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She broke down, and Mac knelt in front of her, gathering her into his arms and feeling like a jerk for making his sister cry. He awkwardly patted her back, not really knowing what to do but feeling the need to do something.
It was a miracle that he was able to keep it together, because inside, the blackness swirled, feeding his anger, and if David were in front of him right now, he’d put the bastard in the hospital himself.
Or he’d kill him.
Eventually the sobbing subsided and Mac leaned back, arms still around his sister’s shoulders. “So what are your plans? What are you going to do?”
She sniffled. “I’m staying with Mom for the next little while. She seems happy about it.”
“That’s because she’s lonely as hell. She let Ben Draper take her away from everything and everyone that she knew years ago, and now he’s gone, locked up where he should be, and she’s left with nothing.”
Becca blew out a long breath. “God, I never thought I’d be home again. Not at thirty-three. I just…I had nowhere else to go.” She looked at him. “I’m glad you’re back in Crystal Lake for the summer. Maybe we can—I mean, Liam could maybe spend some time with you. I’ve told him so much about his Uncle Mackenzie. We’re all so proud of everything you’ve accomplished, but he was starting to think you were a ghost.”
His mouth tightened, and he stepped away. No way was he going there.
“I’m not here for a vacation, Becca. I’m here to work. A lot of stuff needs to be done around this place, and I’m working on a project for Jake. I don’t think I’ll have much time for your kid.”
“His name is Liam, and he’s your nephew.”
“Yeah, well. I’m not real good with kids.”
“Or family,” she shot back.
Mac shrugged. “Or family.”
Becca got up from the chair and reached for the door. “You want everyone to think you’re this guy who doesn’t care much or that you’re incapable of getting attached to anyone, but…” She turned the handle. “We both know that’s a load of crap. You’re still the brother who brought home that bird with the broken wing, the one that we tried to heal. You’re still the brother who cried with me when it died and then buried him in the woods with the little cross we made from twigs. I just saw that same compassion inside you, Mackenzie. Just now. You feel as much as anyone else, but you’ve just gotten a lot better at hiding it.”
Becca opened the door. “Liam will help with the fence and anything else that needs to be done around here. It will be good for him, so when are you starting?”
Mac had planned on starting today, but he was no longer in the mood. Hell, he could barely contain the heat and anger inside him. He needed to expel all of it, and he thought a hard run should do it.
“Tomorrow,” he answered. “I’ll be here early though.” He paused. “Tell Mom I’ll be back.”
“Okay,” Becca said softly. “It really is good to see you, Mac. I just wish…”
“Yeah,” he said eventually.
Becca’s lower lip began to tremble again, and with a quick nod, she disappeared inside.
Mac swore all the way back to his truck, and by the time he reached the Booker cottage, he’d worked himself up into a state. He changed into his running shoes and shorts, grabbed his iPod, and headed out for a run.
The direction? Hell, he didn’t know. He just put one foot in front of the other and tried to forget all the shit that seeing Becca brought up.
Yet more than an hour later, he paused at the edge of a clearing, his sides heaving and his head soaked from sweat. He’d removed his T-shirt about halfway through the run, though it was stuck in the back of his shorts. He reached for it and used it to wipe the sweat from his brow as he looked across the clearing at a plain, stone cottage.
Flowers surrounded the pathway, pink, purple, and white petunias. Two large baskets hung from the wide porch, filled with red geraniums. A BMW was parked in the driveway and though the grass needed to be mowed, the place looked quaint. Lived in.
Raine’s place.
Seemed as if his feet had known where they were going after all.
He’d run straight to Boston.
Chapter 8
Lily’s breath hitched in her chest when she spied a half-naked man on the edge of the property. The golden head, damp with sweat, the large expanse of naked skin, and those long, muscular legs were unmistakable.
Mackenzie.
