The NSC Boxset: Heart of Stone (107 page)

As soon as I got to work on Thursday morning I ordered her two large bunches of flowers and an open weekend at a health spa, giving her something to look forward to when all this was over.

I had managed to double check all my work from last week now that Liv was back and covered her own work downstairs. She arrived at lunchtime to spend time with Nate before she covered for my antenatal appointment and I grinned to myself as she locked his office door behind her.

* * *

I was nibbling on my peanut butter and curry paste sandwich when my phone rang. I reached for it while perusing a website about twin births. “Hello,” I chirped as I answered.

“Hi,” Mason said softly and hesitantly.

I froze as my chest hurt immediately, the pain of what he had done slamming through my body again.

I ended the call, there was no way I was having this conversation with him over the phone.

It rang again but I declined it and switched it off. I knew he would turn up and I cringed as I rang through to Nate’s office.

“Sorry for disturbing you both but I’m gonna get off to the hospital now. I’ll warn you that Mason has just rung and I declined his call. I am presuming he’s back in the UK, so he might turn up here. Please don’t tell him where I am,” I said into the intercom.

“No problem, Ava. Liv says let her know what you’re having.”

“I will. See you tomorrow guys.”

I packed up my things quickly and headed out of the building, climbing into my car just as Mason sped into the car park and screeched into a parking spot. Sliding down my seat, I watched him stealthily through the wing mirror as he stormed out of his car, slammed the door shut and ran up the steps and into NSC.

I floored the accelerator and raced to Courtney’s, beeping her manically until she flew out of her house in a frenzy.

“Jesus Ava, I’m coming,” she puffed as she climbed in, “Where’s the fire?”

I took off again before Mason came here looking for me and then settled down into a steady pace of driving. “Mason’s arse is on fire,” I told her, holding back laughter as I recalled the fury on his face as he jumped out of his car. She narrowed her eyes on me. “I’ve just put the phone down on him twice, so he’s after my arse,” I chuckled.

“Oh God,” she cried and buried her face in her hands.

“Fuck him. He can piss off to America for a fortnight without telling me but I’m not allowed to put the phone down on him without him throwing a hissy,” I scowled.

As we pulled into the hospital car park my phone alerted a text:

MASON

Where the hell are you?

ME

Nowhere near America!!!

MASON

Tell me where you are Ava and don’t be fucking smart.

I was ready for blowing up at him so decided to just breathe and ignore him.

My phone rang this time and I looked at it nervously but it was Nate. “Hi,” I answered.

He puffed loudly. “You are in sooo much trouble Ava. He was livid,” he warned and I sighed.

“Sod him. He didn’t have a go at you did he?”

“No, but only because Liv was with me I think. I told him you had finished early today but I didn’t know why.”

I exhaled loudly. “Thanks Nate, I owe you.”

He snorted. “I don’t envy you when he gets hold of you Ava,” he said slowly but I laughed.

“He’s gotta catch me first.”

* * *

“One of each!” Ethan declared happily.

Courtney and I squealed like giddy teenagers. “Yay, that’s brilliant!” I grinned as Courtney squeezed my hand.

I sighed contentedly as I watched my babies fight, fidget and bounce about.

“Hey peanuts,” Courtney waved to them and I half expected them to wave back.

“They’re getting big now Ava,” Ethan said as he measured them on the screen. “Big and healthy.” He smiled as he wiped the goo off my stomach. “Daddy not here today?” he asked as I cringed when it smeared into a big glob.

“Nope,” I answered him with a pop of the ‘P.’ He raised his eyebrows at me. “Don’t ask,” I warned just as the door flew open and Mason stormed in. His face was tight and angry, his jaw was tense and his eyes scanned the room and then froze on me.

“Ava,” he nearly spat as Courtney moaned and shifted uncomfortably in her chair.

Ethan’s eyes shot from mine to Mason’s then back to mine.

“Oh Hello, Mason isn’t it?” I said petulantly.

His stormy eyes narrowed further. “Don’t be fucking smart, Ava,” he glowered. I rolled my eyes; his chest was rising and falling heavily with each deep breath. “Why didn’t you tell me you had a scan?”

I could tell he was only just holding it together. “I would have, but you obviously can’t send or receive my calls in America,” I told him brashly as though he was stupid.

I stood up and his hand shot out to help me up but I just stared at it with disgust and refused to take it. He dropped it back down by his side and glared at me. “How are they?” he asked softly.

I snorted loudly. Courtney cringed as Mason growled and I glared at him, my own rage surfacing at his attitude. I hadn’t seen him for nearly three weeks and he comes storming in, temper frayed and had the cheek to be angry with
me.

“Go home,” I ordered despondently. His eyes flashed angrily. “I won’t repeat myself Mason.” I looked at Ethan, pointedly ignoring Mason. “The pictures ready?” I asked calmly. He nodded, passing me two.

I smiled and ran my finger over the photo and then handed one to Courtney. “Oh thanks,” she said, giving Mason a furtive glance.

Mason bit his lip savagely and his fists clenched. “Ava . . . Don’t do this here,” he warned again and my own eyes flashed this time.

“Go home, Mason before you make a fool of yourself and get kicked out,” I hissed.

He scoffed. “I don’t think so. Ava,” he said cockily and I shook my head in exasperation.

“Oh that’s right, I forgot you’re God!”

“OH FUCK THIS!!” he boomed and stormed out of the door.

I breathed a huge sigh of relief and picked up my bag from the floor. “Thanks Ethan, I promise not to bring the entertainment next time.” I laughed bitterly and he nodded but gave me a sad smile.

“You look after yourself, Ava.”

I grinned, nodded and walked out. “I will.”

I called in to Brian and Brenda’s on the way home to tell them the sex of the babies and then climbed straight into bed when I arrived back at the cottage.

After the week from hell I fell straight to sleep and didn’t wake till late afternoon, feeling better already.

* * *

I made coffee and picked up my phone to text Liv the news when I saw two missed calls from Mason. Choosing to ignore them, I rang George. “Hey.” I grinned when he answered.

“Hello princess, give me the verdict,” he chuckled.

“One of each.” I smiled widely as he cheered.

“Oh Ava, that’s brilliant.”

I nodded to myself as I lifted a foot onto the chair next to me and started to paint my nails a bright red. “I know, perfect.” I sighed happily.

“And how’s the father to be?” he asked cautiously, always highly aware of mine and Mason’s volatile relationship.

“Oh the usual,” I sneered.

He sighed heavily. “I’m gonna knock both your heads together!”

I took his scolding, not daring to tell him about Mason’s impromptu visit abroad with notifying me. “I know, I’ll get over it. How are you anyway?”

We chatted happily for a while, filling each other in on our lives but I held back most of my happenings knowing George would go mad with me for the plans I had. We said goodbye with lots of tears from my end. I really could have done with a hug from him today but I got the usual chastisement from him.

I decided to bake and placing my iPod in my pocket, headphones in my ears and hair in a ponytail, I weighed, whisked, baked and danced, singing along loudly to
Olly Murs.

I took the apple and raspberry muffins out of the oven singing along to ‘
Hey There Beautiful.’
Turning to place them on the worktop, I was met by the amused expression of Mason sitting at the table. I dropped the tray, scattering the buns across the floor and grit my teeth in fury. “Get. The. Fuck. Out!”

He narrowed his eyes, stood up and stalked over to me. I refused to be intimidated by him and stood my ground. He reached me, cocked his head and pursed his lips as he regarded me. “Will you please let me explain before you blow off?”

I raised my eyebrows in shock. “What the hell, Mason? Don’t even try to make excuses for what you did because I don’t wanna fucking hear them, now get out,” I seethed through clenched teeth and bent to pick up the ruined muffins.

“LEAVE THEM AND FUCKING LISTEN TO ME!” he yelled and my fury rose.

“Don’t you dare come here fucking bellowing at me. I have had enough Mason, I can’t do this anymore.” He flinched at my words. “What would you have done Mason if I had fucked off to America with Kade? Huh? I can fucking imagine and it wouldn’t be allowing me to stand here trying to give pathetic excuses and lies,” I bit out.

His face was dark but a haunted look flitted over his face and I shook my head sadly at him. “Go home Mason, please. I can’t cope with this nightmare relationship anymore. We’re killing each other and I’m not going to let our babies suffer for our fuck ups.” I turned to the window, refusing to let him see the tears in my eyes.

“Ava please,” he pleaded but I shook my head.

“No, Mason. You hurt me too much this time.” I spun round to face him. “I fucking sat here, meal on the table for hours waiting for you like a sad twat, stupidly thinking you were just running late and that you wouldn’t just not turn up without letting me know and then after twelve hours I started worrying, actually fucking terrified that something had happened to you.” I took a step towards him. “Thinking you might be laid dead somewhere in a fucking ditch.” Another step closer, “thinking you was overdosed on coke somewhere.” Another step. “And then I had to phone Sam. You fucked off with Rebecca but I, fucking
me,
had to phone around to find out what had happened to you.”

I swung my hand back and slapped him hard across the face. His head shot sideways but his face was expressionless.

We stood glaring at each other, our angry eyes locked and heated and our breathing heavy but steady.

I grabbed his hair tightly and yanked his mouth to mine, kissing him like my life depended on it, hungry and violently, my tongue exploring his angrily as he sucked harshly on mine.

My hands gripped his shirt and yanked it open, pinging buttons all over the kitchen floor as he grasped the neckline of my top and tore it open.

We fumbled frantically with each other’s trousers, yanking them and our underwear down each other’s legs. He spun me round to bend me over the table and impaled me a brutal thrust.

“
Oh God!
Yes Ava
” he hissed as he plunged right to the tip of me. He pulled back and speared me violently again. I screamed in a mixture of pain and pleasure when he yanked my hair back so he could latch on to my neck as he pounded into me relentlessly, ruthlessly and angrily.

“Fuck Mason, I’m coming!” I yelled loudly as he thrust once more and joined me in my ferocious orgasm, both of us crying out each other’s name as our climax tore through us aggressively.

“Jesus, Baby,” Mason panted, resting his head against my back. I panted silently and then the tears came; the angry, exhausted and miserable tears as I still rested against the table.

“Oh baby, I’m so sorry,” he choked out as he turned me, lifted me and carried me upstairs and laid us both down in bed. “I’m sorry Ava, I’m so sorry,” he repeated and pulled me close, enveloping me tightly and securely while I wept.

CHAPTER 27

“I COULDN’T GET in touch, baby because I didn’t know I was going. Rebecca had it all planned as a surprise,” he started to explain. “She picked me straight up from the club Saturday afternoon and took me straight to the airport. I had left my phone in my office and there wasn’t any way to get in touch with you before we went. I didn’t do any of it on purpose. I told her I didn’t want to go but she was adamant she had sorted it out with everybody at work and that she had been planning it for weeks. I soon found out the reason for the visit though,” he scoffed.

I peered up at him through my tear splattered lashes. “She took me house viewing,” he divulged and I frowned.

“What?”

He nodded. “Oh yeah, she wants us to move out there after the baby is born.” He sighed heavily and I bit my bottom lip harshly.

“And are you?” I asked cautiously.

He raised his eyebrows at me in a ‘What do you think’ expression and I sighed. “I am really sorry. Ava but there was no way I could get through to you from out there.”

“So you’re telling me you went to America with your fiancé for two weeks but you couldn’t let me know before you were whisked off?” I asked hesitantly. He nodded as he drew lazy circles on my back and planted kisses on my forehead. “Okay, and next you’ll be telling me you didn’t sleep with her while you were out there.”

His eyes widened and then narrowed. “No Ava, I didn’t sleep with Rebecca.”

“Oh come off it, Mason. A two weeks holiday with your girlfriend and you slept in separate beds did you?” I pulled out of his arms and sat on the edge of the bed.

He climbed out of bed, walked around to my side and crouched in front of me. “Ava, listen to me. I. Did. NOT. Sleep. With. Her,” he said slowly and deliberately but I just shrugged. “Why won’t you believe me?” he asked frustration written all over his face.

“I just find it hard Mason,” I admitted.

He sighed heavily and he framed my face with his hands. “Baby, I love you and only you.”

“I know you love me Mason, I’m not denying that, but I still can’t grasp the fact that you’re not fucking her.”

He closed his eyes and stood up. “You know what Ava, I’m sick of trying to tell you. You never fucking listen.” He threw his hands in the air and walked out, leaving me crying and alone as I heard the front door shut behind him a little while later.

I curled up and stared at the wall. What kind of relationship was this? I couldn’t cope with this, being second, all the time; it was tearing me in two. I just wanted to be happy, to have my man in my life without all the secrets and lies, to be able to go out in public, to hold hands while walking in the park, to kiss at a bus stop, to stroll arm in arm in the market or to even have a romantic dinner out, just simple things but I wouldn’t ever have them, couldn’t have them.