My Broken Soldier (Love Conquers Life Book 2) Read Online Free Page A

down, man,” I say as I put my rifle up in the air. “Listen, what is it you want?”
    “I want Patty, but she won’t give me another chance. That means I have to take her out. If I can’t have her, no one can. Then I’ll take you out for taking her from me,” he says with his voice shaking.
    Suddenly, there’s a commotion behind him, so he turns to see what’s going on. When he does, I pull my nine millimeter and shoot him in the back of the head. Patty falls to the floor, crying.
     
    I sit up in bed, panting as I try to catch my breath. I’m drenched in sweat and shaking from the nightmare I had. I can’t believe I’m having nightmares again. I haven’t had one since I told Patty about them a few weeks ago. It’s been so nice sleeping without them.
    I go into the kitchen to get a glass and some ice. I pour some scotch into the glass and down the amber liquor. It burns as it goes down. I pour a second and chug that one too. I need to forget. I need to forget Patty and the nightmares.
    I’m walking back into my room to shower when my phone rings. I see it’s Derek, but I ignore it and go to the bathroom instead. I turn on the water as hot as I can take it and step in. I let the water run down my back as I think about what happened yesterday. I keep kicking myself for not pushing Olivia away sooner, but I feel like it all happened so quickly and now Patty won’t even talk to me.
    I quickly wash my hair and then my body so I can try and remove the remnants of this nightmare. I finish up in the shower and then dry off, slipping on a pair of shorts. I snag my phone from the nightstand and saunter back into the kitchen to get one last drink. When I look down at my phone, I see I have a bunch of missed calls from Derek and Patty. I notice there’s also a text from Patty.
     
    Patty: Hey trying to reach out so we can talk.
     
    Patty: Hey thought you wanted to talk about what happened?
     
    Patty: Guess you don’t want to talk that bad. I’ve left you a few messages as well as sent you some texts and you’re not responding to me. Do you want to talk or not?
     
    I shout out to absolutely no one, “Oh, now you want to talk? What the fuck!”
    Yesterday I wasn’t good enough to listen to, but today it’s okay. Oh, fuck no. I pour half a glass of scotch and down half of it before I sit on my couch, turn the music on my surround sound radio on, and drink until I pass out.
     
    ***
     
    Patty
     
    I’m so mad that he won’t answer my calls. He texted me yesterday, angry that I wouldn’t talk to him, and now that I’m ready to talk he’s ignoring me. What the hell?
    I look at the picture of us from the dinner one more time and start to do some research on PTSD. I’ve discovered that people with PTSD have nightmares after events that affect them either physically and or emotionally. The nightmares can lead to drinking and other problems.
    I’m getting nervous, so I decide it’s time I work on my book. I’m on a roll and I don’t want to lose momentum now. I’m halfway through the chapter when I decide that I need to read what I’ve already written and then I can finish it. As I read, I make a few small changes. Now that I'm happy with what I've got, I continue writing the chapter I’m working on. I’m about to finish the next chapter when my phone chirps.
     
    Bella: How are you doing today?
     
    Patty: Pissed.
     
    Bella: Why?
     
    Patty: I tried to call Carter and text him and he won’t answer either.
     
    Bella: Really?
     
    Patty: Have you talked to Derek?
     
    My phone rings. “Hello?”
    “Why do you ask?” Bella says.
    “Well, I’m curious if Carter went to work today.”
    “I’ll call you back.”
    She hangs up on me before I can respond. I open the e-file I need to sign for my agent. I’ve gone through the entire contract line by line, and I’m now happy with it. She tried to sneak a line in that said I had to have three chapters to her by a set date and I told her to remove it or I