Russian Roulette: Family secrets [2021 version]

Ch. 29: If I die...

Leaving the store, Gareth noticed his new protection detail hot on his ass, though they had respectfully waited outside while he did his shopping. It did not bother him too much. All his life, bodyguards had looked out for him in one way or another, and that came with the territory of being who he was and having the name he had, though the seven people Cracker had assigned to him felt a little over the top.

He walked to the car and got in, checking his phone while the men decided who would ride in the car with him and who would follow in the other cars. Rasputin drove and Grobij got in and sat quietly in the front passenger seat.

"Where to, boss?" Rasputin asked.

"Picking up Mackenzie at work and then Mansion."

"Ok."

All of Gareth's men talked as little as possible around Gareth in the wake of what had happened. It weighed heavily on them all, and Gareth's temper was an issue when that affected, so they kept clear.

Mackenzie waited outside Granston's when they arrived. She too stood crowded by her bodyguards, who got into the other two cars when she was safely inside with Gareth.

"How's Phoenix?"

"It's bad, Malyshka. I don't think he's slept properly for seven days straight."

"Is there anything we can do?"

"Be there for him? I don't think he can handle anything."

Gareth sighed and pulled Mackenzie close. He was not sure how to handle Phoenix, how to get through to him. He refused to eat, and if he drank anything, it was alcohol. For what it was worth, Gareth could not fault him. Gareth had acted the same way when Mackenzie was sick.

Phoenix had even more reason to want to slip from reality.

"Do you think it would help if we got his parents here? They know about him and Jace, right? I mean, that he's gay?"

"I'm not sure if they know. I've had my suspicions all the time I've known him, and that's since school, so I suspect his parents know."

Gareth wondered if Phoenix had kept his feelings for Jace a secret because he was not fully out of the closet, or if he was unsure of Jace. From what little he knew about Phoenix's feelings, Phoenix would do anything for Jace. He had gone through hell for that little shit, so he doubted it was a question of love and acceptance. His best bet was that Phoenix doubted Jace's feelings. But there could be something else involved, something only Phoenix knew.

"I don't think it'll matter if they know or not. They're his parents. He needs them."

Nodding, Gareth gave her a little squeeze. "I'll send the jet for them."

Mackenzie leaned in and kissed his neck. "You're a good friend, Gareth."

"Not nearly as good as they have been to me. I'm the reason for this."

"You're also the reason they met in the first place," Mackenzie pointed out.

Like always, Mackenzie was right, and she put a ray of sunshine in his dark thoughts with her logic. Gareth would not be who he was without Jace or Phoenix, and they would not have been them. They might lead a fucked up life, but together they had made it work.

At The Mansion, Gareth escorted Mackenzie inside.

A depressing gloom hung over the place. People talked hushed, and few had cracked a smile in the twelve days since that dreadful night.