Resolution (Heart of Stone) (4 page)

“Oh sweetie”
she whispered and her arms hung over the side of the bath and she huddled me
up, my head in her ample chest as I sobbed into her.

“Thank you,
you deserve a medal for putting up with me twice” I chuckled eventually and she
playfully slapped my arm.

“Come on
sweetie. Let me give you the five star treatment and dry your hair for you… ooh
after I apply new ointment though” I smiled and climbed from the bath.

She took the
towel and patted me down, taking extra care over my sores. I felt so much
better, the dirt and filth and stench of Dane washed away. I was determined not
to let him eat at my thoughts, not let him win and terrify me any further.

Teresa was
right, I was strong and tough, I had bashed his fucking head in for god’s sake
and I wouldn’t hesitate to do it again. In fact if Mason ever managed to find
him, then I would make sure I was the one to finish him, slowly and
excruciatingly slow.

I lay in my
bed, alone now the policewoman and Teresa had gone. I had faced the window to
keep one open eye on it but my thoughts were whirling at the door my back was
facing but I knew the nurses were outside the door so the window was my main
priority.

I had
insisted that a light be left on; I didn’t want to lay in the dark anymore. I
was angry at myself for being frightened of Dane returning; scared to death he
would come back for me and take me again.

“Ava” I
heard Greg whisper and I rolled over to see him stood in the doorway. I smiled
in relief at his friendly face. “You okay sweetheart?” he asked as he
approached me. I nodded but he could tell I wasn’t from my expression.

“You want me
to stay with you?” he asked quietly and I nodded wildly with wide eyes. He
smiled softly and climbed on the bed behind me. “I’ve got you sweetheart, try
and get some sleep” he whispered as his arms tightened securely around me.

“I hope Courtney’s
okay with this” I worried and he snorted.

“I’m sure
she’ll be fine Ava, she knows how much I love her… and fuck! I love her so
fucking much, I realised how much when I thought I’d never see her again.”

I shrouded
his arms with my own and I nodded in understanding. “I know” I whispered and
Greg sighed.

“He thinks you
hate him Ava, he blames himself and he can’t cope with what Dane did to you. He
hates himself for not finishing him when he… when you lost the baby and he
knows none of this would have happened if he’d followed in through to the end”
he revealed.

“I know Greg;
I know all this is hard for him but hell! I need him more than ever right now.
I don’t blame him one bit for not finishing Dane, I told him that but I have
never needed him more than I do right now.”

We both
pulled in a heavy breath and Greg kissed the back of my head, “Sleep Ava,
you’re exhausted, I won’t let anything happen to you, I promise.”

I nodded and
relaxed against him as my eyes grew heavy and I welcomed the unconsciousness
and oblivion for the first time in nine days.

I was
allowed home the next morning, armed with potions, lotions and a mountain of
pills. Teresa hugged me tight and we swapped numbers and I promised to meet her
for coffee the following week and I knew we were going to become good friends.

Mason still
hadn’t been anywhere near and I knew it was because he had been on cocaine last
night. Nobody had seen him since he had visited Greg right after he left me and
I prayed to god he wasn’t shacked up with some tart somewhere like the last
time he got wrecked.

Sam had come
with Courtney to collect me and the look of relief and affection on Sam’s face
had warmed my insides. I had some great friends, some who cared as deeply for
me as I did them.

“Come on
Ava, let’s get you home to those babies” he smiled and bundled me into his car.

 “Have you
heard from Mason?” I asked and his eyes quickly glanced at me through the rear
view mirror. “Sam, I know he’s high somewhere, I just want to know if he’s
alone
and okay” I beseeched and he nodded.

“He’s fine
and he’s definitely alone, Ava” he disclosed and I nodded my thanks.

We pulled up
outside the house and I was suddenly nervous, frightened of being here alone
without Mason.

Here was
where Dane knew where to find me. “We have security patrolling the grounds Ava”
Sam revealed as though he could read my thoughts. “Mason has hired a 24 hour
bodyguard to be with you and the children. You won’t be left alone at all until
we find him, okay?” he said as he took my hand and helped me from the car. I
nodded and exhaled noisily.

He just
smiled knowingly at me. “Come on, I’ll introduce you” he said and we walked up
the steps as Courtney slipped her hand into mine.

He opened
the door and I stepped into the house. It was Mason’s house but it felt like
home to me, it always had done. From the moment we started our relationship I
had spent more time here than at my cottage.

Kerrie was
stood waiting for me with Katie and George and they squealed with delight when
they saw me and their arms reached out for me.

I grinned
happily at them and scooped them up. “Hey peanuts” I whispered, kissing each of
them noisily on their cheeks, prompting another giggle. God they made me feel
whole and so utterly happy.

A big broad
good looking man stepped forward. He had long blonde hair that was pulled into
a ponytail at the nape of his neck. His eyes were the brightest green I had
seen, even greener than my own. He nodded to me, “Ma’am” he murmured and I was
instantly highly aware of him, his strength, his professionalism and his sheer
presence filled the room.

He held out
his hand to me, “Elijah Denman” he said firmly and I took his hand. He curled
his fingers around my hand and he pierced my eyes with his own, silently
telling me he would protect me with his life and I instantly believed he would.

“Thank you”
I whispered softly and the faintest smile curled his lips and he nodded again.

He passed me
a phone as I handed Katie to Kerrie so I could take it. “Your new phone Miss
Stone, you must keep it with you at all times, it has a high tech tracking
device and I can pinpoint your location within seconds” he informed me.

He reached
forward and pressed a button on the side and a high pitched siren erupted from
it, he quickly switched it off as Katie screamed and he looked at me
apologetically but I shook my head and smiled at him.

I passed him
the phone and took Katie back in my arms and jigged her about.

“This key
here” he pointed to an icon on the screen, “sends me an immediate message that
you are in trouble” he stated professionally and as he pressed it in
demonstration and a loud alarm sounded from somewhere.

Elijah
reached into his pocket and retrieved his own phone and after pressing a series
of keys he turned it to show me and my jaw dropped at the information on his
screen. It showed co-ordinate’s, directions and a list of names but what
astounded me was that a map was displayed under this text and it had zoomed in
and it showed me, Elijah, Sam and Courtney stood together in Mason’s room.

 Elijah
winked at me when I choked out a relieved sob. “I’ll be able to see you, find
you and the most important
protect
you” he stated bluntly.

I nodded my
acknowledgement. “Thank you” I managed and he nodded.

“I have
entered all your numbers for you and set up your e-mail account on it so we can
organize diaries. There are three guards at your facility; myself, Neo Blackman
and Frank Grayson. We will take shifts between us and one of us will be by your
side or outside your door at all times. We have a further three guards always
outside your house, patrolling and me or one of your other personal guards will
drive you and escort you wherever you need to go. You do not leave our side,
Miss Stone” he divulged and ordered simultaneously.

I nodded
again. “Thank you” I smiled and he nodded again and then stepped back and took
position against the wall, his hands behind his back and his feet apart.

Kerrie
exited the kitchen with a tray full of coffee and held it up to Elijah for him
to take one then she placed it on the coffee table.

I sat on the
floor beside it so I could put the babies on the floor to play with them and
drink the much needed coffee. I sighed in pleasure as the caffeine flowed
through my veins and Kerrie chuckled. “Courtney’s coming over later so she can
stay with you but she’s got a hospital appointment this morning and George is
flying out today.”

She smiled
as she saw the huge grin that erupted on my face at the knowledge of seeing
George. I so needed to see him and I knew he would lift my spirits immediately.

I tickled
the babies and giggled with them, enjoying their innocence and normality of
them. My heart swelled as I tickled George and he broke wind. “You are so much
like your father” I chuckled and I heard Kerrie cough slightly.

I looked up
and gasped as I saw Mason stood watching over me. We both gazed at each other,
feeding off each other’s presence, filling our senses with one another’s scent
and aura.

He dropped
to the floor beside me and opened his arms and I climbed silently onto his lap.
His arms wrapped around me and pulled me tight. His nose nuzzled my hair and
his lips settled against my ear, softly placing a tender kiss on it as my head
rested on his strong powerful chest.

He didn’t
speak, I didn’t need him to, I was just happy to be touching and smelling him,
to be close to him and hear his soft breaths and his steady heartbeat in my ear.
My body instantly relaxed into him as it sprang to life, each nerve ending
crying out in relief and my heart finally beating regularly, matching the
rhythm of his own heartbeat.

We sat like
that for a long time, Kerrie and Elijah had disappeared into the kitchen with
the babies, as we just held one another.

“Show me” he
finally said quietly and I inhaled harshly and shook my head faintly.

“Mason I…” I
swallowed nervously and frowned at him.

“Show me,
Ava” he demanded and I swallowed again.

 Taking a deep
breath I climbed off his lap and waited for him to stand, he grasped my hand
and led me up the stairs, each one seemed more difficult to climb as I knew
what I was about to do would kill him inside.

He led me
into the bedroom and we stood silent in the middle of the room. I sucked on my
lips, desperately not wanting to do this. He stood impassively, his face
showing no emotion what so ever and I gulped as I started to unbutton the loose
silk shirt I had put on for comfort.

I wasn’t
wearing a bra as the straps and back rubbed against my sores and I cringed when
I undid the last one and looked up at him. He nodded blankly but I saw the
slight bob of his Adam’s apple and I knew he was steeling himself for this
moment.

I slipped my
shirt off my shoulders as I closed my eyes and I heard him gasp and the sound
of his heavy swallow. I cringed and turned around; showing him the whip lashes
and scorch marks. I heard the sob escape his throat and I instantly turned,
grabbed him and pulled him onto the bed, pulling him against me as the sobs
tore from him, the anguished cries that erupted from his throat.

I rocked him
tenderly. “I’m okay, I’m here, I love you so much” I sobbed against him and he
tightened his grip around me. “None of this is your fault so don’t ever think
it is. This is Dane’s fault Mason,
not yours
” I said adamantly as he
whimpered into me and my heart broke for him. “I’m home Mason and I won’t ever
let him take me again, I promise” I whispered.

He just wept
and hung on for his life, frightened to let me go, needing to feel me, needing
to touch and smell me to reassure his soul that I was actually here.

He pulled us
down so we lay on the bed and my head still rested on his chest but I turned to
face him and cupped his face. “I missed you, baby” I smiled gently and he
sighed as his fingers followed every contour on my face.

“My little
warrior” he finally choked out “I… I…”

I shook my
head. “Shush, not now. I just need to feel you Mason. Just hold me.”

He huddled
me close, embracing me and pulling my head onto his magnificent chest, my
breasts crushed against him and my nipples puckered at the feel of him. I felt
his erection press into my stomach and my body jumped for joy knowing that he
still found me sexy and not spoiled and damaged.

“I need you”
I whispered and he pulled in a breath and frowned at me, “I need to know you
still want me Mason, still need me, still find me as beautiful as I once was.”

He tipped
his head, his eyes fierce and blazing. “Ava, you are the most beautiful woman
on this planet and nothing will ever change that. Your beauty is mesmerising
but your real, pure beauty is in the inside baby and nobody will ever take that
from you” he breathed against my mouth and then his lips settled over mine and
he kissed me tenderly and softly but still firmly and demanding.

He rolled me
back so I was under him as he gazed at me and stroked the outline of my face.
“I love you so much Ava, I died… it broke…” I placed my fingers against his
lips.

“Make love
to me Mason, I need to feel you inside me, I need you to take me and fill me up
with
you
” I whispered and his eyes closed as he swallowed heavily.

“Ava…” he
mumbled as his mouth nuzzled and grazed my neck.

I closed my
eyes to feel him, sense him and enjoy him. His familiar sucking and biting
brought a smile to my lips. He was marking me, claiming me back as his and my
heart leapt for joy at the sensation of my man, back where he belonged.

“You’re
mine” he whispered against my neck and I moaned.

“Yes, yours”
I whispered back. His biting got heavier and needier as he trailed towards my
breast, placing his signature in his wake and I relished in it.

“Mine” he
murmured as his fingers fidgeted with the button on my trousers and I felt his
hands sweep them down and he removed his own then crawled back up me.

“Shirt” I
breathed, “I need to feel your skin Mason” I rasped, my need making it
difficult to breath. He gave me that ‘Sex God’ grin and swiped it over his
head.

I inhaled
deeply at the sight of him, his beauty, his power, his sheer magnificence and a
moan rumbled up my throat.

His mouth
kissed the side of my knee and my breath hitched as I closed my eyes and just
felt, nothing else, just felt him.

His kisses
snaked their way up my thigh and his nose rested at my mound and he inhaled
deeply. “Mine” he growled and I rested my hands in his hair.

“Yours” I
breathed and moaned as he parted my thighs and inhaled again. Just as I thought
he would take me with his mouth he carried on, kissing his way up my stomach,
over my ribs and onto my breast.

My eyes
remained closed as I enjoyed the sensations and… I frowned as Mason stilled and
I felt him rear back. I opened my eyes and found him staring blankly at my
right breast and I looked down to see what had caught his attention… the bites!

His eyes
shot to mine and I couldn’t read them, they were dark, black and haunted.

I frowned
again “Mason?”

He narrowed
his eyes intensely on me and rested back on his heels. “What the fuck, Ava?” he
growled.

I scrambled to
sit up. “What? You’re scaring me, what’s wrong?” I asked and he shook his head,
his face showing disgust and abhorrence. “Mason please” he bit his lip and his
eyes dropped to my breast again.

“He bit
you!” he stated coldly and I sucked on my lips, shame and demoralization
coursing through me.