Page 18 of Shattered

“Abby? Is there something wrong?” Again, the superior way he hedged around questions, even drove Aurora insane.

“Nope, nothing is wrong with her.” She sighed. “I need a permanent sitter for her when I start my first shift. I was hoping Keeley could navigate me through finding someone to watch Abby for me.”

“I’ve offered to watch Abby until Aurora finds long-term care for her,” Keeley said. “But she doesn’t want to put us out.”

Kalkin stared at both of them for a moment then snapped his fingers. “I got it. Ask Mac.”

Keeley’s eyes widened. “That’s not a bad idea.”

Aurora blinked. “Wait a second. You want me to trust my daughter to someone who-who hasn’t shifted in years, and the first time he does, licks the crotch of my jeans?”

“He’s a Raferty,” Kalkin stated. “Look, he’s been through the wringer. I don’t think he meant to upset you or meant you any harm. He’s old. Alone and confused.”

From the small amount of news she’d seen and the rumors, she could agree with Kalkin’s assessment. However, what if Mackenzie went wolf on Abby? None of them believed he could hurt anyone, but scare the shit out of Abby? Yeah, it could happen.

“No lie, Aurora, I’m not sure why I didn’t think of Mac. He’s perfect,” Keeley said. “I know what happened the other night has you in knots, but he’d never hurt a hair on Abby’s head.”

“We’re all a bit surprised to see his wolf as well,” Kalkin added. “If anything, I think he’s starting to feel like his old self again.”

“Doesn’t he work, though?” Aurora asked.

Keeley’s gaze flickered to her mates, and Aurora sensed they were communicating somehow. It freaked her out, to be honest.

“He’s dealing with some personal issues right now.” Kalkin’s gaze moved to her. Even though she wasn’t a wolf or shifter for that matter, Aurora had a hard time holding his gaze. Somewhere, deep down inside of her, she wanted to break the contact. She didn’t do it, though, and it made her feel uneasy.

Keeley snorted. “That’s an understatement if I ever heard one. What Kalkin said is true, but Mac is stable. He works for Dryer Construction however, took a leave of absence while dealing with all of the outstanding legal issues.”

“You mean the trial and Holly Geithner?” Aurora glanced back and forth between the mated couple. “The, uh, what are they called...” She snapped her fingers a couple of times, trying to recall the group’s name. “Paranormal Bounty Hunters and what went down in Massachusetts?”

“Yes,” Keeley stated.

“There were others involved as well,” Kalkin added.

“Right. They captured the head of the Paranormal Bounty Hunters during an auction of shifters.” Her voice dropped to a whisper as she shivered at the thought of what crazy people would do to gain any kind of power. “I can’t even imagine.”

“It was—”

“Not our story to tell, sweet cheeks,” Kalkin said in warning. “If you mean, he assisted in bringing down the PBH’s leader, then yeah, he was involved.”

“The press has been all over him. It was getting to be too much. It’s why he took leave from his job; they were harassing him at his job sites.”

“And now? I mean, it’s really not good for Abby to be stressed.” Every day, she worried about her niece and what might happen to her. Abby had been a fighter. When push came to shove, the little girl clawed her way out of everything and though the doctor said the surgery would fix her niece, Aurora fretted over the waif-like girl.

“We’d never put a young child in that position. I’ve banned any paparazzi from the county. News reporters have been warned, if they’re caught around Mackenzie’s home or the middle school and high school Liam and Riley attend, they’ll be arrested,” Kalkin stated.

Keeley leaned across the table. “Listen, I wouldn’t steer you wrong on this. You need help, and Mac... Knowing him as well as we do, he’d be ashamed of his actions and also be willing to help you.”

“Maybe.” She glanced at both of them. “Why do I have a feeling this will be helping you out as well?”

“Because my brother is also a pain in the ass,” Kalkin grumbled. “He’s been a morose mother fucker for months.”

“I’ll talk to him,” Aurora said. “Even though you’re suggesting him, doesn’t mean he’ll want the added responsibility. Then there’s Abby. She’s very particular. She requires a routine. She’s cute, and she knows it. He might let her get away with murder. And…and this is a big issue, Abby doesn’t like a lot of people. She likes kids just fine, but adults...that’s a whole other situation.”

Kalkin mumbled something under his breath, and Keeley elbowed him. “Knock it off,” the other woman warned.

“Mac can handle kids. He’s experienced and he’s not afraid to take his grandkids when Charisma needs a break while Royce, Mac’s oldest, works. He’s good. Almost like a baby whisperer,” Keeley assured her.

Aurora took out her phone. “Give me his number, and I’ll think about it.”

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