Draft version - Russian Roulette - Family secrets

Ch. 109: Just one more thing

Mackenzie was jumping with excitement dragging Gareth from store to store at the mall. Though shopping was not his thing, not Mackenzie or anybody could make him like it, he happily followed her and let her melt his credit card any way she saw fit.

It had been two weeks since Jace had woken up.

A few days after that emotional day, Mackenzie had come to Gareth and asked if they could postpone the honeymoon until they were sure Jace and Phoenix could handle things on their own. They probably could manage without them since The Mansion had been under siege by Gareth's men ready to do whatever for them.

Gareth had just kissed her and loved her for her compassion. He had been torn about it before she had asked. He knew what he needed to do as a friend and also as a husband. It had been like having to choose between family, luckily Mackenzie had saved him from having to do anything.

They had moved into The Mansion at her request. Gareth had not argued.

Alyssa and Cracker also.

Though Alyssa had been a little sad that her meeting Cracker's family had been put on hold, she understood like everybody else how they were needed, and she did her part in making friends with the guys and helping out where possible.

Gareth was standing with the bodyguards looking around waiting for Mackenzie to fill a cart in the bathroom accessories store, and she was filling it like she had won an 'empty store in 5 minutes' competition.

That was when he saw...

"Malyshka, I'll just pop out for a smoke, it's been hours, ok?"
"Sure thing, pretty boy," she replied without looking up from the stacks of towels she was inspecting weighing if the color was right.

"Keep her hidden and protected at all times," Gareth whispered to the bodyguards and took two of them with him out of the store.

He walked casually though he was in highest alert. He was at a public mall, he was sure nothing would happen, but he could not take the chance to be caught off guard. Looking around he tried to survey the area he was in.

It was like any mall, people everywhere, it being a Saturday and all. People were going about their business unaware of the threat walking among them.

Gareth had spotted Grychenko from the store and slowly made his way towards him, he had informed his two bodyguards to stay close but look inconspicuous. Grychenko had not noticed Gareth until he looked up from the wares he apparently was thinking of buying. His face immediately turned serious, though not hostile.

Like last time he was in a tailored suit, he looked like a distinguished gentleman doing a bit of pre-Christmas season shopping. The dark grey suit did make him look younger than he was. He was just there shopping like a normal person.

"Adjenkov," he said jovially. "We meet again. Have you reconsidered my offer?"
"You hurt one of my friends." Gareth was low key seething controlling his anger at what Jace was going through. Never had revenge burned in him like that.

To his amazement Grychenko looked a bit surprised. It annoyed him to no end that Grychenko could dismiss an attack like the one on Jace as if it were nothing and still look like a jolly Santa and not the satan he was. Same letters, just a quick rearrangement and two completely different experiences.

If he at least had been boastfully proud of what he had done to Nicholay, Ruslan and Jace it would have been something, but that surprised indifference was what convinced Gareth that the man was a total psycho.