Russian Roulette: Family secrets [2021 version]

Ch. 45: Stop, or so help me...

"Happy New Year."

Gareth's voice was smooth, like melted chocolate, when he wrapped his arms around Mackenzie from behind. He kissed her neck and looked out the large window with the panoramic view of the city, waiting for the obligatory midnight fireworks.

"It's still a few minutes until midnight," Mackenzie mumbled and leaned back into his embrace.

Gareth had booked the banquet hall at the PamHotel in the middle of the city with the help of Sereai, whose family owned it. They could not have the party at the Mansion because of the repairs after the attack, and none of them was really in a partying mood. So, Gareth had opted for an evening of great food and togetherness at the hotel, where he had booked rooms for all of them too.

He and Mackenzie had received an invitation to a big, fancy party in Hollywood held by a famous movie star. Sereai's brother Kenneth dated a lawyer from The States, and her sister was the famous movie star and model Strixe. Strixe had earlier that year married a common friend of Gareth's and Kenneth's from school. Though they had wanted to see everybody again, Gareth had declined the invitation because of everything going on.

The days following the attack had been hectic, and Gareth had sported quite the mood. Understandable under the circumstances. He had ordered people to vacate the Mansion and had organized housing for everybody at Sereai's hotel for the foreseeable future.

He and Mackenzie had moved back into their apartment.

He had made sure the Mansion got repaired and cleaned. The injured were tended to and their families informed.

And Grychenko's dead men they had disposed of.

Luckily, Gareth's side had had no casualties, and it was a fairly effortless task for them to take on the incoming men. The explosions and bullet rain had done a bit of damage, but they had prevailed without too much hassle.

Gareth had sat in non-stop meetings, going over everything and talking about tactics and retaliation. He had met with Niehauser and signed the deal in secret, at the request of Gareth, until they had taken care of King. Niehauser had already decided to sell to Gareth and wanted it signed before the calendar year ended, so he had visited for half a day for them to sign.

Mackenzie had seen little of Gareth and when she had, he had been distant and somewhat agitated. She could not blame him; the attack had been a close call, and he carried a lot on his shoulders.

Still, he had found time to meet with the people from the adoption services with her to realize their dream. Since they had applied after they agreed to adopt, they had sent in the paperwork and held a few meetings to get interviewed for adoption approval. The people had been nice and had given them as much reassurance as they could; with their marriage status, their apartment being acceptable, and their financial status, topped with Gareth's medical records on why they had applied in the first place, it was pure formality. Especially because they wanted two specific children already in the adoption system and not infants.

They would, however, have to wait for the official paperwork, though it had gotten hinted that they had approved their adoption.

Other than those highlights, there was not really much to smile about. Mackenzie had felt Gareth was bothered by something, which she had found normal with things as they were. So, she had tried not to pressure him and had stayed out of his way, but made sure she was there when he needed her.

Which was every night.

The first few nights, Gareth had acted overly brutal, maybe to get rid of some demons and frustrations. Not that Mackenzie had minded. He had not harmed her in any way; he had just been rougher than usual. For the rest of the nights, he had made passionate love to her, telling her over and over how much he loved her and how he would do anything for her.