War Tears: A Military Mountain Man Romance

By Kylie Parker

I know a broken man when I see one.

And I'm going to fix him if it's the last thing I do.

Jake blew into town on a storm of rage and pain. It rattled my shutters. It rattled my world.

His world is already in tatters.

One disastrous mission in the Marine Corps, and the Marine with the unforgettable eyes was wounded beyond repair.

Not if I have anything to do with it.

I'm not supposed to get cute with the locals. I'm especially not supposed to spend my patrol shifts circling the bar Jake built downtown. But there's something about his jagged edges that perfectly match mine. And the more I see, the more I want.

I'm taking down his walls one brick at a time.

All he has to do is let me in, and I swear…

…it's going to be magic.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kylie Parker Romance
• Release date: Jan 7, 2019
• ISBN: 9781386703075

Book preview

1

Three Years Ago

Duty called, as Marine Captain Jake Isaacs was informed of his mission. He and a handful of his fellow troops had to locate and execute one of the most notorious Arab terrorists – Hassan Al Mahri – responsible for hundreds of deaths, of both civilians and American troops. The Saudi native had been avoiding arrest for years. He had narrowly escaped multiple drone strikes, adding to the frustration of U.S. government officials. However, an Iraqi asset had located him, hiding in the ruins of what used to be Tamok, a small village just north of Baghdad. The Department of Defense decided that their best option was to send an experienced officer to lead the operation. Jake had been to Iraq twice already, and he knew that area like the back of his hand.

All right boys and girls, listen up! he cried, turning to face his troops right before the airplane hatch slid open. "Keep your eyes peeled for our target! Command says Al Mahri is hiding in that village; it’s our job to flush him out! Follow my lead and you will come back alive. Do you get me?"

Yes, sir! they all cried in one voice. Then, he fixed his gaze on the blonde standing closest to him, his favorite person on Earth: Allison Barnes. He nodded to her as the hatch slid open, and took one, short step closer to it. The cool night air hit him right in the face, as he adjusted the night vision goggles mounted to his helmet. Jake sucked in a deep breath, gazing down into the darkness. He loved his job and, unlike his girlfriend and most of the men and women with him, he enjoyed jumping. The rush of adrenaline it gave him was unlike anything else in this world.

Here we go, He said to himself, putting his hands on either edge of the hatch. Shutting his eyes, he pushed off. He spread his arms and legs, presenting his chest to the ground and arched his head and back upward, as the rest of his fellow troops began to jump from the massive airplane. His heart beat faster and faster, as he plummeted to the ground, the wind against his face growing stronger by the second. By now, he could see his landing spot: a large, wide patch of land, a few yards away from a narrow road that led to the village.

Upon landing, Jake punched his hands into the parachute cloth that had wrapped around him and got free of it. He jumped up and looked around him, watching as his troops landed, one by one and extricated themselves from their ‘chutes’ as well. Seconds later, the twelve men and women were safely on the ground and ready to go. Gripping the handle of his rifle tighter, he started forward. Right away, he pointed it up ahead, at a mangled car that littered the road.

Careful, he spoke through his headset. I don’t like th…

Jake didn’t have time to finish his sentence. A powerful, explosive blast lit up the night, sending the car in question more than twenty feet up into the air. He and his troops were blown backwards. Jake landed flat and hard on his back, his large, heavy body kicking up dust. His ears buzzed, as he leaned against his shoulders. Opening his eyes to slits, he saw a powerful weapon being placed on the ledge of a window, in the building closest to them and to the left.

Take cover! he yelled, his stomach chilling with fear as he lunged toward the burning car. This time, he landed flat on his belly on the ground, with his head to his right side, as the crackling sound of bullets tore through the night. He brought his right leg up near the side of his torso and moved his left arm up above his head, bending it. Jake quickly crawled towards the car, placing his weight on his bent arm and leg, as adrenaline rushed through his veins. Reaching it, he rolled over onto his back, placed his hands on the ground and sat up, as bullets struck the car. Two of his men were hurtling towards him, with light antitank weapons in their grasps.

Rivers, Sanchez, take that fifty-caliber out now! Jake ordered, as they dropped to their knees beside him. The two men pulled their weapons from their arms, looking over the car. They put the tubes on their shoulders and pointed them at the building, pressing their eyes to the optics, amid a hail of fire. Rivers and Sanchez squeezed their triggers, almost at the same time. Two, loud, banging noises ripped through the atmosphere, as the rockets left the tubes. The consecutive explosions rocked the ground, as two, massive fireballs ignited, shattering every window of the building. Thousands upon thousands of shards of glass, along with small chunks of concrete landed all around them.

Son of a bitch… Jake gasped, his chest rising up and down. Someone knew we were coming.

Medic: I need a Medic! Corporal Brand yelled. The shouting voice drew Jake’s attention. He jumped up and rushed towards him, staring down at one of his troops. The few seconds it took him to get to them felt like an eternity. His heart sank, as he discovered the identity of the fallen marine: it was Allison. She lay on her back with her eyes closed; her hair fell haphazardly all over her face; a pool of blood slowly spread across her chest. Jake fell to his knees beside her, his eyes dark with shock. He grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her up.

Allie! Come on, baby, talk to me, he said too fast, his voice riddled with tension and fear. Dr. Jensen checked for a pulse over her carotid artery. Then, he put his hand on her chest. Clenching his jaw, he dragged his gaze up to meet Jake’s. He didn’t have to speak. The sullen look in his eyes confirmed Jake’s worst fears.

No… a whisper of despair fled his lips, as he placed her head on his lap. Removing his right hand from her shoulder, he pushed her hair back from her face, his lips quivering as tears welled up in his eyes. Wake up, baby. Don’t leave me now… he went on, caressing her cheek.

I’m really sorry, Dr. Jensen said in a low, calm voice. I know you were close.

Jake tilted his head further down, staring at her lifeless face, as two tears spilled from his eyes. Allison Barnes, the woman to whom he was about to propose, the love of his life, was dead in his arms. Feeling the unbearable pain ripping through him, he looked up into the sky, screaming at the top of his lungs:

NOOOOOOOOooooooo!

2

Present Day

Following the tragic death of his beloved Allison, Jake tried to find out if their mission had been compromised. A car getting blown up in the middle of the night was very odd to say the least. Whoever had attacked them had done so using the light from the powerful blast to pinpoint their exact locations. For months he kept asking his superiors about the incident and also contacted a few friends he still had in Baghdad, in case they heard anything on the ground. Despite his persistent phone calls, and the numerous questions he posed to his superiors, he came up with nothing. His superiors said that Allison was merely another victim of war; similarly, the Iraqis were not of much help, either.

Regardless of the outcome, however, in his heart, Jake knew that he could no longer be a marine. He wasn’t afraid of death; that was simply an acceptable risk of the job. After all, he had been through similar situations a number of times in the past. What had really devastated him was the fact that he had failed to protect Allison. Jake had lost his self-confidence. Unable to believe in himself, he thought he was incapable of leading his troops anymore. However, even if he hadn’t, his superiors’ behavior towards him had disgusted him. None of them seemed willing to provide a helping hand, and Jake couldn’t shake the feeling that they were hiding something from him. With his entire belief system crashing down around him, he felt like he had no other choice but to resign.

Moreover, upon his return to Boston, he discovered that he could not stay there either. Jake and Allison had known each other since the tender age of twelve. They had been together since high school. Living in the same place would bring back all of those special memories, that would only add to his misery and not allow him to put the past behind him. Two days were enough to convince him that he had to leave the city and go someplace where nothing and no one would remind him of the life he used to have with her. Therefore, Jake made the biggest decision in his life to date: to go and live in the mountains. More specifically, to live in the small town of Adams, up on Mount Greylock, two hours away from his birthplace.

Noticing the almost complete absence of any bars in the area, Jake took full advantage of the situation. He opened a large, spacious bar and he did what his heart told him to do: he named it after Allison. In spite of the locals’ objections, he allowed access to everybody, including The Golden Saviors, a local motorcycle club. Jake couldn’t afford to choose customers. As loud as they were, a fifteen-large group of bikers was most welcome. Just days after the opening, he learned that he and Clay Marshall, the club president, had something in common: the middle-aged man used to be a marine as well. He had served in the Gulf War. Not long after that, the two of them became friends, sharing stories from their days in the service.

Allison’s bar became popular within weeks. The locals liked Jake, and the music he played fit everyone’s tastes. However, it wasn’t the music that drew the single women of Adams town to the bar like moths to a flame. Jake was a 30-year-old, 6’2", very handsome man indeed; athletic, soft-spoken and more importantly, single. Most single women who visited his bar tried to flirt with him, but Jake didn’t reciprocate their flirtation attempts. Swamped with work, and still mourning Allison’s loss, he had no time for a relationship. Nevertheless, one young woman remained determinedly persistent: Deputy Sheriff Holly Hutchinson. More often than not, the 27-year-old, beautiful brunette would sit at the bar and try to find out more about him. One particularly cold, mid-February night was no different.

Okay… she started, easing her glass down on the counter. You really have to do something about that thing on your face.

Don’t make a big deal out of it, Holly, Jake said with a bit of annoyance in his baritone. "Everyone else in this town has a beard. Why shouldn’t I grow one?"

Exactly, Holly exclaimed. What are you trying to do, blend into the crowd?

What if I am? He smirked, pouring vodka into a glass.

I just think you’d look a lot better without it, she said, speaking her mind, her voice much softer as she swirled the straw in her glass. It makes you look older.

I needed a change, Jake declared. Not to mention, shaving bores me to death.

You can try all you want, city boy, Holly’s voice was dripping with sarcasm. You’ll never become a mountain man.

"Is that a fact?" He put a little force in his voice, folding his arms across his chest.

Yes, she replied with a nod, picking up her glass. Frankly? I like that. It means you’ll always be the refined gentleman you are right now. Tall, handsome…

You’re doing it again, Jake interrupted, in a stiff tone, and I’m a little too tired to have the same old conversation.

What’s the matter? A sly smile spread across her face, as she leaned forward: Captain? The single word that came out of her mouth had not come as a surprise. Jake had not kept his identity secret, and as a police officer, Holly could gain access to his record. I’ve known that for a while now. Captain Jake Isaacs, United States Marine Corps; graduated first in his class; served two tours in Iraq, one in Afghanistan; a highly decorated officer who quit, back in 2014. I’m not going to ask why you quit. I just can’t help but wonder: what in the world is a man like you doing in this godforsaken town? What are you running from, Jake?

Her question bothered him. The painful moment of Allison’s death flashed through his mind. Jake preferred to drop his gaze from her, squeezing his lips.

Go home, Holly, he murmured, grabbing a small towel. It’s late; don’t you have to be at work tomorrow morning?

Actually, tomorrow’s my day off, she remarked. Okay, you don’t want to talk about it. I can respect that. You said you were tired. Anything I can do to help?

Well… Jake snorted. You can jump over the counter and help me out with all these glasses.

"What did you just say?" Her squeaky tone forced him to return his gaze to her face.

I was kidding, he sighed. I mean…

That’s a great idea! She spoke over whatever he was going to say next, with a toothy grin on her face, as her eyes sparkled with excitement. I can work here on my days off!

Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! He raised his hand to his chest. I didn’t mean that. It was just a joke.

Come on, Holly made her voice sound sweeter and begging him just a little. I’ve seen how busy you are. This place is packed all the time. Are you telling me you couldn’t use a hand in here?

I could, Jake admitted, unable to deny to himself that she had a point. It will be strictly professional, though. No more flirting, no more personal questions. Are we clear?

Yes, sir! she shouted at him and saluted him, When can I start?

I’d say ‘tonight’, but it’s pretty late already, he remarked, glancing at the clock on the wall to the left. When’s your next day off?

Friday, her response was sharp.

I’ll see you on Friday, then, Jake smiled, and then gave her marching orders. Be here at six p.m. Don’t be late. Go get some rest. Goodnight.

3

Friday came and Jake was delighted that, for the first time ever, he would have someone to rely on at work. Fridays and Saturdays were the busiest days of the week. The locals would swarm Allison’s bar and wouldn’t leave until the early morning. He hardly had time to catch his breath. Still, he wasn’t convinced that Holly would stay true to her word. She had been flirting with him for months and had not given up despite his continuous rejections. In his mind, this could well be just another way for her to get closer to him. Jake also had no idea whether she could handle all of the pressure. At some point, Holly could very well snap and quit. At any rate, he would have to wait until the night to find out.

In spite of his doubts, Holly did not fail him. She showed up fifteen minutes early and did not even