The NSC Boxset: Heart of Stone (100 page)

He frowned. “Aren’t we opening them with the guys?” he asked and I shook my head.

“Not this one,” I shrugged and looked away, nibbling furiously on my little finger.

He cocked his head and pulled my finger away gently. “Why are you nervous?” He smiled softly. I leaned over the bed and pulled out the brown paper gift wrapped box from under the bed and passed it to him.

He grinned widely and sat, crossing his legs as he pulled off the string bow. I took a deep breath as he removed the lid and pulled the soft cream silk aside. He inhaled sharply and his jaw dropped as he ran his finger across the image on the front of the black leather photo album.

He lifted the book out and set it on his knee as he turned the pages, his breaths getting heavier as he progressed through the twenty pages of erotic poses of me.

The cover shot was a black and white photograph of me naked, on my stomach with my legs bent at the knee, my feet up in the air. I was gazing into the camera and had imagined I was staring into Mason’s eyes, my hair mused up sexily. My lips were painted a bright red and had been left red in the print, to produce a truly sensual print.

The others were various poses and positions, all naked but tasteful and demure, all intimate parts covered with another part of my body or a prop. My absolute favourite though, and I suspected Mason’s too as he lingered on this image for longer, was the one where I had sat up, leant back on my hands, my eyes closed in pleasure and my lips parted as the photographer had encouraged me to think of Mason to capture the desire, but from the angle of the shot my front leg had been bent at the knee, covering my nipples but the contours of my breasts still visible.

Mason had remained silent all the way through and I was starting to get nervous. Did he hate it? Find it inappropriate to see me on display?

“I know we’re not going to be together as we want to be, so . . . I thought if you were ever missing me you could . . . you know, have a quick . . .” I shrugged apprehensively.

His eyes finally met mine. “Ava . . . I . . .” he breathed.

“You hate it don’t you?” I said and looked away, tears pricking my eyes. His finger and thumb grasped my chin and turned me to look at him.

I gasped as I locked onto his eyes. They were glazed, bright and dark at the same time. The desire, love and utter amazement evident. “Baby, these are . . . breath-taking, incredible and fucking hot.”

“You like them?”

He leaned forward and kissed me, a deep, sensual kiss that made me forget to breathe. “Jesus Ava, you are so beautiful. I’m going to look at these every minute we are apart. Thank you baby, thank you!” He grinned, placed the book aside and knelt before me cupping my face. “And these photos, these images of you . . . they pushed the others away . . . right into the back of beyond because these are amazing!” he whispered against my mouth. I knew what he was telling me and a tear slipped free.

“I’m so sorry Mason, for everything with Kade,” I said sadly.

He kissed me softly and fully, silencing me immediately but I shook my head. “I need to explain,” I urged. “I didn’t go with Kade because I didn’t love you Mason, I don’t ever want you to think that.” I caressed his face as he bit his lip painfully. “I just needed . . . well . . . it was the night I killed Dean, I thought I was losing you to Rebecca, I had just lost my baby . . . and maybe my mind.” I shrugged and Mason frowned. “We had argued, my life was spiralling out of control and I . . . I just needed to escape.”

My heart hurt and I stared at him. “But I also don’t want you to think that I just went with Kade because . . . well because he was there. I care deeply for Kade.” Mason closed his eyes and I cupped his cheek. “I don’t love him Mason, not like we . . . us, nothing like what we have. Sometimes when I look at you, I can’t breathe, you make my insides spark and blood rushes through me like I’m on fire and the pain at being without you is like nothing I’ve ever felt . . . it slaughters me and a piece of me dies when I watch you walk away. My body craves you so much that it frightens me and the love I feel for you, well it’s intense, invigorating and just . . . entire and takes over my soul. I’m so frightened what’s going to happen to us, Mason,” I whispered honestly.

He sighed and nodded, then looked at me. “I do understand . . . more than you think, Ava.” He stroked his thumb over my cheekbone. “I know I’m not an easy person Ava, I’m moody, controlling and sometimes fucking insane. I can’t stop the damn pain sometimes when I think of not being near you. It crushes me, every fucking bone, every breath, and every beat of my heart, Ava. It’s like I can’t live if I don’t touch you or smell you, or see your beautiful smile.” He rested his forehead on mine. “We will always be together Ava, whatever happens with me and Rebecca, she can never have my heart baby because it’s yours, every single piece.”

We breathed and gazed for a long time, both of us refusing to move away, holding onto each other and never wanting to let go.

“Mason,” I whispered after a while.

“What, baby?” he whispered back.

“Can we have breakfast now?”

* * *

The day flowed wonderfully; fun, laughter, great friends and my man made it the best Christmas ever. Mason had surprised us all and hired a chef and waiting staff for the Christmas lunch and as the evening settled in we were all sat around the fire, wine and chocolate plentiful as we opened our gifts.

We took turns to open and it was my turn to open Kade’s. I had purposefully left my phone switched off today as I knew he would ring me. I had made all the calls I had needed to make in the morning, so now I could relax and enjoy Christmas without the thought of him ringing while I was with Mason. I was a little nervous about opening it, unknowing what he had bought me.

I could feel everyone’s face’s on me as I unwrapped the thin square box. I was hoping it wasn’t jewellery but I was sorely disappointed. My breath stuck in my throat as I saw the Cartier name emblazoned across the box.

“Oh Shit!” I grimaced as I heard Mason’s sharp intake of breath when I removed the lid and was met with a love bracelet. It was a solid 24ct gold bangle and housed regular spaced diamonds and what broke my heart was the inscription on the inside;

My love for you is eternal, Kade

“Holy Shit!” Courtney cringed and Mason stood abruptly, took his coat of the hook and left the house, closing the door quietly behind him.

I placed my head in my hands and sighed. “
Fuck!”
I wheezed. “I told him it was just a bit of fun, why the hell has he bought me this? It’s way too inappropriate.”

I rubbed my temples to try and fight against the encroaching headache that was desperate to split my head. “I’ve hurt Mason so much,” I said to the others.

Courtney shuffled over to me. “No babe, it’s not your fault Kade went too far. You told him,” she placated.

“But now I have to break his heart all over again when I finish things with him.”

“But he’s going back to Italy so maybe you can just avoid him until then,” she said encouragingly.

I raised my eyes to her. “I can’t do that to him Courtney, I need to do this face to face. I can’t keep this gift but it will crush him if I return it to him. I don’t know what to do?”

I looked towards the front door, my heart aching for Mason. I had hoped that our talk this morning had crushed all the ‘Kade demons’ for Mason but this . . . now had resurfaced every single one.

We all paused in our present opening whilst we waited for Mason’s return and made hot chocolate and ate chocolate cake. Everyone stared at me when I covered mine with curry paste.

“Try it, it’s amazing,” I offered around a mouthful as the front door opened and Mason walked in. All eyes turned to him, gauging his mood. He was quiet but didn’t seem angry although I noticed huge sores and dried blood on his knuckles.

I walked over to him and lifted his hand to my mouth, kissing his wounds gently. He swallowed and I caught his eyes. He was hurting, and not from his hand. I could see each and every painful thought in his expression.

“Let’s get these cleaned up,” I whispered and pulled him behind me upstairs and into the bathroom, rooting through the vanity for the first aid kit.

He was silent as I gently cleaned and sanitised his hand. I kept shifting my eyes to his but he was in a zone and I wondered if he actually knew I was there.

“Who did you argue with?” I asked quietly.

“A tree,” he replied impassively.

I nodded and kissed each knuckle when I had finished. “I’m sorry,” I said sincerely and glanced at him.

His face had shut down and I knew I wouldn’t break through to him while he was like this. “Let’s go back down,” I sighed and pulled on his hand.

He followed me but still remained detached. Courtney gave me a reassuring smile as we all sat back down.

“You wanna talk?” Sam asked Mason but he shook his head once.

The guilt surging through me was unbearable and I knew I had to return Kade’s gift, for Mason’s sake. I preferred him angry and shouting than being like this; emotionless and distant.

My friends all got back into the spirit of the day, tearing at paper and hugging and thanking each other but mine was now ruined, my heart breaking for Mason. I could have easily sat and cried but I refused to ruin everyone else’s day.

It was my last gift and it was Mason’s. The box was long and thin and I immediately knew it was jewellery and I cringed. If this wasn’t as expensive and impressive as Kade’s I would die for Mason; it would kill him to be outdone by Kade. I would have been happy with a bloody carrot, it wasn’t the expense of a present but I knew that’s exactly what it was between Mason and Kade.

I slowly opened the wrapping and glanced up at Mason but he was still staring into space, in a world of his own.

A pale blue Tiffany’s box greeted me and my breath caught.

Wow!!

I knew now that this would be special. I pulled the lid off and eased back the silk packaging. “
Oh!”
I wheezed.

The platinum necklace took my breath away; it was simple, elegant and exquisite. It was attached to an oval locket encased with tiny clear and pink diamonds. I removed it from the box, unclasped it and opened it.

A choking gurgle erupted from somewhere in my throat. “
Oh!”
I wheezed. I couldn’t speak as my heart raced and my lungs forgot to draw in air.

“Breathe, Ava” Mason whispered softly in my ear.

My wide tear filled eyes found his. “W . . . where . . . ?” I stuttered. He traced the back of his fingers tenderly down my face as a tear slipped free.

“Sam did some digging around” he said softly. My eyes swept to Sam who just smiled and shrugged.

“What is it?” Courtney asked.

“My parents.” I gulped and everyone else gasped.

I traced a finger over their faces. The two pictures were of my parents together. One showed their close up faces laughing and smiling lovingly at each other and the second was of the three of us; my mother and father stood side by side and me in the middle, about 7 years old whilst my dad’s hand was on my shoulder and my mother looked down at me with an expression of pure love and happiness as I grinned up at her.

Even I hadn’t got a photo of them as they had all been lost when I had moved from home to home. I had mostly forgotten what they had looked like, I hadn’t been sure if the pictures I had of them in my head were real or what I had made up to fill in the gap.

Mason stood, walked over to a cupboard and removed a small shoe box. He placed it in my lap. I frowned up at him but he smiled tenderly and nodded.

I removed the lid and choked back a sob. “Oh dear God!” I rasped. They were the only words I could manage as I pulled out the few items in the box.

There were the two original photographs that Mason had had replicated into the locket, another few photos of my parents and a few of me as a baby and a couple of my early childhood, my birth certificate, a tiny pair of shoes, my christening gown and the final two pieces; my parents’ wedding rings.

“Oh Mason, I . . . God . . . I . . .” I swallowed and looked up.

Courtney was crying, Marcy had tears in her eyes and the two men were sat quietly watching me with affectionate smiles on their faces.

“Where did you get them, Sam?” I asked with a choke.

“I scoured all your old foster homes and the first one you ever attended had them stored away in their loft, even they had forgotten about them. It was Mason’s idea to look for you,” he stated gently.

Mason’s hand twisted into my hair. “Thank you . . . I . . .” I shook my head slightly unable to process the right words.

“It’s a pleasure, baby.” He kissed my forehead and lingered for a short while before pulling away.

I took the rings from the box and ran my fingers around the smooth metal on each and then placed them back in the box and returned the lid, locking the items securely away. Placing the box on the table I turned back to the locket Mason had bought me and handed it to him. “Would you?” I asked.

He smiled. I lifted my hair as he placed the chain around my neck and secured the fastening. It dropped to rest at my cleavage, right next to my heart. I clenched my hand around the locket, feeling closer than ever to my long gone but forever missed parents.

Mason’s hand covered mine and he turned the locket over in my hand, revealing an inscription on the back;

My little warrior

You own my heart

Always, forever and entirely

Mason

I stroked my thumb across the words and smiled up at him. “And me, you,” I whispered.

His whole face softened and lit up at the same time. Leaning in he kissed me with his soul and heart, a slow tender kiss that ached my heart.

“Okay, enough. Hot tub time, guys,” Greg grinned.

CHAPTER 19

I HAD GONE up to our room before Mason, telling him to hang back in the tub for thirty minutes before he came up. I was nervous for what I was about to do, my stomach fluttering rapidly and my heart racing but this was another part of Mason’s Christmas gift and I wanted to do this with him.