Draft version - Russian Roulette - Family secrets

Ch. 89: If I die...

Marry him?

Of all the things he could have said. Mackenzie had thought he would have asked her to go back to Italy to stay clear of Gareth's feud with Grychenko, or maybe move out of their apartment into a safer location away from him. Stop working for the time being.

Anything really.

But marriage?

It had not been a romantic proposal. No down on his knee, no champagne or flowers. No diamond the size of Australia. It had been really unemotional being proposed to. Hearing the man she loved ask her the right question under the wrong circumstances felt heartbreakingly flat.

Gareth saw her distaste with the way he had presented his request. He knew all too well it was not what any woman would want from a proposal. And it was by far what she had wanted, he saw that plain as day in her sad eyes and tight face. He would have given her it all; flowers, trip to Paris, fancy dinner, big old family ring with enough carats to weigh her hand down, fireworks, songs, poetry... Whatever would have made her feel special and wanted. He would have given her it all if he could.

She deserved that.

If only he had not needed to rush things.

Time was of the essence.

She was the one he wanted to marry. To build a life with. She deserved much better than what he was about to offer her.

But...

Gareth prepared himself for the sales pitch he had been running over in his head for the last week or so while thinking of his own mortality after seeing how close Grychenko could get to him and his men.

"Ok," Mackenzie whispered.

What?

"You said...?"
"I said, ok."
"But why?" Gareth asked in awe not realizing he was probably not expressing the kind of gratitude he should be.
"You asked, I said yes."

Nodding Gareth pulled out the little velvet box he had gotten at the jeweler's earlier. He opened it and showed her the most exquisite diamond ring. It was not the size of Australia, but it was definitely there. It was a huge diamond mounted in an exquisite filigree platinum ring. It did not look like a traditional engagement ring. But nothing concerning Gareth was traditional.

Mackenzie stared at it.

The shine felt like it was blinding her. He had bought that for her, before she had said yes. He had prepared and hoped. She wondered what he would have said to persuade her, if she had said no. Gareth being blessed with a silver-tongue and not taking no for an answer would have made for an interesting presentation of whatever pressure points he had.

"Oh, my God, Gareth..."

Gareth hoped it would fit. He had gotten it made for her to his specifications, her ring size had been an estimate, though. He took her hand to slide the ring on.

"It's the wrong hand?"
"No, Russians put it on the right hand, not the left."
"Oh!"

Gently Gareth slid the ring on her finger and kissed her hand beside it after.

Mackenzie just sat there looking at the ring.

"I do have good taste." He knew she thought he was talking about the ring, he was talking about her, the ring just added to what he already had.
"Somebody's pretty proud of himself, eh?"
"Are you impressed?" He wiggled his eyebrows at her.
Rolling her eyes Mackenzie slapped him on his arm for ruining her moment actually being a little impressed with his choice of ring.