers lost. New brothers joining the team.

He cocked a brow at Theo. “Any idea what you want to do?”

“Thought I’d talk to you before I gave them an answer. I love the brothers I serve with now. I know how isolating Blackout will be.”

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