Page 116 of Shattered

“What do I want from you?” Mackenzie gave a humorless chuckle. “My fucking life back. My children’s life back.”

“You made this deal with me.” She shrugged. “You got what you paid for.”

“Sure enough, I did. However, I didn’t ask for a conniving bitch to try her best to rip my whole family apart. You had several chances to leave andnevercome back, yet you stayed. After hearing all the testimony, I can’t for the life of me understand why you did.”

The corner of her mouth ticked upward. “Simple, I had a job to complete. I did what I was supposed to do, then I left.”

Mackenzie scrubbed his chin. “You sure did.” He was getting nowhere with this conversation. “Have fun rotting in jail for completing your job.” He turned for the door, unable to stand there and listen to her flat voice agree with everything he said.

“Mac,” Holly said, stopping him mid-stride.

“Yeah?” He glanced over his shoulder.

“Take the letters with you. They’re not my children. Never were. Liam and Riley were always yours. I think deep-down you knew it the whole time.”

Maybe he did. He supposed he spent the last eleven years atoning for his sins. Perhaps, if he really delved into why he adopted Riley and Liam, he’d figure out it had more to do with Royce, and Sage, than anything else.Ain’t that some shit?He shook off the thought as he turned to grab the letters off the table.

“Doesn’t matter what I know now or knew then, this was for them. They had things to say to you. Goes to show, sometimes people are so rotten to the core, they can’t even face the wrath of a child who’s been hurt.” He snatched the envelopes off the table. “You’re a coward, Holly. Straight up chickenshit.”

“What does that make you, Mackenzie?” Fire lit in her hazel eyes. “If I am such a coward and chickenshit, what do you call yourself? You’re the one who set all this up. You’re the one who lied to your family about us. Without your invitation, none of this would have happened.”

“See,” Mackenzie said, walking to the door. “You’re wrong. I did want to help heal the rift hurting my family, however, you were the weakest link. You clung tight to the tattered corner of our family and pulled at it every chance you got.” He yanked on the door, opening it. “What you weren’t counting on, was the strength of the Raferty family and our pack/pride. I may have lied to keep you close to Hayden, but the rest was all you. Take responsibility for yourself.”

“I am!” she shouted.

“No, you’re not,” Mackenzie said. “You’re going to blame others to try to get a reduction in sentence. Well, it won’t happen on our watch. Rot in hell, Holly.”

Mackenzie stepped out of the room, tucking the two notes from his children back into his pocket. He figured she wouldn’t take them. Hell, the selfish woman didn’t even give some of their best holiday art projects a second glance, why would she start now? He shook his head as he walked down the hall. The weight of Holly had been lifted from his shoulders, and he could finally take a deep breath. From now on, the woman would be a distant memory, no matter what.

“Hey, handsome,” Aurora said, joining him as he strode toward the exit. “You ready to go home?”

He nodded. “Gotta do one thing first.”

“Oh? What?” She took his hand as they stepped out into the cool mid-day air. When they’d gone in, it’d been sunny, bright fall day, now the clouds had drifted in, and the temperatures had dropped, turning it dreary. “I need to burn the letters from Liam and Riley.”

“She didn’t take them?”

“No,” he answered.

“Can’t say I’m surprised.” Aurora shrugged. “Where do you want to go?”

“I have a place we can do it. Should still have burn barrels there.” Mackenzie helped Aurora into his truck then got in behind the wheel. “Thank you for coming with me today.”

“Don’t mention it,” she said. “It’s what I’m here for.”

“Well, if it’s all the same, I appreciate it.” Mackenzie started his truck then pulled out of the spot.

The drive to the construction site didn’t take long, and though he had so much to say and rage about, he kept it to himself. Later, after he digested everything Holly had to say, he’d talk it through with Aurora, because Holly was right. His motivation had been selfish. He’d done things in the name of his family when it’d been him seeking redemption for his transgressions. And, instead of talking them out, he went off and did things, never realizing each thing he did, thinking he was protecting his family, also hurt them.

When he arrived at the site, no one was there. It didn’t surprise Mackenzie. He figured the Dryers would be home, waiting for him to call or come by with word of what happened. “This is it.”

“Looks like they’ve done a lot of work,” Aurora pointed out.

He agreed. The foundation was laid as well as the whole bottom two floors of framing work. It might not look like much yet, but come February, the place would start looking more like a home. “Yeah, they have.” He made his way over to the rusted fifty-gallon barrel they used to burn all of the remnants they couldn’t salvage. Inside, there were some small pieces of wood and paper. Mackenzie threw the letters on the pile, then grabbed the small box of matches out of his pocket. He always carried them with him, he supposed, for cases like now, where they’d come in handy.

He lit one of them then placed it on the envelope and watched as the note became engulfed in flames, followed by the second and the debris in the can. He didn’t know how long they stood there watching the flames twist and leap up into the air, but when he was satisfied no one would ever see his childrens’ words, he turned from the barrel and started back for his pickup.

Aurora was there by his side. She took his hand in hers and gave it a squeeze. She didn’t say a word. She didn’t have to. Her silent support bolstered him when he needed it most. As they got to the truck, he helped her onto her seat. For long moments, he stared at her, amazed someone as strong and vulnerable as her could find him appealing. He was the luckiest bastard in the whole world, and he didn’t care who knew it.

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