Draft version - Russian Roulette - Family secrets

Ch. 46: Mackenzie, start talking

"I can walk, you know," Mackenzie argued halfheartedly as Gareth carried her from the hospital ward through the house to his car.

It felt nice that he was being so charmingly protective and brutishly masculine, it also made her a little uncomfortable because she was an adult and she had been walking since she was a toddler.

"And I can carry you, what's your point?"
"That you don't have to carry me."
"Oh, I thought we were exchanging random known facts. I want to carry you. End of conversation." He said it coldly but smiled at her and tipped his head to kiss her nose. "Just let me be gallant here, ok, dolly?"
"Sure thing, Sir Lancelot."

With a gentle laugh he looked down at her again. "The 'Sir' part I do appreciate, but Lancelot, not so much." He winked at her making her giggle at the underlying meaning.

That Gareth was the one she wanted.

The cheeky and loving one with the funny remarks and sneaky sexual undertones. From the looks of it that was the Gareth she had. It was surreal and wonderful and scary. It was everything she had ever wanted. If she could trust it and rely on it still echoed at the back of her mind. There was still a chance it would not last, he could get hurt, if she were not careful.

Mackenzie leaned into his chest and snuggled up closer. Maybe everything would end in disaster, still she allowed herself to enjoy the few moments of pure bliss she could get.

Piotr held the door for them to get in and drove them through town in silence. Gareth had his arms around her the entire time enjoying that she for once was not fighting him or having that scared look or disbelief in her eyes. If he did not know better, he would say that she was enjoying herself.

Maybe they both felt it.

Something had changed.

After the slumber party, but definitely after she had been sick. He still wanted her, that primal urge to make her his in every way was right there under the surface. It was not that, their friendship was back, and he felt there was more than that. It had been hard work reaching the point where she would trust him again, he had brought that on himself by the way he had treated her.

Gareth had expected it to take a lot longer and some not too nice tactics to convince her that he wanted more than just her body. He had been ready to start with the physical because that part she could not deny, her body's reaction to him was too undeniable.

Her feelings however were still hard to determine. She liked him, if she could love him again would be the challenge.

"Where are we going?" Mackenzie mumbled into his shirt crawling up on his lap and settling nicely against him. Her hands found the place they loved being most, on his chest near his heart.
"A place where we can talk, just trust me."

She nodded and closed her eyes and before long she was sleeping again. He kissed her hair. She was so tired, exhausted, and she finally let herself get some rest and he was happy to provide her with a place she could be at peace.

With everything his men had uncovered he understood how stressed out she had been. The pressure on her had been enormous and way too much for her. Both he and Gerson were surprised she had not snapped earlier.

Gareth spent the time in the car staring at her like a creep. She was quiet and relaxed, and he was secretly enjoying that because he knew she would be charging at him screaming bloody murder soon enough.

Going behind her back was one of the toughest decisions he had ever made. It could ruin everything they had built so far and going back to square one with her was not something he was looking forward to.