Chapter 11 – Making Up
It felt like it took forever to get from Mackenzie's work office to her apartment in the Chicago traffic. Roman would've thought that everyone would be sleeping, but like every big city he ever visited he was wrong. They were almost as busy as New York – the city that never sleeps. When Mackenzie pulled into her apartments parking garage she signally for Roman to follow her in his rental. Once she parked she got out and pointed to the empty spot next to hers marked 'guest'. Each apartment was equipped with two renter's parking spaces and four guest parking spots.
Mackenzie watched as Roman pulled in and killed the engine before he exited the vehicle. "Don't forget your bag."
Roman's dark eyebrow rose. "You're going to let me stay with you tonight?' He asked almost astonished. They had quite a bit they needed to discuss but after the way he'd behaved the last time he was in her apartment he was sure she would tell him to get a room somewhere else until they'd worked everything out.
"I can be persuaded." Mackenzie smiled softly. She watched as he stepped to the rear of the rental and popped the hatch before retrieving his duffle bag that had spare clothes plus his toiletries kit. She knew the way he packed and knew his duffle would have everything it needed. "If you want to bring your suitcase with you, we can also do laundry since I know you're not going to make it home to get fresh clothes for when you go back on the road."
Roman shook his head. "I'm not going to worry about it tonight. I've got what I need for now." He motioned to his duffle. "Lead the way beautiful."
Mackenzie led him over to the door and unlocked it allowing him to go through it first but he held it open and waited for her to follow; he watched as her jean covered backside made its way down the hallway to her apartment door.
Roman walked into the apartment and suddenly it felt different. He felt invited and welcome. It felt familiar again. He breathed a deep sigh of relief as he watched her get rid of her coat, purse and keys. "I'm gonna go put my bag down. Any room in particular I should place it?" Of course he was asking; he really wanted to make sure his signals were not getting crossed with hers.
"My room is at the end of the hallway." Mackenzie smirked. "As long as you're staying."
"As long as I'm staying." Roman disappeared down the hallway as he found her bedroom and placed his bag on the bench at the foot of her bed. It looked comfortable and he couldn't wait to hold Mackenzie in it – all night long. It had technically been 3 years since he'd held her; with the exception of the romp they'd just had in her boss's office, which wasn't as romantic as he'd hoped, but got the job done. He wanted to make slow passionate love to her in a soft warm bed and if he had his way and things worked out the way they were supposed to; that is exactly how they would be ending the night.
Roman walked back into the living room and found Mackenzie sitting on the couch. She'd licked off her shoes and was sitting on her knees with her feet under her as he walked over and joined her.
"I kicked the heat up so it should get warmer in here soon." Kenzie stated as she rubbed her hands up and down her jean covered thighs. After a comfortable silence she smiled and reached for Roman's hand. "What now?" She asked.
Roman's dark eyes looked down as her small hands encased one of his big hands – again it felt familiar. When they were together before they couldn't keep their hands off each other. "Now we talk about what we are going to do. I know it's probably too soon to tell you I want to marry you, but I'm going to say it anyway."
He took a deep breath as he looked up into those deep sea blue eyes he could never get enough of. "Mackenzie, I want you to be my wife. If I had the ring right now I would be asking you to marry me. I want you to be the mother of our children. It's the only thing I wanted since you came into my life; since I watched you walk into that board room next to Stephanie. I've never wanted anyone in my life as much as I want you. I know we've been apart for unforeseeable reasons, but it's been almost 3 years and I never stopped loving you."
Mackenzie could feel the tears stinging her eyes at his honest words. "You're serious aren't you? You really mean it." She watched as he nodded. "I'll make you another deal."
Roman chuckled. "Wow two deals in one night?" He sighed as he pulled her a little closer. "Okay hit me."
"Whenever you get that ring and you ask me – I'll say yes." Mackenzie couldn't stop the tears from sliding down her cheeks.
Roman frowned. "Sweetheart, why are you crying?" He asked concerned.
"Because you make me happy, because you are the only thing I ever wanted since I met you. Because I knew when I met you; you were going to be the most important person in my life. Because we missed so much time over the last almost 3 years and I feel like we are never going to get that time back and I want nothing more than to make up for every second, minute, hour, day, week, month and year we were apart." Mackenzie stated as she felt Roman's arm tighten around her as she looked down at their joined hands. "I want to get back to where we were before all the insanity happened."
Roman knew all the opening up was going to be a necessary evil for them. His hand released hers as he reached up and his index finger traced her jaw line before it slipped under her chin as he lifted her head so her eyes would meet his. "We will get back to where we were; it will take a bit but well get there." He leaned down and kissed her lips softly. Roman pulled back before he gently lifted Mackenzie off the couch and placed her on his lap; he could feel her hands caressing him. "Can I make a request?" He asked.
Mackenzie smiled softly as she nodded. "Sure."
"I want you back on the road with me. Out of everything I want and need in my life, having you on the road was always the one thing that kept me sane. I already spoke to Vince and he said as long as you're okay with it and as long as Robert is okay with it; you'd be doing the same thing as before." Roman had been smart enough to discuss it with Vince beforehand. He'd learned Vince had known about Mackenzie going into witness protection; thanks to Dain.
"Hmmm traveling again; I did enjoy it last time." Mackenzie smiled down at Roman as she continued to caress Roman's face. Their eyes locking; something they could do forever just sit and stare at each other.
~Friday~
Mackenzie paced back and forth. Her deep sea blue eyes were staring at the carpeting the covered the floor. Roman watched as she paced back and forth. "Babygirl, what is going on in that beautiful mind of yours?" He asked as he watched her head snap up.
"I don't know what to – to say to Jenaya. We didn't exactly part on the best of terms the last time we saw each other. I really don't want someone I consider a sister to hate me." Mackenzie confessed as she continued to pace again.
Roman stood from the end of the king size bed and stepped into Mackenzie's path and stopped her with his hands on her hips. His forehead lowered to hers as she stared at his t-shirt covered chest. Her hands came up and rested on his chest. Roman leaned down a little more and kissed her forehead. "You are worrying over nothing Kenzie. Jenaya didn't know or realize why you did what you did; she just assumed you did it to hurt all of us. I already explained to everyone what really happened and what went down with you."
"I'm still scared." Mackenzie admitted.
Roman nodded. "It's okay to be scared ya know. But I don't really think you have anything to be scared about." He softly kissed her forehead once more before she pushed up on her toes and caught his lips with hers. Roman wrapped his arms around Mackenzie as her hands came up and cupped his cheeks. "Hmmm." He hummed against her lips. "What was that for?" He asked curiously.
Mackenzie pulled back and smiled softly as she tugged on his goatee. "Just because."
The knock on the hotel door pulled the newly reunited couple apart. "I'll get it." Roman volunteered.
Mackenzie watched as Roman walked out of the bedroom into the sitting room of the hotel and she could hear as Dean and Jenaya made their way into the hotel room. She couldn't help but chew her bottom lip. Her nerves were still standing on end.
"Bro how were your days off?" Dean asked as he and Roman slapped hands.
"Wasn't bad; I have a small surprise for Jenaya, but I can't have her destroy my hotel room when she finds out what it is." Roman joked.
"Oh yes Axel Rose at your service you Samoan meat head." Jenaya smarted off.
Dean couldn't help laughing as he shook his head.
"I was being serious. I have someone here who needs to speak to you and I seriously don't need you attempting murder." Roman stated as he looked at Jenaya.
"I think I can hold her back if she feels the need to Guns-N-Roses your hotel room bro." Dean wrapped his arm around Jenaya's waist as he kissed her temple. "Play nice kitty."
Jenaya watched as the bedroom door opened and her eyes widened as Mackenzie stepped out of the room. Jenaya's emerald eyes locked with Mackenzie's deep sea blue; before Jenaya started to walk over to her.
Roman put his arm out and pulled it back when Jenaya slapped his chest. Big he might be but she was short and powerful. Roman jumped slightly as he rubbed the spot she slapped. "Damn it woman." Roman complained.
"Oh shut up." Jenaya snapped back as she started towards Mackenzie again.
Mackenzie watched as Jenaya walked over and stopped in front of the woman who had not only been like a sister she never had but had also been missing from her life for almost 3 years now. She could already see the tears lining her blue eyes and she could feel the tears stinging her own eyes. "I should kick your ass."
"HEY!" Roman growled.
"I thought I told you to shut up." Jenaya warned as she gave a glare behind her.
Dean tapped his fist on Roman's shoulder. "Clam up bro."
Jenaya's focus went back to the woman standing in front of her as she watched silent tears trickle down her cheeks. "Before I was so rudely interrupted; I should kick your ass for leaving us to our own devices for 2 ½ years. You have missed so many special moments by being gone. Not to mention the fact that you left me with dumb and dumber here alone." She stated as she threw a thumb over her shoulder towards Dean and Roman. "I swear to God if I got stuck in the car with the two of them singing old 80's TV sitcom show tunes. I'm going to have to plan some kind of murder/suicide thing and then run away to San Pablo to live the rest of my life, because I just wouldn't look cute in one of those prison jumpsuits."
Mackenzie couldn't help but let out a watery giggle as more tears slid down her cheeks. "Fluorescent orange isn't really a good color on anyone." She agreed.
Jenaya couldn't help but start letting her own tears slip out. "I really should kick your ass, but I'm really going to hug the shit out of you for a very long time so you might as well get all your clothes altered to look like we are Siamese twins attached at the boobs, because I'm not going to let you go for a while." Jenaya suddenly pulled Mackenzie into her arms as the girl began both sobbing.
Roman and Dean watched the display between the girls before Roman walked over and handed them a box of tissue. "Here don't snot on each other and come up for air every ten minutes."
Dean guided the two crying women over to the couch so they could hug and cry it out. "Here sit be comfortable. We'll order some food."
Jenaya pulled back as she sniffled. "Leave it to my man to be hungry at a time like this."
"Same old Dean." Mackenzie laughed.
"Of course he's the same old Dean." Jenaya laughed with her as the pair took tissues and blew their noses and wiped their eyes while trying to get their emotions under control.
"I'm sorry!" Mackenzie stated as more tears came out. "I'm so sorry about all of this Jenaya. I wanted to call you. I wanted to call you every day I was gone and tell you I was alive and well and stuck in some sucky New Mexico town, but those bastards at the Marshall services wouldn't let me have contact with anyone. I wasn't even allowed to talk to my sister." Mackenzie spoke faster than normal she needed to get it all out and quickly.
"I don't even care anymore." Jenaya sobbed back. "I just care that you are alive and safe again. I really want to maim the Marshall who coerced you into that shitty deal and lied to you about Roman and your family but for now I can only hope when Dain gets to arrest him that he brings him to us and secret lets us beat the shit out of him before he takes him to the pokey or wherever they take assholes like him and lies about him falling down several flights of metal steps repeatedly."
Both girls sat back for a second and took a few deep breaths before Jenaya lifted her left hand up. "And there was that one time you missed Dean being romantic and asking me to marry him." Jenaya added.
"Oh my God, Dean has a romantic side?" Mackenzie asked surprised.
Jenaya nodded. "Dean has a romantic side."
"Why did you say it like that?" Mackenzie asked.
"Like what?"
"Like you can barely keep your clothes on right now at the thought of Dean being romantic?" Mackenzie laughed.
Jenaya laughed hard. "Probably because we barely could keep them on after he asked in the back of the limo."
"Oh if that limo could talk." Mackenzie shook her head.
"The secrets it could tell." Jenaya nodded as the girls laughed and couldn't stop hugging again.
Mackenzie made up with Jenaya. All was right in the world again.