Draft version - Russian Roulette - Family secrets

Ch. 13: Matters of the heart?

Vasili drove up in front of the apartment building he had been told and parked the car. Mackenzie was already standing outside waiting. Fucking hell she had turned into something wonderful. All of a sudden, he understood Gareth's frustrations.

Back then when he had met her the first times he had understood, she was a most gorgeous woman. Sweet and intelligent and despite her size, he had felt she was not happy with, she had been beautiful and had a lot of sexiness to her. A sexiness, he might add, that Gareth had responded to, and unlike other men Gareth had not cared about her size. He had wanted her; it was her who hated herself and nothing Gareth could say or do would have changed that.

But now...

Fucking wow!

A little over 4 years earlier Gareth had taken her to meet some of the guys to gently introduce her to his life after they had been friends for 6 months or so.

They had all known something was up when Gareth had told them he was bringing a woman, he had not before and not since done that. And most curious of all they had not slept together, Gareth had stressed that she was an important friend and nothing more.

They had all been on their best behavior to not scare her away and let her come to terms with Gareth's extensive involvement in the Russian mafia.

But she had taken them by surprise.

Mackenzie had not been happy, not by a long shot. She had raged like a little pissed of Chihuahua when it had been revealed and Gareth of course had tried to explain to her that his mother was Russian, and she was his connection to that part of his life.

In Gareth's defense, he had really done everything he could to convince her she would never be in danger being his friend. She would not have to be involved in any way, he had felt it only right to let her know, because he at times would go off the grid or be in danger himself.

Gareth had wanted her to know him, all of him, not just the businessman. To be a true friend, they were to have no secrets.

Vasili had been proud of Gareth that day, when he had heard Gareth explain himself to Mackenzie. The lad had been right, friendship meant no secrets. He had also understood that Gareth had wanted the friendship first and foremost, Gareth's personal interest in making Mackenzie his queen would lead to nowhere if they were not friends.

It had been a shock for Mackenzie to discover that Gareth was known as The Dragon in the underground, funny enough, not for the reason they had all thought.

When she had revealed that her father was the notorious Vittorio Sante, they had all been taken aback, especially Gareth.

Mackenzie had thought she had found a man who was not involved with anything like her father and she had walked into the one person probably just as bad or worse.

Mixing the Italian and Russian mob was an absolute no go.

Never happened before and it would have been explosive if it had become commonly known.

But they had been in love.

Vasili knew that.

Vasili had known Gareth since birth and that boy loved Mackenzie like she was the other half of his soul, even if he had not once admitted to it.

What Gareth had gone through back then and having to give up Mackenzie because of it, had nearly broken him.

At only 29 years old at the time Gareth already had more responsibility on his shoulders than should have been allowed and what happened was a tragedy, but he pulled through and became stronger than ever. It had left wounds that would probably never heal for him, such is life.