Page 45 of Ruthless Redemption

They both sat there in silence for a few minutes and he had a feeling they were both thinking the same thing. Neither of them had been able to save their mother from their father and now they found themselves in a situation that felt entirely too familiar.

God, he’d been so wrapped up in trying to do the right thing for Izzy, that he hadn’t realized he was still trying to atone for his mother’s death.

“Life is so fucked up,” he started.

Rock turned to look at him. “Don’t. Don’t put this on yourself again. This is not your fault either. That lies squarely on a dead man’s shoulders. A man that she should have been able to count on to always put her first. It sickens me to even think about Frank Mazzeo now. If I had known…”

“But you didn’t. You had a job to do and you did it to the best of your ability with the information that you had.”

“I’m glad the fucker is dead. I know I shouldn’t say that considering it’s my job to bring criminals like him to justice and all, but I am.”

Houston nodded. “He would have found a way to get to her from jail. The Mazzeo organization ran deep. This was the only way. I told you that going in and you didn’t believe me.”

“I did. It just goes against what I’m supposed to stand for. However, in this situation the case is closed. I turned over everything I had to the investigators and they’ve already ruled it justifiable homicide. You don’t have to worry about any charges being brought against you.”

“It wouldn’t have mattered either way. I’d do anything to save her.”

Rock leaned forward and his golden gaze grew sharp. “Are you about done?”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“This reckless road to redemption you seem to be following. It’s not necessary. Hell, it never was. You aren’t to blame now and you weren’t to blame then.”

His stomach churned as memories assaulted him. Would he ever be able to remember that night without a world of pain slicing through his mind? He doubted it.

He didn’t bother answering Rock. What would be the point? Nothing he did would ever change the past. Besides, he wasn’t done. Although he didn’t give a shit about achieving redemption at this point. Just protecting the woman he loved. That meant as long as Marco still breathed, he couldn’t stop. Not until he ended him. Not exactly the kind of details he could share with his brother.

“Jesus, I can see the wheels practically turning in that mind of yours. You’re already planning something else aren’t you?” When he didn’t respond, Rock continued, “Well, don’t bother. It’s over. That’s what I came here to tell you. Marco is dead. When the team tried to transfer him to the courthouse for arraignment, they were ambushed. We found him an hour later dumped on the courthouse steps in broad daylight with his heart cut out. Talk about a cluster. The city officials are in an uproar about West Coast mobsters and deadly bikers. I’ve already advised the MC they need to leave town ASAP.”

Houston’s head pounded as Rock continued to feed him the details. He had no regrets other than it should have been him.

“You should have let me finish it back at that warehouse. Maybe things would have turned out differently.”

Rock scoffed. “Yeah, it would be you getting arraigned today and my fucking hands would be tied. Are you listening to your own nonsense? You need to get out. I don’t know how deep you are with Wrath now, but if you don’t stop…” Rock took a deep breath and shoved his hand through his hair. “I could lose my job for telling you this, but what the hell. Might as well go for broke at this point. A task force is already being put together. The Attorney General has authorized a full scale undercover investigation into Marco’s death. They believe the MC is responsible and I don’t think they’re wrong. Seriously, you just need to get the fuck out.”

“It should have been me. I needed his blood on my hands. For her.”

Rock threw up his hands and kicked the empty chair next to him. “Are you even listening to me? I get that you love her. I really do. But going around killing people is never going to be the answer. This isn’t that kind of war.”

He looked over at Izzy, her body still except for the slow rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. She looked peaceful and that gave him hope. “No, you don’t get it. You didn’t see her in that room the day I finally found her. She was broken. Or I thought she was. What they did to her.” He still couldn’t say the words. “What they had planned to do to her. That kind of evil can’t be fixed, nor can it be contained in some useless prison. One day you might know what that feels like. I hope you don’t. I mean the love part would be good for you, but the fear and utter destruction of your soul when you can’t prevent the woman you love from that kind of torture. Nothing short of death will ever make it right and even then it might not be enough.”

Rock was shaking his head. “I have a heart you know. You think Mom’s death didn’t affect me the way it affected you. But you’re wrong. The difference is I put the blame where it belongs. On our fathers. Your father may have pulled the trigger, but mine isn’t exactly innocent. JD could have walked away. Their relationship wasn’t healthy and it never was going to be.”

A fresh wave of anger coursed through his blood. “While I appreciate this little trip down memory lane. Not. You need to put the past aside as much as I do. You aren’t fooling anyone. But this—“ he pointed to Izzy. “This is about her. Not our fucked up family. The present, Rock. Not the past. She means everything to me and if she’ll still have me, I’m going to do everything I can to make her life a good one. I’ll even find a way to put the past behind me. Hers and mine. Because she’s worth it.”

“Does that mean Wrath too?”

“We’ll see. Right now as far as I can tell I owe them a debt.”

Rock practically jumped out of his chair. “You’re a fool if you go back.”

“I’m not going back. You are right about one thing. It’s time to close the door on certain parts of the past. For my sake, for her sake and for yours. I’m looking for a future and praying to God I can still find one.” He turned back to Izzy and willed her to wake up. As far as he was concerned the future depended on her. Without her— No, he couldn’t even go there.

“But—“

“Just stop, Rock. Please. I hear what you’re saying. I heard every word. We’ve always had different paths you and I. That means I have to wait and see and you’ve got to get back to work and rid the world of more bad guys so outlaw justice isn’t needed. You do you and maybe I won’t have to do me.”

“You are like talking to a brick wall sometimes.”

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