My Soldier: A Miliatary Romance Read online

  MY SOLDIER

  A MILITARY ROMANCE

  Leah Holt

  Copyright © 2016 Leah Holt

  All rights reserved. MY SOLDIER: A MILITARY ROMANCE is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely

  coincidental.

  Table of Contents

  Copyright Page

  My Soldier

  Connect with Leah!

  Also from Leah Holt:

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Epilogue

  The End

  Dedication

  About Leah Holt

  Connect with Leah!

  Also from Leah Holt:

  Cover Design: Cormar Covers

  http://www.cormarcovers.com

  Want to know when Leah's books are releasing or on sale?

  Click Here to Join Leah's Mailing List

  Connect with Leah!

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  Also from Leah Holt:

  Chained: A Bad Boy Romance

  SLAM: A Bad Boy Romance

  Come Home Bad Boy

  His Price: A Billionaire Romance

  Prologue

  Footsteps, I could hear them pounding behind me. My heart was racing, matching the rhythmic thumping of hard soles against the pavement. Whipping my eyes over my shoulder, the street was still barren.

  Am I going crazy? They were there, I heard the steps clear as day.

  Gripping my chest, I tried to stop my heart from beating right out of my body. I could have sworn there was someone coming up quick behind me. But no one was around, the only shadows were ones cast off the streetlights onto the abandoned cars parked against the curb for the night.

  Why did I decide to walk home? I could have called a cab, a few old friends even offered to drive me; but really I just wanted to be alone, I needed to be alone. After today, I deserved a little quiet for me to get my thoughts together. I was still in a daze, and I wasn't ready to accept what was thrown at my family.

  It was all too much, it couldn't be real. It had to be just a bad dream, and I wanted to wake up.

  Except it wasn't a dream, it was my reality.

  Twining my fingers into the small black clutch in my hands, I pulled it up close to my waist and picked up the pace. The clicking of my heels echoed off the tall buildings, each step sending a wave of fear through my spine.

  I was melting into the emotions streaming throughout my body. My head was pounding, warping into a numbing sensation that forced my sight into a hollow tunnel. My eyes kept darting around the blackness, honing in on the empty spaces before me.

  My house was only another ten minutes away by foot, but the sky had grown dark with a blink of my lids. Turning the corner to head up Clark Mill Rd, I felt like I was being watched.

  Looking around behind me, twisting my head left to right, there was still not another soul around. The thought of peering eyes in the darkness sent shivers across my skin, the hair on the back of my neck standing up tall.

  I didn't like the feeling that was encasing my body. I had this horrible image of an unknown figure trolling my body as I walked home alone.

  Stop, you're just exhausted. It's been a really long, emotional day. Shaking my head, I flicked my gaze to the ground and pressed on.

  Passing an old beat up green truck, I didn't make it one more step before I felt the icy touch of steel against the side of my neck. A large thin hand spread across my shoulder, wrapping its long fingers over my mouth. A muffled scream hit the back of my throat, the sound drowned out and softer than I expected from the unknown gag.

  “Scream and I'll slit your throat right here.” A raspy voice floated into my ear, the faceless man's lips hovered just above the curve of my lobe. “Walk.” Shoving me forward, he slid the hand with the knife from my neck to my lower back. The sharp edge was pressed forcefully into my skin, piercing the fabric. A burning sensation radiated up my spine.

  The man guided me towards an alley, the thin tunnel was blacker than the night sky. The mere glimmer of the streetlights shined off the brick walls around us. The buildings on either side of us were windowless, and the deeper he forced me inside, the less light filtered in off the street.

  Holding my arms tight against my chest, I could feel my heart beat fierce, my entire body warming with fear. Fuck! What the hell does this guy want? Is he going to rape me? Please don't let him rape me!

  I was trying to muster up the strength to tell him to take my purse, he could have all my money, I just didn't want him to violate me. That was the scariest thought, to be brutally assaulted by a man I didn't know.

  “Move!” He yelled, his voice was strained and hoarse. I couldn't see him, but I could feel his head flicking rapidly side to side behind me.

  “Please, take my money. You can have it, just don't hurt me.”

  “Shut up, Bitch.” Pushing me harder, my body jerked forward as we moved further into the alley. “Say one more word and I'll fucking kill you.”

  Closing my lips tight, I pulled slow breaths in through my nose. I felt like I was on the edge of having a panic attack. My chest was heavy, my throat was thinning like it was swelling as I tried to force oxygen into my lungs. I've only had this feeling one other time in my life, and that was three weeks ago.

  A knock at the door that changed my world forever.

  I've always been a nervous person at times, which I hated. But I wasn't a weak, frail woman, this was just so far out of my control it scared the shit out me.

  Throwing my body forward, he pressed me up against the wall. The brick was cold against my cheek, my skin turning raw from the small sharp edges of stone. And the smell; the smell of brick was something I'd never forget. It smelled earthy, like hot dirt during the summer.

  I could hear his heavy breaths over my shoulder as he leaned his face in. The warm air he expelled sent my stomach into a ball of knots, the taste of battery acid rising up and coating my tongue. I wanted to throw up, but I swallowed down hard, pressing the urge back. This guy was fucking insane, and I didn't want to piss him off anymore than he already seemed.

  His body pushed against mine, forcing me deeper into the brick. “You're a lot prettier than I expected. The resemblance is there, but you wear those pretty little freckles so much better than him.”

  “What? Who are you?” I had no idea what he was talking about, but his voice made my stomach turn. “What do you want? I said you could have my money.”

  “Yeah, and I plan on taking you up on the offer. But I'm tempted to use you for something else. That ass could be worth a hell of a lot more, Baby.” I heard him slurp through his teeth, the grizzly sound slicing the air and hitting my brain.

  My lip curled in disgust, nostrils flaring as my f
ear started to turn into anger. “Go fuck yourself, Asshole.”

  His fingers slammed into my hair, tearing my face away from the coarse surface. “You better watch that mouth, I've been really nice so far. Don't piss me off.”

  Nice!? This was being nice? In what world could a man think he was being nice when he held a knife to my throat and had me pinned against a wall?

  As much as I spent a lot of my life feeling nervous, afraid of danger or getting into trouble; this man, this piece of shit holding me here, he opened the vault.

  I was raised to stand up for myself, and not take any shit. At least that's what my brother taught me to do.

  My temper had always been something I could tame, and for years I only unleashed that anger on those closest to me. Especially Kevin, he was always good at pushing my buttons.

  Then again, don't all siblings do that the best?

  “You call this nice?” I asked, head arched back, eyes forced up towards the sky. “Wow, no wonder you need to get pussy by force.”

  His fingers wrapped deeper around my roots, slamming my face forward into the wall. Letting out a gasp, I felt my cheek begin to pulse with pain. “I told you to watch that mouth, if you want to leave in one piece I suggest you start listening.”

  “What do you want?” Rocking my jaw, I tried to shake off the throb stabbing my face.

  “It's not so much what I want, it's what you're going to give me.” Bringing the knife up, he slid it across my jawline, twisting it gently against my skin.

  “Will you just tell me what the fuck you want?” Breathing in slowly, I tried to keep my composure. He wanted me to fear him, he wanted to see me fear him. I could hear him smiling as he spoke after he cracked my head into the wall.

  “Let me start by saying what you're giving me is something that's been owed to me for a really long time.” Twirling me around, he snapped his jaw to the side.

  I couldn't see him well, the shadows around us made him faceless. But I could make out his eyes, and they were lifeless. Evil, evil was a better word. There were no emotions behind the glossy stare of the faceless man; only empty pits of blackness.

  “How do I owe you anything?” I asked, hands pressing firmly against the wall. Feeling around, I was hoping to find a pole, a stick, anything that might be resting near me to hit him with.

  “You are Avni, right?”

  I felt my heart leap into my throat. How does he know my name? I certainly didn't know who the fuck this guy was... Did I? No.

  But he knew my name, and I had no idea how.

  My arms began to tremble, muscles turning to ice as my name came out of his mouth. “How do you know who I am?” The words squeaked out mostly composed of air, my mind twirling in an attempt to put a face with the voice.

  But I didn't know the guy, I had never heard his voice before in my life.

  “Let's just say I started looking at your family a few weeks ago, and since you resemble your brother so nicely...” Pausing, his fingers spidered their way across my shoulder, tugging on the strands of hair dangling by my neck. “I thought I'd start with you first.”

  Scrunching down to avoid his touch, I threw an arm up and batted his hand away from my face. “Don't fucking touch me.” Eyeing the shadowed figure, I spoke through gritted teeth. “Why the fuck are you talking about my brother?”

  This was the last thing I needed to hear today; of all days, not today.

  “Me and Kevin, we go back awhile. Now it looks like me and you are going to get to know each other too.”

  Having this creep say my name was disgusting, but hearing him mention my brother's name, that sent a whole new set of feelings streaming to life. My blood began to boil, hitting the veins and trying to break through the surface. I felt it rush through my face, heating my cheeks.

  Despite the cool night air, sweat beaded up on my neck, trickling down between my shoulders. “Unless you plan on actually stabbing me with that fucking blade of yours,” I spat, shoving him with a strength I didn't know existed. “You can fuck off.”

  “Wow, you have a filthy little mouth.” Throwing his arm up to block me from stepping to the side, he raised the knife between my eyes. “Now it's time for you to listen.”

  With the shiny blade reflecting a light sheen, I halted any movement. It was just us in this alley, no one else. And if he really wanted to kill me, no one would hear me scream.

  I wasn't ready to have my world end. And there was no way in hell I was going to let it end like that.

  My life was not his to take.

  Chapter One

  Levi

  Maybe I had too much to drink, or maybe it was just the fact that those guys were being real fucking assholes, either way, I'd seen enough.

  Stepping off the sidewalk, I approached the small group from the side. “Hey! Back off her!” The yell bubbled up from deep inside, boiling over the edge and hitting my lips.

  The man in the center turned his neck slowly, head cocking a hair to his shoulder. “Fuck off, man. This doesn't involve you.” His finger lifted, pointing in my direction.

  He was one ugly motherfucker. A thin mustache rode his upper lip, wisps of hair crawling over the edge. The guy had a tattoo of a star under his right eye with small sparks that burst towards his brow.

  I didn't like how he looked, and I certainly didn't like how he was threatening that young woman. Her eyes were large as the moon, fear and anger were painted across her pupils. She was standing tall, back pressed firmly against a green truck, and no escape.

  “It involves me now, Asshole. So walk away, take your little cronies with you and head off.” Shooing him with my hand, I forced my chest up, muscles hardening beneath my shirt.

  “Seriously, you need to mind your own fucking business. This bitch has a dirty mouth on her, and I'm going to teach her a lesson.” His lip curled to the side, baring a spotted grin.

  He's even uglier when he smiles. That fucker had really started to piss me off. He wanted to teach some woman a lesson? I was planning on giving him one of my own. I didn't care that he had two other guys standing by his side...

  No one was going to talk that way to her, to me, to anyone.

  Lunging forward, I brought my face inches from the prick. “I'm going to tell you one more time.” Balling my fists, I spoke through gritted teeth. “Get the fuck away from her.”

  Flicking his eyes towards his friends, his smile grew more devious. The man over his left shoulder nodded his head, a thin smirk spreading to one side. Pulling his head back, the bastard cleared his throat, jerking forward he spit in my face.

  Raising my wrist to wipe away his remnants, I shook my head side to side, softly tisking him under my breath. A switch had just flipped on in my brain, turning me from the man I was into the animal we all have laying dormant deep inside.

  In one violent swing, my knuckles cracked against his jaw. I could hear the sharp break of bone, the sound echoing like glass against the pavement. Dropping to his knees, he cupped his chin.

  Before he could utter another word, a groan, a fucking scream, I kneed him in the face. He had just challenged the wrong fucking dude, at the worst time.

  The alcohol had coated my brain, any rational thinking had flown out the window the instant he spat in my face. A man can tolerate a lot of shit, but that...

  It's fucking disgusting.

  The man who had so smugly nodded at his friend was standing with his fists held high. He looked like he was about to demand my milk money and threaten me with a swirly if I didn't give him what he wanted.

  Anger had wriggled its thin fingers into my spine. I was ready to fight, I'd fight them all if I had to, especially if it kept that girl safe. Nothing scared me, not at this point in my life.

  I'd seen enough shit to turn even the strongest man ghost white. Crunching my fingers into my palm, I worked the stinging out. Shoving away the pain, I reached out and grabbed the asshole by his collar.

  The guy's hair was blonde, shining under the streetlight
. His greasy locks fell down into his eyes, pupils enlarging to the trim of color. I couldn't tell exactly what shade they had been, green, maybe blue. It was hard to tell, the black had taken over his irises.

  Pulling him into my face, I snarled under my breath. “Do you think you can take me? Huh?” My nose rested so close to his I could smell his rancid breath, the mix of gin and sour milk clawed its way into my senses.

  Suddenly, his eyes darted over my shoulder. From the corner of my eye I caught a glimpse of something shiny, then everything went black.

  ***

  A pain engulfed my eyes, burning into my forehead. Slowly, I peeled them open, blinking rapidly. My mind was blank, a pure empty space filled with nothing but a sharp stabbing pain that kept twisting into my skull.

  Fuck! What the hell happened? Draping my palms over my face, I tried to block out the light. It seemed to make my head feel worse, enhancing the blade twisting deep into the bone. Pulling myself up onto my elbows, I tried to hold my lids open.

  A hazy fog was coating my sight, making it difficult to see where I was. Rubbing my eyes, I forced my vision to straighten, pulling the doubled images back into one.

  I was laying on a couch covered with a floral fabric, a small glass coffee table rested beside me. Sitting on top, there was a tall glass of water, bandages, an ice pack, and a bottle of rubbing alcohol.

  Where the fuck am I? And what the hell happened? I was trying to remember what had gone down, and why my head hurt so damn bad. Slowly something started to trickle in, it was a face.

  A woman, a beautiful woman. Her large brown eyes, twinkling with emotion was hanging in my head, hair that was so black it shined a deep blue.

  Who is she? Why was she the fixed image in my mind?

  Turning to my side, I felt the glass. It was cold, small ice cubes were still melting inside, water droplets were falling slowly over the surface. Gripping my hand around the base, I brought the cup to my lips. The cool liquid hit my throat, drowning out the scratchy feeling riding inside.

  “Good, you're finally awake.” The soft voice came at me from behind, hidden in the shadows. Emerging under the glow of the lamp beside me, a form stepped into view. “I wasn't sure how long you'd be out for.”