Possession: A Little Harmless Military Romance by Melissa Schroeder

conversation.” His tone suggested he didn’t think it was important at all.
    Deke didn’t really give a flying fuck what his brother or Mitchell thought. All he knew is he fucked things up with Samantha again. He didn’t know how things spiraled out of control, but she had been yelling at him and he had reacted. When was he going to learn?
    “Back to my point. You don’t know how to handle women. You never did. That woman has had you wrapped around her little finger since you met her. I thought you were the Dom?”
    “I really don’t want to hear about that,” Mitchell said as he rose unsteadily and wandered to his kitchen.
    “Sorry, man,” Jonah said. He leaned forward and slapped Deke on the knee. “Anyway, we can hit all the hot spots while I’m here.”
    “I’m not interested.”
    And he wasn’t. He wasn’t a partier, never had been. He entered the Navy at the tender age of seventeen, and he hadn’t even been able to drink. He had a few nights here and there where he blew off steam, but he had never had a need to find the next party, to keep himself occupied. That had been his brother from day one. Diablo was a name his mother had given him years earlier, and Jonah had lived up to it.
    “That’s just sad. I didn’t think you were old. But then, she’s had you tied up for years. One of these days, you’re gonna have to break loose.”
    “Yeah, and what the fuck do I do then? Huh? Maybe I can sleep with different women, not remember their names, and hope that none of them find me because I am such a fucking moron I can’t even hold onto one of them.”
    “Oh, I forgot what a nasty drunk you are. I should have stayed over there. That Zoe is a tasty morsel, and I think she likes me.”
    He opened his mouth to smack his brother down for being disrespectful, but Mitchell was quicker.
    “If you want to live, Marine, I would suggest you forget all about Zoe.”
    The possessive tone in Mitchell’s voice didn’t surprise Deke. It was said mildly, but Deke knew the feeling.
    “Christ, back down. I didn’t know there was something going on between you two.”
    Before Mitchell could respond, Jonah stood. “I gotta hit the head. Anyone want another beer?”
    Both of them said no, and he was left to deal with his brother-in-law. “I thought you said you were going to make an honest woman out of her.”
    “Give it a rest, Mitchell. I’m having to deal with a woman who thinks she isn’t made for long term.”
    Mitchell’s eyebrows rose. “Yeah? Where did you get that idea?”
    He sighed, not in the mood for a one-on-one with him, but Deke didn’t have a choice. Samantha wasn’t in the mood to talk to him right at the moment.
    “Your sister thinks your family can’t be married.”
    Mitchell frowned. “Where did she get such an asinine idea?”
    He wondered now if the major knew about his parents. “Your folks?”
    Mitchell rolled his eyes. “My parents were whacked.”
    He took a sip of beer, and Deke waited. When he didn’t continue, he asked, “Why do you say that?”
    “My mom knew. All those years she had no problem with my father running around. Sam didn’t know. Or the idea that my mother, well, she wasn’t the most faithful either.”
    That surprised him. “Really? Sam never said anything.”
    Mitchell sighed. “She didn’t want to see it. Mom wasn’t mad when Dad left because he was unfaithful, she was pissed that he ruined the perfect family.” It was said with enough scorn that Deke had no doubt of what Mitchell’s thoughts were on it. “I had no idea she had thoughts like that. Wait, she was married to you?”
    “Yeah, and every chance she got, she fought me. Just like tonight. It makes no sense. She would just go off on me for no reason. I know now what she was doing. She was pushing me away. Then she used the military as the final push, and I was stupid enough to let her.”
    “And now?”
    He gave his brother-in-law a leveled look. “What do you think?”
    “You